3 Local Family-Friendly Getaways for the Festive Season
With the festive season around the corner, you’ll want to start planning your much-needed annual vacation. Holidays are costly affairs and finding places that accommodate both your whole family and your budget can be difficult. That’s why we’ve rounded up 3 family-friendly getaways that won’t break the bank this holiday season:
A trip to the Kalahari
Tucked away between the red dunes of the Kalahari desert, about 250km away from Upington Airport, and only 5km away from Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park lies the family-owned Kgalagadi Lodge, the perfect spot for that relaxing yet adventurous getaway.
With a famous national park to explore, a 50-seater restaurant offering authentic South African cuisine and picnic packs available, the Lodge has everything you need to unwind and get away from it all. Stay in 3-star luxury, family or business chalets or a 4-star campsite, and enjoy the swimming pool and fire pit, and just take in the views or the starry night sky. There’s also camel riding over the sand dunes for the adventurous with rides costing R150 per person.
For more information or to make a booking, visit the Kgalagadi Lodge website.
A beach break to Witsand
Hidden away in the Overberg of the Western Cape, lying 300km from Cape Town on the Breede River, is a tiny little town with gorgeous stretches of unspoilt beach. Witsand is known as one of the last unexploited places of the South African coastline and within this little gem is the Breedezicht Estate, a stunning spot for the whole family.
Stay in one of the estate’s beautiful river-view family homes, or better yet, buy your very own home to return to whenever you wish! Explore the town, the fishing village and beaches, as well as the famous Barry Memorial Church built in 1849. Take in the flora and fauna, the largest concentration of Southern Right Whales and over 3000 hectares of undisturbed fynbos. The Breede River is the perfect place to go fishing while the lagoon is great for kitesurfing or boating.
For more information visit the Breedezicht Estate website.
Camp out in the Karoo
Situated 375km from Cape Town and just outside of Calitzdorp lies Matjiesvlei in the heart of the Klein Karoo. If you and your family are looking for a peaceful breakaway in nature, then this serene valley at the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains is what you’re looking for. Relax and unwind in one of four self-catering units or get even closer to nature by camping out in the campsite along the banks of the Gamka River.
This serene spot offers plenty for nature lovers to do including hiking, bird watching, and swimming in the nearby river. With no WiFi and electricity at some of the cottages, and nothing to do but read a great book, play, and enjoy the company of your loved ones, this truly is a spot to get away from it all.
For more information or to make your booking visit the Matjiesvlei website.