The southern France city of Toulouse is a study in contrasts. Visit the Academie des Jeux Floraux, the oldest literary society in the western world, as well as the Galerie du Chateau d'eau, the world's first photography museum. Stroll the Garonne, before visiting France's most beautiful pipe organ at the Saint-Sernin Basilica. Yet for all its medieval architecture, Toulouse is a modern city, home to the European aerospace industry, as well as bars and restaurants in bustling Place du Capitole.

The Maasai call the plains of Serengeti National Park "the place where the land moves on forever"—so prepare to be astonished by its vastness. And here, you can witness the famous Serengeti annual migration, the largest and longest overland migration on earth.

Named for the sweet berry that grows wild in the region, Saskatoon boasts various cultural festivals, concerts and sporting events throughout the year. Explore the trails and beaches of Beaver Creek and Cranberry Flats, cross-country ski the Meewasin Valley Trail, check out the city's many galleries and museums, and shop for bargains at Midtown Plaza.

The world's largest inland delta, Okavango Delta (also known as Okavango Swamp) is formed by the emptying of the Okavango River into the Kalahari Desert at the place where an ancient lake once sat. An immensely wildlife-rich expanse of islands, islets and lagoons (many of which change shape and even disappear with the coming of every annual flood season), Okavango is home to many safari camps, most of which aren't reached by road but rather by small airplane from Maun, the area's main village.