Travel With Purpose

Day 1 | Phinda Mountain

Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, you will be met by a Menzies Aviation representative and assisted through customs and immigration. You will then be assisted with check in procedures for your onward flight to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, followed by a Federal Airlines shuttle flight to Phinda Airfield.

Rejuvenate during your 3 night stay at andBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge in a family cottage with ensuite bathroom. Your stay includes three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, scheduled safari activities, refreshments on game drives, a 1 hour nature walk, the use of a private vehicle, emergency medical evacuation insurance and laundry.

A private family safari is planned for the duration of your stay at Phinda. Designed for families with children who are wanting to experience the wonders of the African bush together, each safari is planned with the guide taking into account the children's ages, their interests, the family's preferences and fun seasonal activities available.

Your Federal Airlines shuttle flight from Phinda to Nelspruit (KMIA) Airport will be followed by an Airlink connection flight to Cape Town.

Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will make your own way to the arrivals hall, where you will be welcomed by a member from our andBeyond team, who will drive you to Babylonstoren. You can look forward to exploring one of the most beautiful and famous wineland districts in the world. A discovery of top class wines, locally produced cheeses, olives and much more awaits you.

Indulge during your 4 night stay at Babylonstoren in a Two Bedroom Fynbos Cottage with ensuite bathrooms. Your stay includes breakfast, full access to the garden at all times, guided garden tours and farm walk, cycling and canoeing/rowing on the farm dam, fishing, mountain drive (for a 2-night stay and longer), harvest tour, olive oil & balsamic vinigar tour, bread baking with bakers, cellar tour and wine tasting, a special treasure hunt that adds to the excitement of our young guests, feed the fish in our ponds, essential oil tour every weekday @10h00, guest laundry - 6 items per day, personalised larder in the rooms.

Combine wine tasting for the adults with a range of activities designed to keep the children happy on this family tour of the picturesque Cape Winelands. Kick off the day at the Spice Route Winery, where you can indulge your taste buds with wine and beer tasting while younger guests sample the local chocolate and biltong. A glass-blowing shop provides fascinating artistic displays, while the wide lawns offer the ideal place for children to play. The next stop is Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm, where you will be taken on a tour of the crocodile ponds, which house more than a thousand of the reptiles. Young guests will be delighted with the opportunity to touch a baby crocodile and, in summer months, will also be able to witness the daily feeding. The day ends at Spier Wine Estate, where wine tasting is combined with a visit to the Eagle Encounter birds of prey rehabilitation centre. Children are invited to visit the bird enclosure or to interact with some of Africa's largest raptors and owls in the company of experienced handlers. The centre also allows young guests to get up close and personal with a variety of other creatures, including bearded dragons and dwarf chameleons. Please note that the wine estates visited on this tour may be amended according to guests' preferences.

Day 2-3 | Phinda Mountain

After a mouth-watering breakfast you will embark on the Africa Foundation Community Trip (not on school or public holidays, and only possible on weekdays).

These tours offer insight into the everyday lives of community members as well as the difficulties they may face. For instance, the Khulani Special School was created by two concerned community members to meet the needs of children with disabilities living within the communities of Mduku, Mnqobokazi and Nibela, who previously had to travel over 150 kilometres to the nearest formal special needs school. The Mduku Clinic was built by Africa Foundation in 1995, before which the closest hospital was 70 kilometres away and the only access to a nurse was a mobile clinic that visited the community once a fortnight. Now up to 42 000 patients visit the clinic annually and the facility provides emergency care, treatment of chronic diseases and a wing dedicated to the healthcare of women and children. Nkomo Full Service Primary School was formed in 1997 by stalwart teacher Nomusa Zikhali, who used to teach 60 children under the shade of trees. Now, Nkomo is a full service primary school with more than 20 classrooms and over 1 000 pupils.

Should you wish to make a donation it will go a long way in making a meaningful difference in the lives of the many people living in the rural communities surrounding andBeyond’s lodges. The Africa Foundation Programme Officers can guide you on which projects are most in need of funding.

