Cape Town - With autumn in full-swing and winter fast approaching, don’t let the drop in temperature or the looming grey clouds get you down.
Kulula.com is here to keep your spirits high (and your wallets heavy) with a list of cool things to do in South Africa for under R100.
Cape Town
There are plenty of things to enjoy in Cape Town on a chilly, grey day. Start by heading to the V&A Waterfront’s ‘hidden gem’, the Scratch Patch, where for only R18 a bag you can dig through mounds of beautiful semi-precious stones and perhaps even find buried treasure.
Right next door to the Scratch Patch, you can enjoy a round or two of cave golf at the indoor putt-putt course for only R40 per round. The Cape Town Science Centre in Observatory, is a favourite amongst young and old and for only R45 (for both children and adults) you can enjoy the interactive displays, puzzles and games. To soak up the full winter experience, why not test your ice-skating abilities at The Grand West Casino for only R45 per person.
Joburg
If you want to escape the grey Cape, book a flight to Jo’burg where autumn is a dry season and rent a car with us to get you from one spot to the next. If you’re feeling brave, why not challenge a friend to some wall climbing (25m high) at the Orlando Towers in Soweto for only R50 per person. If heights are not your thing, a trip to the historic Johannesburg Zoo is sure to be a highlight of your trip, and is only R75 per adults and R46 for kids under 12.
For more animal action, check out the Monte Casino Bird Gardens. Visitors can enjoy the parrot gallery and see some of South Africa’s most venomous reptiles for only R64 per adult and R36 per child. Autumn is actually the ideal time for a game drive, so while in Jozi take a short left and drive to Pilanesberg Game Reserve in the North West where the park entrance fee is R65 per adult and R20 per child. We hope you’ll spot The Big 5!
Durban
In autumn, Durbs is less humid but milder than most of the country, so it means that if you decide to fly into this coastal city, there are plenty of fun things to do for you and your family. Head to the Golden Mile, a stretch of boardwalk with tourist attractions such the uShaka Marine World, where you and the kiddies can enjoy the Dangerous Creatures reptile exhibit for just R50 per person.
The kids (9-12 years) can also enjoy “Kids World” at an entrance fee of R70 and adults at R23, where children can climb on Africa’s largest jungle gym or use the water cannons to ambush unaware sailors passing by on the Duzi River. If the kids haven’t yet passed out from all the aquarium action, why not head to the beachfront and check out Durban Mini Town, which depicts some of Durban’s most famous landmarks, from the harbour to the airport, in 1:24 scale. The entrance fee is R25 for adults and R20 for children aged 2-13 years.
Explore some of Durban’s major attractions by catching the three hour Ricksha Bus City Tour at R100 for adults and R50 for children. Some of the route highlights are Emmanuel Cathedral, City Hall, Mitchell Park and Juma Musjid Mosque. The bus also stops at Victoria Street Market in the Indian Quarter, where you are sure to find enticing spice mixes. Adults who want to feel like kids again will love Groovy Balls. This is an adventure park in Durban where you can enjoy lots of adult activities, the cheapest being off-road go-karting at only R15 per lap, with a minimum of five laps per person.
Adapted from a press release for IOL