African Safaris

For any child who loves animals, any youngster who is fascinated by Animal Planet or thrilled by The Lion King, Africa is the one destination that fulfils their wildest dreams. For many grown-ups too, safaris, savannahs, mountains and jungles are the stuff of tall tales and legendary adventures. Taking your kids on safari will instil in them a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature and teach them to love, respect and care for our environment.

This guide will focus on two of the most accessible and spectacular wildlife parks in southern Africa: South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, as well as the South African resort town of Cape Town and surrounds. Their accessibility and the range of accommodation and tour options make them the most suited to family travel.

Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa, an hour’s flight from Johannesburg. The two million hectare park offers one of the most spectacular (and most accessible) wildlife experiences in Africa. There are good opportunities in Kruger for self-drive tours and an excellent range of accommodation is available.

The immense plains of the Serengeti National Park are believed to hold the largest concentration of wildlife on earth. It encompasses a large part of northern Tanzania, near the capital of Arusha, and stretches as far north as the border with Kenya. The Serengeti is renowned for its spectacular migration of over 1.5 million white-bearded wildebeest and zebra.

Both Kruger and the Serengeti are excellent places to spot the legendary “Big Five” of African wildlife: elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, lion and leopard. When you join a safari in the Kruger or Sergengeti, you’ll be provided with drivers, local guides and game trackers to help you find and identify wildlife, as well as lodging and meals within the park grounds.

Originally a Dutch settlement, Cape Town is one of South Africa’s oldest cities and with its gorgeous 17th century architecture and rugged coastline it’s ranked by many travellers as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. There’s plenty for families to do in Cape Town from shopping to relaxing on the beach, visiting the aquarium, monkey sanctuary and planetarium, taking the cable car up to magnificent Table Mountain, or viewing wildlife close to the city in the Cape Point Nature Reserve. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: African safaris are generally unsuitable for very young children, mainly because wildlife spotting requires a lot of patience and long periods of quietly sitting still to avoid scaring the animals. In South Africa the minimum age for tours is often no younger than ten. In Eastern Africa (Tanzania) the age limit is usually 12. If you do choose to travel with children under 10, make sure you choose an establishment that will accept them, and that has child-minding facilities and supervised activities so you’re able to go on game drives and walks that the children might not be able to attend. 


Where is it and how do I get there?
Johannesburg, South Africa’s most populous city, is the southern African’s travel and transport hub. From Johannesburg, most safari-goers take a short domestic flight to Kruger National Park in the country’s northeast or fly to Cape Town on the southwest tip.

From Johannesburg there are also onward flights to other popular safari destinations including Arusha, the capital of Tanzania. From Arusha it’s a short and spectacular flight to the mighty Serengeti.

To Johannesburg (excluding layover)

From	Hours
Sydney	14
Melbourne (via Sydney)	16
Brisbane (via Sydney)	16
Perth (via Singapore)	11:30

When to go, Weather

Southern and Eastern Africa enjoy a warm climate year round, and it’s possible to go on safari at any time of year.

In Kruger National Park Summer lasts from mid October to April. October to February bring in welcome rains, and young animals are born soon after the first rains. In the middle of the day temperatures can rise to over 35 degrees – air-conditioned vehicles and lodges are definitely preferable. Spring is roughly from September to mid October. Temperatures rarely go above 30 degrees and this can be the most pleasant time to visit, weather-wise. Winter lasts from May to August and enjoy mild weather with no rain. Vegetation is at its lowest making animals easier to spot. As water is scarce, large numbers of animals gather at the remaining waterholes. 

Tanzania lies just south of the equator and has a sunny, tropical climate. September to March is the ideal time to go, both weather wise and for wildlife spotting. April and May are the rainiest months. The wildebeest migration is a natural event and as such it’s impossible to predict exactly what time of year the animals will be in a particular part of the Serengeti. As a general rule however in December to March the migration is in the Ndutu area in the far south of the Serengeti. From April to May the migration moves North into the plains of the central Serengeti.  From June to July the migration splits in two; one group heading West into the Western Corridor before crossing the Grumeti River and the other heading straight up to the North of the Serengeti near Kleins camp. Between August and October most of the herds will have migrated to Kenya, before returning south into Tanzania in November. 
 

