Explore South Africa’s Best Family-Friendly Resorts
If you are planning on embarking on an African safari adventure any time soon, you will undoubtedly want to find accommodation that is family friendly in nature. There are many such resorts across South Africa, offering plenty of fun and amazing facilities for visitors of all ages. Here are the top 5 family-friendly resorts to consider for your next trip into the African wild!
#5: Fish River Sun, Eastern Cape
Fish River Sun is a resort based between Port Alfred and East London. It is one of the region’s most iconic accommodation spots for holidaying families, and offers excellent access to the beautiful East Coast of the country. The resort boasts a wide range of activities to suit kids, teens, adults and even seniors, from its Body and Skin Clinic to its 18-hole golf course and watersports amenities at the nearby Great Fish River.
For younger visitors, Fish River Sun offers Kamp Kwena; a complimentary activity-packed holiday program for kids between the ages of 3 and 12 years old that caters to all kinds of weather and tastes. The schedule allows kids to run wild from dawn until dusk, while adults can enjoy the resort’s legendary Saturday night seafood buffet. Better still, Fish River Sun even offers reduced rates for their younger guests to cut your budget some slack!
#4: Wavecrest, Wild Coast
The Wild Coast is a tourist’s paradise nowadays, especially as it has become a preferred holiday destination of so many offshore visitors to South Africa. The region itself is magical to start with, while Wavecrest boasts countless activities and facilities for families to enjoy. Moms can enjoy their days lounging at the Wavecrest Spa, while kids can enjoy a state of the art kiddies lounge, sandpit and jungle gym, complete with complimentary babysitters.
For family time, the whole clan can come together on the squash and tennis courts, enjoy free use of the resort’s kayaks, and explore the endless stretches of beach surrounding them. Your kids will also love the pools and child-friendly jacuzzis, while you can enjoy a spot of light-tackle fishing at the local estuary or some online pokies Australia in your own private suite.
#3: Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge, Gauteng
Nestled in the Pilanesberg National Park in Gauteng, Kwa Maritane is an unforgettable bush experience. Your family will love watching all manner of wildlife drinking from the property’s waterhole (thanks to an enchanting underground hide), as well as the resort’s games rooms, swimming pools with baby pools and slides, mini golf courses, tennis courts, trampolines, and a fully kitted-out playground.
The Big Five can also be viewed at Kwa Maritane on a specially arranged safari drive, or you can settle for a more laid back, traditional braai in the bush.
#2: Pumula Beach Resort, KZN South Coast
The Pumula Beach Hotel is based just an hour out of the port city of Durban in Kwa-Zulu Natal’s South Coast. This perfect family escape is fringed with indigenous coastal forest, and boasts incredible views of the warm Indian Ocean.
Guests will have access to a secure blue-flag beach at all times, and in peak season, the hotel’s holiday club offers a myriad of activities and amenities for kids, including adventure golf, pools, trampolines, tree-houses, Playstations, indoor games and a jungle gym. Babysitting facilities are also available, as is a supervised kiddies’ dining room if you and your significant other would like a quiet meal alone.
#1: Cathedral Peak Hotel, Drakensberg
Cathedral Peak Hotel in Kwa-Zulu Natal has a long history, having first been opened in 1939 by the Van der Riet family. Based within the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site, kids will love the horse rides, mountain biking and quad trails, adventure golf, playgrounds, heated pools and trampolines on offer. For adults, the resort has a top-rated golf course, three bars, and toasty wood fires in the winter. Babysitting services are also available!
