10-Day Safari to Cape Town, Whale Coast and Greater Kruger Area
On our Family Safari in South Africa, you will start with a visit to cosmopolitan Cape Town, which offers fun activities for parents and kids alike. Then head to the Hermanus area, full of fun activities for the whole family. Finally, end your trip with 3 nights in a private reserve in the Greater Kruger area, the most biodiverse nature reserve on the African continent. Your family will come home with memories that will last a lifetime!
Day 1 – Cape Town: Arrive Cape Town. Scenically beautiful, Cape Town is a compelling mix of trendy modern and old-world elegance. Glamorous hotels, world-class dining and stunning vistas merge seamlessly with dynamic student suburbs and vibrant nightlife. Malay and African heritage is evident in the cuisine, traditions and entertainment while the architecture reveals a strong Dutch, German and English flavor and style. Contemporary art is proudly displayed in a variety of galleries and modern boutique hotels, and wine bars and brandy tasting lounges will appeal to the fashionable set. For the well-heeled, the finest in opera, ballet, drama and music can be appreciated in style.
A short boat cruise to Robben Island, just over seven km’s from Cape Town harbor, you can experience a sense of hopelessness inside the prison cell where South Africa’s most beloved legend, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years hard labor. It is difficult to imagine how anyone could rise above the horror of incarceration to become arguably the most iconic and compassionate leader of our era.
An exciting trip up Table Mountain in a cable car provides panoramic views over the “Mother City” and other attractions include the Cultural History Museum, the Castle of Good Hope and the world-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Greenmarket Square’s local crafts markets and the Bo-Kaap’s colorful Cape Malay buildings add a sense of authenticity to your trip, and Long Street’s vibrant restaurants, bars and clubs come alive after dark. Perhaps wander around the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, a working harbor and hub of entertainment and shopping opportunities. Overnight at Mount Nelson Hotel or More Quarters.
Luxury: Mount Nelson Hotel is an iconic resort that has been welcoming guests for nearly 120 years. Their location is outstanding, with dramatic Table Mountain just behind and the city’s pulsating attractions just beyond the stone-columned gates. There are 198 luxurious, individually-designed rooms and suites to choose from, all offering different moods and views. Families will feel at home in the spacious, light-filled suites or interconnecting rooms. An array of activities keeps all ages entertained, from heated pools and a children’s club to painting classes, tennis coaching and yoga. Babysitting services are also available.
Deluxe:More Quarters collection of converted heritage townhouses and Redcliffe House offer you all the spoils of five-star hospitality and the privacy of individual accommodations. The four family rooms each include two en suite bedrooms, kitchen appliances, television, air conditioning and a pre-stocked minibar. There are also special amenities for children, including bath toys and child sized robes and slippers.
Day 2 – Cape Town: Up the mountain you’ll go, the cable car revealing the incredible vistas of the city and ocean the higher you climb. On reaching the top, you will move away from the crowds, tracking a dassie (local rock rabbit) and breaking for well-earned hot chocolate and delicious baked goods. Returning to sea level, hop on your bikes, cycling along the Sea Point Promenade on a treasure-hunt and using a map to follow in the footsteps of a San Bushman, Cape Town’s earliest inhabitants. The treasure map points to clues along the 3-5 km Atlantic Seaboard course and helps to bring to life the stories of the Cape in a most engaging way. (The cycling is suitable for all ages, and a bike-trailer will be used for the littlest of explorers.) Stopping at art installations en route, you will listen to the story of Mandela, whilst gazing out towards Robben Island where he spent so many years imprisoned. Staying safe and off-road, head into Green Point Park for a fun insight into the unique cape flora and fauna before lunch.
Once your energy levels have been replenished, it’s time to explore the city’s uplifting urban art projects, District Six and interactive sites like the Apartheid Benches which bring to life the history which has shaped the nation. (Terrific stuff for teens and older “kids.”) Families with younger kids proceed to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, for an afternoon of running rampant within the estate. Follow a treasure map which leads between tree-top canopy walk-ways and prehistoric cycad gardens (complete with dinosaurs). Jump over stepping stones, climb Van Riebeeck’s historic hedge and barrel down lawns in search of Claud the Clawless Otter.
Slowing things down, end the day at the beach and, while parents sip sundowners with their feet in the sand, tired, happy kids burn away the last of their energy, making use of their onboard toy box to play beach games with their energetic guide. Lunch options are a choice of local eats, fine dining, wild picnic lunch or pop-up taste experience. Overnight at Mount Nelson Hotel or More Quarters.
Day 3 – Cape Town: Your family day starts with a treasure hunt in the acclaimed Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens as you explore the lovely grounds and walk above the treetops on the Canopy Walkway aptly named the “Boomslang” (tree snake). With plenty of space, hiking trails and a wealth of plants and birds, this is ideal outdoors time for all ages.
Next, visit the seals at Kalk Bay, exploring this working fishing harbor, perhaps throwing in a fishing line or taking a short forest hike. From seals, move on to their cute neighbors, the penguins. Away from the crowds, you will go in search of your own rogue penguins, finding them on a secret beach only accessible to the locals. Dip your feet in the seawater, and possibly try your hand at stand-up paddling to get a different perspective of these little darlings.
All penguined-out, continue on to the Cape Point, where you will hunt for the Cape 5 (ostrich, baboons, mountain zebra, bontebok and tortoise) and wander along hiking trails which lead through indigenous fynbos, past hidden coves and rocky beaches. Chat about the shipwrecks on this coastline – keeping an eye out for lost treasure – and head up the funicular to the Cape Point Lighthouse, for an incredible panoramic view over the ocean, and back along the seaboard.
