Storm's River Mouth

I have been wanting to return to the Garden Route National Park to share this beautiful part of the world with my kids for a few years now. Although they are still too young to do the Otter Trail I knew they would love the scenery and surroundings. It is really a nature lover’s paradise.

Dramatic scenery at Storm’s River Mouth

We spent a wonderful long weekend there with family and enjoyed the lilo adventure up the gorge. I didn’t want to risk my camera falling in the water so unfortunately I don’t have any pics of that experience!

Suspension bridge

We enjoyed the hike to suspension bridge as well as the short Lourie Trail inside the Storms River Mouth Restcamp. Some of the more energetic also did the Waterfal hike which is the first part of the Otter Trail. See further trail information on the SANParks website .

One of the highlights of the trip was finding and interacting with a beautiful Octopus as well as several starfish in one of the rock pools. We enjoyed watching whales, birdwatching and even spotted an otter.
The beautiful forests are an experience in themselves and I loved seeing the natural beauty and vegetation. Because the reserve is in a protected area you don’t see any ships on the ocean and the natural environment is pristine.

Inquisitive Octopus

We visited the Big Tree just off the N2 highway where a lovely forest walk leads you to the impressive tree. The Outeniqua Yellowwood boasts an age of over 1000 years, height of 36 metres, main trunk length of 18.3 metres, crown spread of 33 metres and average circumference of 8.5 metres.

We had an amazing visit to the beautiful part of South Africa and look forward to visiting again whenever we get another chance!

5 Outdoor Nature Activities to do with Kids in Cape Town

Spending time outdoors is healthy, fun and educational and in Cape Town you are spoilt for choice when it comes to outdoor nature activities. With kids there are some limitations to where you can go and how much you can do so it’s always good to know which activities are good options to choose from. We visited in April for a few days and decided on these things according to the time we had available and close proximity to our accommodation so that we could come home to re-energize between outings. Thanks to our local guide Juli for all the tips and insights!

1. Table Mountain

A visit to the top of this beautiful and iconic landmark by CableCar is exciting and memorable (or if your kids are older and fitter you could hike up to the top). It is advisable to check the weather forecast beforehand and remember that afternoon rates are lower than morning rates. If you present your South African ID to show it is your birthday month you get free entry. Once at the top you can buy a drink from the restaurant and enjoy the scenery or a walk along the various trails on offer. See Table Mountain’s official website.

There are lots of signage and information boards for you to learn from

2. Walk along the Promenade

This broad walkway runs along the coastline at Seapoint and is a popular outdoor space for people to exercise, do yoga, picnic, or walk their dogs. There is a lot to see and it makes for a lovely afternoon outing. There are several restaurants along the route and places to stop and enjoy the view. If you are not up for walking there is the fun option of renting bikes.

The Mouille Point Park, located along the Promenade next to the Mouille Point Lighthouse, is a great playground with a variety of play equipment and the most beautiful setting of the sea and Lion’s Head behind.

3. Green Point Park

We made sure to park in Park Road near an entrance to Green Point Park so that we could get ice-cream from the amazing Creamery Cafe in Mouille Point (we even went back the next day!). Green Point Park has several biodiversity and educational gardens as well as age appropriate playgrounds that are well maintained and well used by residents of the City of Cape Town. The park is beautifully laid out (it was designed by OvP Landscape Architects) and has a series of scenic waterways that are filled with birds and pathways that highlight the surrounding scenery of Stadium, Lion’s Head and Mouille Point Lighthouse.

4. The Beach

Yes, this one had to be on the list! Kids love the sand and sea (even if it is freezing cold) and there are several options to choose from. We went to Glen Beach, Camps Bay Beach and Camps Bay Tidal Pool. Llandadno is a bit more of a drive but more sheltered if weather isn’t the best.

5. Signal Hill

Watching the sunset from this vantage point is a beautiful way to end the day. You can drive relatively close to the picnic area so it not a far walk (depending on how busy and how many cars are parked along the road). Take a blanket with drinks and snacks and enjoy the amazing view over the ocean and Robben Island. Remind your children of the sacrifices people made to live in a free and democratic South Africa and how we continue to live with hope for a better future despite the challenges we face.

We weren’t able to visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, but this will definitely be on our list for the next time we visit!