SANParks.org Forums

Hi and welcome toucri
From europe and visited during July and August with a child
After 10 in the morning to you it will be summer with shorts and t-shirt
For us 20 degrees in the sun is almost summer
As said by other the nights/early mornings can be cold.
The only accommodation which can not be heated and can get cold are the erected tents.

The bigger camps were the best according to my son.
Skukuza, Pretoriuskop, Letaba and Satara.
With a buffet style restaurant, charging less for children.
And being buffet always something for kids to eat.
My son could work his way through dessert
Plate after plate.
And Orpen. Small but the garden is in front of the bungalows so its easy to keep a
eye on the kids
Lots to see and nice to walk around.
And even the pools are worth a visit
Bit cold (no heating) but still a nice place for a quick swim

As the others have said evenings are cool and the days warm and mild in winter.
Travelling with youngsters: one suggestion - buy a cheap plastic potty (buy it here in SA) and a roll of toilet paper and keep in the car for emergencies as toilets are often few and far between.
And all parents know that often children simply cannot wait.

Just wanted to add that at the time of year you are going the place you are most likely to feel cold is on an organised drive as these are in open-sided vehicles.
So if you plan on taking any SANparks morning or night drives make sure you have some warm clothing with you.
They do sometimes provide blankets on the drives, but I have been on one or two when we were glad to get back to camp.

We will be visiting the KNP from the UK in August 2010. We have 4 children aged 8-14, who are all fit and used to walking and camping. We would dearly love them to experience the wilderness trails of the KNP. Are there any trips that would accomodate kids of this age group?

Yes, that's correct. Only children from 12 and up may do walks.

It is mainly due to safety concerns. Predators tend to target small children, as it is their natural instinct to go for weaker individuals, which offers an easy meal.

Though you may not be able to take all your children, I would really advise you to take those you can on a morning walk. It is a special experience.

Hello bb1980.

You might want to keep your # of camps visited to a minimum to keep away from long drives in the car. Even then, short excursions from camp, with stops back to "home base" to take care of family needs, can be very rewarding. Just take a look at some of the Trip Reports where people steal out for a short drive and have great rewards.

I am in the early stages of planning my third trip to your beautiful country and Kruger.
The big change this time is that I would be bringing my wife and (then) 2 year old daughter!
I know it will be a different kind of trip, and that I will keep drives shorter, and keep her busy in the car.

Most of my research focus is on the important safety issues like malaria (trip planned for mid-September for that reason) and road safety.
I would like to hear people's thoughts on the more dramatic but far less likely problems of bringing a snack-sized child to the park.

I would never let her out of arms reach in a picnic spot, and I would not want her playing on the lawn/dirt in the camps when monkeys or baboons are around.
Check for snakes, etc before letting her run around in camp.

Any other advice from the forumites about this sort of concern?

And do not leave her alone in a car with the windows open for a second. If she is eating something and you run to the loo and leave her in the car, she will be a target for monkeys and baboons.

I see so many little children in the park, all very happy and playing around, so as Sprocky said, you have the right approach - to be aware and watchful all the time, and I am sure taking your little one to the park will be a great adventure for you all.

Agreed, my 4 year old was chased around Tshokwane by a monkey, because she was walking around with a piece of bread.

Otherwise perfectly safe.

Greetings!

I am trying to find a rest camp in southern KNP that will allow a toddler, any suggestions on where I can find this information. Or better yet, where have you stayed with your toddler?

Thank you kindly!

Toddlers are welcome in all the rest camps.

There are some activities such as walks and game drives, with an age restriction of 12.

If you're going in summer, remember to be diligent with sun protection products, ample hydration, and anti-malarial considerations for your toddler. Also, I would be extra careful at night as especially scorpions and some snakes are active.

Thank you!
And yes, we will be coming early/mid November and are going the Malarone route, plan to stay indoors after dark, will use treated clothing, net, and apply repellent for the boy.
Good tip on the scorpions, etc.

Are there any camps you'd recommend (ideally in southern Kruger) for late November?

Hi Goatia,

Lower sabie and Skukuza are good camps in south Kruger. Both of them have plenty of game around. Place you can find all big 5.
Lower Sabie is more special as it has a beautiful restaurant deck overlooking the Sabie river. I can sit there for ages The deck has lot of birds which would be an absolute delight for for LO.

Hi Goatia

We visited the park in August with our 20 month old.
We stayed in Skukuza camp in one of the bungalows with the enclosed verandas.
The little one can still walk and play around the bungalow and you can still make use of the kitchen, table and chairs on the veranda.
You will have piece of mind knowing that he can't wonder off and that he will not be easily stung by any creatures.
There is also a doctor readily available at Skukuza.
Game viewing in the area were excellent during our visit.