South Africa Family Holiday: The Ultimate Malaria-Free Safari Route
Would you like to go on safari to Africa with your family, but would rather not take malaria pills with young children?
South Africa is the perfect destination for an unforgettable family holiday. The country combines excellent infrastructure with breathtaking nature and, crucially, fantastic malaria-free wildlife parks.
In this blog, we share the ideal, child-friendly route along the spectacular Garden Route and the private game reserves of the Eastern Cape.
Since 1998, the Africa specialists at Afrika Online have been tailoring family holidays to the pace of families down to the last detail.
With this route, your journey will be comfortable, safe and malaria-free.
The family-friendly itinerary (12 to 14 days) (Sample trip)
• Day 1-3: Cape Town & the Cape Peninsula (penguins and Table Mountain)
• Day 4: The whales and beaches of Hermanus
• Days 5-6: Oudtshoorn (ostriches and the Cango Caves)
• Day 7-9: Knysna & Plettenberg Bay (the heart of the Garden Route)
• Day 10-12: Malaria-free Big Five safari in the Eastern Cape (Amakhala or Kariega)
• Days 13-14: Return flight from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
The most fun child-friendly stops highlighted
Days 1-3: Penguin watching and Table Mountain in Cape Town
Cape Town is the ideal starting point for a relaxed acclimatisation. There's loads for children to do. Take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visit the interactive Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront and drive via the world-famous Chapman's Peak Drive to Boulders Beach. Here, children can literally walk among hundreds of bustling African penguins on the beach.
Days 5-6: Ostriches and caves in Oudtshoorn
Via the spectacular Route 62, you drive into the Little Karoo in the direction of Oudtshoorn. This is the ostrich capital of the world. Children will be captivated on an active ostrich farm where they can hold the giant eggs. A visit to the impressive, underground chambers of the Cango Caves completes the adventure in this region.
Days 7-9: Action and nature on the Garden Route
Around Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, the landscape is green and lush. The Garden Route offers countless activities that are perfect for families. Take a boat trip to spot dolphins, walk across the suspension bridges in Tsitsikamma National Park, or visit Monkeyland and Birds of Eden: two unique, indoor sanctuaries in the forest where animals roam freely around you.
Days 10-12: The ultimate conclusion: Malaria-free in search of the Big Five
The absolute highlight of the trip is the safari. Instead of the far north (where there is a malaria risk in some seasons), with children you choose the private game reserves in the Eastern Cape, such as Amakhala Game Reserve or Kariega.
Family tip: These parks are completely malaria-free. You will stay in small-scale, child-friendly lodges and will go on the lookout for elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes with an experienced ranger in an open 4x4 jeep. Many of these lodges have special ‘Junior Ranger’ programmes where children learn tracking skills.
Why book a family holiday with Afrika Online?
Travelling with children requires clever logistics. We ensure short driving distances, rental cars with the correct child seats and comfortable family rooms or adjoining cottages. Furthermore, because we are affiliated with the SGR, your travel sum is fully financially protected, giving you peace of mind.
Some sample trips:
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