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South Africa is considered the best destination in Africa for family holidays. With world-class safari, beautiful cities and great beaches, there is more than enough to give your family a holiday they will always remember.
Most of our clients who are planning a family holiday in South Africa, choose Cape Town and the Garden Route. Cape Town is fun for children of all ages – they can take the cable car up Table Mountain, wander around the Waterfront, learn to bargain at the numerous craft markets, drive around the Cape of Good Hope with all its baboons, visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach … the list is endless!
A trip up the Garden Route makes a very good combination with Cape Town. It is a fabulous destination for a family friendly safari holiday as there are so many places to see and activities to do while you are there. We particularly like the Knysna and Plettenberg Bay area as it has so much to offer. Not only are there beautiful white sandy beaches and fabulous walking and hiking areas, but there are lots of fun places to visit, such as Monkey Jungle, Knysna Elephant Park and Birds of Eden, the largest free flight aviary in the world.
It is approximately an hour’s drive inland from George. Oudtshoorn is ostrich country – a trip around an ostrich farm is surprisingly fascinating. The famous Cango Caves are just outside the town, along with several crocodile farms.
If you have young children and would like to go on a family safari holiday, you will want to choose a national park or reserve that is non-malarial. South Africa is ideal as it can offer safaris in several malarial-free areas. These include Madikwe in the north of the country, Tswalu in the Kalahari, Addo Elephant Park and a cluster of private game reserves (such as Shamwari) in the Port Elizabeth area (Reserves near Port Elizabeth fit particularly well with a trip up the Garden Route.)
If your children are a little older and you don't mind them taking anti-malaria tablets, there is far more choice, but it very much depends on your budget. There are some fabulous private reserves around Kruger National Park (Sabi Sand particularly), which are extremely good good for a family friendly safari.
These are just a few suggestions for your family holiday, but there are many other possibilities, ranging from the old Boer War battlefields near the Drakensberg Mountains, to the glitz of Sun City, followed by a safari at the neighbouring Pilanesberg Reserve.
Looking for something special for the kids? Find out more about the different types of things for kids to do on a safari on our blog.
Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC
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