DAY 1 : CAPE TOWN – IMFOLOZI
Departure from Cape Town to Durban, 2h20 flight time (You can read our 9 tips for a peaceful flight with a baby and/or young children).
In Durban, we picked up our rental car and headed to Imfolozi private reserve. We had a small SUV but if we had to do it again, we would rent a real 4X4 to be able to access all the tracks in the parks.
On the way, we stopped in a supermarket to buy some groceries for the next days. Indeed, we have planned accommodation with kitchen, much more comfortable when travelling with children. This allows us to have them eat quietly, put them to bed and then enjoy dinner with the adults.
The road is already very nice, it’s green, luxuriant and already exotic. As soon as we enter the park, we come across elephants and rhinoceroses: majestic! as well as zebras, impalas and wilderbeest.
We have the children eat in the bungalow and then have dinner on the terrace after putting them to bed. Impalas (small antelopes) keep us company during the whole evening.
ACCOMMODATION: Mpila Camp – 2 beds chalet with a kid mattress + baby cot, kitchenette, from R1250 – 70€ per night.
GOOD TO KNOW : complimentary baby cot available upon request
DAYS 2 – 3 : IMFOLOZI- ITHALA GAME RESERVE
After a few hours of game drive during which we met again some beautiful elephants, we left Imfolozi and went to Ithala game reserve, further northwest. About 3 hours drive. You can read our 5 travel tips for a road trip with small children.
We cross the KwaZulu Natal land to Ithala Game Reserve. The landscape changes, it is still lush but more mountainous and unfortunately for us less sunny.
As soon as we arrive, we discover new animals: our 1.5 year old son is the first to spot tiny frogs jumping around the camp. We enjoy the camp’s great swimming pool.
Once the children have gone to bed, we have a little barbeque on the terrace of the very comfortable bungalow. A change of scenery is guaranteed thanks to the nightly sound system, you can hear the real sounds of the jungle. Be careful to close the windows to avoid the visit of monkeys.
The next morning we set off on a self-drive safari. Unfortunately it rains a lot, which adds a bit of adventure to our self-drive safaris and does not prevent us from having a great time with a family of giraffes. The parents and the two children play for a while right in front of our car.
The rain stops and we have lunch in the camp restaurant, the children play on the playground while we wait for our order, we contemplate the view and the pond with its multiple water lilies. In the afternoon we drive back to discover the park.
ACCOMMODATION : Ithala Game Reserve main camp , 4beds, 2 rooms chalet with kitchen , from R2250-110€ per night.
GOOD TO KNOW : complimentary baby cot available upon request, jungle gym next to the restaurant, beautiful swimming pool in the rocks with a paddling pool area.
DAY 4 : HLUHLUWE
We leave Ithala accompanied by warthogs for the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Again the scenery on the way is beautiful.
We arrive at the Hilltop main camp where we will spend the night. Unfortunately it is raining (photo taken the next day ;)), we have lunch in the hotel’s restaurant with a great view of the reserve. The children admire the magnificent stuffed lion at the reception.
We return to our chalet, a zebra is grazing on the grass outside our door!
We then go on a safari in the sunshine and meet a lot of giraffes in the middle of a luxuriant landscape.
We are stuck for a while behind two slightly agitated elephants. The children are fascinated.
ACCOMMODATION: Hilltop – Hluhluwe reserve camp – 4 beds, 2 rooms chalet with 2 bathrooms and kitchen from R2850 – 150€ per night.
GOOD TO KNOW : complimentary baby cot available upon request, restaurant with high chair and breathtaking view
DAYS 5-6 : SAINTE-LUCIE
After a final game drive in our own car in the Hluhluwe Park, during which we missed the lions but saw some buffalos, we leave for St Lucia.
Once again the scenery is superb. We had lunch in town and settled into our accommodation for the day for two nights.
We leave to discover the estuary of Saint Lucia and arrive on a magnificent beach of dunes after having crossed the mangrove where crocodiles live.
The next day we drive to Cape Vidal Beach in the iSimangaliso wetland park. On the way we meet monkeys, warthogs and antelopes.
We continue our excursion on a track in the reserve where many hippos are splashing in the mud pools.
We continue our excursion along a track in the reserve where many hippos are splashing around in the mud pools.
We end our stay with a boat trip on the St Lucia river, the children see a lot of birds and get close to the hippos, they are delighted. Unfortunately no crocodiles, usually you can easily see them on this kind of tour.
ACCOMMODATION : Santa Lucia Guest house offers a large family room with a double bed and in a corner 2 single beds. It is also possible to ask for a free cot for babies (from R1630 – 90€ per night).
RESTOS KIDS FRIENDLY A SAINTE-LUCIE:
Reef & Dune : a great playground + playroom + trampoline allow children to have fun while waiting for the order
John Dory’s : play area with slide + drawing materials to entertain the children
We finally go back to Cape Town with a lot of memories, see you soon for new adventures!
