Single parents often think twice about traveling with children. There’s concern around keeping kids constantly entertained, and not having any time to relax while on a break. The solution to that would be to avoid travel altogether, right? Wrong!
PlanetPilgrims might have just the antidote for this problem. Founder, Jessy Lipperts, who lives in Cape Town has been successfully running her own travel company in the city since 2004.
After adopting her daughter Rosie in 2012, Lipperts realised there is a need to provide travel itineraries for parents who journey alone with their children – so she created Solo Parent Adventure package. Whether you’re a father who works too hard and needs time away with their child, or a mother who would like to whisk her child on an adventure by herself, there is a fun program for all.
Jessy Lipperts and her daughter Rosie during a township cycle tour.
“A lot of people told me that traveling was no longer possible once I had a child. I proved them wrong. Many parents think it is impossible to travel with kids or are too nervous. To create a package to travel together will hopefully take away that fear and shows that single parents can have a lot of fun too so we try to include fun and educational stuff for the kids. There are also an adult night out where the parents can let their hair down,” said Lipperts.
She planned the first trip for a small group of single parents in 2017 and it was an astounding success. Being a qualified South African National Tourist Guide, she uses her knowledge to guide the group through the fascinating parts of the city.
There are only 20 spots available on the tour and the hotel booked offers four-star accommodation. You can also request a photographer to join the tour for a few days to capture memories for you.
Rosie explores Kirstenbosch Gardens.
The key is having a diverse tour group, says Lipperts.
“Traveling together with other kids in the same age bracket will take away a lot of stress for the parents. Kids often play together which then allows the parents to have conversations with each other so it is a win-win for everyone. Kids are happier with other kids in general.”
The market she caters for is generally international but locals are welcome to book as well.
The tours are orchestrated annually but Lipperts travels locally with single parents throughout the year during weekends and school holidays. Her next tours include packages for Mauritius and Amsterdam.
Her advice for jumping on this solo-train adventure is to join a group of like-minded people, “It will be much easier and you will find out that we all go through the same challenges.”
Pictures: Supplied and Pixabay
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