We Go With Kids!

Tag: safari

Best Things to Do in South Africa With Kids

South Africa is a country rich in history, culture and wildlife. No matter what your interests, you and your family will find a life changing adventure to embark upon here. Whether it be spotting the Big 5 in the Kruger National Park or hiking up Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain, there are so many things to do in South Africa with kids. Mark and Mila, the dynamic duo behind Mountain IQ, are avid mountain hikers and, as native of South Africa, Mark is here to share his invaluable list of Top Five Family Friendly Activities in South Africa.

Top Things To Do in South Africa

#1: Hike the Challenging and Beautiful Table Mountain in Capetown

View from the top of Table Mountain

When you think of things to do in Cape Town, it’s likely that the first thing that comes to mind is Table Mountain – Cape Town’s number one tourist attraction. But there are so many different trails you and your family can choose to go up the mountain.

The trails are of varying lengths and difficulty. If you have younger children it may be better to take the cable car to the top and then walk across the top of the mountain to Maclean’s Beacon. This is a relatively short walk, but it offers spectacular views of the city and the Atlantic Ocean. If you are planning on taking the cable car, be sure to book in advance to skip the lines. Since the Table Mountain cable car is such a popular attraction, it is also worth getting there early to avoid the crowds. Children under four can ride for free!

If your children are slightly older, you can take the popular Platteklip Gorge or the Skeleton Gorge Trails, amongst many others. Make sure to pack lots of snacks, water and cover up to protect yourselves from the dangerous local sun.

The views from the Table Mountain summit are incredible, you may even be lucky enough to spot a dassie, which are small mammals that live in the rocks and are simple adorable. There is also a restaurant atop the mountain for you and our family to get refreshments once you have completed your hike.

Cape Town is known to have unpredictable weather, so check the weather forecast to avoid being stuck in the wind, rain or fog. The fog is what gives the mountain its name – when the clouds descend on it, they make it look like a tablecloth. If you are planning a few more adventures around the region, here are some more great hikes around Africa.

Find out more about Cape Town.

#2: Enjoying the Adorable and Happy Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach in Capetown

Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is located 40 minutes outside of Cape Town and offers the unique opportunity to see a large number of wild African Penguins. You and your family can spend the day watching these adorable creatures frolic amongst the waves at this beautiful beach, and, if you are brave enough to hop into the frigid Atlantic Ocean, you can even take a swim with the penguins. Although, it may be prudent to rent a bodysuit to enjoy the experience more.

It is important to remember that although cute, the penguins are still wild animals, and you absolutely should not touch them as they have razor sharp beaks and will defend themselves if they feel threatened. The penguins call Boulders Beach home all year round, but South African summer (November till March) is the best time to visit to see them in large numbers. If visiting in January, you may even get to see some baby penguins moulting on the beach!

In order to gain access to the boardwalks, which is the best spot to view the penguins, there is a small conservation fee. Individuals who are not citizens of South Africa pay a bit more, but at ~$11 for adults and ~$6 for children, it is well worth the expense. For information on fees for all South African parks, visit this official site.

#3: Mesmerizing Wildlife of the Kruger National Park

Kruger Lion

Everyone dreams of going on an African Safari, and what better place to go than the Kruger National Park? With nearly 2.2 million hectares of diverse South African landscapes, the Kruger National Park is the most famous wildlife reserve in South Africa and arguably in the world.

The wildlife in the park is plentiful, and visitors are almost most guaranteed to see all of the Big 5 most dangerous animals – buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion, and leopard. There are a number of options for accommodation, whether you are looking to camp or perhaps even enjoy the luxury of a private game lodge, where game rangers take guests on game drives where they explain the local game and wildlife. Summers in the Kruger can get pretty hot, so it may be worth finding accommodation with a pool, in order to cool down during the day.

Find out more about Kruger National Park.

#4: Inspiring Whale Watching in Hermanus

Hermanus Waves

Hermanus, a once small fishing town located 90 minutes from Cape Town, is a great spot to take the family whale watching. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has voted Hermanus as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. The Telegraph also named Hermanus as one of the best destinations worldwide to watch marine mammals.

