My Trip with South Africa Tourism- The Cape Town Chapter

I have just returned from the most amazing group trip to South Africa hosted by South Africa Tourism in June. I was very excited and had no idea where I would be going as it was to be a mystery until I arrived at Heathrow airport! Here is my blog on the first part of my action-packed adventure. Surprise No 1 – Arrival After meeting all the other agents on the trip, we were informed that we would be flying to Cape Town and would be going straight from the airport for a guided tour of Khayelitsha which is the largest Township in Cape Town. I admit I was not sure about this but upon arrival my doubts were blown away by the welcoming friendly happy people that greeted us. It is full of inspiring people making a difference to society, colourful vibrant and full of art and gardens. We had an amazing meal at a restaurant run by an ex contestant of South African Masterchef who gives back to the community by employing and training local people. Abigail and her staff entertained us with stories of growing up in Khayelitsha, served exquisite, beautifully presented food and another surprise - we got to keep our beautiful African dish which was made by a local artist and painted with an inspiring message left by previous diners. Before we left we each wrote an inspiring message to be painted on a dish for the next hungry visitor - inspiring indeed. Next, we visited a local children's nursery and next surprise - our guide was also local artist Juma Mwela and we were going to help him paint a mural on a soon to be new business next to the nursery! This was great fun and a great way to get involved and give something back. The mural we painted was a South African endangered rhino. The nursery staff thanked us for our donation by bursting into song which was wonderful. We visited the Village House, met the children and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Tours like these with local people as your guides can be tailored to suit the individual or group whether the interest is food, art, music, photography or something else. Highly recommended. After the long flight, followed by painting, walking and exploring, the next stop was a lesson in drumming! So still on day one we checked into our hotel, admired the fantastic Table Mountain views then within 30 minutes we were out again for a fantastic evening of African drumming, dancing, puppetry and gorgeous African food. I can recommend and book restaurants for you free of charge - all part of the service. Day 2 – Adventure, views, shopping and cuisine Up early and off for a helicopter ride over Cape Town - wow! Cape Town really is beautiful and the views from the air are stunning. This would be an ideal place for a romantic proposal, you will have a glass of champagne on landing and the staff are incredibly friendly. It is winter in South Africa in June but not as we know it! It is a fantastic time to visit, slightly cheaper, not as busy, not too hot but still warm and sunny with picture perfect blue skies, great for exploring, ideal for game viewing and just right for a group cycle ride along the Bay which was full of families and couples strolling along eating ice cream admiring the great views. Not forgetting the iconic Table Mountain, this is definitely worth a visit. There are hop on/off bus tours I can book for you that take you to all the main attractions including here and you can visit the Gardens, take the Cable Car to the top (which we did) go hiking/ziplining or just admire more incredible views out to Robben Island. Word of warning - it is very windy at the top and much cooler than on the ground so take a jacket or jumper! Bo Kaap is another great area to visit, close to all the main attractions, full of colourful painted houses, spice markets and I can book cooking lessons for you there too. A short walk from here and you will find lots of shops and a market full of African Arts and Crafts from jewellery to carvings, clothes and furniture a great place to shop but barter hard! Next off to Camps Bay, a beautiful very upmarket area with stunning sandy beaches, beautiful hotels and excellent seafood restaurants. I recommend watching the sunset, order the King Klip with a glass of South African wine produced in the Winelands less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Day 3 – History, penguins, seals and Nelson Mandela Robben Island is an island opposite Cape Town used as a prison for political prisoners, notorious as the prison home of Nelson Mandela. This is an absolute must if you have any interest in the history of this country. The boat departs several times a day from the Waterfront and pre-booking is essential. We were met by our guide who was also a political prisoner and served time with Nelson Mandela. He showed us around, told us stories of what life was like back then, talking with Mandela in the prison yard, food rationing and Mandela's cell. Some of it was shocking but fascinating and yes that word again – inspiring. The country has changed so much and this man who was himself incarcerated here now lives and works here to make sure the story is told. As we were with South Africa Tourism we were also extremely fortunate to be taken to a secret house next to the prison that not even the prisoners knew about where another prisoner was kept under house arrest for many years. We saw the quarry where Nelson Mandela and others were forced to work in boiling temperatures digging and breaking rocks with only a small hole in the rock for shelter. We were taken to the small village and saw some penguins who live here as well as more breath-taking views of Cape Town. This was a real privilege and can only be seen by special arrangement on specially booked tours which I can arrange for you. After the short and very relaxing journey back to Cape Town by boat we arrived at the Waterfront and watched the wild seals swimming around the harbour and sunbathing on the rocks. This is the place to be, full of bars, shops, museum, restaurants, great views and live entertainment. You could spend hours here. Next stop – Winelands. Look out for my next instalment coming soon!