Most safari destinations in South Africa offer fantastic family safari options with child-friendly safari lodges. Some lodges are more child-friendly and provide: safari programs for children, babysitting and children’s menus. The age limit for participating in a classic game drive is generally 6 years. At some lodges you can make an additional payment for a private safari vehicle that includes your own guide / tracker for the whole family. Many of the lodges adapted for families with children offer accommodation in family rooms. Keep in mind though, in some safari areas malaria occurs but most often the child-friendly option is located in a low-risk zone for malaria.

Suggested Family Safari Travel

12-DAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA INCLUDING SAFARI AT GREATER KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Family Trip 1: A return trip with a start in one of the most beatiful towns, Cape Town. Then on to the wine district for a “mini-safari”, tresure hunt and wine tasting. Further to the scenic coastal town of Hermanus and the trip ends with Safari at Kruger National Park.

13-DAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH SAFARI IN EASTERN CAPE

Family Trip 2: A return trip with a start in one of the most beatiful towns, Cape Town. Then on to the wine district for a “mini-safari”, tresure hunt and wine tasting. Further on to the scenic coastsl town of Hermanus and Garden Route and end the trip with safari at Kariega Game Reserve.

Information about the safari destinations

Greater Kruger National Park

Safari at Greater Kruger National Park are absolutely world class. It is a great chance to spot the Big 5. Kruger Park is the largest national park and one of the world’s richest in animals. Adjacent to the national park are many private game reserves and together this area forms the “Greater Kruger National Park”. Upplev Sydafrika recommends a family safari in one of the private reserves and accommodation in a nice child-friendly lodge in Greater Kruger, where usually the price is all inclusive, which includes all food (3 meals a day) and 2 guided game drives per day. In private reserves, skilled guides and trackers are allowed to drive off road to get close to the animals. Many of these reserves are adjacent to the Kruger Park, which allows free movement of all game, allowing sightings of a huge variety of animals. The Kruger area is a low-risk zone for malaria.

Madikwe Game Reserve

In Madikwe Game Reserve there is a great chance to spot the Big 5 and it is quite common to experience “the Magnificent 7” (but is of course dependent on the season and skilled guides and trackers). In Madikwe Game Reserve there are many child-friendly lodges to choose from, most are 5-star. The area is malaria free. We recommend a family safari with accommodation in a nice private lodge, where the price is all inclusive, which includes all food (3 meals a day) and 2 guided game drives per day. In Madikwe, skilled guides and trackers are allowed to drive off road and the unique reserve is considered one of the best in Africa and offers fantastic family safari experiences.

KwaZulu-Natal

The destination of KwaZulu-Natal offers fantastic safari experiences and there is a great chance to spot the Big 5 (but is of course dependent on the season as well as skilled guides and trackers). Along the coast is St Lucia with the World Heritage Site of Simangaliso Wetland Park, a wetland area that specializes in boat trips among hippos and crocodiles. The Hluhluwe & iMfolozi Game Reserve specializes in white-rhino walking safaris. We recommend a family safari accommodation in a nice private lodge, where the price is all inclusive, which includes all food (3 meals a day) and 2 guided game drives per day. At the safari destinations, excluded the Hluhluwe & iMfolozi Game Reserve, skilled guides and trackers are allowed to drive off road to get close to the animals. It is a partly low-risk malaria area.

Eastern Cape

The area nearby Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape Province is malaria free and this destination consist of many nice private game reserves that offer high standard family safaris. Upplev Sydafrika recommends a family safari in one of the private game reserves and accommodation in a nice private lodge, where usually the price is all inclusive, which includes all food (3 meals a day) and 2 guided game drives per day. In private game reserves, skilled guides and trackers are often allowed to drive off road to get close to the animals. Some lodges offer bush walks with specially trained guides and where during the walk you focus on smaller animals and get to learn more about plants and nature.

Western Cape

As a first-time safari and / or if you do not have the opportunity to travel around the country due to less time available, you can choose to book a safari near Cape Town or along the Garden Route. Near Cape Town and along the Garden Route you find the private game reserve, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, as well as some private reserves / lodges that offer family safaris. Some of the private game reserves can be visited for a day safari (excluded Sanbona). Or you can spend one or two nights, depending on how interested you are in wildlife. This area is malaria free. Upplev Sydafrika recommends a family safari in one of the private game reserves and accommodation in a nice private lodge, where usually the price is all inclusive, which includes all food (3 meals a day) and 2 guided game drives per day. In private game reserves, skilled guides and trackers are often allowed to drive off road to get close to the animals. Some lodges offer bush walks with specially trained guides and where during the walk you focus on smaller animals and get to learn more about plants and nature.