Take your kids to a green oasis right in the middle of Century City and discover some rare animals and birds along your stroll. Intaka Island is open to visitors 364 days a year and a guaranteed fun family outing.

To get a good overview of the area, you could start with a short ferry ride taking in the fresh air and views of Century City. In a 35 minute boat ride, the ferry takes you around the Grand Canal and Intaka Island with a special “hop on hop off” feature at Canal Walk and Crystal Towers. Booking is essential and the boat operates from 09:30 – 15:30 Saturday – Thursday, and 09:30 – 14:00 on Friday.

As a next activity, you could either take a self-guided tour or a guided trail tour along the 2km of footpath available at Intaka Island. You and the kids can gain different insight into the bird, water life, flora and fauna at the Island by visiting the 9 stations along the pathway. When you choose the 2km walk, you’ll come across the constructed wetland and ephemeral pans. Alternatively, you can also choose the shorter 1km route which takes you to the wetland with lookout points over the ephemeral pans. The shorter route is also wheelchair and pram friendly. Make sure to grab some maps, brochures and bird checklists at the reception so that you know what to look out for and what to tick off the list.

When you prefer to book a guided tour, an experienced field ranger will take you around the 9 stations and provide you with additional information about the inhabitants and different plant life you see. They will help you with bird identification, information on breeding habits and other unique insights into this very special island.

You can also visit the highest point of Intaka Island at Bird Mountain. From there, you’ll have a fabulous view across the Island with Table Mountain as the backdrop. A perfect spot for a fun family picture!

If birdwatching belongs to your hobbies, you should stop at one of the two bird hides constructed at key areas on the Island. From there, you can maximise your chances to spot some of the more camera shy birds like the water-mongoose. But since Intaka Island is home to over 120 bird species, you will definitely be able to catch quite a few birds on camera.