The best time to go whale watching is between July and November with the months of September, October and November being the absolute best time. This is the period when the Southern Right Whales begin mating. Hermanus’s famous Whale Watching Festival also takes place in September, when the normally quiet town becomes bustling with tourists eager to get a glimpse of these spectacular creatures. Visitors can choose to whale watch from land, boat or even a scenic flight. Those who are feeling particularly brave can even rent a kayak and paddle around Walker Bay as the whales breach, but be prepared to get wet along the way!

Sea sickness can also be an issue for those who have never been kayaking in an active ocean before. So consider taking first timers on a taster ride before the adventure and, if needed, you can purchase anti-motion sickness pills, which need to be taken two hours in advance.

#5: Educational Visit to the Cradle of Humankind

The Protea Flower: The National Flower of South Africa

For those looking for something a little more educational, the Cradle of Humankind is a fantastic option that will be enjoyed by both adults and children. The Cradle of Humankind is one of South Africa’s 8 World Heritage Sites. The main attractions are Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves, located just a short one hour drive outside of bustling Johannesburg.

It is here where humankind is believed to have originated. Look around the exhibitions in Maropeng and then travel down into the Sterkfontein caves where there are excavation sites as well as an underground lake. Caves’ tour is an amazing experience, and it is actually better for kids, as they fit into narrow passages much easier than adults and will most probably find those the most fun!

There are plenty of things to see and kids will definitely remain entertained the entire day. After working up an appetite, there is a variety of restaurants in the area for refueling. Tickets to access both Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves are ~$8 for adults, ~$5 for children between 4 -14, and free for children under 4 years.

Nancy’s Note: South Africa is near and dear to my heart as it is where my husband and I chose to celebrate our 10 year anniversary (without kids). It’s also the vacation that spurred the creation of We Go With Kids!

October 1, 2019
Safari With Kids? Muchenje Safari Lodge Review

In June 2017, my husband and I took a much needed anniversary trip sans children to Africa. Although our itinerary included stops in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, we worked in two separate safaris: Umlani Bushcamp in the Timbavati Game Reserve just outside Kruger National Park in South Africa and Muchenje Safari Lodge just outside the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Both stays were four day, three-night stays, thus allowing us sufficient time to explore all the camps had to offer. The question of whether to safari with kids is one that I’ve gotten numerous times and, although our children did not travel with us, this Muchenje Safari Lodge review will hopefully provide you with an idea of whether a safari with kids is a good idea given your personal situation.

To read about the Umlani experience, go here.

Muchenje Safari Lodge

Muchenje was recommended by a travel agent who described Muchenje as a “medium rated but proven to be well operated lodge” that offers a “personalized experience.” With a maximum capacity of 24 guests, the lodge, although bigger than Umlani (which accommodates a maximum of 16 guests), still maintained its intimate and personalized feel. The managers, Toff and Kiddy, were a warm and welcoming pair, pouring drinks for us from behind the bar and entertaining us with tales of their exploits in Botswana.

our inviting room upon arrival

view of the river from our room

Muchenje seems to have hit upon a true “formula” for a successful safari For those staying two nights or more, the full day experience at Muchenje includes a boat cruise along the Chobe River. For those who desire, here is an optional early morning game drive, followed by breakfast before departing for the full day cruise. The drive to the river takes you through Chobe National Forest, before arriving at the Chobe River, where you board what can only be described as a large jon boat with seating for approximately 10 people. The boat ride lasts for a few hours, during which you are treated to lunch and an incredible amount of wildlife – we saw more hippos, elephants, and large expanses of plain filled with zebras and buffalo. Although it was also winter in Botswana, it turns out that due to Muchenje’s proximity to the Chobe River, it is actually their high season when we visited simply because all the animals are collect near the water source.

I’m not sure what I expected before embarking on the full day boat cruise, but I know I did not expect to see an elephant “washing” its food before eating it!

+Photo Credit: Diane Toole

Although there were a few hiccups during our stay at Muchenje, none can be blamed on the lodge. Indeed, we had an incident involving a genet that had taken up residence in the thatched area above our hut, which required us to be moved to a different room, and we also had a day where the electricity was completely out due to electrical work taking place in bordering Namibia. Although we had survived just fine without electricity at Umlani, being unexpectedly without electricity was a hurdle that the staff overcame with grace.

