Family Friendly and Budget Friendly Safari In South Africa

A South African safari can be both family friendly as well as budget friendly. It is a trip of a lifetime, but it does not need to be expensive to be amazing, life changing, and family friendly. I have wanted to write about the way we safari in South Africa for a long time. After reading a How To Book An Affordable African Safari blog post by a friend of mine who said his family’s affordable African safari was $35,000, I spit out my coffee and started this well overdue blog post. Is $35,000 anyone’s idea of affordable? We would all like to have a luxury safari experience, but it’s just not in the budget. We have gone on over 12 safaris now in South Africa and they have all been absolutely amazing. We are not roughing it or sleeping in tents. The accommodations are fantastic with all the amenities of home.

How We Safari

Kruger National Park with our 3 month old baby in 2009

We got married in South Africa in 2005 and went straight on our first safari together to Kruger National Park. We have been back almost every year since our children were born. Both of our daughters went on their first safari during my maternity leave, when they were almost 3 months old. And our baby boy went on his first South African safaris in 2018 when he was 6 months old. Here are my tips and tricks and what has worked really well and easily for us. Please bear with my trip down memory lane with this picture from our first safari with Hadley in 2009 when we were on maternity leave and she was just under 3 months old, at Kruger Park.

How To Go On A Family Friendly And Budget Friendly Safari

Step 1: Fly into Johannesburg Airport (JNB OR Tambo International Airport)

Step 2: Rent a car at the Johannesburg Airport

We usually rent a Mercedes Vito or a VW Transporter. Whatever the large minivan looking one is. This has been an amazing car with enough room for the family, even when my father, aunt and a friend joined us. These vehicles also have the added advantage of being higher off the ground, which helps with animal spotting.

Step 3: Book accommodation at Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park camps are where local South Africans go on holiday, so reserve well in advance. We love staying at Lower Sabie or Skukuza. Here is a price list for all the kinds of accommodation you can book at Lower Sabie. Lower Sabie is gorgeous and the perfect location as it has a great lookout over the Sabie river, making it easy to spot animals while enjoying a drink. Skukuza is the largest camp with the most facilities, just scroll down to the vast list of facilities if you think you will be out in the middle of Africa and a bit apprehensive like me on my first safari. Here is a list of all the accommodation and prices available to choose from at Skukuza.

Book the accommodation well in advance as these places book up quickly, especially for peak travel times like Christmas. There are pools, grocery stores, and everything you could ever want along with gorgeous accommodation, with facilities for inside and outside cooking. Grab some food from the grocery store and have a braai outside at night on the grill at the rest camp. Our favorite rooms are either a family cottage or a bungalow when staying at a Kruger Rest Camp.

A watering hold at Kruger National Park

For a family of 4, book the Family Cottage. It has 2 bedrooms, each with two beds. It is R2320 per night for a family of 4, which is currently 171 USD per night. For example, to book the most expensive house at Lower Sabie, the Guest House, it is R4310 for 4 people per night. This is currently $318 (USD) per night for 4 adults including 3 bedrooms each with two beds, two bathrooms, air conditioning and kitchen. Each additional child per night costs 25 USD. There are so many accommodation options. Check the website to see what works best for your family.

Frequently Asked Safari Questions

Do you need shots/vaccines to go to South Africa?

We have never had vaccines to travel to South Africa or go on safari. I am not a doctor, so of course ask a doctor if you need any medications before any type of travel. I have never had any special shots/vaccines to travel to South Africa. I also have not taken malaria medicine on any of our safaris. Our children have come with us to South Africa since they were infants and have never needed special vaccines. Of course, always consult your doctor and your children’s doctor first.

Do you need a driver?

No. We have never used a driver. Self driving through Kruger is very easy. The speed limit is so slow and it is a paved quiet road. We fly into Johannesburg airport, rent a car, and drive to Kruger National Park or Pilanesberg. Both Parks are wonderful and have the Big 5. Kruger is much bigger and we have seen a lot more animals, but it is a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg versus one hour to Pilanesberg. If you can drive the 4 hours to Kruger it is well worth it. Part of the fun for us it to stop at the gas stations along the way and run through the aisles finding all kinds of interesting flavored chips, drinks, and candies.

Organised game drivers from the parks are easy to sign up for at the rest camp. The sunrise and sunset drives are really good (young children might not be allowed, check the site for details). We booked the drives at Kruger National Park at the camp where we were staying. It was fun and well worth it.

The bulk of animal watching can be done in your own car using the well maintained roads in the parks. Rent a car and drive to Kruger. It’s super fun and easy to have your own rental car and go on your own schedule and drive to see animals when you and your family are ready. The extra game drives you can book when you arrive at your accommodation in Kruger.

Do you need to see Cape Town or just go on safari?

Yes. Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world. It is absolutely incredible. I would highly recommend a week in Cape Town as well as a 4 day safari at Kruger National Park. Cape Town has so many amazing places, even though we go almost every year, there are still so many places I have not been.

Fly from OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg) to Cape Town Airport. (This may seem like an odd question for a South African safari, but my friends have asked if they should go on safari and if they need to see Cape Town while they are in the country and I really highly recommend Cape Town. It is absolutely otherworldly.)

Will I see animals if we drive our own car?

Yes. The roads are paved and the speed limit is very slow. You will see all the animals. Also, something super fun at the camp sites are the maps that say where people have seen the different animals.

Ask Me How To Safari!

Do you want to go on a family friendly and budget friendly safari with your family? Let me know what questions you have. I would love to help you plan a holiday safari with your family in South Africa.

Resting with our oldest baby at our bush camp in Kruger National Park in 2009

I love this picture from our Kruger Park Bush Camp in 2009, enjoying the animals, and the instant coffee. Every morning we would wake up to this outside our little house. Go budget friendly. You will not be disappointed.