South Africa Family Safari - South Africa

Day 1: Arrival in Cape Town

Arrive at Cape Town International Airport where you’ll be greeted as soon as you step off your aircraft and assisted with collecting your luggage and transferring to your two-bedroom apartment at More Quarters, home for the next 4 nights. Situated in the foothills of Table Mountain and Signal Hill, More Quarters is the perfect location to base your exploration of Cape Town. The narrow little streets are lined by original Cape buildings, many of which have been beautifully restored, some now housing museums and art galleries, as well as lively sidewalk cafes and highly acclaimed restaurants. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to get comfortable in your new surroundings or venture out on a walk to explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. This original Cape Town wharf has been renovated as an upbeat gathering place full of restaurants, bars, and cafes on the water. Overnight for the next 4 nights in a two-bedroom apartment at the luxurious More Quarters or One&Only.

Accommodations: More Quarters, One and Only

Day 2: City And Township Full Day Tour

Rise and shine in Cape Town! This morning your family heads out with a guide for a tour of Table Mountain (weather permitting; cable car fee not included – purchased day of). From the top of this majestic peak, enjoy panoramic views over the Mother City and the Atlantic seaboard with Robben Island in the distant Table Bay harbor. Descending from the mountain you will next explore the city itself, stopping at the Company Gardens and a visit to the South African Museum. You’ll also explore the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. Driving through the city center takes you past the Houses of Parliament, the Grand Parade and City Hall from where Nelson Mandela first addressed South Africans after his release in February 1990. Return to your hotel upon completion of the tour and enjoy lunch (to your own account) before your afternoon township tour.

This township experience is about meeting locals in an engaging, rewarding and uplifting tour where you will be left inspired by the pride of the Langa township community. This authentic township cultural experience allows you and your family to walk, hear, smell, touch and taste. Your local guide will lead you on a journey of discovery, exploring the daily lives and culture of the Xhosa people. In Langa, the streets are the lifeblood of the community. It is in the streets where the kids play soccer, where locals trade, walk, socialize and gather. You’ll have the opportunity to meet with the children from Happy Feet Youth Project, a charity initiative aimed at providing townships kids with positive role models and a sense of “belonging” through dance. You’ll end the day back at your hotel.

Accommodations: More Quarters, One and Only

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3:Cape Point And Boulders Beach African Penguins

Today, you are ocean bound! Travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbor with magnificent mountain views and beach. Continue via Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the world’s most breath-taking coastal roads, to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. The highlight of the day comes next when you visit the large African penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and the information center will educate you on this rare species. For the more active, please inquire about our sea kayaking activity. A lunch stop is made nearby (lunch to own account). End the day with a visit to the well-known Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. The Garden includes five of South Africa’s six different biomes and is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape Flora it displays in a magnificent setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. You’ll be transferred back to your hotel at the end of the day.

Accommodations: More Quarters, One and Only

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: Family Day in the Winelands

Today is the type of day that creates memories kids will refer to for years to come – but also provides parents with the full Cape Winelands experience. Children can run free in lovely gardens while resident barn owls, farm animals and dark, spooky wine cellars add to the excitement of the day. You’ll 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. Our hunt leads us to Breakfast Rock (an easy 1 km into the reserve) where we pick up our 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 - 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. We explore the charming town of Franschhoek with its French Hugenot origins – 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 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, an old wine estate with ancient cellars, reveals 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 charmed gardens.

Accommodations: More Quarters, One and Only

Meals Included: Breakfast

Days 5-8: Classic safari, Timbavati Reserve

Fly from Cape Town to the Hoedspruit airport this morning. (Flight not included. The Cape Town to Hoedspruit flight is best booked in conjunction with your international airfare). Upon arrival you’ll be met by staff of Kambaku Safari Lodge for the 18 mile drive to the lodge.

Kambaku is located in the Timbavati Game Reserve, on the western border of Kruger National Park. There is no border between the reserves so wildlife moves freely. Home to breeding herds of buffalo up to 1000 strong, leopards, rhino, elephant families and particularly the rare white lion, these reserves offer some of the best game viewing in all of Africa. The Timbavati Reserve encompasses only 9 lodges in nearly 200 square miles, meaning plenty of space not only for wildlife but for private game viewing by guests in the reserve.

Morning game drives may include a bush walk with your naturalist guide, and there’s an opportunity for the afternoon game drives to fade into sundowners, ending with a night drive searching for nocturnal animals such as bush babies. A bush dinner or brunch is a likely event during your stay and the guides group families together in the game drive vehicles, making every game drive an opportunity to make new friends.

Between game drives staff spends time with kids playing games and learning about the bush. There is also a game room and a small swimming pool. Overnight for four nights at Kambuku Safari Lodge.

Accommodations: Kambaku Safari Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 5-8: Luxury safari, Sabi Sand Reserve

Fly from Cape Town to the Sabi Sands Reserve. Upon arrival you’ll be met by staff from Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge for the 30 minute drive to the lodge.

Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge is a 5 star lodge located in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, a 250 square mile reserve with a 30 mile unfenced border with the Kruger National Park. The oldest private reserve in South Africa, this area has only ever been a wilderness area and is the birthplace of sustainable wildlife tourism in southern Africa. Enjoying one of the most bio-diverse wildlife populations in Africa the Sabi Sand Reserve is home to the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) as well as cheetah, plains game, and a large assortment of bird species. Game here is incredibly habituated, leading to extremely close encounters and close-up observation of wildlife. Game drives and night drives are complimented by short walks around the Sabi Sabi grounds looking for smaller species such birds and insects, the building blocks of the entire ecosystem.

At Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge families enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives together, and between game drives kids have the option to experience Sabi Sabi’s Elefun Center. Their two programs, Junior Tracker (ages 4-8) and Junior Ranger (ages 9-12) help kids understand the bush through games designed to teach about different animal characteristics, map-reading skills, and arts and crafts activities. Sabi Sabi caters to an international clientele, so children are likely to make friends from all over the world. Overnight for four nights at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge.

Accommodations: Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner