DAY 1 - 4: CAPE TOWN

Fly into Cape Town where you will collect your rental car and drive to the child-friendly Mount Nelson Hotel, perfectly situated in the heart of Cape Town.

Cape Town offers an abundance of fun family experiences ranging from adventure sports to educational entertainment.

On your Cape Town vacation, accommodation is at the luxurious Mount Nelson Hotel – one of the leading family-friendly hotels in Cape Town. Boasting a nine acre garden setting, Mount Nelson Hotel provides the ideal environment for children to run free, while parents unwind with complete peace of mind.

Cape Town will be sure to keep you and your children enthralled. A number of suitable activities for families to enjoy on their Cape Town vacation include:

• Taking a cable car ride up Table Mountain
• Visiting the Two Oceans Aquarium, Robben Island, the Kirstenbosch    Botanical Gardens
• Seeing baboons at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
• Taking an outing to Boulders Beach to visit the resident penguin colony
• Hunting for gem stones at the Scratch Patch

DAY 4 – 6: HERMANUS

After a relatively short and beautiful coastal drive from Cape Town you will arrive in Hermanus – the whale-watching capital of the world.

The Hermanus waters are the breeding ground of the Southern Right whale, and between the months of July and December offers some of the most spectacular land-based whale watching in the world. During breeding season whales come in close to the shore to breed and nurture their young, providing spectacular views of these goliaths of the deep.

Accommodation is at Grootbos Garden Lodge, a family-friendly retreat located amongst lush indigenous fynbos gardens with superb sweeping views.

Activities suitable for families at Grootbos include:

•    4x4 drives and walks through the fynbos and forests of the reserve, led by a specialist guide
•    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

•    The 1750-hectare Grootbos Nature Reserve provides excellent opportunities for horse riding, with 16 well-trained horses and experienced instructors that cater for all levels of riding
•    Trips to the nearby coast to view the Southern Right Whales from land (from July – December)

DAY 6 – 7: ROUTE 62 TO OUDTSHOORN

From Hermanus you will take a drive along the famous Route 62 – the most scenic drive in South Africa – to the small town of Oudtshoorn. This rugged mountainous landscape is the Ostrich capital of the world, so expect to visit one of the many ostrich farms.

Accommodation is at Swartberg Country Manor situated outside the town, and offering guests the unique opportunity to explore and experience the true essence of subsistence farming in the Little Karoo.

Activities suitable for families in Oudtshoorn include:

• Exploring the Cango Caves and their magnificent underground formations
• Viewing Ostrich races and seeing the size of the Ostrich eggs
• Visiting the Crocodile Farm and its toothy inhabitants

DAY 7 – 9: PLETTENBERG BAY

Drive towards the coast to the resort town of Plettenberg Bay, your base from which to explore the famous Garden Route.

Accommodation is at Hunters Country House, which welcomes and caters for children of all ages. The two-bedroom Family Suites provide spacious accommodation where the whole family can truly relax in their ‘private home’, while the Summer House is the perfect venue for informal family meals where guests can enjoy delicious wholesome food.

Hunters Country House boasts a specialised children’s programme to keep children busy during their Garden Route holiday. Minded by trained staff, Cubs’ Corner is a dedicated children’s recreation area, with paddling pool, jungle gym, shaded sandpit, video / TV / games room and dining room.

Family-friendly activities and attractions to enjoy on your Garden Route tour include:

• Elephant Sanctuary: Offering a close encounter experience with elephants
• Monkeyland: The world’s first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary
• Birds of Eden: This unique free-flight Bird Sanctuary boasts the world's largest dome and spans over a gorge of indigenous forest
• Tree-Top Canopy Tours: This is not for the faint hearted as you swing from Yellowwood tree to Yellowwood tree, platform to platform on a steel cable up to 30 meters above the forest floor

DAY 9 – 12: SAFARI IN THE EASTERN CAPE

Leaving Plettenberg Bay behind, drive 3 hours and come face-to-face with Africa’s Big 5 at a malaria-free game reserve in the Eastern Cape.
Your base for your South African safari is at Shamwari Riverdene Lodge, offering entertainment for the whole family.

A typical day on safari starts off with an early game drive where skilled rangers and open 4x4 safari vehicles will soon have you within arms length of Africa’s wildest creatures.

Child minding facilities are available at an additional cost for children younger than four years as they are too young to join game drives. At Shamwari Riverdene Lodge, children can partake in various social, sporting and arts & cultural activities under the supervision of the children’s co-ordinator.

Children’s activities include:

•    African bead making
•    Clay making
•    Face painting
•    Star-gazing
•    African story-telling

Please note: A safari is a large contributor to the cost of this tour, although well worth it. If required, the Shamwari portion can be reduced to 2 nights or accommodation downgraded to the family-friendly Kariega Main Lodge.