Our 5 Best Family Safaris To South Africa
Take your family on a breath-taking holiday to the best South African game reserves and national parks. Kruger National Park rates top of the list for our 5 best family safaris to South Africa. Imagine the excitement of driving around this famous park on good roads, looking out for wild animals, tiny animals, birds and trees. Discover a world in one country with a family safari package of a lifetime to South Africa. The ultimate 2023 itinerary with Voyage2Africa embedded in safari packages can be yours, customized to suit your family’s holiday favorites and needs.
Tented camps that combine nature trails for the children are ideal for an unforgettable family safari in South Africa and trained guides will enthral all ages with stories and safety tips for that holiday in nature. Kruger is easily accessible by road and air and is packed with world-class infrastructure for visitors young and old alike.
On the other side of the country, Eastern Cape family holidays are immensely popular thanks to the diverse range of accommodation and things to do. Most importantly its malaria free! This stunning region includes adventures on mountain hikes, beautiful beach holidays, sailing on huge dams, river sports, forest adventures, game reserve safaris and more. Eastern Cape holidays focus on urban fun at the local parks, aquariums and waterways, game viewing activities, fun in entertaining resorts and huge modern malls. South Africa also offers some of the best family holidays in malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve and Pilanesberg National Park.
Start with our 5 best family safari destinations in South Africa:
Jock Safari Lodge – Greater Kruger
Jock Safari Lodge is named after the famous dog from gold mining days in Pilgrims Rest and has for many years worked to upskill and uplift community members to sustain their own livelihoods. A great partnership has been formed with the well-known Wilderness Foundation Africa to teach kids conservation education and then take them on to get green jobs. Your place as a tourist contributes to this programme and your enjoyment in the reserve boosts the staff who host you. Fitzpatrick’s At Jock is a large designer villa for that ultimate private family experience in the wilderness with everything that opens and shuts. Sink into a space offering 3 ensuite bedrooms, a TV, mini bar, swimming pool and deck, private chef and game ranger with exclusive game drives in the 6 000-ha private concession. Kids love to see the Big 5 and learn more about nature conservation.
Kapama River Lodge – Kapama Game Reserve
Kapama River Lodge is not only the largest luxury five-star accommodation venue in the auspicious Kapama Private Game Reserve, but so too is it a social, vibey safari experience around the vast swimming pool, deck and spa. Families can chill here where children will meet new friends and relaxation is part of the scene for parents. We have the best group rates available for a Big 5 safari with a difference – meeting new friends and seeing as much wildlife as possible. No other safari lodge in the Kruger area has so many beds and choices of deluxe accommodation in the bushveld – River Lodge boasts 64 suites all spread out along the seasonal Kapama River on an enormous stretch of land with distant views of the magnificent Drakensberg mountains.
Jaci’s Safari Lodge – Madikwe Game Reserve
Jaci’s Safari Lodge is made for family safaris in South Africa, perfect for young children who get Jaci’s pups goodie bags to learn more about wildlife and they get to bake in the kitchen with kind staff too. Take them to the thrilling wildlife hideout where crocs and birds can be identified. The lodge is committed to eco-living so kids can also learn how to recycle, save water and energy.
Pumba Water Lodge – Eastern Cape
An iconic family-friendly game lodge in thick Eastern Cape bushveld with splendid views of Lake Cariega located in an eco-friendly conservation area just outside the historic town of Grahamstown (Makhanda). A game reserve that includes visits to the nearby beaches as part of its services so take your family swimming at Humewod or Summerstrand beaches in Port Elizabeth. Do some fun bass fishing, birding, horse riding, archery and golf, apart from the impressive game drives and bush walks that are part of your Water Lodge safari in the Eastern Cape. Game rangers show families the big 5, more than 300 bird species and awesome photographic opportunities.
Sun City
Sun City is the ultimate family safari destination because there is so much to do there, you need at least a week-long holiday. Game Viewing at Pilanesberg National Park next door makes for memorable wildlife sightings in this stunning volcanic crater – 4X4 game drives and bush picnics. Keep fit in modern sports facilities including a well-equipped gym, tennis and squash courts, a running track on the golf course and plenty of water sports and walks. Figure out the largest permanent maze in the Southern Hemisphere, the Maze of the Lost City, stretching over an entire half-acre and only reached via a 100 m-long suspension bridge.
Is it Safe to Travel as a Family in South Africa?
Yes, generally speaking, South Africa is safe for all travelers. Most top tourism routes used by families are safe including Cape Town, the Garden Route, main routes to the Winelands and the Eastern Cape and up the West Coast. Be careful, as you would in any country, at night, don’t go out alone, be aware of petty theft and possible break ins, especially parked cars. Hide valuables at all times. Be sure to inform your children to stay alert and to avoid strangers. Use accommodation shuttles and precincts in which to have fun.
The Best Time For A Family Safari In South Africa
The best time for a family safari in South Africa is – anytime! The country has two differing seasons, a wet winter in the Cape while the rest of the country has a dry winter, then a dry summer in the Cape while the rest of the country has a wet summer. It’s a good idea to plan your family safari to South Africa according to game viewing, beach weather, adventure activities and hikes. Plan outdoor activities in the Cape for summer and in KwaZulu-Natal and the Garden Route for the winter. Kruger is an all year-round destination as is Madikwe Game Reserve and Pilanesberg National Park.
Malaria Free Family Holiday South Africa
Get out that camera for the shoot of your life as you arrive on safari to malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. Every morning, sip freshly brewed coffee at 5 am before enjoying a game drive or walking trail. How amazing that Madikwe Game Reserve was once a cattle grazing farming area and is now successfully conserved as a home to the Big Five and fantastic biodiversity. Voyage2Africa has designed a spectacular selection of safaris and tours to Madikwe so choose to combine these with Kruger safaris, or to visit Botswana next door.
Pilanesberg is another malaria-free and family-friendly game reserve just outside Johannesburg. Excellent accommodation choices entice visitors of all ages to enjoy self-drives or organised 4×4 safaris. Game rangers help guests find ions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, hippos and plentiful antelope species. Some of the Big 5 are not endemic to the area but they were all introduced to this habitat including African Wild dogs. There is something for everyone at Pilanesberg Game Reserve with its wide choice of accommodation for all budgets and styles. Kids’ activities are plentiful as kind game rangers take them under their wings and show them how nature works.
Set off on safari to the Garden Route to discover wildlife, animal sanctuaries, adventures on mountain hikes, beautiful beach holidays, challenging overnight hikes, river sports, and forest adventures. Garden Route holidays focus on rural fun on lagoons, ziplines, bungee jumps, in the ocean, on forest hikes and artistic meanders.
Family safaris to South Africa are diverse and safe and we have the right destination for you and your children. Choose a game reserve with outdoor activities, Kruger for action and fabulous wildlife or the Eastern Cape for something completely different. Get out, get on safari, and make the most of South Africa!