Just off the road to Hout Bay, lies World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary. Exciting! Open 9am till 5pm, every day of the week, 365 days of the year. Wonderful! Baby and I are on our way in the Big Red Bus to find some feathered friends. The City Sightseeing Cape Town Blue Tour bus stops next to the parking area, where the kind bus host assists us in getting the pram ready to roll. Across the stone parking area is the entranceway. The woman behind the window sports some funky specs. Entrance fees are: Adults R65, Children R39. Show her your bus ticket to receive a discount on the entry fee. This time I’m lucky, baby gets in free. Push the pram up the pathway and enter into another world. Immediately the sound of birds fills the air. Imagine yourself in an exotic jungle. A Blue Macaw nearby says “hello”.  Another has perfected a ringing telephone. I answer and say, “We’re out having fun, leave a message after the beep… BEEP!”

Looking at the handy map I got for R1.00 I see that the sanctuary is made up of several circular routes. Each route has a variety of different birds. Birds of a feather flock together they say but this place has them all. There are birds of prey, parakeets, water birds, owls, ground birds and even our favourite African penguins. The spacious landscaped walk-through aviaries have been created to imitate the birds’ natural environment. Once inside, keep a tab on little fingers – the birds are often close enough to touch. Tempting! Manoeuvring the pram in and out of sections isn’t difficult. Cleverly weighted doors with a double-door system swing open and closed with ease. This system keeps birds in their respective aviaries and you’re not likely to leave a door open, freeing the occupants!

Important! Be prepared to spend a good few hours at this stop. Curious? This is the largest bird park of its kind in Africa and one of the few large bird parks in the World. Over 3000 birds of 400 different species are uniquely presented in more than 100 aviaries. Close to nature? You bet! In addition to the birds, there are also some other small animals to see. There are lots of guinea pigs, some squirrels scurrying about and some lazy tortoises, including the ginormous Leopard tortoises lolling in the sun. They can be found in the large Tortoise Sanctuary at the top of the park along with some porcupine. A family of funny meerkats surprises us around a bend on our way to find other furry things like monkeys. This place has so much for you and the kids to see that it’s worth spending some quality time on an adventure like this with your little one’s exploring paradise found.

A must do is Monkey Jungle. The cutest little Squirrel Monkeys you ever imagined have their home here. No prams allowed, so feel free to leave it at this entrance. Check your pockets and handbags though, these monkeys are known to pickpocket as they look for food items and other interesting gadgets to play with. Cell phones and cameras are safe and the monkeys will even pose for pictures. Imagine! Be prepared to be jumped on and have your jewellery inspected, these little guys are very inquisitive. Gorgeous! Baby in arm, squealing with delight, this attraction is a sure winner!

After that it’s time for a snack so baby and me roll down to find some food. Hungry? The Robin’s Nest Cafeteria serves light meals, snacks and beverages. You are also welcome to bring your own picnic basket and enjoy a picnic at the Flamingo Terrace. Sheltered or open seating space is available. There is also a play area for children under six. It sports a sand pit and a small jungle gym. With lunch done it’s time to go. The Big Red Bus is coming. Hurry! There’s so much more I didn’t get to see. I want to come back with baby-in-tow.

So hop on the early bus and get there soon, you don’t want to miss out on this truly Capetonian tourist destination. Visit http://www.worldofbirds.org.za to find out more or rather just catch the CitySightseeing Cape Town Blue Route Bus and go find it for yourself like we did. Enjoy!!! Regards, Baby-In-Tow.

Baby-In-Tow is a mom who enjoys outings with her little one. We would like to let you know about the fun places we have recently visited so that you can enjoy them too. In particular, we visit places that have access for prams and cater for small children. Good service is good, but great service gets rave reviews!