The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Itinerary & Insight from First-Time Visitors to South Africa

One of my favorite things about living in South Africa is the ability to receive our friends and family and watch their jaws drop as they discover just how incredible this country is. This is particularly the case on safari, where you can relive the first timer excitement alongside loved ones who are discovering the splendor of the bush and developing the same lifelong passion that you have.

Christa and Simon, our good friends from Miami, recently came to visit us for the first time and brought along their 4 year old daughter Brooklyn, who also happens to be our daughter Camilla’s best friend since infancy. What a special reunion it was!

We planned their two week trip to include what I feel to be the quintessential introduction to South Africa: Cape Town, the Whale Coast, Cape Winelands and safari in the Greater Kruger Area.

During their time in Cape Town they obviously stayed with us, and spent two nights at Babylonstoren, one of our favorite wine farm estates nestled between the striking countrysides of both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

While taking young children to the Winelands may at first glance seem counterintuitive, Babylonstoren is truly a paradise for families, with countless activities ranging from baking bread to feeding baby water buffalo. The grounds are idyllic and Christa and Simon said they easily could’ve spent 3 or 4 nights there to be able to fully take advantage of everything offered there.

According to them (and Donald and me, and even all three kids) however, the absolute highlights of the trip were the days spent at two exclusive use properties, Perivoli Lagoon House and Kamara House. For any group larger than six or seven people, there is such an enormous incentive to use fully inclusive villas as opposed to regular hotel or lodge rooms. Not only does it generally work out the same price or even less expensive, you are given a private chef, butler, private vehicle and guide, and of course have the freedom to operate fully on your own schedule. With kids, the luxury of having your own space for both downtime and dining is simply immeasurable. You instantly feel at home, and in turn can truly relax, a feat not always possible on a family vacation. Free or highly reasonably priced babysitting at the villas doesn’t hurt either!

Having opened its doors in July 2023 and starting at R108,000 per night for up to six people (or roughly $5,800 per night for a large family), Kamara House at Thornybush Game Lodge must be one of the greatest value propositions for family safari. The private game reserve bearing the same name and bordering both the Timbavati and Kruger National Park has arguably some of the best game in the country, and having our fantastic ranger and tracker team, Lindi and KG, to ourselves made the experience even better. We saw all of the Big Five in a single game drive, and enjoyed repeated remarkable sightings of multiple lion prides, elephants digging for water and giraffes trotting alongside our vehicle. As has always been our experience with our girls on safari, the kids were ecstatic and engaged at each stop for a sighting, and then once the vehicle was in motion would simply put their heads in our laps and quietly return to dozing off.

Kamara House, a 3-bedroom standalone villa with a private pool, can accommodate up to 8 guests and could not be more charming. The decor is fantastic and Chef Shane wowed us with his creations for each meal, always building the menus around what we would like, and making a separately curated menu for the kids. Every night, a lovely lodge staff member, appropriately named Lovey, would come to the villa to watch the kids in the living room so that the parents could enjoy a relaxing dinner on the deck.

Considering that many South African lodges cost nearly this much per night for only two guests (and let’s not even mention Botswana, where $5,800 per PERSON per night is not unheard of), my opinion is that Kamara House is pretty compelling and that the luxury of having all things private on safari is hard to match.

Perivoli Lagoon House is perhaps the place that most stole all of our hearts. Visitors often have little idea what to expect on the Whale Coast (particularly during spring and summer when there are rarely whales), yet without fail our clients often come back to us saying that this part of their trip was the most memorable. Grootbos is always our go-to for couples or small families staying in this part of South Africa, but for any group of 5-10 I can honestly say that Perivoli will go down as one of your most treasured travel experiences- EVER!

The landscapes at Perivoli could not be more epic, as towering mountains meet the scenic lagoon just beyond the villa’s sprawling outdoor deck and heated pool. The 4-bedroom property is managed by Marcelino and Simone, both of whom have 20+ years of lodge experience throughout Southern Africa. They also both moonlight their hosting jobs, with Marcelino as the ultimate guide and Simone as interior designer. We all decided we’d be contracting Simone for future design projects, as Perivoli’s decor is simply stunning.

Beyond the heated pool, which not only kept the kids occupied for hours but also ensured extended naps and nighttime sleep, there were countless activities to be done: kayaking, SUP, hiking, beach sundowners, boating, fishing and even archery, just to name a few. And a fully equipped gym overlooking the lagoon and mountains. Chef Adrian spoiled us rotten with exceptional food and Vivienne and Walter, our team of butlers, waited on us hand and foot.

