Family South Africa’s Garden Route and Safari

Our tour starts today in Cape Town, South Africa's vibrant capital. Edged in by the blue waters of Table Bay and crowned by the looming Table Mountain, Cape Town combines cosmopolitan culture with majestic scenery - it's the ideal launch pad for our South African adventure. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 1pm for a welcome meeting and to take us on a guided walk to climb Table Mountain. Not only does the climb afford us spectacular views across the city and beyond, but we'll also get to discover the beautiful plant life of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which has more indigenous plant species per square metre than anywhere else in South Africa. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is around a 40-minute drive from our hotel. If you'd like to join the Table Mountain walk today, you need to arrive at the hotel by 1pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least one hour to clear the airport. From the airport, it's around a 40-minute drive to the hotel, so the latest your flight can arrive is 11am. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. Anyone arriving late on Day 1 will be able to ascend Table Mountain on one of the other days in Cape Town. Please note, the weather in Cape Town can be highly variable. In the event of adverse weather, our Table Mountain climb will be postponed to another day. For those not wishing to walk, an aerial cable car runs frequently to and from the summit. It's worth noting that the Table Mountain Cableway usually closes for general maintenance at the end of July each year. When the cable car is not running, the hiking trail is still accessible.

Today we'll travel from the nearby Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Waterfront in Cape Town to take a tour of the world-famous Robben Island Museum, which includes a boat trip across Table Bay. Please note, the ferry tickets and museum entrance tickets (both booked by Explore) need to be purchased around 4-6 weeks before departure and we cannot guarantee that they will be available for late bookings. Returning across the bay, we'll arrive back at the hotel at around 2pm. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the city at your own pace

This morning, we'll make our way to Cape Point Visitors Park and take a walk up to a viewpoint overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to soak up the rugged scenery. We'll take an hour-long walk within the national park to Cape Point and the lighthouse, keeping an eye out for resident baboons, tortoises, otters and seabirds along the way. The trail is well marked, slightly rocky in places, and boasts diverse flora with many colourful flowers. Moving onto Hout Bay, we'll take a boat trip to see the remarkable bird and marine life of Seal Island - where approximately 7,000 Cape Fur Seals have made their home on low-lying rocks. This afternoon we head to one of Cape Town's best beaches. Muizenberg Beach is an ideal location to learn to surf; well known amongst the surfing community as offering some of the best surfing conditions along this stretch of coastline. A wetsuit is provided, please bring a towel, swimming suit and sunscreen.

Today, we'll discover the District Six Museum. Initially started as a community space for ex-residents to gather and meet, the museum now tells the story of District Six under apartheid to both local and foreign visitors to Cape Town and South Africa. Our group will have the privilege of taking a tour with an ex-resident of the district and get to hear their personal experiences and recollections. After our museum visit, we'll leave Cape Town behind. We'll make a stop at Stony Point penguin colony just outside the quaint coastal town of Betty's Bay. The nature reserve is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of African penguins in the world as well as hosting a wealth of endemic bird life. It sits on the site of a historic whaling station and has a quiet, undiscovered feel, offering excellent penguin viewing without the crowds. The boardwalks can be followed over the craggy outcrops to see the resident seabirds up close without disturbing them. Although humans are not allowed to wander beyond the boardwalks, it doesn't always stop the penguins from joining the trail and setting a slow walking pace! After a lunch break at Betty's Bay, we'll continue our journey, making a stop at the small seaside resort of Hermanus, regarded as one of the premier spots for shore-based whale watching in the world. From the cliff-top walks, it's possible to spot whales no more than 50 or 100 metres away. (whale watching season is between June and November). Departing Hermanus in the late afternoon, it's a short drive to Swellendam. Leaving the main road to follow a gravel track to our river camp, where rustic, wooden a-frame huts line the banks of the Breede River. Our accommodation offers a real break from reality and a chance to enjoy the surrounding nature. You can chat with the friendly team - many of whom come from the nearby town - at the bar or around this evening's campfire for an insight into their life on the Western Cape. This evening a traditional, bush-style dinner will be served around the campfire under the starry sky (weather-dependent).

We'll spend today exploring in rafts along the scenic Breede River. From its source up in the mountains above Ceres, the Breede River meanders for 300 kilometres/186 miles before it deposits its water into the mighty Indian Ocean. During its long journey to the coast, it provides life-giving water to one of South Africa's most beautiful regions. This river also boasts amazing bird life and ample fishing. The winding channels and playful rapids make it the ideal river-rafting destination for families. This ultimate river adventure offers exciting grade 2 and 3 rapids. No experience is necessary, and briefings will be given by our local guides. The rest of the day is free to find a relaxing spot along the riverbank to enjoy the peace and quiet at our riverside base.

