Experience Cape Town, South Africa
This corner of Africa that makes up the Cape Peninsula is home to the magnificent city of Cape Town, was known by sailors of the ancient seas as 'The Fairest Cape'. Table Mountain will take your breath away when swathed in the 'tablecloth' of clouds that frequently descend on her tabletop unannounced. The Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet at the cliffs that make up Cape Point, and all this against a backdrop of some of Africa's most charming wine lands. Venture up the coast along the world renowned 'Garden Route' for a taste of adventure - the world's highest bungee jump, ostrich riding and Addo Elephant National Park await you...
Itinerary in brief:
Participants to arrive in Cape Town on the first Sunday of the month.
| Day | Travel | Activities | Accommodation | Meals |
| 1 | Arrive at Cape Town International Airport | Cape Town | Volunteer base / guest house | D |
| 2-3 | Within Cape Peninsula area | Cape Town rural communities | Volunteer base / guest house | B, L, D |
| 4 | Within Cape Peninsula area | Peninsula Tour | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 5 | Within Cape Peninsula area | Visit to Robben Island and V&A Waterfront | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 6 | Cape Winelands | Tour of the beautiful wineland region | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 7 | Travel from CT to Hermanus | Optional shark cage diving | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 8 | Hermanus - Gansbaai - Wilderness | Gouritz bungee jumping | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 9 | Wilderness - Oudtshoorn | Canoe trip and Cango Caves exploration | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 10 | Oudtshoorn - Knysna | Wildlife Rehabilitation Ranch, Ostrich Ride and Sundowners on a River boat | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 11 | Knysna - Storms River | Optional highest bungee jump in the world | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 12 | Storms River - Jeffrey's Bay | Zip lining (foofy sliding) trip and surfing opportunity | Backpackers | B, L, D |
| 13 | Jeffrey's Bay - Port Elizabeth | Visit ADDO Elephant National Park Flight to CT from PE (included) and then home | Backpackers | B, L, D |
Note on community work:
Day 1: Fly in to Cape Town International Airport where our staff will be on hand to meet you and transfer you to your accommodation. Once you've settled in you will have a trip briefing with your group leader.
Day 2-3: Cape Town Volunteer Projects
You will spend the next two days participating in Cape Town community volunteer projects, which are facilitated by our sister organisation, African Impact. During our stay we will have the chance to interact with children and other community members while assisting in local orphanages/schools, building/refurbishment projects and local sports development initiatives.
Day 4: Tour of the magnificent Cape Peninsula
Take in the sight of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meeting at Cape Point, drive along winding coastal roads overlooking stunning sea views and some of Africa's most famous beaches. Chapman's peak and The Sentinel are some of the most photographed scenic views in Africa.
Day 5: Visit to Robben Island and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
Travel out of Cape Town's picturesque harbour towards Robben Island, Nelson Mandela's prison home for nearly 20 years where you will be moved by recounts of life on the island from past prisoners. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is a delightful shopping complex nestled in the harbour under the watchful eye of Table Mountain.
Days 6: Tour of the Cape Winelands
Picnic amongst exquisite winelands just up the east coast from Cape Town. Visit a number of well-aged and historical wine farms in this stunning area that strongly resembles the French countryside, but with an African twist of course!
Day 7: Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus through the far side of the wine region and over a beautiful hilly mountain pass with Ocean views. Optional shark cage diving available. Hermanus is famous for whale watching during the whale season.
Day 8: Stop en route the stunning coastal roads at the Gouritz Bungee Jump, which some consider a warm up jump for the world's highest bungee jump further into your trip at Bloukrans!
Day 9-10: Wilderness and Outdsthoorn
A visit to the Karoo would be incomplete without taking in all that Oudtshoorn has to offer. The ostrich capital of Africa even offers you the chance to go for a ride on one of the ungainly birds! Also at Outdshoorn you can tour through the fascinating Cango Caves and their stalagmites and stalactites and visit an animal rehabilitation sanctuary which will give you the chance to have your photo taken with one of their rescued cheetah.
Day 11: Knysna
Locals call Knysna the capital of the Garden Route, and the official Oyster capital of South Africa - anyone who has had the pleasure of sampling one of the infamous Knysna oysters will agree. En route to this quaint seaside town you will also have the chance to tick 'world's highest bungee jump' off your travel highlights check list.
Day 12: Storms River to Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay, known affectionately by members of the surfing crowd as 'J-Bay' was once a sleepy fishing village until the famous surfing waters, and many miles of magnificent waves were discovered. Besides the beautiful Indian Ocean coastline, J-Bay is home to some of the best surfing spots in the world.
Day 13: Addo Elephant Park
Visit Addo Elephant National Park and then depart from Port Elizabeth Airport for Cape Town to get your connecting flight home. Addo is a place of fascinating diversity and home to 5 of South Africa's 7 major vegetation zones as well as over 450 elephants. Enjoy breathtaking wildlife viewing opportunities of the Big 7 - The Big 7: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, whales and great white sharks in their natural habitats.
Cost:
13 Day Experience Cape Town and the Garden Route tour: GBP955 / US1990
Please contact our booking staff if you would like to extend the volunteer portion of this trip.
Please be advised that we require a minimum of 3 people booked on this Experience in order for your trip to be guaranteed. Therefore, if you decide to book your flights in advance please make sure that your tickets are changeable or transferable incase your dates need to be changed. Alternatively, contact us for information on trips which have already reached minimum numbers and are guaranteed departures. If you are interested in making a group booking on this or any other experience, please contact your destination manager and we will be glad to assist you.
Cost Includes:
Cost Excludes:
Accommodation:
All accommodation for the duration of this trip will be in comfortable backpacker-type rooms with clean showers and toilets.
Meals:
You will be provided with three wholesome meals a day. Breakfast is on a help-yourself basis and usually consists of cereals/porridge, toast, fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are full meals, and will be prepared for you by our crew.
Note:
Please advise us of any specific dietary requirements before you arrive!
www.happyafricafoundation.org
Regd UK Charity Number: 1123529
Pathfinders and The Happy Africa Foundation
Pathfinders is proud to have been instrumental in the establishment of The Happy Africa Foundation and continues to be one of the Foundations major supporters. Donations made to support our community and conservation initiatives by private donors as well as by Pathfinders as a voluntoursim company are managed and distributed on our behalf by The Happy Africa Foundation.
The mission of The Happy Africa Foundation is to empower the African people through the support of community and conservation based initiatives that operate at grass roots level.
Conservation Development:
The Happy Africa Foundation works together with local African communities to conserve and protect the environment, wildlife and cultures in areas where the Foundation is involved. Thus, the Foundation supports, financially or logistically (or both), local and international organizations that operate projects supporting conservation education and research at a grass roots level.
Community Development:
The Happy Africa Foundation strives to initiate, facilitate and support community development projects that are sustainable. As such, The Happy Africa Foundation makes every effort to ensure and takes relevant measures in assessing, planning and monitoring community development projects for the benefit of local African communities.
The Happy Africa Foundation provides travellers, volunteers and other donors with a chance to give back to the communities they visit or volunteer in on their African journeys, or that they wish to support remotely through donations.