| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77 | 63 | 0.60 |
| Feb | 78 | 63 | 0.60 |
| Mar | 76 | 60 | 0.80 |
| Apr | 72 | 56 | 1.60 |
| May | 67 | 52 | 2.70 |
| Jun | 64 | 48 | 3.70 |
| Jul | 62 | 47 | 3.30 |
| Aug | 63 | 48 | 3.00 |
| Sep | 65 | 51 | 1.60 |
| Oct | 69 | 54 | 0.10 |
| Nov | 72 | 58 | 0.00 |
| Dec | 75 | 61 | 0.70 |
Returning to earth after my jet flight, one of the crew took a look at me and smiled. The expression on my face evidently said what I couldn't yet put into words, that I still could not believe how fast I had just gone.
The pilot performs a barrel roll and pulls us into an incline. The coastline is visible below, dark green land and deep blue ocean separated by a thin white line of sand. Air traffic control bursts over the intercom: "Bravo Delta, you are cleared to 45,000 feet." The altimeter reads 18,000 already, and the climb indicator is spinning madly. The pilot pulls a hard left at 4 Gs, and we feel as though we're being squeezed into the airframe. Then we bank right ... 30,000 feet ... 35,000 ...
We reach the summit of this incredible climb, the entire curve of the earth's edge spread out before us. The pilot banks again and we lunge earthward, leveling off and sweeping along the coastline of the Cape, the ocean view filling the canopy. Down below are the very same waters where, tomorrow, we will be diving into cages, going nose-to-nose with great white sharks.
A member of the pioneering Cowley family, Tristan Cowley is a specialist desert guide, as well as researcher and writer on African wildlife. His experiences in the field include a humbling face-to-face encounter with a leopard in the Erongo Mountains.
Arrive Cape Town, transferring to the Cape Grace Hotel, where you meet your guide for your initial briefing, covering both supersonic jet flights and shark diving.
Train with a racing professional, then take the wheel of a A 1-type racing car to test your skill (and competitive edge) on the Grand Prix designated course at speeds up to 120 miles per hour.
Head to Thunder City Hangar to suit up, attend a briefing and board a British-built Hunter Hawker fighter jet. You and the pilot plan the ride of a lifetime: supersonic climbs to 50,000 feet, pulling Gs, views of the earth's expanse, mountain rolls and/or low passes over the coast.
Head to Gansbaai, where you set sail for a close encounter with sharks. Upon arrival you are briefed on safety and fitted with a wetsuit and life vest. Your destination is a region abundant with the great white shark, the ocean's most formidable and notorious predator. Dive into a shark-proof cage to watch these powerful creatures swimming within inches of you. Later, sail through Shark Alley to view the seals that are the sharks' primary food source, and then to Dyer Island to observe African penguin and other sea birds.
Fly to Walvis Bay, continuing by vehicle to the Desert Explorers Base. Review all-terrain vehicle safety, then take off across the sands on an ATV, skimming the high dunes like a surfer on the waves. Overnight at a mobile tented camp.
Fly to Onguma Tree Tops Camp, situated within the Onguma Game Reserve and adjacent to Etosha National Park. Discover the park's wildlife on daily game drives; the Etosha salt pan draws thousands of flamingo during the rainy season, and elephant and black rhino inhabit its verdant border.
Following a final game drive, depart by light aircraft to Windhoek, then proceed to Johannesburg for your flight home.