With prices for eight guests starting at R46,600 (or just under $2,600) per night for the low season and going up to R65,000 (or $3,600) per night during high season, I am once again hard pressed to find a better value, and in the case of Perivoli, it truly competes with some of South Africa’s highest end luxury product. You could easily pair Perivoli with world renowned Cheetah Plains (starting at R220,000 per night, or over $12,000 for eight guests) and feel as if you were getting the same class of experience.

As our friends prepared to return to Miami, Simon very sweetly mentioned that it had been the best two weeks of their lives. While I would love to take the credit -both for my unmatched company and travel design services 😂- South Africa is doing all of the heavy lifting, along with places like Kamara House, Babylonstoren and Perivoli Lagoon House.

Another amazing fact about this trip? With the exception of an occasional Bluey episode while at our house in Cape Town, there was ZERO screen time. The kids were so wonderfully busy and engaged with nature that electronics were fully out of mine.

I think many parents of young children feel a trip like this is just too daunting, and for some families perhaps it is. But if done correctly, I simply cannot see what could be better for the ultimate family vacation (unless you want beach, in which case Maldives is the way to go!) and what can offer a better value proposition when all is said and done.

When doing an end-of-trip recap with Christa and Simon (a ritual I inherited from father), I asked what had surprised them most about South Africa, what they would’ve done differently or what would recommend families considering South Africa for their next vacation. Here were their seven key takeaways:

1. Start with safari

The age old question of “Should I start or end my South Africa trip with safari?” does not have a definitive answer. For this particular trip we did safari last, and this is probably the more common way of structuring the itinerary as many people feel as if they want to end with the part of the trip about which they’re most excited. Christa and Simon felt however that they would’ve preferred to end at Perivoli, which was the most relaxing stop, and start with safari while their adrenaline was still at its highest. The caveat here is that starting on safari will typically require an additional overnight (usually in Johannesburg) to ensure you can make your morning flight to the bush. Also, many people suffer from jetlag, so waking up at 5am for game drives after losing 7+ hours may be an issue for you (it is for me personally!), or perhaps even more importantly for your kids. But if you prefer to end your time in South Africa with a flexible schedule in one of the countriest dreamiest places ideal for relaxation, it does make sense to consider a finale on the Whale Coast.

2. More time in Cape Town and Cape Peninsula (and definitely don’t skip the Whale Coast!)

Christa, Simon and Brooklyn had five nights in Cape Town alone and yet kept so busy that they did not even make it to the classic touristic sites such as Table Mountain, the penguins at Boulders Beach or even the V&A Waterfront. This was partially because they were staying with us and we were taking them to do more local activities but nevertheless they really felt as if they needed more time in Cape Town, as well as the Cape Peninsula. A sunset dinner at Aegir Project Brewery in Noordhoek (with a wonderful playground attached, in true Capetonian fashion) was one of the highlights for them and just a quick drive through Simon’s Town made them really wish they could spend a full day exploring other towns on the Peninsula.

And of course, with Perivoli being a true highlight of their trip despite the fact that the “Whale Coast” was fully unknown to them previously, they really felt no trip to South Africa would be complete without a visit to this part of the country, which despite being so close to Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, offers a completely different vibe and experience.

Obviously two weeks is already a long trip for most people, particularly families, but I think the insight is important as it does shed light on just how much there is to see and do in the Western Cape.. If you can’t spend more than a few nights here, I think the best solution is doing a full day Cape Peninsula tour where you can efficiently see the best of the region. Many of our guides specialize in family-friendly Peninsula tours, which are extremely fun for the kids. Pro tip from me: with or without kids, never miss out on the Scone Shack!

3. The food in South Africa is unbelievably incredible and inexpensive

Here in Cape Town, a family of four can have a truly fantastic meal with appetizers, entrees, desserts and wine for the parents for $30-$40. Coming from Miami, where $30 often gets you one salad including tax and tips, this was perhaps one of Christa and Simon’s favorite discoveries! And of course it’s no secret how inexpensive and incredible the wine is: some of their favorite bottles were under $6.

Whatever you’re eating here tastes fresh and flavorful, and virtually any restaurant of even the most slightly elevated level will be able to offer you a dining experience that far exceeds the most popular restaurants in any given American city, and for a fraction of the price.

