Things to do in South Africa

Kids on Safari at Shamwari Riverdene Family Lodge

We have a dedicated ‘Kids on Safari’ programme and each family has its own ranger and vehicle…

By Rozelle de Wet

Adventure Centre Leader and Guest Relations Officer at Shamwari Riverdene Family Lodge

As guest relations officer in charge of the Adventure Centre at Shamwari Riverdene Lodge, my role is to coordinate the activities for our younger guests. After all, if you have happy children, you have happy parents.

Riverdene Family Safari Lodge is in a malaria-free area and, being fenced, there is extra peace of mind for parents. Our accommodation is very family-friendly too. Most of the rooms interconnect so that there is plenty of space for all. Mealtimes are flexible so if the parents want to maintain a routine for their children this is not a problem.

My day starts with a visit to our Adventure Centre which is just a short walk from the lodge. We do a thorough check of all the equipment and ensure that everything has been cleaned before the children arrive. I love seeing the look on the children’s faces when they first enter the centre. They are amazed at how big it is and are soon climbing the rock wall, exploring the treehouse, losing themselves in the maze or learning how to zip line.

The highlight for many children is going on safari and we have a dedicated ‘Kids on Safari’ programme. Each family has its own ranger and vehicle. We give the children a safari backpack, complete with water bottle, compass and a book which they complete during their stay. We try and make it fun and educational so they may even get to collect dung samples! We will teach them some words in Xhosa and the collective nouns for the animals that they see.

When they return from their safari, I love hearing about what they have seen. Children have a unique way to look at the world and they help you to see and enjoy the smaller things in life. They always seem to teach me new things. The bond between our rangers and the families is very special to see and, on more than one occasion, I have found one of the rangers joining in with the children’s activities in the Adventure Centre.

Whilst children under the age of four are not permitted on the safari vehicles, we have plenty of activities to keep them busy including arts and crafts, hide and seek and pizza making. If the parents want to go on safari or have a meal on their own, we do have child-minders at the lodge.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

South Africa Family Adventure Self-Drive
by Helen Austin

Length13 Days

Price range£4,095 - £4,595pp

Alfred & Rozelle de Wet

With a BA in Sports, Health and Leisure Science and a BA Hons in Recreation Science, Rozelle is also a qualified adventure tour guide. For the past ten years she has looked after children on cruise ships and at recreation centres. Opening the Adventure Centre at Shamwari’s Riverdene Family Lodge in 2018 has been a highlight of her career. When she isn’t caring for children, Rozelle enjoys reading, travelling and spending time outdoors.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.