Our Experience

the full story…

I had always wanted to visit Africa. When Adam and I decided to visit Botswana and Zimbabwe - which made up the first part of our Africa itinerary - we wanted to add one more country to round out the trip. We honestly didn't know much about South Africa at the time, but it was large enough that we knew we'd have plenty of flight options from Botswana and eventually back home to the United States. So...without doing nearly as much research as I normally would, we booked it.

"It ended up becoming one of those trips that completely exceeded every expectation."

I'm a planner by nature and usually have most of our activities scheduled before we ever leave home (at least the ones that require reservations or tend to sell out). This trip struck the perfect balance. We booked two activities before leaving home and left plenty of room to discover new things once we arrived. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing. Some of our favorite memories came from simply wandering around and saying yes to opportunities we hadn't planned for.

Like I usually do, I started my hotel search with Marriott. Nothing really stood out, so I found myself venturing down the Bed & Breakfast rabbit hole, where I stumbled across Boutique @ 10 in Camps Bay. It ended up becoming one of our favorite places we've ever stayed. Breakfast overlooking the coastline each morning was unforgettable, and we loved being able to walk down to the beach for dinner, sunsets, and evening strolls.

One of the smartest things we did early in the trip was hop on the Hop On Hop Off bus. It gave us a great feel for Cape Town and helped us decide which places we wanted to come back and explore in more depth. One of those stops was the V&A Waterfront, where we discovered Robben Island tours were nearly sold out for the rest of our stay. We managed to grab tickets for the morning of our flight home, but if it's on your list, I'd definitely recommend booking ahead.

We also spent time wandering through local markets, browsing artwork, and chatting with local vendors. We brought home a few rolled canvas paintings that packed easily into our suitcase and later framed them at home. One even hung in our son's safari-themed nursery for years, which feels especially fitting now that Little Carry-ons is all about sharing these adventures with him.

One experience we planned well in advance was great white shark cage diving. We booked through Extreme Scene, who picked us up before sunrise for the drive to Gansbaai. After breakfast and a safety briefing, we headed out onto the water to wait for the sharks. Seeing great white sharks just a few feet away was surreal and remains one of the most unforgettable experiences I've ever had. If I were doing it again, I'd probably book with a smaller group for more time in the cage - but I'd absolutely do it again.

We also booked our Table Mountain abseil through the same company. I'd never done anything like it before and wasn't nervous...until I found myself standing on the edge of the mountain attached to nothing but a rope! Thankfully, our guides were fantastic, and the views on the way down made every second worthwhile.

Then came the experience neither of us expected to become our favorite.

While wandering around Cape Town one afternoon, we noticed a motorcycle tour company with several bikes parked outside. We'd heard about chauffeured motorcycle tours before, so on a whim we walked inside to ask a few questions. Within an hour, we'd booked a private guided ride to the Cape of Good Hope.

"It ended up being my favorite day of the entire vacation."

Adam had hoped to ride his own motorcycle, but because he didn't yet have a transferable motorcycle license, he rode with one of the guides instead. Ironically, that trip was all the motivation he needed to finally get his motorcycle license after we returned home - and more than ten years later, he still rides.

It was my first time ever on a motorcycle, and I was definitely nervous at first. That feeling disappeared almost immediately. Between the incredible scenery, the stops along the coastline, the visit to Boulders Beach to see the famous penguins, and the chance to experience the Cape from a completely different perspective, it became one of those completely unexpected adventures that defined the entire trip.

"By the time our trip came to an end, neither of us wanted to leave."

I was only half joking when I started looking up real estate and wondering what it would take to move to Cape Town and open a Bed & Breakfast of our own - very much inspired by the wonderful owners of Boutique @ 10 (if you ever stay there, ask them how they ended up moving to South Africa. Their story is just as memorable as the property itself).

South Africa surprised us in the very best way. We came expecting incredible scenery and wildlife, but we left talking just as much about the people we met, the spontaneous adventures we stumbled into, and the feeling that we'd only scratched the surface of everything the country has to offer.

It's one of those destinations we'd return to in a heartbeat.

Morning breakfast with amazing views

Worth Knowing

• Book Robben Island tickets before your trip - they often sell out several days in advance.

• Ride the Hop On Hop Off bus early in your visit. It's one of the easiest ways to get your bearings and discover places you'd like to revisit.

• If you're heading to Gansbaai for shark cage diving, bring Dramamine. Between the winding roads and the boat ride, you'll probably be glad you did.

• Local artwork makes a wonderful souvenir and is often sold on rolled canvas, making it easy to bring home.