Visit a Zulu community just outside &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve and interact with the friendly people of KwaZulu-Natal. A Bantu tribal group, the Zulu are the largest ethnic group in South Africa. A local &Beyond guide will escort you through the community and share interesting insights and narratives about Zulu culture and its fascinating customs, beliefs and traditions.

You will be invited into a traditional Zulu homestead and given the rare opportunity to witness the daily routines and lifestyle of an authentic, rural Zulu family where eons of tradition intersect with modern life. Learn about the family structures, patriarchal duties, and matriarchal responsibilities of the tribe, find out how local homes are constructed and why cattle are so valuable and highly revered.

Spend time with the respected local sangoma, a witch doctor and traditional healer, who will explain the significance of the ancestors in Zulu life, as well as the tribe’s spiritual beliefs and the importance of their sacred lands.

Next, stop at the Mduku Bakery, where you get to experience the impact of the Africa Foundation and its business development initiatives within the community. Enjoy a delicious local Zulu delicacy called Amagwinya (or vetkoek, in Afrikaans).

The adventure ends with a quick stop at the Mbhedula Craft Market, where the beautiful handiwork and art of 43 Zulu crafters is showcased. It’s a great place to find that perfect souvenir of your time with the Zulu people.

Day 4 | Franschhoek

Day 6 | Franschhoek

Day 5 | Franschhoek

Day 7 | Franschhoek

The Uthando Tour (only possible on weekdays) covers an extensive discussion on South African history, the legacy of Apartheid, political, social, economic, cultural and local issues. As Uthando is a Non-Profit Company focused on community upliftment, the core of our trips is taking people to visit interesting community development projects. We work with, support and visit many different types of projects, for example : day care / early learning centres, urban agricultural and environmental programmes, youth development / after school programmes where children are taught dance, music, sports etc., an old age project, animal care projects and many more. Visits depend on what projects are available on the day and tours are normally arranged the day before depending on availability of the projects. On every half day tour we take guests to visit 3 different community projects. Guests have an opportunity to interact with the locals at these projects, find out about the inspiring work they are doing. The projects showcase their work and lives to the visitors.

Explore the scenic city of Cape Town on a family adventure that begins with a ride on the revolving cable car up to the top of iconic Table Mountain. Marvel at spectacular views over the city and the entire Cape Peninsula as you stroll along its flat top or, if the weather is not favourable, explore the smaller peak known as Signal Hill. From here, travel to Company Gardens, set up in the 17th century as a fresh produce garden used to supply ships stopping in the harbour and now home to the SA Museum, Cultural History Museum, Houses of Parliament, National Gallery and St George's Cathedral. Next, witness one of Cape Town's oldest traditions as you head up to Signal Hill for the firing of the noonday gun. Taking place every day except Sundays, this involves the firing of the world's oldest cannons charged by gunpowder that are still in daily use. Originally intended to provide a time signal for ships anchored in the bay, this maritime tradition continues to this day. From here, you will visit the traditional Malay Quarter, situated in the predominantly Muslim Bo-Kaap. Admire the area's brightly coloured houses, which date back as far as the 17th century and get a glimpse into one of the Cape's many vibrant cultures. The day's adventure ends at the V&A Waterfront, with an opportunity to explore the Two Oceans Aquarium, which houses one of the best marine collections in the world. The Aquarium showcases the variety of marine species that live in both the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans, with a number of exhibits designed especially to provide up-close, interactive experiences for children. Once you have explored to your heart's content, enjoy lunch at one of the many popular restaurants at the Waterfront.

