When our family decided on Cape Town, South Africa as our next adventure, our planning sessions quickly became not only logistical, but also educational. We started asking the kids a bunch of questions. Why Cape Town? What do you know about South Africa? What do you want to do? Where should we eat? How can we help while we are there?
WE STARTED with their interests ~
Ellie had heard there were penguins and ostriches on a beach there – cool, let’s find them!
The Cape of Good Hope where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet – definitely have to see that!
An aerial view of the whole city from atop Table Mountain – a MUST!
Audrey was learning about Nelson Mandela in school, so a day spent with our guide, Thando, who lived through the apartheid era was crucial to understanding the South African history and culture. (He is pictured below on the left.)
Henry knew of Seal Island from watching Shark Week, so we incorporated a Great White Shark cage diving excursion in False Bay near Simonstown. Talk about an adrenaline rush (below, pic on the right)!
Our time spent in Khayelitsha township at Iliso Care Society and Baphumelele opened our eyes to a part of Cape Town that is often overlooked, yet so full of compassion, simplicity and kindness.
Hidden among gourmet eateries in the trendy Kloof Street area, we felt at home at the family friendly hotel, More Quarters, which gave us a much needed reprieve after our daily adventures. Hands down, our favorite spot to eat was DaVinci’s where we encountered a jovial employee (ironically, named Africa!) who welcomed us with a huge smile when we’d stop in for a cold bevvie or wood fired pizza.
Cape Town…
a city which has it all: wildlife, adventure, beaches, mountains, culture, history, food, and PEOPLE …
ahhh….the PEOPLE…they are the icing on the cake! The connections we made with Thando, Africa and the other South Africans we met while exploring their city, above all else, made this an unforgettable week!
P.S. Credit must be given to GeoEx, as they were instrumental in creating our custom family adventure
