South African Family Safari

Arrive at Johannesburg Airport this morning to begin your African safari! You are met right at the door of your aircraft and assisted through customs and immigration and on to check in to your connecting flight to to Port Elizabeth. From Port Elizabeth you will board a light aircraft and be flown directly to Kwandwe Private Game Reserve where you will be met by your private guide and vehicle, and transferred to Kwandwe Ecca Lodge.

Nestled in the heart of South Africa’s unspoilt Eastern Cape province, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve is a world-class Big Five safari experience in 54,000 acres of malaria-free pristine private wilderness. Thousands of animals including lion, black and white rhino, buffalo, elephant and cheetah roam these expansive plains. The meaning of Kwandwe in isiXhosa is “Place of the Blue Crane”, and the Reserve is a proud home to a population of these rare, vulnerable birds. The Reserve is also sanctuary to other threatened species including the Knysna woodpecker, Cape grysbok, black wildebeest, crowned eagle and black-footed cat. Kwandwe flanks both the north and south banks of the Great Fish River, which meanders for 19 miles through pristine wilderness. Explore the reserve with your private guide on foot and by 4×4 safari vehicle or just sit back on the and keep your eyes out for animals around the house.

Today you will be picked up mid-morning and transferred back to the Port Elizabeth Airport for the short flight to Cape Town, where your two bedroom apartment awaits at More Quarters Boutique Hotel. This afternoon is at your leisure to explore. The old and established neighborhoods of Gardens, Oranjezicht and Tamboerskloof merge into each other as they line the foothills of Table Mountain and Signal Hill. The area enjoys convenient proximity to the city, the Table Mountain Cableway, as well as the beaches. 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 cafés and highly acclaimed restaurants. Now known for its trendy and modern vibe, this region is often visited on foot, encompassing the historic parliament buildings, the Company Gardens and the lively café culture and boutiques of Kloof Street.

Today is about engaging both parent and children in an action filled adventure around the Peninsula. Your private guide from will pick you up after breakfast this morning and head out to your first stop at Kirstenbosh gardens to check out the ‘The Boomslang’. Inspired by a snake skeleton, this spectacular Tree Canopy Walkway winds and dips its way through and over the trees of the Arboretum. You will also visit the interactive part of the gardens that bring the Fynbos of the Cape to life.

Next stop is Kalk Bay Fish Market to meet the seals. No trip to the peninsula is complete without a picture atop “Just Nuisance”! This Great Dane was enlisted in the Navy for helping wayward sailors make their way home and lovingly remembered with a bronze casting in the harbor. The small African market here also specializes in hand made wire toys.

Enjoy lunch before visiting the African Penguins of Boulders Beach. Weather depending, head out on a Stand Up Paddleboard and/or snorkel in the pool sized rock pools. This is also a great time to just enjoy the beach and penguins. Be prepared, the water is very cold! Finally head into the peninsula reserve itself. Keep your eyes peeled for the Cape 5 (Ostrich, Baboons, Mountain Zebra, Bontebuck and Tortoise). Your time in the reserve will be spent on the deserted and often sheltered beaches exploring, paddling or exploring ship wrecks. You will return to your hotel this evening. Overnight More Quarters. Breakfast and lunch included.

Take in the sites and spectacular scenery of the Winelands with your private guide as you make your way through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. Today we sample a selection of some of the finest wine estates and top-notch ‘family-friendly’ estates. From sessions that include a tasty food pairing – think chocolate and cheese – to ones preceded by a Segway tour, there’s definitely something to suit every age and palate.

With award-winning wine and delicious food on offer, a wine tasting at Spier is one of the most popular options in the Stellenbosch area. Here, the chocolate and wine pairing is a particular highlight which, as the name suggests, sees the farm’s signature Méthode Cap Classique and Creative Block blends complemented by specially curated chocolates. Children are offered a special grape juice tasting. Little ones are encouraged to run wild on the lawns and feed the farm animals – look out for the wallabies – and no-one will look twice at muddy feet. With an outdoor wooden deck and a generous fireplace, Mulderbosch’s tasting room can facilitate tastings in both the warmer and colder months.

This day is yours to tailor and craft as you choose. Enjoy lunch at one of the family-friendly restaurants or estates and you will return to your hotel late this afternoon.

Explore the city of Cape Town this morning, known affectionately as the Mother City. Take in the Houses of Parliament, the Castle (built between 1666 and 1679, this is South Africa’s oldest building), the lively Greenmarket Square with its daily market, the Company Gardens and of course Table Mountain, which will give you spectacular views over the city and the Peninsula. (The cable car fee is not included as it is weather dependent). As you come back down from the mountain, make a stop at Bo-Kaap, home to the Cape Malay community, with its cobbled streets and brightly colored houses. From here you have the choice of being dropped off at the Waterfront to experience this vibrant location at your own pace, with its many shops, restaurants and pubs or at your guesthouse around lunchtime. This afternoon is at your leisure to visit the renowned Two Ocean’s Aquarium or Cape Town’s gorgeous beaches.

Your guide will pick you up this morning for the 3-4 hour scenic drive down the Indian Ocean coast to the Grootbos Garden Lodge. The Grootbos Nature Reserve is spectacularly situated on the fynbos and forest clad hills overlooking the whale-watching haven of Walker Bay on the southern coast of the Western Cape. This is a region of indescribable beauty and Grootbos is committed to protecting this ecosystem and showcasing the many wonders to its guests. The reserve boasts some of the world’s most distinct and unique plant, bird and animal species. The next few days are yours to explore with the reserve’s specialized guiding team who lead 4×4 drives and walks through the fynbos and forests of the reserve, trips to the nearby coast to view the Southern Right Whales from land, walks along deserted beaches, visits to archaeological and cultural sites, boat-based whale watching trips, as well as boat tours to a nearby seal island to view penguins, seals, dolphins and great white sharks. Some of the included activities are horseback riding on the Reserve, visits to the Klipgat Cave, birding walks, flower safaris, visits to local beaches and whale watching from the cliffs. Activities available at an additional cost include horseback riding on the beach, whale watching by boat and cage shark diving.

Today is on your own until it’s time for your transfer back to Cape Town airport to meet your departing flights home.