Day 8 | Whale Coast

Day 9 | Whale Coast

Established in 2003, our Green Futures Horticulture and Life Skills College provides educational training to 8-12 unemployed young adults each year. We aim to give our student candidates the skills and confidence necessary to market themselves and become employable, while at the same time contributing to the conservation and promotion of our region's unique biodiversity. The fully accredited (AGRISeta) course combines essential life skills like personal finance, business skills, computers, driving and health education with knowledge of environmental and conservation issues, and skills of horticulture and landscaping. On completion of their course, the students are awarded a nationally (SETA) accredited certificate in horticulture and are assisted in work placement. Successful students can also apply for a second year of tuition in (FGASA) field guiding level 1. Since its inception, over 158 young people have graduated, and more than 90% of graduates have found employment on completion of the course.

Day 10 | Whale Coast

Day 11 | Departure

You will be collected from Grootbos and driven to Cape Town International Airport (duration approx. 3 hours), where a Menzies Aviation representative will assist you through customs and immigration and onto your international departure flight.

Morning activity (January to May): Eco Marine Trip

This 1 to 2 hour journey takes you to Dyer Island and the adjacent coast. We frequently see Dolphins along the beach. At Dyer Island you look for interesting sea birds such as African Penguins, Terns, Cormorants, Petrels and Oystercatchers. A narrow channel known as Shark Alley separates Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, home to a colony of 60 000 cape fur seals. This is a world-renowned location for viewing and cage diving with Great White Sharks.

Morning activity (June - December): Whale Watching Trip

You will depart on a Whale Watching Trip. Whales won’t be the only things youll see on this unforgettable 2 hour adventure. Your boat will launch in the quaint harbour of Kleinbaai, in Gansbaai, and will make its way toward the Pearly Beach area which is home to the southern right whale. Afterwards, you will venture towards renowned Dyer Island for excellent penguin and seabird viewing, and then to Geyser Rock to view the curious antics of Cape fur seals. Between these two islands is the notorious shark alley where you may be fortunate enough to view the spectacular great white shark.

Afternoon activity: African Seabird and Penguin Sanctuary

The African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) is a Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) project based in Gansbaai. A state of the art facility, designed and built by passionate experts, that strives to provide local marine avian species with a local rehabilitative centre where injured, diseased or distressed birds can be treated and rehabilitated. Although the facility was purpose built for rehabilitation of marine birds, it also caters for creating awareness around the perils marine birds face out in the wild. An Auditorium equipped with a big screen TV, which is linked up to the Rehabilitation area and the Bird Hospital, enables guests who visit the facility to see what is being done behind the scenes. This prevents added stress on the birds in rehabilitation by minimizing the amount of people allowed in the critical areas. The Auditorium has one way glass overlooking the Conditioning Pen - where visitors can watch birds in final preparation for release without any disturbance or interference. The greatest care is taken with cleanliness and special flooring Is used in the rehabilitation area to avoid a condition called bumblefoot that penguins are susceptible to. A curio shop selling penguin curios is on site. Coffee and cake is available. All purchases in this regard help support the sanctuary. Entrance is free. The sanctuary depends heavily on donations and a sponsorship brick can be purchased to contribute to the centre with tiered levels of support.

After breakfast, a member from our team will collect you from Babylonstoren and transfer you to Grootbos. Duration of the transfer is up to 3 hours.

Indulge during your 3 night stay at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve at Garden Lodge in a Two Bedroom Luxury Family Suite with ensuite bathroom. Your stay includes welcome drink served upon arrival, water, soft drinks, tea and coffee, minibar, fresh fruit daily in suite, breakfast, light lunch, 5-course dinner, horse riding through the reserve, but not on the beach (weight limit 90kg/198lbs per person; children under the age of 12 only allowed on guided pony rides), Botanical Fynbos hike on the reserve, milkwood forest walk, 4x4 Flower Safari, coastal drives with seasonal land-based whale watching (whale watching especially during July - December), beach Picnics, ancient Klipgat Cave and Walker Bay Nature Reserve beach excursion, progressive Tourism Tour, bird-watching; experience a great variety of bird species on the reserve, various maps of the reserve and the area for self-guided walks and transfers to/from all activities, children activities, i.e., treasure hunts through the forest and fynbos, pony rides and arts & crafts in the dedicated children playroom and transfers to/from all activities for included activities.

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