Today we'll drive to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of South Africa. The arid landscape that borders the Little Karoo is a desolate yet magnificent area of semi-desert. After checking into our accommodation around lunchtime, we'll set out to explore the finest dripstone caverns in the world - the Cango Caves. Situated in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains, these limestone caves extend more than 5 kilometres/3 miles underground through a series of large caverns connected by passages. After our cavern adventure, we'll take a tour of the Safari ostrich and butterfly farm, north of Oudtshoorn as well as the Zeekoegat School which showcases the process of building a new school. Each group member will get the opportunity to sponsor a 'brick' towards the building of the new Zeekoegat Primary School. Please note, depending on timings and weather, today's schedule might be switched with Day 7.

Making our way eastwards, we'll travel along the awe-inspiring Garden Route to Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. This afternoon, we'll get to try our hand at sea kayaking along the coastline from Central Beach. We'll explore this unique stretch of coast, with its abundant marine life, up close in one of our stable kayaks alongside an experienced guide. After a thorough briefing, we'll paddle off from Central Beach and glide across the sparkling water, taking the opportunity to soak in the view of the majestic Tsitsikamma Mountains and the Robberg Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site. If we're lucky, we might also spot Cape Fur Seals, Bottlenose and Humpback Dolphins and a variety of sea birds along the way. Please note, no experience is necessary to join the kayaking trip but you must be able to swim. We recommend bringing a sun hat and sunscreen as well as a change of clothes. Our accommodation for the next two nights is a white-washed, seaside resort, centrally located in the heart of Plettenberg Bay, with three 'Blue Flag' beaches only a short drive away.

Plettenberg Bay and its surroundings boast some of the most stunning beaches and scenery of the Garden Route, as well as an unparalleled choice of activities to keep the family busy. If you fancy a day at the beach, we recommend Central Beach - its long stretches of white sand and calm, warm waters are perfect for families. Today is free and there are several optional activities to choose from including boat-based dolphin and whale watching, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, kayaking, surfing, mountain biking and canoeing (some of these activities have age restrictions). Whale watching is especially recommended in season (between June and December), as this shoreline offers the chance to watch a truly great mammal, the southern right whale. The dunes and escarpments offer panoramic views of the coast, and you have a good chance of seeing seals, dolphins and whales, plus a wealth of bird and botanical life.

This morning, we'll take a short drive to Robberg Nature Reserve where our tour leader will guide us on a walk along the trails. The hiking here is moderate - it's uneven underfoot in places and can be slippery so good walking shoes are advised. Our efforts are rewarded with the chance to soak up the sweeping coastal views and the possibility to spot dolphins and seals playing in the waters below. From July to December, we might also be lucky enough to spot the southern right whales that come into the calmer and warmer waters to calve and nurse their young. Our accommodation at Treetops is a two-hour drive away. We'll be staying in the Storms River region where there are plenty of well-marked walking trails, as well as the opportunity to explore suspended canopy walkways and zipwires or to try river kayaking. Teniqua Treetops is a unique eco-tented tree house occupying a position high on the foothills of the ancient Outeniqua mountain range. The tree houses offer a unique opportunity to sleep, eat and shower up in the canopy of the forest, all surrounded by birdsong and butterflies. Built on hand-crafted platforms and situated in carefully chosen beauty spots, the accommodation boasts comfortable tented bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens, and leafy bathrooms.

The morning is left free to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. Around midday, we'll take a short drive to Tsitsikamma National Park 'the place of much water', South Africa's most impressive marine and forest park, stretching for 80 kilometres/50 miles from the lagoon at Nature's Valley to the mouth of the Groot River. The lush forest and sheer cliffs host several short walking trails, the most popular of which takes you to a suspension bridge spanning the mouth of Storm's River, a unique sight, where the booming breakers of the Indian Ocean relentlessly pound rocky shores. The heartland of the park stretches for 5 kilometres/3 miles to the sea, protecting a wonderland of inter-tidal life, reefs and deep-sea fish - we can snorkel to discover the marine life. Dolphins frolic in the breakers and the gentle giant of the ocean, the southern right whale visits here, coming inshore to breed, in season.

We'll spend the morning enjoying the sparkling swimming pool, a large farm dam with canoes, a pool table, ping pong and the jungle gym on the farm before leaving late morning and heading eastwards to Addo Elephant National Park. The world-famous park is a 300,000-acre sanctuary, home to a wide range of South Africa's wildlife. It's known for its elephants (with a population of more than 600) but also supports buffalo, black rhinos, leopards and lions in its southern locations. We'll head out for an afternoon game drive on arrival in the park. We'll gather this evening for a traditional braai dinner (included) prepared by our tour leader.

After breakfast this morning, we'll depart Addo Elephant National Park area, driving 75 kilometres/46 miles to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ). We aim to arrive at about 10am and this is where our trip ends. Please note, the earliest your flight can depart is 12.30pm.