What to do with the kids – South Africa’s 7 best holiday places

From experience (none of it bitter) David Bristow, father of many, reveals his top seven places to get your children off your hands in holiday time, and make them appreciate you.

One for the wild things
Ever since I was a child, the Kruger National Park has been my most magical holiday place. A lot had to do with being brought up on the stories of Jock of the Bushveld and other African hunting tales. Kruger was where it had all happened. So I was somewhat amazed when I asked my three children which, of all their exotic holidays, had been the best. “Kruger,” they all agreed. Even my little pre-school boy thinks Kruger is tops. He’s been there only once, and calls it “Africa” (Cape Town being “South Africa”).

Depending on the ages of the children involved, you can choose to do Kruger as a touring holiday (my preference) starting down south at Crocodile Bridge or Lower Sabie, and working your way up to Punda Maria over about five days. You’ve got to plan snack breaks, breakfasts, brunch stops and other regular breaks to keep the young ones from killing each other. Also, besides the big animals that you’ll see, the driver needs to be attuned to what’s happening outside so you don’t miss the chance to see, for example, a family of dwarf mongooses foraging in a dry river bed next to the road, or a troop of baboons doing their normal circus act in a tree alongside.

Contact central reservations in Pretoria on 012-428-9111 or go to http://www.sanparks.org. We’ve published many features on Kruger; check out the destination on our website with all its linked articles.

You take the high road
I remember, when I was a schoolboy, how at the beginning of each new term we stood up and recounted ‘my holiday’ tales. The names Cathedral Peak, Giant’s Castle and Mont-aux-Sources seemed to be the magic spells of a far-off, fantasy land of mystery mountains and dragons. How come my parents never took us there? (It never occurred to me to ask.) The Drakensberg has remained my most cherished holiday destination all my adult life.

Luckily, some hotels have retained that ‘old Berg’ atmosphere, particularly Cavern Berg (036-438-6270), The Nest (036-468-1068) and Champagne Castle (036-468-1063). If you want to get really high on mountain air, though a little less comfortable (hey, we’re tough mountaineers!), Witzieshoek Mountain Resort (058-713-6361) or Sani Top Chalets (tel/fax 033-701-1064).

It’s a wild, wild world
Every South African knows all about the Wild Coast; mercifully, very few really do. That’s one reason this wild and wonderful coastline remains filled with the spirit and soul of old Africa. Nguni cattle ruminate on the beaches; pigs and goats patrol the potholed dirt roads; blanketed, red-faced women smoke long-stemmed corn-cob pipes; thatched, wattle-and-daub huts dot the rolling green hills; and the beaches ; and the hotels ! Morgan’s Bay, Seagulls and Trennerys, Wavecrest, Mazeppa Bay and Kob Inn Hole in the Wall, Coffee Bay, the Haven, Umngazi River Bungalows. And the camp sites – Dwesa, Hluleka, Cwebe; not to forget that backpacker’s nirvana Port St Johns.

Simply, Paradise. Book your ticket to holiday heaven, or a Wild Coast hiking trail (if you prefer the wild side, that is) through Wild Coast Reservations in East London 043-743-6181.

Orange river blues and greens
It’s summertime, and expectations are high. A boating trip down the Orange River offers you the most amazing family holiday coupled with high adventure. You can share a large inflatable boat or paddle two-person crafts through the heart of the rugged Richtersveld – every adventurer’s dream destination. Mostly it’s a relaxing, fun time, but every now and then the river throws up a challenge or two to test your outdoor skills. Then there’s sleeping out under the stars on the river bank each night. If you’re looking for some good bonding time, a river trip can’t be beat.

The river operators we know and can recommend are Gravity Adventure (021-683-3698), Wildthing Adventures (021-552-7753), River Adventures (011-803-9775), Felix Unite (021-425-5181) and River Rafters (021-975-9727).

Karoo farming
The Karoo is a big place, so you could easily get lost looking for needle-point farmhouses in this semi-arid haystack of a place. My favourite spots are around Nieu-Bethesda and Camdeboo in the Graaff-Reinet district (see Getaway December 2002, page 182).

Contact Graaff-Reinet Publicity Association on phone 049-892-4248, http://www.graaffreinet.com.

Living the sweet life
Score big Brownie points with your Hobbits: book them in to Sugar Bay, KwaZulu-Natal’s answer to American-style summer camp. It’s a ‘no parents’ world, where the youngsters make all their own decisions about what to do and what not, and the list of things to do is pretty impressive: from surfing and kayaking to art and, well, just hanging out.

The camp is based on gorgeous Zinkwazi Estuary on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast and generally the programme runs for two weeks. The only problem is that they are going to want to go back, and back again. It might sound expensive but work it out and it’s no more than you’d spend on just about any other child’s holiday, all inclusive.

Call 032-485-3778 or check out http://www.sugarbay.co.za.

And so, to the tropics
How are we Southern Africans spoilt for choice? Let me count the ways: the Cape Winelands, Kalahari, Drakensberg, Bushveld, Okavango – all less than one day’s travel away. And Mozambique. You cannot truly call yourself a Southern African adventurer if you’ve not yet been to the land of peri-peri prawns, Dois M beer and coconut trees. The choice of where to go and what to do is about as long as its 2 300-kilometre coastline. My favourite family spot, though, remains the southernmost, point of gold – Ponta do Ouro.

For more info call Scuba Centre in Joburg 011-234-1373 or 234-0917/8. Generally, for Mozambique, call Mozambique Connection in Joburg 011-803-4185.