Cape Malay Cooking Safari

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Cape Malay Cooking Safari

For me, travelling is all about discovering the local culture. Learning about the history, the people and events that have affected or influenced the culture of that society.

It is fascinating, and makes visiting new destinations that much more interesting.

The fastest way to learn a new culture, is to learn about their foods.

In Cape Town, there is a REAL interactive experience in the Cape Malay quarter, one of the countries oldest established communities. This community dates back to the early settler days, when captives were brought to the shores in the 1600’s to work on the farms.

Start your day with a Walking Tour of this historic, Heritage Protected area, visit to a Community Empowerment Project, the popular local Spice (Masala) shop and the Bo-Kaap Museum.

Then it is time to visit your hostess – a local resident, for an exciting encounter with her religious, cultural and indeed culinary background – in her own home! You will participate in preparing and cooking samoosas, Rooti (flat bread) and chicken or veg curry-in the kitchen around her table. Once the lunch is prepared, you get to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

It is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the local culture

Contact African Sands to learn more about a holiday to Cape Town & the Cape Malay

Family Friendly Cape Town

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Travelling with children can be great fun, but it can also be very stressful!

Finding enough things to do that will occupy young minds and older minds alike can be quite difficult…. But not in Cape Town! With a wide variety of exciting activities available to capture inquisitive minds, you can be sure that a Family Holiday in South Africa with be just that – a true Family Holiday!

Here are our top tips of what to do with children in Cape Town:

1. Cape Point Nature Reserve

This is a great day out for the whole family. En-route to Cape Point, stop at Boulders Beach (just near Simon’s Town) and see the resident Jackass Penguin colony. These cute little creatures will liven up anyone’s day and they are clearly visible from the neat boardwalks that have been laid out to make viewing better and to preserve the penguins breeding area. Continue onto the Cape Point Nature Reserve, where the children can look out for the wild buck and baboons that are often seen in the reserve. Take the funicular to the old lighthouse with its great views. There are often baboons in the car park just waiting for tourists … remember not to feed them! If you still have energy after Cape Point, continue onto the Cape Point Ostrich Farm, where you can see the world’s largest flightless bird and the fastest bird on land

2. Cape Winelands

The Cape Winelands is a perfect adult and child combination!

There are many wine estates along this route to explore most with excellent wine on offer – so enjoy the wine tastings.

A great estate to explore is the Fairview Wine Estate (near Paarl) which has wine making as well as cheese making. They are famous for their goats’ cheese, and have two resident goats on the estate. Kids love seeing the goats, especially watching them climb into their tower house. Parents love the wine and cheese tasting…

Nearby is Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm – they have over 1000 crocodiles on the estate and kids can hold a small baby crocodile.

Continue onto Franschhoek and explore this wonderful town on foot. Enjoy art galleries, antique shops and craft stalls. Not to mention lots of exciting places to eat true gourmet food. Mont Rochelle is a fabulous state to explore in this area with wine tasting and horse riding on offer

3. Table Mountain

Taking the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain can be a really fun experience. Especially since the ride takes 4 minutes to reach the top of the mountain and the floor revolves, offering great views of the city below and the mountain. At the top of the mountain is a restaurant to catch a quick bite to eat and a shop for souvenir shopping, or be prepared and take your own picnic with you – there are lots of beautiful spots to sit and enjoy a meal – especially if you wander off from the main tourist hub. Look out for “Rock Rabbits” locally known as Dassies. They often pop up from gaps in the walls and can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks.

To work off energy after the Mountain, why not enjoy coffee at the Deer Park Café in Vredehoek, which has an outdoor park attached – so parents can relax and enjoy their afternoon tea while the kids run riot in the park.

4. V&A Waterfront

This is a premier destination in Cape Town and has good shopping options available.

Wander around this working harbour and see the boats at moor. Watch the harbour waters for the resident seals. You can often see them basking on the jetties. There are many good restaurants where you can enjoy a good meal in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Quay Four is renowned for its fish and chips on the dock.

If you want a fun experience, take one of the charter boats out for a sunset cruise with views back over the harbour and mountain it gives you another perspective of this landmark.

5. Two Oceans Aquarium   

Located at the V&A Waterfront, this Aquarium is a wonderful showcase of what goes on under our earths’ sea! There is a really good Atlantic Ocean display with its murky depths and sea kelp forests as well as an Indian Ocean display with its tropical fish and coral. Enjoy the Shark tank with a variety of shark pieces swimming past you. Don’t miss the Japanese Crab display!

6. Butterfly World

This is an area dedicated to the preservation of Butterflies, located in the Winelands. You can enter this magical world and wander among the many butterflies flitting around. Enjoy coffee and relax in this tranquil setting.

