East of Cape Town in South Africa, the Cape Winelands region encompasses a mountain chain, nearly 7,000 species of endemic plant life, hundreds of wine vineyards and over a quarter of a million people. No single feature of the Cape Winelands stands on its own. Rather, they form a complex web of connections: the gorgeous nature is related to the local agriculture, which is in turn connected to a history of colonisation and cultural development that continues to affect social and environmental issues today.

A herd of elephants stomped across the wide-open plain while a family of giraffes craned their necks for a mid-day snack. As I stared out the window onto the lush green plain, it hit me: This is Africa! My first wildlife sighting in Botswana came before I had even touched down in the Okavango Delta. I took the elephants and giraffes grazing below our Cessna as a sign of things to come.

At first we waited at the foot of the tower, watching the group before us throw themselves into gravity’s embrace from 100 metres above. This increased the anticipation, and perhaps the apprehension too, but given past experiences and my love of bungee I was desperate to give it my go.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, has long been referred to as the adventure capital of the world, a place where adrenaline is served right alongside an ice-cold Zambezi lager. Fittingly, in addition to the classic sampling of active stunts like whitewater rafting and the adrenaline high-wire thrills, this playground for daredevils also lays claim to one of the most heart-pounding bungee jumps in the world.