8 Day Southern Cape Trail Family Vacation

Arrival / Cape Town

Guests are met and welcomed at a location of their choice in Cape Town by their private African Sky guide. Thereafter, you’ll have the opportunity of experiencing a few attractions at the direction of your experienced African Sky guide. The looming Table Mountain was first summited by António de Saldanha in 1503 when he named it “Taboa do Cabo,” or “Table of the Cape.” Send a postcard from the upper cable station post office, take a mountaintop walk along one of the established walkways, or simply enjoy the fantastic panoramic views across the Cape Peninsula. During the cooler part of the day, enjoy a leisurely stroll through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens under Skeleton Gorge. Established in 1913, these gardens provide a comprehensive display of the region’s indigenous flora and include an impressive baobab tree in the greenhouse. The “Boomslang” treetop canopy walkway in the Enchanted Forest opened in 2014 and offers a memorable treetop perspective.

Cape Town

Today is dedicated to cultural pursuits. We’ll start with a visit to Robben Island, synonymous with Cape Town’s history.

A short ferry ride, departing from the V&A Waterfront, carries passengers across Table Bay. On arrival, guests join a guided tour of the prison buildings, including Nelson Mandela’s cell, where he was incarcerated for eighteen years. The excursion lasts about four hours, after which you’ll return to Cape Town by ferry. First on the afternoon agenda is a visit to the Castle of Good Hope, an early colonial fort that houses a period museum. Nearby, District Six—established in 1867—was a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers, and immigrants. Your museum tour offers insight into its history before returning to your overnight accommodations in the late afternoon.

Overberg

After breakfast, rejoin the N2 highway and continue along the scenic Overberg region of the Western Cape. Stretch your legs in charming Swellendam at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains, the third-oldest town in South Africa. Established in 1746, the town boasts over fifty provincial heritage sites, most in Cape Dutch style. Swellendam was once the eastern extremity of the colony, beyond which lay a largely unknown interior, and many famous travelers—including François Le Vaillant, Lady Anne Barnard, and William John Burchell—passed through. Opt to visit the Drostdy Museum before heading south to De Hoop Nature Reserve, a 34,000-hectare World Heritage Site with a protected marine reserve extending three nautical miles (about 5 km) out to sea. In late afternoon or early evening, consider an eco-boat trip on the De Hoop Vlei, a Ramsar wetland of international importance with around 260 bird species recorded. A variety of activities is available at De Hoop, from a guided interpretive marine walk during low tide to a morning birdwatching hike with a qualified field guide. A guided mountain-biking trail offers spectacular views and potential encounters with the reserve’s wildlife like eland, baboon, and ostrich, and rare species like the Cape mountain zebra and bontebok. Alternatively, head out to the tiny Elim Wine Route and visit the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp.

Note: Activities mentioned are optional and at your own expense.