On your return journey, stop at the Cape Point Vineyards, situated on the mountain slopes near Noordhoek – an ideal place to soak in the magical views, with a glass of their excellent home-produced wine in hand. Lunch options are a choice of local eats, fine dining or a wild picnic lunch. Overnight at Mount Nelson Hotel or More Quarters.
Day 4 – Cape Town: Today is excellent family-bonding time. It’s the type of day which creates memories kids will refer to for years to come – but also provides parents with the full Winelands experience. Children can run free in lovely gardens and resident barn owls, farm animals and cobweb-filled, spooky cellars add to the excitement of the day.
Start with a treasure hunt through the scenic Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, situated in the Franschhoek Mountains. Boasting spectacular vistas over the Franschhoek Valley, the reserve is home to small animals, fynbos and a diversity of plant life. Your hunt leads you to Breakfast Rock (an easy 1 km into the reserve) where you will pick up your energy levels with a break for juice and delicious home-baked treats. Next, stop at a boutique estate, renowned for its sparkling wines. The winemaker travels to Champagne every year, and – a glass of bubbles in hand – it is clear that his time is well spent. While parents wine-taste, kids have their own iced-tea tasting, so they are never left out.
Explore the charming town of Franschhoek with its French Huguenot origins – and you can choose a more active hiking and biking option which is great for older kids. Then it’s on to a family-friendly wine estate. We have unearthed those properties where family is at the heart of things and little explorers are not only warmly welcomed, but allowed to treat the farms as a playground. This is the world where fountains have been specially designed for cooling off after a run through the vines, and milk and cookie tastings are done in a cellar courtyard.
This afternoon, old wine estates with ancient cobweb-filled cellars, reveal their secrets to wine pilgrims and young imaginations alike. Taste the flavors and vintages of the region, while kids soak up ghost stories, play in magical surrounds and wander through charming gardens. Lunch options are a choice of local eats, fine dining or a wild picnic lunch. Overnight at Mount Nelson Hotel or More Quarters.
Days 5 & 6 – Whale Coast: Transfer to Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Garden Lodge or Mosaic Lagoon Lodge. Spend the rest of the day and a full day enjoying the area and engaging in activities such as kayaking, nature walks, whale watching, beach visits, quad biking (ATV), a cave tour, shark cage diving, horseback riding and biking. Activities vary based on accommodation choice and are subject to availability.
Luxury:Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Garden Lodge gazes down at the picturesque Hermanus seascape and is surrounded by the glorious colors of the fynbos and the verdant greens of indigenous bush. This exotic, stone and thatch retreat stylishly reflects African warmth and contemporary elegance. Eleven free-standing suites merge with the surrounding fauna and command sweeping views of mountain and sea from private wooden decks.
Grootbos is an eco-reserve, a place where highly professional, specialist guides (qualified botanists and scientists) enthusiastically introduce guests to the wonders of the plants, birds and small game which inhabit this slice of heaven. It provides a memorable interactive wilderness experience for the whole family – and for the kids, it’s both fun and educational. Optional extra whale-watching, shark-cage diving, and marine eco-tours are available.
Deluxe: Mosaic Lagoon Lodge is on the Hermanus Lagoon, by the pristine Walker Bay Beach on the Atlantic and has magnificent views of the Overberg Mountains. Mosaic is a boutique guest resort where luxury is laced with earthly beauty and heavenly night skies.
Mosaic offers a multifaceted experience in the area with over 2,400 acres of conservation land and nearly 2 miles of frontage on the beautiful Hermanus Lagoon. Activities at Mosaic include being immersed in awesome fynbos flowers and bird-life of the Cape Floral Kingdom, lagoon cruises, stunning beaches, fascinating marine life and some of the world’s most beautiful wine lands. This is topped off with warm smiling staff serving fresh cuisine paired with delicious South African wine. Mosaic is also centrally located to whale watching, marine tours, shark cage diving and exploring the Overberg Wine Region, and the perfect location for nature and activity lovers.
Day 7 – Greater Kruger Area: After breakfast, travel to the Greater Kruger Area. Overnight at Londolozi Pioneer Camp or Notten’s Bush Camp.
Luxury: Londolozi Pioneer Camp is a luxury, exclusive use camp in the Londolozi Private Reserve, a private conservancy in the Greater Kruger area. Boasting a refreshed explorer lounge, a re-appointed interactive homestead kitchen, a beautiful lookout deck, breakfast balcony and full-length lap pool surrounded by 6 million acres of wild lands – Pioneer Camp is one of the best safari homes available. Each of the five Londolozi camps, including Pioneer Camp, offer luxurious accommodations, stunning views, top-notch guides and exceptional cuisine. Customized children-friendly safari game drives with experienced rangers orientated towards children on safari and a personalized children’s program specifically designed for your child at the Londolozi Cub’s Den in camp make it the premier place to stay as a family.
Deluxe: Notten’s Bush Camp is located within the Sabi Sand Reserve and Greater Kruger National Park. Notten’s is an exclusive and private safari lodge personally run by the Notten family. Each of the suites have an open plan bedroom and en suite bathrooms, both indoor and outdoor shower facilities and private wooden decks with a beautiful view of the bush. The camp also has a pool and spa.
Days 8 & 9 – Greater Kruger Area: Spend two full days in the Greater Kruger area, the most biodiverse nature reserve on the African continent. All of the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo) can be found here, in addition to other game such as cheetah, giraffe, wild dog, hyena, hippo. By staying in a private reserve, you will have more freedom to explore away from the crowds. Game drives and walks are available. Overnights at Londolozi Pioneer Camp or Notten’s Bush Camp.
Day 10 – End Of Itinerary: Private transfer to OR Tambo International Airport for your connecting international flights.
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