Popular activities for kids in the Winelands are strawberry picking and grape juice tastings. However, these are just a few examples of what children can do in this stunning region. Who knew that there are plenty of activities and fun places to visit for the whole family?
I want to bring my kids in the Cape Winelands, what could we get up to?
Although not in the Winelands, you can certainly start our day at the Two Oceans Aquarium before proceeding to the Winelands, where you can explore the wildlife of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean. Then, you can head to the Giraffe House, a wildlife awareness centre that hosts not just giraffes, but a lot of other animal species such as Vervet Monkeys, Meerkat, Crocodiles, Ostriches, parrots, Jackals and many more.
You should also definitely check out the farm of Fairview. This wine estate founded in 1693 organises wine tastings for the parents whilst the children can taste juice and visit the Goat Tower. Make sure to also visit their bakery and try their hand made pastries, baguettes and cakes.
From Fairview website
How can I raise awareness amongst my kids about South African wildlife while exploring the Cape Winelands?
Take one of the guided tours at the Cheetah Outreach, an education and community-based programme created to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah and to campaign for its survival. You could also visit Drakenstein Lion Park, a lion rescue centre which is also home to the new Chimp Haven. This facility has been built to house the chimps that have been displaced by the closure of Tygerberg Zoo. If you want to see all the big cats at the same time, visit the BigCats Park at Vredenheim, that hosts brown and white lions, leopards and Bengal tigers.
Where could my kids discover reptiles and smaller animals in the Winelands?
We also recommend visiting Eagle Encounters, a wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education and eco-tourism centre. Also make sure you visit Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm, a kid-friendly destination near Cape Town offering prime viewing of crocodiles. Take one of the guided tours that depart every 45 minutes. The crocodile farm is home to over a 1000 crocodiles and is opened 9 til 5, 7 days a week. Visit the Butterfly World to find a magical world of tropical butterflies. You will soon realise that this is not just a butterfly park, but that that it’s a sanctuary for exotic animals. They have reptiles, exotic birds and other small animals.
Is there any other hidden gems for kids in the Cape Winelands?
We can visit Vergenoegd Wine Estate to watch the morning “duck parade”. During this parade, the Vergenoegd farm utilises 1070 running ducks to assist in the control of the snail and pest population in the vineyards. They have a basic research and breeding programme to keep the ducks productive, healthy and happy. Take a tour of the duck pens and the breeding room with one of their friendly duck herders. Enjoy the parade with a glass of Runner Duck wine from 09:00-10:00am on week days to see how they perform their eco-friendly duties of chemical-free pest control.
Any good markets my kids could enjoy?
Also visit a choice of Saturday and/or Sunday farmers markets in Stellenbosch. The Slowfood market takes its inspiration from the Slow food Movement. Their aim is to bring all food sourced, grown, raised, harvested, caught and preserved by the producers themselves. Root 44 market is, as the name suggests, situated on the Route 44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset. This market has many food stands and is all about family fun. Furthermore, the market offers funky live entertainment, craft and homeware stalls. The Blaauwklippen Family Market is one of South Africa’s oldest markets, dating back to 1682. The market is situated on the slopes of Stellenbosch mountain, surrounded by vineyards. This market offers plenty of activities for children, including a bouncing castle, pony rides, trampolines and more.
Finally, how can I end a beautiful day in the Winelands with my kids ?
Another must-visit with your children is the DelVera agri-village, a true paradise where children can play on the lawns and run around, they can feed and pet the donkeys, ride a go-kart, ride a bike on the kids bicycle trail and horseback riding. Visit one of the boutique shops with arts & crafts, restaurants and cafés. From DelVera, you can also go for a hike in the stunning surrounding area. Every month (September – April), the Dirtopia team organises a full-moon hike. On top of the Klapmutskop, enjoy a picnic while watching the sunset and then see the full moon rise.
From Delvera Agri-village website
Now that you know more about places and activities for kids in the Cape Winelands, click here for our Private Cape Town tours.
Excellent outing – highly recommended
Reviewed April 22, 2014
5 of 5 stars
On a recent trip to South Africa we had the good fortune of booking a day trip with David. He was polite, knowledgeable and contributed a wealth of knowledge about the destinations we visited. In fact we had such a great day out with him that we booked surfing lessons with him the next day, and he managed to get the whole lot of us to stand up on the board (not an easy task).
He was excellent company – a sentiment shared by our entire group, in fact each of the children enjoyed his company so much that they all wrote in their travel diary about “how much fun they had with David” and how nice he is.
Absolutely 5+++++ stars. Wish him the very best, and if we ever have the good fortune to go back we’ll hope to tour with him again! Cheers!
Simply amazing tour company with fantastic customer service!
Reviewed February 13, 2018
5 of 5 stars
My family and I (husband plus two kids) had a fantastic experience with David and his team at African Blue Tours. We booked several day trips with them and each one was better than the next. Our tour guide Duncan was great, very knowledgeable, patient with us and with our young girls and attentive. Duncan answered all our questions on South Africa, on its history and everything in-between. When it came time to taste wines during our wine tours, he took the girls outside to feed the goats while my husband and I enjoyed just a little bit of the wine tasting g uninterrupted. All this to say, very attentive, and customer oriented.
Last but certainly not least, the booking was easy and David was very responsive. It was easy to communicate and to get suggestions on different activities to better plan and maximize our time in Capetown. A wonderful and memorable visit. Thank you David and Duncan.
