Milesworth

Places: Sun City; Kruger; Garden Route; Walker Bay; Cape Town and Stellenbosch | Activities:  Sailing, boating and horseback riding in Knysna; visiting wildlife theme parks and conservation centres in George and Stellenbosch; cruise to Dyer Island for shark and whale watching; quad biking in Stanford; visits to winelands in Stellenbosch; game safaris in Kruger; and up Table Mountain

Beyond the Long Break | 12 nights | Families with Kids | Valid All Year Round | Fly to Johannesburg

Discover the wonders of South Africa on an active family vacation featuring entertainment in Sun City, incredible wildlife viewing in Kruger National Park, fun beach and marine activities along the Indian Ocean, and cultural adventures in cosmopolitan Cape Town.

On safari, share the sense of awe watching a lioness and her cubs strolling through the savannah, a troop of baboons frolicking in the trees or a group of hippos leisurely lounging on the riverbank. Extending the wildlife experiences beyond the bush, visit animal sanctuaries to learn about the care and rehabilitation of injured and abandoned animals and walk hand in trunk with a rescued elephant.

In Cape Town witness a kaleidoscope of cultures sampling local dishes and African specialties and enjoying native dancing, singing and drumming. To top it off, swing through the indigenous forest canopy on a zipline, ride horses along the sand, and cruise the waters looking for whales, dolphin, and other marine life. All of our chosen accommodations eagerly welcome families and the wildlife reserve offer special activities for younger family members. This South Africa family holiday is guaranteed to create unforgettable family memories!

Enjoy all of Sun City theme park attractions, its wildlife safaris, and entertainment.

Transfer from Sun City to Johannesburg and fly to Kruger National Park. There you will transfer to your game lodge within the Kruger National Park. Spend the next few days exploring Kruger’s wilderness on both day and night game drives and interpretive bush walks safely under the guidance of expert and enthusiastic rangers and trackers.

See the wonders of nature unfold as you watch giraffes stretching their long necks up into the trees, elephants ambling through wooded areas, hippos wallowing in waterholes or the majestic male lion lazily sleeping in the sun. Always on the lookout for the Big Five (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo), discover that many of the other animals, such as wild dog and baboons are just as interesting and amazing to watch.

Transfer to Kruger Airport and fly to George, the largest town along the Garden Route. George lies along a scenic stretch of coastline along the country's southern shores. Settle into a comfortable timber chalet nestled among Milkwood trees on the shores of the Knysna Lagoon. The casual, family oriented accommodations are the perfect base for indulging in the numerous activities offered by the surrounding area. The private beach offers safe swimming, canoes, windsurfers and row boats.

The morning begins sailing the Knysna Lagoon on a 50 foot mono hull yacht learning about the area's bountiful marine life and hoping to catch sight of whales. If conditions allow, venture through the Heads, the sandstone cliffs which guard the mouth of the lagoon, into the Indian Ocean beyond. Listen closely as the captain shares tales of local lore and the treacherous seas that have shaped the history of this coastline. Fortified with lunch, enjoy a horseback ride through fynbos (a unique ecosystem with a great diversity of flowering plants and found only in parts of South Africa), an indigenous forest and along the beach of the Goumkamma Nature Reserve. On summer, low tide beach rides there is often the chance to swim with your horse!

Today not only learn about monkeys, you get to act like monkeys too! It’s off to Monkeyland a rehabilitation centre for previously caged primates. On a private guided tour learn about different species who roam this sanctuary, how monkeys are reintroduced to the wild and why monkeys shouldn't be kept as pets.

Next visit the Elephant Sanctuary to touch, feed and interact with six rescued African elephants. Each elephant has a dedicated handler and a fully qualified guide who will accompany you and share stories about these intelligent creatures.

After lunch go on a three hour state of the art canopy tour that begins with a safety briefing before you are strapped into your full body harness. Swing through the Tsitsikamma indigenous canopy gently gliding on a steel cable to a series of ten platforms and ten fufi slides built high up in the giant Outeniqua yellowwood trees. The guides not only insure your safety but explain the ecology of the forest, while pointing out the incredible bird life. Don't worry; any fear of heights is soon lost as a sense of awe overtakes you!

Relax over breakfast this morning before setting out on a four hour drive west to the fynbos covered mountains, windswept plains and rugged beaches of the Overberg region, known for excellent whale watching opportunities. With no schedule to keep, let the weather, energy levels and mood dictate the afternoon activities. Perhaps you will want to hike along the cliffs whale watching (between July and December), stroll the beach investigating tidal pools, walk through coastal fynbos and Milkwood forests, or ride quad bikes. There will be time to unwind and take a dip in the pool at the guesthouse which overlooks Hermanus Lagoon.

This morning take a morning boat ride around Dyer Island, in search of whales, bottlenose dolphins, seals, cape gannets, Southern giant petrels, cormorants and other marine life. Located 8 km offshore, the conservation reserve at Dyer Island is a bird sanctuary as well as breeding site for the African penguin. Between July and December you are almost guaranteed to spot Southern right whales, in addition to great white sharks, Brydes whales, and Humpback whales as well.

Returning to land, drive down the beautiful coastal route to Cape Town. Depending on your interests, stop to try a bit of sandboarding on the beach dunes, hike to a waterfall in the nature reserve at Harold Porter Botanical Garden, or visit an African penguin colony. Upon arrival in Cape Town, settle into your hotel or guesthouse.

Begin your exploration of Cape Town with a visit the township of Guguletu. As invited guests of the community, gain insight into the aftermath of the apartheid era as you share the personal history, way of life, lively music, and the hopes and aspirations of the people who live here. Then you may choose to continue your historical exploration with a boat trip across the bay to visit Robben Island. There you can tour the political prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive for two decades before his historic release in 1991.

Or you may prefer to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium to see the excellent interactive displays revealing the contrast in marine life between the warm Indian Ocean and the icy Atlantic. (Parents can visit Robben Island, while our guide can accompany children to the aquarium and waterfront.)

If the weather looks clear, rise early to be whisked by cable car to the top of Table Mountain and enjoy the spectacular views over the city and the sea. Then head out along Cape Town's Atlantic coastline with the Twelve Apostles mountain range towering overhead.

Leaving the beach, you drive into the fertile Stellenbosch Winelands to check into a lodge set in its own working vineyard and known for its great hospitality. Take a dip in the pool and if there is time, the kids can take on the parents in a game of boules (lawn bowling) on the hotel's petanque court. In a festive mood, have dinner on the grounds of the Spier winery amidst Bedouin tents and gazebos and with lights sparkling from the trees. Indulge in a sumptuous African buffet featuring local dishes while a host of local performers showcase the Cape African culture through dance, storytelling, drumming and dramatic performances.

Today, lots of activities for children as well as wine-tasting opportunities for parents. First a brief tour of the historic town of Stellenbosch, founded in 1679, with its traditional Cape Dutch homes. Driving toward Paarl, stop at Butterfly World to be surrounded by free-flying butterflies and exotic plants, before reaching the Fairview Winery. Nestled in the side of Paarl Mountain, Fairview has won prestigious awards for both its wine and for its farm cheeses produced from the resident goat herd. Adults can taste wine while children watch the antics of the goats sunning themselves on the winery's signature goat tower. Then we tour the wine cellar and watch the cheese making process.

A stop at the winery next door to taste more wine and watch local glass blowing craftsmen at work. Looping back by the Spier Winery, visit a Cheetah Outreach Program for an encounter with a hand raised cheetah and learn more about the program to rehabilitate eagles and return them to the wild.

Transfer to Cape Town Airport and take the evening flight to Dubai and India.