The daily schedule is similar to that at Umlani – the lodge offers an “early morning” game drive that begins at around 6am, followed by breakfast at 8:30am and a morning game drive at 9:30 am. Upon return, guests enjoy quiet time and some rest and relaxation, before departing for the evening game drive around 3pm, returning in time for dinner. The only modification is that when on the “full day cruise,” you don’t return to the lodge and have lunch on the boat. The Botswana experience is unique in that the terrain was very different from the Timbavati – much more wide-open expanse versus heavy brush.

surrounded by buffalo on our last game drive

Although we could not go off the paths since we were in Chobe National Forest, I never felt like we were missing out – the sheer number of animals was awe inspiring.

During one of our last game drives, we happened upon a pride of lions… and watched two mama lions take down a giraffe.

+Photo Credit: Sean Toole

+Photo Credit: Sean Toole

+Photo Credit: Sean Toole

My husband and I enjoyed our time at Muchenje. The accommodations were definitely a step up from the accommodations at Umlani, with electricity and a full bar of wines and spirits. The camp itself is also much larger – there were many guests that we did not get a chance to meet or talk to just because of the larger crowd. During the four days and three nights we were there, however, walking safaris were not an option. Although they were advertised online and many reviewed that they loved the walking safaris on TripAdvisor, we inquired upon arrival and were essentially told that the ranger that usually does walking safaris was on leave.* Nonetheless, our guide, Rambo, quickly got the sense that we were antsy from not being able to walk or exercise, and on our last full day at the lodge, he drove just my husband and myself into town to see the sights, including a visit to his own home, and allowed us the option of taking a two mile walk back to camp while he followed in the land cruiser. If bush walks are critical to your party, definitely inquire beforehand.

photo of the health clinic across the street from the school

a shade shanty

I do not know the lodge’s official policy on children, but on the last day of our stay, two families with young children did arrive. The youngest child in the group was eight – exactly the age of my oldest, so I believe school aged children would be appropriate for this camp.* Overall, I was happy that we had the opportunity to experience a second safari. Seeing the difference in terrain and the sheer number of animals was well worth the trip, and it gives us a good idea of what to expect, generally, when we next safari with the kids. I will note, however, that it appeared, at least to us, that the employees working at Umlani were much more comfortable with speaking English than those in Botswana. Although we had no problems communicating, there was less overall communication and discussion on the game drives and so we definitely learned a lot more during our game drives in Umlani. As with our experience at Umlani, however, I would not recommend Muchenje for those with small children.

Finally, there is a long walkway that leads from the central lodge/dining area to the individual huts in which guests sleep, but there is no large central space for toddlers/young children to run around. If your kids are young enough that they simply must have space to run around and burn off energy, a safari lodge would be a difficult place to keep them safely contained.

If you happen to be a birder, Chobe is the place to be! We saw more beautiful birds than I have seen anywhere else. My son is a big fan of birds (his earliest animal obsessions involved the kori bustard, which we saw on this trip, and the emu!).

+Photo Credit: Sean Toole

Do I recommend safariing with kids?

Yes. Safaris are an amazing experience and I would absolutely recommend taking your children. I would even bring my toddler, knowing what I know now, but would have to be prepared to sit out game drivers and/or plan to spend long afternoons at the camp, swimming in the pool or thinking of creative ways to keep him busy. There are many camps that simply do not permit children under a certain age, but there were no restrictions at either camp that we stayed in, suggesting to me that your child/toddler won’t be the youngest child/toddler the staff has seen and accommodated. The staff at both locations was also prepared to ask, upon arrival, whether there were any special dietary restrictions or requirements. Since the food is served buffet style, the kitchen at both lodges was willing to make separate dishes if nuts / gluten / dairy was an issue. I happily noted that milk and peanut butter was available at both locations, so I knew there would be something for my kids to eat had they been present. Finally, we happened to get lucky in Africa and did not have any trouble with mosquitoes. Both locations had mosquito netting for the beds and abundant insect and mosquito repellent – but I saw nary a mosquito and did not get any bites. My husband and I were both on anti-malarial medication, which is strongly recommended when traveling to Africa and can cause some people mild to moderate discomfort. Considering whether you want to bring your children to a location where anti-malarials are recommended (as well as the typhoid vaccine) is also something to take into consideration when planning a trip to Africa with kids.

*Although it varies by camp, it appears that camp employees typically live on site for 30-60 days, returning home for a few days or a week between rotations.

