South Africa Family Safari with Teenagers

About this trip

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

1. 1
   Day 1 · JohannesburgJohannesburg

   Arrive in Johannesburg for a welcome meeting at noon, then cycle through Soweto to explore contemporary South African life. Visit the migrant workers' hostel, Meadowlands, the Hector Pieterson Memorial from the 1976 uprising, and Vilakazi Street where Nelson Mandela lived.

2. 2
   Day 2 · JohannesburgHluhluwe Game Reserve

   Travel early from Johannesburg to KwaZulu Natal and reach an ecolodge outside Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, home to lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, buffalo and wild dogs. Settle in with the rest of the day free.

3. 3
   Day 3 · HluhluweHluhluwe–iMfolozi Park

   Spend the day in an open safari vehicle through South Africa's oldest proclaimed game reserve. Look for the Big Five and white rhinos—the park holds the world's largest population. Spot around 400 bird species including the African finfoot and bat hawk.

4. 4
   Day 4 · Kosi Bay Nature ReserveKosi Bay

   

   Drive northeast to Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, where jungle meets mangrove and coral reef. Stay in log chalets at Kosi Bay Lodge and relax by the campfire under the stars.

5. 5
   Day 5 · Kosi Bay Nature ReserveKosi Bay

   Kayak through Kosi Bay to see traditional Tsonga fish traps built over 1,000 years ago, then snorkel over the coral reef for colourful fish. The rest of the day is free to explore.

6. 6
   Day 6 · Hlane Royal National ParkHlane National Park

   Drive north into Eswatini to reach Hlane National Park, home to the largest wild herds in the kingdom. Ndlovu Camp is lit by candles and paraffin lanterns at night. Optionally book a mountain bike trail, bird walk or game drive.

7. 7
   Day 7 · Hlane Royal National ParkHlane National Park

   Game drive through Hlane, a former royal hunting ground spanning 30,000 hectares. Watch for wildebeest, zebra, impala and recently reintroduced cheetahs across flat lowland grasslands. The park has Africa's highest density of nesting white-backed vultures.

8. 8
   Day 8 · Kruger National ParkKruger National Park

   

   Cross back into South Africa and journey to Kruger National Park, one of Africa's premier wildlife destinations. Begin a game drive towards your overnight campsite.

9. 9
   Day 9 · Kruger National ParkKruger National Park

   Game drive through Kruger in a 4x4 open safari vehicle. The park holds over 500 bird species, 100 reptile species and 150 mammal species including the Big Five and endangered African wild dogs.

10. 10
    Day 10 · Kruger National ParkPhiring village

    Leave Kruger and stay with a local family in Phiring village for a homestay experience. Participate in traditional activities like floor-making, cooking, dancing or mountain walks. Your stay supports local women and youth economically.

11. 11
    Day 11 · Blyde River Canyon Nature ReserveBlyde River Canyon

    

    Travel to Blyde River Canyon, the world's third largest and greenest canyon. Explore the stunning Bourke's Luck Potholes where rock formations shift colour in changing light, surrounded by canyon walls rising over 2,000 metres.

12. 12
    Day 12 · JohannesburgJohannesburg

    Drive back to Johannesburg and arrive at OR Tambo International Airport in the afternoon between 2pm and 4pm, or return to your original joining point. Don't book onwards flights before 8pm.

What's included

• Guide: All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
• Meals: 11 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 dinners
• Activities: Soweto - Cycle Tour Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park - Game drive Kosi Bay - Kayaking Hlane Royal National Park - 4WD Sunset Safari Kruger National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive Kruger National Park - Full Day Game Drive Phiring Village homestay experience Panorama Route - Three Rondavels Panorama Route - Bourkes Luck Potholes
• Transport: Overland truck, 4X4 Game drive vehicles
• Accommodation: PARTICIPATORY CAMPING: This family trip involves some participatory camping. Everyone will embrace the team spirit by helping with camp setup, food preparation and cleaning. You will be putting up and taking down your tent as you move from place to place. UPGRADES: In some camping locations, upgrades may be available. However, during busy times of the year - and especially over local school holidays - these upgrades become very difficult to secure. If available, they can be arranged locally. They cannot be pre-booked by Intrepid. Please speak to your leader on the ground if you wish to upgrade. Hotel (1 night), Camping with basic facilities (6 nights), Resort (1 night), Lodge (2 nights), Homestay (1 night)

How travellers rate it

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Common questions