Family and multi-generational safaris remain quite popular, and South Africa is one of the most ideal destinations for a family safari. South Africa is relatively easy to access, offers excellent infrastructure (flights, roads and trains), excellent lodges and camps offer family-friendly activities and finally, there are a wide range of accommodations suitable for any family group!
One of our most popular family-friendly trip requests is a customized Cape Town & safari combination trip. This gives families the time to acclimate to Africa in the comfort of a traditional hotel with the ease of room service and all the amenities of a city hotel. Kids love the Cape Town Aquarium, the bustling waterfront and seeing the penguins at Boulder’s Beach. Parents can wine taste among the beautiful landscapes of the winelands at Spier Wine Estate, while kids will enjoy the eagle encounters on site. Parents and kids alike will enjoy Cape Town’s beaches, lively markets and the scenic ride up the famous Table Mountain cableway.
From Cape Town families can easily connect on scheduled daily flights to Kruger National Park and surrounding private game reserves. Many Kruger area lodges offer family-friendly facilities that range from tracking lessons and bushwalks for kids to identify plants and insects, to baking classes or movie night for the whole family. The multi-bedroom suites and private villas are great options for families with separate bedrooms and bathrooms and a shared living area. Some properties even offers private pools. Our guides are experts at keeping the whole family engaged and our lodges will go out of their way to prepare meals that kids will enjoy.
For larger family groups or extended families, the Uplands Homestead (exclusive use of a family up to six people) or Melton Manor (exclusive use villa with four en suite bedrooms) in the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the heart of South Africa’s malaria-free Eastern Cape are ideal for families. All services are private for your family, including guides and vehicles and the malaria-free area is perfect for families with kids. Kwandwe boasts thousands of animals including lion, black and white rhino, buffalo, elephant and cheetah.
In the Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, larger family groups are welcomed at the Homestead and Zuka Lodge. Phinda has been described as “Seven Worlds of Wonder” with seven distinct habitats that offer prime Big Five game viewing. Zuka Lodge and The Homestead both cater to groups of 2-8 and offer private services and exclusive use of a safari vehicle and guide–talk about personalized service!
Be sure to plan well in advance for family adventures in South Africa as many of the family-friendly lodges and exclusive use villas book well in advance.