Relaxing South Africa Family Adventure: Oceans, Wildlife & Safari Self-Drive - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Cape Town, Optional Activities

Welcome to South Africa! Nicknamed "Rainbow Nation" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, this extraordinary country is a melting pot of diversity home to people of Indigenous Khoisan and Bantu, European, Asian, and mixed-race ancestry. The country offers incredible diversity and fantastic nature, wildlife, culture, and history, making it a truly remarkable destination for visitors and families.

Upon arrival, a driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your Cape Town hotel, your base, for the next few nights. Settle in before heading out with the kids to explore. The town's many historical parks are perfect for little legs to run around after a long flight. Afterward, head to the famous V&A Waterfront—it's an ideal spot to catch the Cape Town vibe while relaxing with a drink and savoring the waterfront views against the epic Table Mountain backdrop.

In the evening, either treat the family to a harbor cruise as you watch the sunset or, for the ultimate kid-friendly experience that combines dinner and fun, book a table at Strolla Restaurant & Bar. This seaside eatery has a fab Kiddies' Corner where younger ones can become pizzaioli (pizza makers) and create their own edible masterpieces. Treat yourselves to a cocktail as you toast the start of your holiday adventures while the kids relax post-flight in the restaurant's kid-themed games room.

Day 2: Table Mountain Cable Car, Cape Town Tour, Escape Room

It's your first full day in South Africa! After breakfast, meet your guide and soar up Table Mountain by cable car. It's a great adventure for kids who will love the rotating carriage that gives spectacular views over Robben Island and Signal Hill. Reach the summit, treat the little ones to ice cream, and stroll to nearby Lionshead, where you'll be rewarded with views of the entire Cape Town landscape. Keep your camera close at hand for a memorable family selfie as you take the cable car back down.

Back on terra firma, find your legs with a guided tour of the city. Explore Cape Town's different historical periods as you visit some of the city's most famous sites, including Company's Garden, the Houses of Parliament, the 17th Century Castle of Good Hope, and the Slave Lodge Museum. Along the way, you'll learn about South Africa's extraordinary history and the people who shaped it. Afterward, head to the waterfront and dine at one of the many child-friendly restaurants overlooking the ocean. 

With appetites satisfied, you have several options for the rest of the day. Challenge older kids to a game of "Hint Hunt," an adrenaline-fuelled 60 minutes inside a locked theme room as you race against time to beat the clock. For younger ones, a cruise on the Jolly Roger pirate ship is sure to be a hit, or simply head to the beach and relax.

Day 3: Tour Cape Point, Boulders Beach African Penguins

Day 4: Bloemendal Wine Estate Family Day, Traditional African Dinner Experience

Take a family-friendly wine tour with a difference today as you head to the Bloemendal Estate winery in the heart of the famous Durbanville Wine Valley, just outside Cape Town. As you sit down to taste some of the region's excellent wines, discerning, sweet-toothed little ones are in for a special treat. Enjoy platters of sparkling fresh sushi as the kids try pairings such as apple juice with strawberry and bubblegum ice cream, accompanied by colorful sweets. 

As evening falls, you and your family are in for a treat as you head to one of Cape Town's celebrated restaurants for an immersive African gastronomic experience. Sit down to a 14-course tasting menu served in a warm, communal atmosphere. As you savor each course, you and the kids will be entertained by a troop of African singers and dancers. If the kids are inspired to join in, watch their faces light up as they learn how to play the djembe drums, enjoy traditional Mali puppetry, and are encouraged to hop on stage and dance with the performers. 

Day 5: Drive to Hermanus, Explore

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Cape Town before picking up your rental car and embarking on a scenic road trip across coastal roads and through wine country to Hermanus. This charming seaside town is particularly kid-friendly and known for its Blue Flag beaches. Check in to your hotel, and if appetites are flagging, take a walk along the town's waterfront promenade, where you'll find plenty of great places to lunch with tremendous views over the ocean.

In the afternoon, discover why Hermanus is known as the "Whale Watching Capital of the World" and hike along the cliffs and coastal paths, which offer a great vantage point to see these magnificent creatures close up. Mesmerize the kids with a visit to the Whale House Museum, where they can see a vast suspended whale skeleton. Then, depending on energy levels, spend the rest of the day playing on one of the gorgeous sandy beaches or head out for a guided sea kayaking experience. 

Day 6: Dyer Island Wildlife Tour

It's an exciting day today, particularly for any marine and wildlife-obsessed little ones as you head to Dyer Island—a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) home to many avian species, including African penguins. Spend time on the island getting to know the tuxedoed creatures while the natural comedic seals will keep the kids entertained with their cute faces and adorable antics. Then, it's time to hop on a boat and take a 2.5-hour cruise as you explore the channel between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, home to a 60,000-strong Cape fur seal colony.

Keep your cameras close and your eyes peeled as you cruise the section of water known as Shark Alley. The area is well-known for spotting the Western Cape's Big Five marine animals—alongside the penguins and seals, you and the kids will likely see great white sharks, whales, and dolphins. Return to the harbor and transfer back to Cape Town, where the rest of the evening is yours to spend as you wish. 

