Afro Beats Week at Sugar Bay: January Holiday Camp, 3–10 January 2027
A missing rhythm to track down, beadwork to make and a performance to put together with friends: Afro Beats Week gives campers plenty to get involved in before the January holidays end. The week explores African cultures through music, crafts, food and games, with a different country or cultural group introduced each day.
Afro Beats Week runs from Sunday 3 January to Sunday 10 January 2027 at Sugar Bay Camp in Zinkwazi Beach, on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast, South Africa. It’s a seven-night sleepover holiday camp for children and teens aged 7–17, with themed evening programmes alongside Sugar Bay’s regular free-choice activities.
Dates, price and booking
Camp dates: 3–10 January 2027, Sunday to Sunday
Early-bird camp fee: R11 999 per child while the offer is active; standard price R12 999
Optional Camp Out excursion: R150 extra
Return Sandton coach: R2 500, including one meal each way
The camp fee includes accommodation and bedding, three meals daily, regular camp activities, equipment and supervision. Excursions, transport and tuckshop spending cost extra. Check current dates and prices or book Afro Beats Week and select 3–10 January 2027.
Drumming, crafts and a show to make your own
Optional workshops planned for the week include drumming, gumboot dancing, choreography and spoken word. Campers can try a workshop, work on something with friends or prepare an act for Saturday’s showcase. They can perform solo or as a group, and taking part is entirely optional.
There’s just as much to make away from the stage. Beadwork, clay work, rock art and fabric-pattern design will give campers pieces to work on during the week. Saturday’s art exhibition will display their creations before everyone gathers for the showcase.
What’s planned through the week
Sunday’s welcome focuses on getting to know cabin mates through name games, team challenges and simple rhythm games. Optional crafts give campers something to start making while they settle in.
On Monday, the Kenya and Maasai theme introduces beadwork and movement. Juniors have jumping challenges and relays, intermediates follow clues to find a missing rhythm shaker, and seniors take on a navigation challenge with timed tasks and team roles.
Tuesday turns to Nigeria and Yoruba culture, with talking-drum rhythms, storytelling and Adire-inspired pattern-making. Juniors become Drumroll Detectives, intermediates race through quick-fire team stations, and seniors have a market-style strategy game involving trading tokens and solving clues.
Wednesday introduces Nubian heritage and stories from the Nile region. The optional Camp Out adds a trek with puzzles to solve along the way. Campers who do not choose the excursion stay at camp.
Thursday’s Morocco and Amazigh theme brings geometric art, woven-paper designs and map-reading games. Younger campers follow clues to rescue a fictional oasis, while older groups work through team challenges and trading games.
Friday celebrates Senegal and Wolof culture. Safe, non-contact balance and strength games draw inspiration from Senegalese wrestling, followed by a themed dinner, Party Night and the Fire Show. The planned menu includes savoury fataya pastries, fish and rice, a hibiscus drink and a millet-and-yoghurt dessert. Discuss allergies and dietary requirements with the bookings team before camp.
Saturday introduces Akan culture from Ghana, San communities in Botswana and Malagasy/Merina heritage from Madagascar through separate displays and activities. Pattern-making, observation challenges and storytelling lead into the art exhibition, optional showcase and final campfire. Campers head home on Sunday 10 January.
Outdoor activities and life at camp
The theme runs alongside Sugar Bay’s programme of more than 100 free-choice activities. Campers can choose interests such as surfing, kayaking, BMX, climbing, dance and creative arts, according to the day’s programme, conditions and each activity’s age and ability requirements.
Children stay in en-suite wooden cabins with linen supplied. Counselors stay in the cabins overnight, and Sugar Bay provides 24-hour supervision. Qualified lifeguards supervise water activities. Our first-time parent guide explains what a stay involves, and the parent FAQ covers supervision, homesickness and keeping in touch.
Transport and a longer holiday
Families travelling from Gauteng can book the supervised Sandton coach at R1 250 each way or R2 500 return, with one meal included each way. The service depends on sufficient bookings. King Shaka International Airport transfers cost R350 each way or R700 return. Confirm travel arrangements with Sugar Bay before booking flights.
For a longer stay, combine Grinch Week, 27 December 2026–3 January 2027, with Afro Beats Week and stay until 10 January. The dates page currently lists the combined stay at R21 998 early bird, with a standard price of R25 998. Optional excursions and transport are separate; check the combined-stay offer when booking.
Questions before booking
Does my child have to perform?
No. The workshops and Saturday showcase are optional. There are crafts, clue-solving games and the regular daytime activity choices for campers who prefer to join in away from the stage.
How do we book Camp Out?
Choose the optional R150 Camp Out when arranging your child’s booking. Excursions must be booked in advance and paid in full. Campers who do not join stay at camp. Use the Sugar Bay packing guide for the full checklist and the extra items needed for Camp Out.
Can a first-time camper join?
Yes. Sunday starts with get-to-know-you activities, and counselors help newcomers settle into cabin life. Speak to the team before booking about your child’s needs or any concerns about their first stay.
Explore the other December/January camps
Book Afro Beats Week
Book Afro Beats Week and select 3–10 January 2027. For help with a first stay, the Camp Out excursion or transport, WhatsApp Sugar Bay on 082 525 9503, call 032 485 3778 or email holidays@sugarbay.co.za.
Programme details, dates and prices are subject to change. Early-bird prices apply while the offer is active. Confirm your chosen arrangements with the bookings team.