+One of the unexpected joys of the safari was meeting an awesome couple, Sean & Diane Toole and their two teenage daughters. We bonded during the course of our long day on the boat and a few mishaps that could have seriously altered the course of our respective vacations but did not. In our case, it was a “misplaced” dSLR that was subsequently recovered, in their case it was no electricity on their check out day, thus requiring an emergency cash loan. What happens in Africa stays in Africa!

September 11, 2017
Safari With Kids? Umlani Bushcamp Review

In June 2017, my husband and I took a much needed anniversary trip sans children to Africa. Although our itinerary included stops in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, we worked in two separate safaris: Umlani Bushcamp in the Timbavati Game Reserve just outside Kruger National Park in South Africa and Muchenje Safari Lodge just outside the Chobe National Park in Bostwana. Both stays were four day, three-night stays, thus allowing us sufficient time to explore all the camps had to offer. The question of whether to safari with kids is one that I’ve gotten numerous times and, although our children did not travel with us, this Umlani Bushcamp review will hopefully provide you with an idea of whether a safari with kids is a good idea given your personal situation.

To read about the Muchenje experience, go here.

Umlani Bushcamp

Words cannot begin to express how much I loved our experience at Umlani Bushcamp. For our party of two, our four day, three-night all-inclusive stay (which included pick up from Hoedspruit Airport and departing shuttle from the Timbavati to Johannesburg National Airport) was less than $1300.

I loved the arrivals and departures board at Hoedspruit!

I’ll admit that my husband and I were both skeptical because it seemed so cheap. Indeed, I comparison shopped and a four day, three-night stay at a five-star lodge in the Timbavati would have cost $3,692.31 the same dates we were there! Suffice it to say, I was worried going into Umlani that it would be an awful experience, but I left deeply in love with the camp and can’t wait until my children are old enough to bring them back.

The Timbavati, I learned, is a private game reserve that was set up by a number of landowners in the 1950s. The reserve borders Kruger National Park and there is no fence between the two, meaning the animals are free to roam the two areas. Some of the land had been used previously for cattle farming and during our game drives, we did see evidence of its cattle farming history.

There is no electricity at Umlani, so everything is solar powered, including the Wi-Fi, which is available during daylight hours (although if you ask nicely, they will turn it on in the evenings so you can text your in-laws and check in on the children, while gloating about the fabulous rhino pictures you took). There’s a central charging station, located in the gift shop, where I felt perfectly comfortable leaving my cell phone and camera batteries to charge during the day. There is no age restriction on guests; however, if I remember correctly, children under age one cannot ride in the safari vehicles and children under a certain age (I believe 6?) are not permitted on bush walks. I asked our head ranger and was told that although children aren’t permitted on bush walks, they can arrange for shorter walks around the camp if children are well behaved. The camp can also arrange for an overnight stay in the Treehouse, which we did our second night.

the treehouse, where we stayed our second night

The camp’s daily schedule is: 6AM bush drive, followed by breakfast, lunch at 1PM, 3PM bush drive, followed by dinner. An optional bush walk, guided by a ranger, is available after breakfast. We arrived at camp around 12:30pm, and there was only one other guest at the time. We enjoyed lunch together and then it was time to depart on our first game drive.

view of our eco hut

the inside of our eco hut, complete with bottle of champagne to celebrate our anniversary

Umlani game drives all take place aboard open-air vehicles. Because the Timbavati is a private reserve, off-roading is allowed, unlike in a national park where vehicles must stay on the major roads. At Umlani, each game drive took place with two staff members – one driver/ranger and one tracker, seated on the front of the jeep. We were given a number of instructions prior to our first game drive, including, but not limited to, stay in the land cruiser, do not stand up unless given permission to stand up, and wear neutral colored clothing to avoid drawing attention to yourself, etc…

view from the inside of the land cruiser

Hanging out in the land cruiser, while the early morning snacks get set up

My husband and I were dedicated safari-goers, participating in every morning and afternoon game drive and requesting the optional bush walk after breakfast every morning. On our first game drive, we saw a white lioness, and on our very last game drive we saw a leopard – in between, we saw the other three animals which form the Big Five (the elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros) and countless zebra, giraffes, and other local game. Because off-roading is permitted, we were able to get much closer to the animals than our subsequent safari, which took us through Chobe National Park.