7. Camps Bay

Parents can sit on this world famous beach and relax and enjoy the goings on, while the kids can caper in the Atlantic Ocean. With many restaurants and take away options available across the road from the street, as well as an exciting Ice Cream store that has many wonderful ice cream scoop flavours – it is no wonder this spot is a firm family hit.

Contact African Sands to help you plan your family holiday to South Africa

 

Beach & Bush Holiday in South Africa

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South Africa is a great place to visit for a relaxing holiday!

Why not try and combine a “Beach & Bush” holiday to enjoy a truly relaxing vacation.

When people think of South Africa, they generally think of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. They tend to forget about South Africa’s sub tropical gem… KwaZulu Natal.

We feel that this is the perfect destination to offer a wonderfully relaxing “Beach and Bush” experience. With so much to do and explore, you will never be bored!

The Natal North Coast has a wealth of activities to enjoy, from simply relaxing on white sandy beaches and soaking up the golden sun rays to being as actives as you want with golf, micro lighting and fishing top of the list!

Highlights in the area include:

  • Enjoy a boat ride along the coast and get close up to the bottle-nose dolphins
  • Enjoy a microlight ride for the adventurous with breathtaking views
  • Visit the only organisation of its kind in the world – The Natal Sharks Board. Observe a shark dissection, see an audio-visual presentation and learn about the sensory biology of sharks and their role as top predators in the marine food chain. For the more adventurous, join the inspection crew for their eary morning tour of the nets off the beaches in Durban.
  • Explore the Hluhluwe Imfolozi National Park and spot the Big Five on a game drive!
  • Visit the Greater St Lucia Wetlands area and Spot hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles as you cruise the lake at this World Heritage Site
  • Visit one of the many Zulu cultural villages offering an unforgettable insight into traditional customs, ancient lore and legend and the sangoma (witchdoctor). Be entertained by the tribal dancing and learn about the beer ceremony.
  • At uShaka Sea World you come face-to-face with the ocean’s most amazing creatures.
  • Croc Valley Nature Reserve – Get back to nature as you meander through the coastal swamp forest

Then continue onto an exciting Bush experience.

The KwaZulu Natal north coast has a wealth of game viewing opportunities and fantastic scenery to explore with lots of history and culture around. The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National park is one of the oldest game reserves in South Africa and is home to the “Big Five” including the elusive White Rhino.

The Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park or the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park as it is now called is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its immense beauty and incredible natural wildlife biospheres.

Activities in the area include

  • Lake St Lucia – boat trips, water activities
  • Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve – day trips and game excursions
  • Outdoor activities – hiking, walking, kayaking, horse riding and quad biking
  • Cheetah and Serval project – see big cats close up and learn about the conservation efforts to protect these beautiful animals
  • Visit a Zulu Cultural Village and learn more about these fascinating people and their history

See “wild” Africa at its best and come home feeling truly rejuvenated – what a great holiday!

Contact African Sands for more information or to make an enquiry!

South African Safari – what to expect!

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Heading off an African Safari is definitely one of the most exhilarating and awe-inspiring things you can do. Exploring the wide open savannah seeking out the Big Five (Lions, Leopards, Buffalo, Rhino and Elephants) in their natural habitat is an incredible thing to do. It makes you realise how wonderfully amazing our planet really is!

It is also one of the most tranquil, relaxing and romantic things to do!

Many people want to go on an African safari, but often wonder what happens when on a safari expedition, so I thought I would draw up a simple outline of what a typical day on a magical African Safari is like.

05.00am – Rise and Shine! Your game ranger will be by to knock on your door. With the sun just rising, you are able to capture some awesome photographs with the light!

05.30am – Rendezvous your ranger and tracker for early morning tea and coffee before departing out on a true African safari in search of the “Big Five”!

Return to the lodge and enjoy a hearty South African breakfast!

The rest of your morning is at leisure for you to do as you wish. Perhaps relax by the pool, or look through the wildlife books often available for you to read through.

11.00am –  Many private game lodges offer a short walking Safari with an experienced and knowledgeable ranger and tracker.

After your walk you will have a chance to chill out and relax or enjoy a swim to cool down from the relentless African sunshine.

1.00pm  –  A delicious lunch is served.

4.00pm – Meet with your ranger for afternoon tea before starting off on an evening Game Drive. This time of day can allow for the most incredible sunset photographs!

6.00pm –  Surrounded in natural splendour, enjoy some cocktails and refreshments.

6.30pm –  Continue on your game drive finding the more nocturnal animals such as Leopards, Lions and Hyenas. Just sit back, observe and listen, as the stars twinkle into existence and the sounds of Africa call all around you!

7.30pm – Your return time to the lodge is flexible and is determined by the activities on safari!

8.00pm – Dinner Time!

Enjoy your African Safari!