By Kayang Gagiano
Single-parent travel is not for the faint-hearted. It’s never a good thing to be outnumbered by small folk with big opinions – but away from home, it can be nothing short of terrifying! All kidding aside, there’s managing the logistics, shopping, packing and planning, all of which can be a strain on one’s pocket and peace of mind.
Which is why I was absolutely delighted when I came across the Single Parent Special while scrolling on the AfriCamps website – pay for myself, kids stay free. “Oh, hallo, hallo!”…I thought, “what’s this?”
And what “this” is, guys, is glamping – glamorous camping with good linens, comfy beds, great Wi-Fi, a fully kitted kitchen, brilliant showers with plenty of hot water, an indoor fireplace and a deck with views for days.
Made accessible and affordable to those of us managing on one income! “Hooray – where do I sign?”
When glamping at AfriCamps, you take the minimum – no pots, pans, cutlery, bedding, towels required – just clothes, toiletries, food and a couple of board games and hey presto, it’s a holiday!
Then there are those four magic words that just seal the deal: “wood-fired hot tub.”
“Well, someone’s thinking!” I muttered to myself. (Single parents do a lot of that.)
“And they’re thinking of people like me – an oftentimes frazzled mamma bear, who needs a bit of comfort and a mod con or two to maintain her sanity when travelling with two wriggly rascals!” It didn’t take me long to choose our destination either – the Cederberg over the winter months, with the first of the wild flowers budding, called our names – so to AfriCamps at de Pakhuys we headed. Rocks, daisies and blue skies beckoned, not to mention the idea of soaking for hours in warm water beneath the biggest skyload of stars.
Packing Tips
- Don’t overdo it. You need less than you think. Especially clothes. Keep it simple. Most of what you need is there. And trust me, you’ll spend a lot of time in your cozzie!
- Take fewer clothes, but be sure to save boot space for dry wood and fire starters – in the form of fynhout. While all AfriCamps locations have shops that sell wood, because of the demand, you cannot be sure it’s as dry as you’ll like it. And wet wood when you’re trying to get a fire going has the same effect on the human psyche as too-slow internet. Lots of blitz and dry wood, baby! You’ll thank me.
- Save even more space (and sanity) by booking cook-your-own breakfast and/or braai baskets – (I used girl math, so handy) – calculating that the money one saves on the single parent discount can go towards these awesome hampers that kit you out with full meals – a range of breads, meats, salads, cheese etc. The braai basket at AfriCamps at de Pakhuys came with boerie and succulent lamb chops, three salads, fresh rosemary, lemons and roosterkoek, plus marshmallows! Such a treat. The breakfast basket had enough bacon for ten men (okay, I exaggerate, but there was a lot!) Plus eggs, mini pork bangers, Ouma bread, jam, grated cheese, yoghurt, muesli, fruit and croissants!
What to Do and See
Every AfriCamps has wonderful natural attractions, and de Pakhuys is no exception. There is also a lot to see and do en route and in the surrounding area. Here are our three top picks:
1. The Ou Tronk (Old Jail) Museum in Clanwilliam
What a great source of sights and information – our impromptu museum guide, Herschel Janjies, who manned the entry desk on the day we visited, regaled us with stories and information about the history of rooibos tea, the Khoisan, the endangered Clanwilliam Cedar tree, and the life and accomplishments of C. Louis Leipoldt (basically an German-Afrikaans Renaissance man, who grew up in the region, and whose grave you’ll spot on the pass just before you get to de Pakhuys). My children, who are 9 and 11, loved Herschel’s tour, and were especially impressed that he’d learnt a few sentences in !Xam – an extinct San language.
Located just 5 km from AfriCamps at de Pakhuys – if you drive towards Ceres, is Traveller’s Rest, the starting point for an incredible hike that takes you to nine indigenous rock art sites created between 200 and 6000 years ago by San hunter-gatherers. The trail winds its way along the banks of the Brandewijn (Brandy) river to rocky outcrops with paintings of animals and people created by South Africa’s first nation peoples. It’s really something not to be missed – and if you take it easy, pack plenty of snacks and water, I’d say children from six and up could manage the 5-kilometre trail with ease. Give yourself between 2-3 hours to complete the route. Totally worth it.
3. Waterfall Hike at de Pakhuys
AfriCamps at de Pakhuys lies deep in the heart of Rocklands, a part of the Cederberg that’s a world-class destination for a form of climbing known as ‘bouldering’. Wherever you go, you’ll see (usually young 20-somethings) wandering around with mattresses on their backs like human tortoises – heading into the hills to clamber the craggy outcrops that surround you. But for those of us who just fancy a walk in nature, I’d recommend the waterfall walk as your best bet. It meanders through some epic scenery, and while it has some tricky sections, the magnificent waterfall makes it worth it. It’s really a spectacular experience and takes about an hour there and back.
The Hot Tub for the Win
For the most part – get that wood-fire for your tub started asap, and the earlier the better. To manage expectations, be aware that it takes anywhere from 2-4 hours to get comfortably warm in winter and you need to feed the fire well to get temperatures up and to maintain them. But once you’ve got that water just the way you like it – don’t go anywhere. Just lounge and splash the hours away – making sure your children bring you a cold drink every few hours – you’ve earned it. Cheers to that – and the Single Parent Special!
How to Book the AfriCamps Single Parent Special:
With AfriCamps’ Single Parent Special, kids can stay FREE when joining single parents on their glamping getaways. Fully equipped tents offer the best of both worlds: cosy little comforts and outdoor adventures galore that tick all the boxes on your child’s getaway wish list.
- Visit www.africamps.com and book your stay.
- In the Special Requests block, at the bottom of the booking form, please enter the voucher code: SingleParentSpecial.
- Select EFT payment, and receive your discounted invoice via email.
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