I have about 1,000 photos of birds on game…

my husband, taking a photo of the hippo in the lake while I enjoyed my sundowner (wine and snacks)

the white lioness we saw on our very first game drive

completely surrounded!

buffalo!

Viewing the animals in their natural habitat was an incredible experience and it did not take long for me to understand why people fall in love with Africa – it is intoxicating. But what made the Umlani experience was the people who work there. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, going the extra mile to ensure that we were comfortable. They encouraged us to ask questions, volunteered information about living and working in the bush, and every night, at least one member of the staff joined us for dinner. We definitely felt like we got to know the employees and they also took an interest in our lives and hearing about our children back at home. By our second day, the staff knew that I liked white wine at the sundowner, red wine for dinner, and that I had two little kids at home, staying with their grandparents, and thus needed to spend a fair amount of time on the Wi-Fi, ensuring everyone’s happiness and well-being.

dining area in the light of day

inviting place settings at every meal

every dinner began and ended seated around the fire in the boma. many fond memories of conversations with other guests and staff there

the boma area

Shadreck, our amazing Ranger, explaining the rules of the bush walk just prior to taking off

On top of that, I found this article about Umlani after our trip and found myself loving Umlani even more! During our stay, I got a sense of how wonderful the camp is to its employees – including welcoming the children of employees to stay with the staff on camp and join along on game drives when they aren’t full, but learning that Umlani has actually changed lives really brought home just how unique Umlani is. My husband and I both found ourselves commenting that we needed to get back to Umlani soon and often because rarely in life do you find something so special.

Practically speaking, Umlani would have been an outstanding experience for my eight-year-old, but a terrible experience for my two-year-old. Because we’re out in the bush, there’s very limited open space for kids to play and cause ruckus. My two- year-old likely would have had a difficult time getting his energy out in a safe manner. Logistics aside, it would seem awfully inconsiderate to bring a toddler on a safari unless you have a large enough party that you require an entire vehicle on the game drives. I cannot count the number of times I have gotten fed up with the constant toddler chatter, demands, whines, etc in the car; I would never think to subject other paying vacationers to the same experience. The safari schedule is also rather rigid – you must get up and be ready to depart at 6am for the game drive; there is no waiting or dawdling and so, if you need to be able to manage your child’s schedule in a way that it conforms to the safari routine, without inconveniencing others. Consequently, while Umlani does welcome children of all ages, I would not bring a non-school aged child on safari without understanding that there are significant draw backs to doing so (including having to sit out on certain experiences and/or not being able to participate in bush walks) and tempering my expectations accordingly.

The lack of electricity, however, was not an issue, and I found myself surprised by just how comfortable the accommodations were. In the evenings, everyone gathered for a dinner in the dining room (served family style), and then staff members escorted you back to your room. Although some people stayed to have an additional drink in the boma, most people went back to their room and went to bed, to get ready for the next morning’s game drive. I believe the only thing that is out of the question at Umlani is the hair dryer, but I never expected to “do” my hair while on safari anyway, so I didn’t miss it.

A note about the return transfer to Johannesburg Airport. Our travel agent suggested that we take the shuttle from the Timbavati back to Johannesburg Airport as we had a full day and were not scheduled to fly to Victoria Falls until the following morning. We were booked onto Ashtons Tours, but, through no fault to the company, I would not recommend this drive with small children. The drive from the Timbavati to Johannesburg took approximately six hours and it was a long time to spend in the car. Moreover, there was only one short stop of about 15 minutes, and I cannot imagine children enjoying this ride. I would recommend either driving yourself, although this is not without risk as portions of the road are in horrendous condition, or simply returning to Hoedspruit and flying on to your next destination. In hindsight, we should have taken a flight from Hoedspruit to Johannesburg and flown directly to Victoria Falls from there, without our overnight at the Johannesburg airport. This would have saved us a day and a very long ride in the shuttle. If you are shuttle bound, however, Ashtons is not only affordable but honest. My husband, in his haste to unfold himself from the car, left our DSLR in the vehicle. When I emailed the next day inquiring, I was informed it had been located and they happily arranged to drop it off at our airport upon our return to Johannesburg for a very nominal fee.

small shops selling trinkets along the road to Johannesburg

To read about the Muchenje experience, go here

September 9, 2017