Introduction
We get many requests from families with younger children asking about safaris in areas where there is no need to take malaria medication. So we have put together a list of our five favourite family-friendly safari destinations which are all in the malaria free zones of South Africa. They are listed in no particular order. These are all different in style and budget but they do offer some excellent game viewing in one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
Shamwari Game Reserve
Shamwari is an upmarket 5 star safari experience which offers plenty of luxury for Mum and Dad and plenty of activities for the kids. There are not only child minders but also a special children’s coordinator based at Riverdene Lodge who will discuss activity options with the family taking the family’s size, children’s ages and the weather into consideration. There are other lodges to stay in Shamwari but Riverdene is the best for families. It is provides a colonial African experience in an elegantly restored frontier homestead with beautiful views and a lovely swimming pool.
Kids get an exclusive visit to the Born Free Foundation Big Cat Rescue Centre at Shamwari where activities are focused on promoting the conservation of species and the protection of habitat whilst maintaining a humane and compassionate approach to the welfare of animals. Children also get to visit the Shamwari Animal Rehabilitation Centre where different types of wild animals or raptors that are being cared for at the time, under special supervision by the Shamwari veterinarian team, for release back into the wild. There are also many different kinds of social, sporting, arts and cultural activities for children to do there.
Addo Elephant Park
Now the third largest national park in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded over the years to include a massive range of different South African landscapes, fauna and flora. It covers a vast area of almost 500,000 acres which reaches as far north as the desert-like Karoo, crosses the Zuurberg Mountains, and stretches down south through the Sundays River valley right to the coast and includes the Bird and St Croix Islands out to sea.
The original elephant section of the park was set up as a protected area in 1931, when only sixteen elephants remained in the area hence the name of Addo Elephant Park. However these days it is much larger and is home to a vast variety of wildlife and happily a much great number of elephants. Addo is home to over 550 elephants, lions, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species, as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle. There are plans for further expansion to include a new marine reserve protecting the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and the second largest breeding population of African penguins.
Like much of the other nationally run park the accommodation is to be found in the main rest camps, bushveld camps and tented camps across the park. Addo offers a range of accommodation for those on a budget from permanent chalet style accommodation right down to basic tent camping. As it is close to the coast it can also be combined with more luxurious guesthouse and hotel accommodation based in nearby town and villages. It also works well as part of a self drive itinerary along South Africa’s world famous Garden Route.
Madikwe Game Reserve
Madikwe is a top notch safari destination with a choice of excellent accommodation to suit those looking for a safari with style. It is a huge private reserve which is home to the Big Five, 66 different mammal species and over 300 bird species. Accommodation at Madikwe is in various different luxury 4 and 5 star private game lodges which offer stunning style in beautiful locations.
The Reserve borders Botswana and is located in North West Province which is about a 4 hour drive from Joburg Airport. It is only 20 kms from Gaborone in Botswana and the reserve lies within a transition region between Lowveld bushveld and the Kalahari thornveld. As a result the region is host to an incredible diversity of species from both ecosystems. The landscape is also a mix of mountains thanks to the volcanic intrusions known as Inselbergs, wide open plains and a riverine environment along the Marico River in the east of the reserve. The rich diversity of vegetation ensures a wide range of game and the topography offers ideal game viewing opportunities.
Children of all ages are welcome at Madikwe Safari Lodge’s Lelapa Lodge. Activities include: Family safari drives, bush orientation, bug CSI, dung tracking, track pack with plaster of Paris, baking in the kitchen, making pizzas in the boma, star gazing, games night and much more.
Amakhala Game Reserve
Amakhala Game Reserve is located in the malaria free Eastern Cape of South Africa. The private game park offers guest accommodation in a selection of 11 luxury star rated establishments. These are made up of restored country houses, safari lodges and tented camps located in different parts of the large 18,000 acre safari reserve. Some dwellings are owned and managed by fifth generation frontier settlers families.
There is plenty to do at Amakhala. As well as normal game drives you can enjoy a night game viewing trip with your professional game ranger to accompany you. On game drives you are likely to spot the “Big Five”; lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and cheetah as well as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and plenty of antelope species. Visits to nearby game parks such as the Addo Elephant National Park and Shamwari Game Reserve can be arranged at one’s request. Leeuwenbosch and Hlosi welcome children of all ages (as do some of the other lodges) and these are the two lodges that offer a full children’s activity programme.
Pilanesberg National Park
Among Southern Africa’s gloriously teeming game reserves, Pilanesberg National Park is one of the most accessible. It is situated in the transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld and it offers thrilling big game viewing in a malaria free environment.
Well known for its stunning beauty this park is home to the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve and it is the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals including water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala. For bird lovers, there is a bird hide very close to the water’s edge. You will be able to catch a glimpse of fish eagles, kingfishers and cormorants. Pilanesberg National Park is located in the Bojanala Region in the North West Province and is fairly close to Johannesburg airport making it easily accessible by car. With an area of 550km², it is the fourth largest park in South Africa. The volcano crater in which the park is situated erupted 1300 million years ago and it also shows signs of very early human inhabitation including various Stone Age and Iron Age sites around the reserve.
There are 11 different accommodation options in Pilanesberg providing luxury lodges, luxury safari camps, hotel style resorts with spas and more private smaller individual lodges. Game drives and bush walk are often not suited for young children, but many lodges offer playgrounds or educational activities designed specifically for children. Young safari enthusiasts can learn all about Southern Africa’s amazing fauna and flora in a way that is entertaining and will leave them with a lifelong enthusiasm for Africa and its wonderful wildlife.
Posted by Ruth Bolton
