You don’t have to join a tour group to explore the Kruger with your kids. It is considered one of the best destinations in South Africa for a Big Five safari and is favorable amongst families because of the wide variety of family-friendly accommodation options.
Family safaris in the Kruger are affordable with various self-catering rest camps and 3-star luxury safari lodges to choose from. It all depends on your budget and preferred level of comfort.
Self-catering rest camps nestle in prime game viewing areas of the Kruger and offer the choice of bungalows, cottages, guesthouses and campsites. Some units come equipped with their own bathrooms and kitchens, whilst others will make use of communal kitchens and bathrooms. Some options will cater for three people and others for as many as eight people. It is ideal for multigenerational families who prefer to stay together and prepare their own meals.
The Kruger is a national park and open to the public during the day for self-drives but guided game drives can also be booked, as long as the accompanying kids are older than 6 years. Self-drives are a great option for those families with younger kids.
3-star luxury safari lodges like Umkumbe Safari Lodge are well equipped to cater to the needs of families. Umkumbe has four chalets with interleading doors, allowing parents and children to have their own rooms whilst still remaining connected.
3-star luxury safari lodges generally have incredible facilities, offer a personalized service and perfectly prepared meals. Offering guided game drives, guests are provided the best game viewing opportunities, particularly of the Big Five. Game drives are led by highly trained guides who know the Kruger National Park well and understand animal behavior. If you want your kids to have the opportunity to learn whilst on holiday then guided safaris are the best way to do that. Some lodges are positioned within private concessions which has the added advantage of off-road game drives and night drives. Night drives are great for spotting animals that are less active during the day, particularly the big cats who prefer to hunt in the evenings when it is cooler.
