The best places to visit in South Africa with children

Technically South Africa was one of the first destinations I ever visited – when my mum was three months pregnant, she and my dad took a trip out there to see my uncle and aunt.

So perhaps you can date my fondness for the country back to that point. Although most of my relatives have moved on, I’ve visited several times and with so much to discover in South Africa with children, I have a long list of places to explore with my daughter.

Because it’s a great destination if you’ve got kids. Although it’s a long-haul flight, the time zone is a maximum of two hours ahead of the UK (depending when you travel) so jetlag is less of a problem.

Take a safari

South Africa is one of the easiest places for a self-drive safari for families. There’s a low risk of malaria across most of the country (except near the Zimbabwe/Mozambique border), which often limits travel with children in Africa otherwise.

Hire a car in Johannesburg and you can drive to Kruger National Park – we broke the trip in Nelspruit, staying at Hippo Hollow on the Sabie River in Hazyview where there are hotel rooms and babysitting, as well as tented lodges along the river.

The park itself might be busier and more commercial than other safari options across the continent, but the almost guaranteed chance to see lions, elephants and rhino (and leopards if you’re luckier than me) is hard to beat. Even seeing wildebeest in the wild is an incredible experience.

Explore the Cape Peninsula

Base yourself at the cape for city, beach, mountains and winelands, all within easy distance of each other.

Wine tasting can be a bit trickier to combine with younger kids although there are child-friendly vineyards – but it’s well worth finding a way to visit. It’s hard to beat sipping fabulous wines in the sunshine overlooking the vineyards where they’re grown.

And from the dassies (or rock hyrax) on Table Mountain to the penguins on Boulders Beach, there’s still plenty of wildlife to spot around Cape Town.

You might spot a penguin gazing out to the ocean from the windswept rocky beach of Cape Point, the most southerly tip of Africa, or simply enjoy the views from the Cape of Good Hope.

Visit Cape Town

If you’re travelling with older kids, there are lots of things to do with teenagers in Cape Town as well.

A trip to Robben Island or a township tour including Cape Town’s moving and fascinating District Six museum is a must, to explain South Africa’s troubled history.

Stick to one led by a local resident, that gives profits back to the community – most visit Langa, the oldest township in South Africa, and Khayelitsha, the country’s second largest.

Then multicultural Bo Kaap, with its brightly coloured buildings, settled in the 18th century by Cape Malay muslims, is fantastic to amble around or try one of the kid-friendly cooking tours to make bobotie.

Discover Durban

If you’re visiting South Africa with children, Durban isn’t always top of the list when it comes to cities to explore.

But it’s a fascinating spot and one of the best places in the country to find out more about Zulu culture, not to mention its own beautiful family-friendly beaches..

For older kids, you can even follow a Gandhi trail to learn about his links with the city, spot Durban’s surprising mix of architecture and enjoy some world-class sporting action.

Take a road trip

Head out to soak up the views and the gorgeous countryside of the Garden Route. Driving from Port Elizabeth via Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Oudtshoorn to Cape Agulhas Park is a great way to discover some of the coast, as well as a string of family attractions.

While it’s easy to fill a week driving along this slice of South Africa, one thing not to miss is a stop at the Addo Elephant National Park along the way.

One of the country’s 20 national parks, Addo Elephant Park is the third biggest after Kruger and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Originally founded as a home for the area’s tiny population of 11 elephants, there are now 600 within the borders of the park.

There’s also the Oudtshoorn Ostrich Park, the Cango Caves and Knysa Elephant Park to add to your list of child friendly things to do along the Garden Route.

Spot whales

The country is also a fantastic place to spot whales so if you’re planning a South Africa family holiday, one of the best places is Hermanus.

With guesthouses and hotels looking out to the deep waters of Walker Bay, you barely need to leave your room to get a glimpse. And if you don’t fancy a whale watching boat tour with kids, you can see them from the coast path as well.

The best times to visit are between June and October, when several whale species pass by on their migratory routes, especially from August to October.

And with southern right whales, as well as humpack whales and Bryde’s whales plus dolphins and whale sharks visible along South Africa’s coast, it’s a reminder that the country’s fabulous wildlife is not all found in a game reserve.

What else to plan when you visit South Africa with children

Those are just a few of the biggest highlights when you’re planning your South Africa itinerary.

You could also head over to the Drakensberg mountains for a more active trip including horse riding, visit Johannesburg itself or the water parks of Sun City.

And did I mention the fabulous food to be found everywhere? One trip really isn’t enough.

For more ideas of where to visit in Africa with kids, check out my tips for visiting Kenya including a Naboisho Convervancy safari in the Masai Mara, staying at Ol Seki

Image courtesy of Depositphotos

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