Kruger National Park

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Average Daily Temperature (celsius)	24	24	23	21	18	15	15	18	20	21	22	23
Average Monthly Rainfall (mm)	125	125	98	47	78	24	11	11	28	63	114	125

Serengeti National Park

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Average Daily Temperature (celsius)	21	21	21	21	19	17	17	18	19	20	21	21
Average Monthly Rainfall (mm)	74	85	139	245	78	18	9	7	10	20	107	96

Where to stay

Cape Town

Cape Grace V&A Waterfront
Definitely not for those on a budget, the Cape Grace hotel is one of Cape Town’s most resplendent boutique hotels, with harbour views and impeccable service. As well as offering a luxurious amenities for grown-ups, the hotel has everything kids could want. Book a special family package and you’ll get a children’s welcome gift on arrival, complimentary child-minding, a list of things for families to do in Cape Town, African story telling in the library every evening and much more. A very special treat.

Mount Nelson Hotel
The famous Mount Nelson, a plush pink hotel surrounded by stunning gardens takes its guests back to a grand colonial era. As well as sumptuous décor and all the luxury amenities the hotel is an absolute treat for kids with loads of entertainment such as games, movies, kid’stennis, a family pool and a special kids breakfast every morning. They can even give you a goldfish to look after during your stay!

Cape Milner
This hotel offers four-star service and amenities for quite reasonable rates. It’s centrally located and all rooms have views of Table Mountain. Facilities include a gym and pool and a childminding service is available.

Protea Hotel Cape Castle
A good choice for families who would like to self-cater, the Cape Castle serviced apartments are spacious and come with fully-equipped kitchens and mountain or sea views. There’s also a good restaurant, swimming pool and a supervised kid’s club. There are several other Protea Hotels to suit varying budgets in and around Cape Town, all featuring the Prokidz kid’s club.

Kruger National Park
Accommodation at Kruger is in the form of rest camps dotted around the National Park. These range from luxury lodges complete with pools, restaurants and bars, to basic huts and tents. No matter where you choose to stay, the rest camps are located so you’re almost guaranteed to spot spectacular wildlife right at your doorstep. Visit: www.krugerpark.co.za for a complete listing of rest camps in the park.

Berg-en-Dal Restcamp
This restcamp offers a variety of self-catering accommodation from camping sites to more luxurious cottages and guest houses. The rest camp’s 23 family cottages have two air-conditioned bedrooms, fully-equipped kitchen and lounge.

Skukuza Restcamp
Kruger’s largest restcamp is right in the heart of Big Five territory. Lodging includes basic bungalows, luxury riverside bungalows, family cottages and safari tents. There’s even a 9-hole golf course! 

Djuma Bush Lodge – Sabi Sands Game Reserve (Greater Kruger Park)
This luxurious family lodge comprises of eight thatched chalets with en-suite rooms. The lodge features two viewing decks, a library and plunge pool. Each night you’ll be treated to a deluxe four course dinner under the African sky or around a roaring fire in the boma (grass hut).

Serengeti Plains

Kusini Camp Lodge
A permanent tented camp in the Serengeti’s southwest on the route of the spring migration and the only camp on that part of the Park. Each of the camp’s nine tents has a shower and private viewing terrace. Meals are in the dining tent which also features a library, lounge and veranda.

Lobo Wildlife Lodge
Lobo Lodge offers simple but comfortable rooms in the Northern Serengeti, with a prime position on top of a giant granite outcropping. There are spectacular views of the Lobo Valley and herds of wildlife from the Lodge’s swimming pool and dining terrace.

Food and Drink

South African food is a blend of European and traditional African cooking, and is largely a meat-based cuisine. There’s also a great range of seafood harvested from South Africa’s abundant coasts. South Africa is a modern, multicultural country and there’s a great range of cuisines on offer from traditional African fare to excellent Indian and Asian cuisine, European fare and fast food.

A few delicious South African delicacies includ