South Africa Family Adventure

Welcome to the spectacular city of Cape Town, surrounded by blue bays dominated by the iconic Table Mountain. It’s a fabulous city to visit with the youngsters, with the colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach a particular favourite. Children of all ages will be entranced as they watch the birds waddle up and down the beach and play in the surf, and you can snap some great close-up photos. Simonstown’s exceptional toy museum is also worth a visit, as is getting up close to the animals at Butterfly World and the delightful Cheetah Outreach program. Be sure to marvel at the marine life in the world-class Two Oceans Aquarium, one of the best aquariums in the whole world. And don’t forget chocolate tasting – fun for all the family.

Drive on to the beautiful vineyards and mountains of leafy Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s prime wine growing regions. Here, you’ll stay at the Spier Hotel, a working farm, perfect for keeping the children entertained while you taste the wines, plus they put on plenty of activities at their Kids Clubhouse. Don’t miss Stellenbosch’s quirky Toy and Miniature Museum filled with detailed 1/12th scale models of houses, toys, dolls, and even South Africa’s famous Blue Train, will enchant both children and adults alike.

It’s safari time! You’ll head to the vast Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the heart of the Little Karoo, a dry, mountainous area. Sanbona encompasses 58,000 hectares, home to a huge variety of wildlife, including the fabled Big Five, as well as some 3,500-year-old San rock art. Here you’ll stay at the delightful Gondwana Family Lodge, which offers a fantastic Kids on Safari programme, teaching children about the wildlife through interpretive trails and puzzles and games.

Your final stop is Grootbos Nature Reserve, a nature lover’s paradise carpeted in forests overlooking the whale and dolphin watching haven of Walker Bay. The 1,750 hectare reserve is home to over 750 species of plants, and seals, penguins and great white sharks swim in the cool waters. Grootbos is particularly geared for families and offers babysitting plus a long list of activities – choose from horse riding, guided walks, coastal drives, rabbit petting, cave visits, birdwatching and collecting the freshly-laid chicken eggs for breakfast, to name just a few.