South Africa Adventure

I was lucky enough to win a place on an exclusive Travel Counsellors trip to South Africa in conjunction with British Airways. Three nights in Cape Town, what a whirlwind it was! We flew out in style with a fantastic upgrade to Business Class, such a treat! After amazing food and excellent service with a flatbed for the overnight flight, we woke up refreshed and ready to explore!

Our first point of call was Table Mountain, after a scenic cable car ride we took in the panoramic views of Cape Town and beyond. Next on the list, we took a tour along the coast and experienced some of the most stunning coastline I’ve ever witnessed. With its pristine white beaches and charming coastal towns, this is definitely a trip worth taking, we saw the famous penguins in Boulders Beach and finished off the day with a stop at the iconic Cape of Good Hope. Afterwards we checked into the Commodore Hotel, such a lovely hotel with a nautical theme within walking distance of the V&A (Victoria & Alfred) Waterfront. One of my favourite areas, with an abundance of lovely restaurants with the freshest of food, great value for money and a fantastic atmosphere, this is an excellent area to base yourself.

We were up early the next morning to board the boat to Robben Island. This was my second time to visit Robben Island and it was still as fascinating as my first visit. A UNESCO heritage site, Robben Island has been used in the past for many things, including a military base and a hospital, it is most famous for the 18 years Nelson Mandela spent incarcerated there. Afterwards we visited the Winelands where we indulged in an incredible lunch in Richard Branson’s stunning boutique hotel, Mont Rochelle in Stellenbosch. Following that we took a trip on the wine tram in Franschhoek, where we stopped at some excellent vineyards and sampled some fantastic wine, it was great fun and a must do when you’re in the area!

On our last day we visited one of the most infamous townships in South Africa; Khayelitsha. What an experience this was and we were lucky enough to visit one of the local schools and meet the children as well as visiting some of the entrepreneurial locals who had set up businesses. Finally, we took a tour of Cape Town where we experienced some fascinating local museums and learnt about the harrowing history of apartheid. In previous trips I’ve been lucky enough to drive all along the southern Coast as far as Port Elizabeth and visit Kruger National Park. South Africa is one of my favourite places to book for my customers, whether it’s a honeymoon or the trip of a lifetime, I would be delighted to help.