4. Is South Africa the most kid friendly place on earth?!

It’s extremely common in South Africa for cool restaurants and even wine estates to have sprawling playgrounds. One of Christa and Simon’s favorite places we took them to was Aegir Brewery Project in Noordhoek, which not only as the name suggests has fantastic IPAs but also killer pizza and burgers, live music, sunset ocean views AND a giant play area for kids. Tokara in Stellenbosch is another great example of stunning views, food and playground.

Throughout South African hotels and lodges, nannies are commonplace and either included in your rate or incredibly affordable. As mentioned above, Babylonstoren pretty much takes the cake when it comes to optimizing the parent-child experience with so many family-friendly activities that are, for lack of a better word, not lame. So many concepts geared toward young children in the US are really only meant to be tolerated by the parents, rather than enjoyed. This is not the case at Babylonstoren, or in South Africa in general. Life here is meant to be properly enjoyed as a family and it’s one of the reasons Christa and Simon loved traveling here (and one of the reasons we live here!).

5. Take a nonstop flight from the US and you will be shocked with how easy it is

One of the best developments for South African tourism over the past few years has been the rise in nonstop flights from the US airlines. Delta and United both have daily nonstop flights from Atlanta, Newark and Washington, D.C. to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, making it easiest -and quicker- than ever to get to South Africa.

With my own children, I’ve found that these flights are actually much less painful than flying transatlantic to Europe, as with an overnight flight of 13-16 hours (as opposed to 5-9), you are actually able to get a full night’s sleep. My kids always sleep a full 8-10 hours on the EWR-CPT flight.

What’s more, the flights land here in South Africa in the late afternoon/early evening, meaning you don’t have to try to make it through the whole day without a nap like when going to Europe (or succumbing to the nap and then not being able to go to bed at 5am). Christa and Simon had been nervous about Brooklyn being in the air for so long but much to their pleasant surprise she slept nearly the entire flight, and because of the timing had minimal jet lag, as did they. Moral of the story? Take the US airline flights to reduce jet lag and you will be amazed by how well both you and your small children do!

6. Do not be scared to travel to South Africa

How safe and accessible the country feels: It’s no secret that South Africa often suffers terrible media coverage that would leave you to believe that traveling here is highly risky. And I don’t want to sound naive: there are parts of the larger cities, even here in Cape Town, that are highly dangerous. But most tourists and expats have the privilege of enjoying parts of Cape Town that are no different from most major cities when it comes to crime. Most who visit Cape Town will tell you how incredibly different their experience on the ground feels in comparison to this narrative, and Christa and Simon were no different. The touristic areas of the Western Cape are very safe, and once you’re in the bush, you’ll feel more at ease than perhaps anywhere you’ve ever been before.

7. With families or friends, go the exclusive use route whenever possible

This last piece of feedback goes without saying: when you’re a group of seven as we were, there is really no reason to NOT book exclusive use villas or safari lodges. You will generally pay close to the same and your experience will be so much better. What ultimately floored Christa and Simon the most about our trip was the way to which we (and the kids) were all catered at Kamara House and Perivoli. Of course any top hotel will go out of your way to make you and your family feel special, but having every single staff member and facility truly at your disposal makes unpredictable life with traveling toddlers overwhelmingly easier. There was no rushing to breakfast while jet lagged, or waking up early from a nap to make sure they made a particular daily activity. Kids can sleep, snack and even cry when they need to: everything will revolve around your schedule.

To be totally honest, I really cannot imagine doing safari with my kids anymore without our own villa where the kids can relax and run around freely during the day in between game drives. Or not having dining completely on demand with a fully bespoke menu. If being able to watch your kids run around your living room without bothering any other guests while you dine just outside on your poolside terrace under the stars isn’t a luxury, I don’t know what is! The experience by definition becomes so much more intimate, and structured to your group’s needs. Traveling as a group isn’t always easy, but by doing everything private you’re eliminating every element of external stress points.

You can check out the full itinerary we did here. In lieu of our house you can stay at the One&Only Cape Town, which has far more luxurious bedding and better room service (though Donald does make a mean oat milk latte). The itinerary as-is is intended for families or small groups of friends, but can be adjusted to fit any number of guests with modifications to the properties. If traveling as a couple, our classic Best of South Africa itinerary hits all of the same destinations with equally fabulous hotels and lodges.

It’s also worth noting that Babylonstoren has two villas that can accommodate up to 10 guests. While they are not fully inclusive, you can hire a private chef at an additional cost and Babylonstoren will assist in procuring all of their freshest meat and produce, considered some of the best in the Western Cape!