Day 7: Drive to Oudtshoorn via Swellendam

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Hermanus before getting ready for the next leg of your adventure. Stock up on snacks as you drive four hours east to the town of Oudtshoorn, located in the Klein Karoo valley. It's a particularly gorgeous route and takes you past mountain ranges, through fertile plains, and along grapevines (the area is prime vineyard territory) and fruit orchards.

Roughly halfway between Hermanus and Oudtshoorn, the 16th-century town of Swellendam is the perfect place to stretch the legs, grab a bite to eat, and entertain the kids. Visit the town's tiny Faerie Sanctuary, where little ones can spend a magical hour searching for fairies and wandering the natural enchanted forest garden. Afterward, hop back in the car and continue to Oudtshoorn—known since the late 19th century as the world's ostrich capital! Check in to your accommodation, and the rest of the evening is yours to spend at leisure. 

Day 8: Explore Cango Caves, Ostrich Farm Tour

Make an early start today, as you and the kids have two fun adventures to fit in after breakfast. First are the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cango Caves, a 30-minute drive north of Oudtshoorn. Dating back to the early Stone Age the caves have been more recently used by the Indigenous Khoikhoi people, whose early paintings can still be seen on the wall. Kids will love exploring the otherworldly limestone labyrinths that stretch for around 2.5 miles (4 km) as you wonder at the remarkable stalactites that hang like giant stone chandeliers. 

After a bite to eat, it's time for this afternoon's adventure—a visit to one of the area's many ostrich farms. Amaze the kids with some ostrich-related facts (they have three stomachs, and their ancestors have been around since the dinosaurs) before embarking on a tractor tour of the farm. Hear about the natural breeding cycle of these remarkable creatures from your expert guide before heading to the incubator room, where little ones will love seeing the tiny ostrich hatchlings. 

Day 9: Drive to Knysna, Sunset Cruise

You'll leave behind inland Oudtshoorn today on a drive along the famed Garden Route, one of the most gorgeous coastal drives in the world. Your destination is the town of Knysna; surrounded by ancient forests and hemmed in by soaring headlands, its picturesque setting is ideally placed to explore the nearby Wilderness National Park. Stop here to give the lids the ultimate stretch of the legs. With a breathtaking mix of tropical forests, beaches, lagoons, and rivers, the park is full of inspiration for kids of all ages. 

Settle in at your hotel and just before dusk, get ready for tonight's sunset cruise. Starting at nearby Thesen Island, you and your family will set sail into the Knysna Lagoon against the backdrop of the setting sun. Sip an ice-cold glass of bubbly and marvel at the views; try your hand at sea fishing, and if you're lucky, spot the dolphins and whales that call the area home. Older kids can use the standup paddleboards or dive straight off the boat for a swim in the lagoon. 

Day 10:  Featherbed Nature Reserve Excursion

There's no rush this morning, so enjoy a stroll in Knysna before heading out for today's relaxing excursion. A 30-minute ferry crossing will take you to the privately owned Featherbed Nature Reserve, a pristine piece of land situated on the western head of Kynasna. Accompanied by a fun and knowledgeable local guide, you and the kids will take a short nature hike before taking to the water for a cruise in the sparkling waters of the lagoon. Afterward, feast on a freshly prepared buffet before boarding the ferry for your return journey.

Back in Knysna, you have several options for the rest of the day. Enjoy a family standup paddleboarding session on the Knysna Lagoon (or watch as others do the hard work and you relax), or visit nearby Monkeyworld with the kids. Experience the unforgettable sight of over 500 species in the world's first free-roaming primate sanctuary. As evening falls, dine at one of the superb beachfront restaurants and recount your favorite memories from the trip so far. 

Day 11: Drive to Addo, Treetop Canopy Tour

Enjoy breakfast by the beach in Knysna this morning before checking out and making your way east along the coast to Addo. It's a gorgeous stretch, and the nearby Tsitsikamma rainforest, with its 700-year-old Outeniqua yellowwood trees, is particularly breathtaking. The rainforest is also the setting for today's adventure. Spend the next couple of hours ziplining through the treetops with the kids as your guide leads you through 10 slides, each ending on a platform in the trees. You may even get to spot a vervet monkey or two.

When the kids have had their fill of aerial adventures, continue to Addo, a small town at the edge of the world-famous Addo Elephant Park that will serve as your base for the next three nights. 

Day 12: Elephant National Park

Day 13: Explore Addo, Visit Nomathamsanqa Township

It's your last full day in Addo, and you have several options. Spend a relaxed morning poolside at your accommodation or explore the beautiful gardens. For a more active end to your South Africa adventure, head to Adrenalin Addo. If the older kids loved the treetop canopy tour the other day, they will adore the thrill of flying across the country's highest, longest, and fastest double zipline. Alternatively, mix stunning scenery with exhilarating adventure as you take a quad bike tour through beautiful citrus groves and the bush to the Sundays River. 

Day 14: Drive to Port Elizabeth & Depart

Sadly today marks you and your family's last day in South Africa. With hearts full of adventure and memories to last a lifetime, head to the airport, drop off your rental car, and catch your flight home. Safe travels!

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