Thompsons Africa is now offering a new range of private day tours catering specifically for families with children.

These tailor-made excursions could include a morning Simon’s Town Tour, which takes children to visit the penguins at Boulders Beach, followed by a short history tour of Just Nuisance, the Great Dane that became a legend in South African history books as the first dog to be inducted into the Navy, and a visit to Scratch Patch, where they have great fun collecting their very own semi-precious stones to take home. A Peninsula Tour, followed by an afternoon at the Two Oceans Aquarium, includes an adventurous cable-car visit up Table Mountain followed by a cruise to Seal Island, before a visit to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve to spot Mountain zebra, eland and ostriches.  After lunch children can enjoy a visit to the famous Two Oceans Aquarium, with its predator exhibit of five Ragged-tooth sharks, a variety of rays, two turtles and various pelagic fish. A morning tour to Spier Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre and Eagle Encounters aims to increase awareness of cheetahs and the challenges that threaten their survival, as well as to raise funds for the Cheetah Conservation fund.  Children, particularly, enjoy the centre’s new arrival, Baggins, a serval cat.  At Eagle Encounters children learn about birds of prey that have been injured, poisoned or illegally removed from nests, and how they are nurtured back to health and fitness before being released back into the wild.  Another popular option is a day trip to Grootbos Nature Reserve, where children are welcomed with juice and mum and dad, a cup of tea or coffee, while the guide outlines the programme for the day, including a guided journey into the fascinating world of fynbos eco-sytems.  After a gourmet lunch they can enjoy a tailor-made afternoon of whale watching in season (June-December), a visit to Klipcat Cave or a stroll along the reserve’s endless white beaches, and explore the many treasures of Walker Bay.  The day ends with a last juice or cup of coffee or tea, and more importantly, a slice of delicious cake, before heading back to Cape Town.