South Africa family holiday

The easiest long-haul family trip we know. Cape Town has a beach, a mountain, and a villa with a pool; the bush is a two-hour flight; the lodges have family suites and children's guides.

Malaria-free reserves make it work for very young children.

Where we go

Malaria-free reserves such as Madikwe and the Eastern Cape, which take children on game drives from a younger age, or a private house in the Sabi Sand with its own vehicle and guide. Cape Town for penguins, beaches and the cable car; the Garden Route for a self-drive with stops the children choose.

How the week runs

Shorter drives, a pool at every stop, and a guide who likes children. Cape Town gives three or four city days with a different outing each morning. The bush gives three or four nights where the day is built around the animals. A rented house in the winelands or on the coast is the pause in between.

Who it suits and when

Families with children of any age, including toddlers if the reserve is malaria-free. December and January suit the Cape in summer; the European Easter and summer holidays suit the bush in its dry season.