Things to do in South Africa

Lelapa by Madikwe Safari Lodge: where kids enjoy their very own game drives

A lot of people are hesitant to take their children away because of malaria being a risk, whereas Madikwe is a malaria-free zone….

By Jarrod Cross

Head of Marketing for Madikwe Safari Lodge

Unlike many luxury lodges in South Africa who cater for adults and couples, Lelapa is very family-focused – in fact Lelapa means ‘family’. A lot of people are hesitant to take their children away because of malaria being a risk, whereas Madikwe Game Reserve is a malaria-free zone. Youngsters of all ages will love exploring the African bush and even kiddies younger than six have their very own little breakfast drives that are just an hour and the field guides are very attentive. There are also caretakers so the parents don’t have to worry because the kids are busy painting or playing games in the eco-house which is full of interesting objects like animal skulls that they can touch and feel.

Lelapa has a large pool area that entertains everyone from adults who want to relax to kids who can enjoy their own activities. Directly in front is a waterhole where we regularly get big animals coming down to drink so they don’t really need to leave the lodge to see the wildlife. Three or four times a day, large herds of elephant will come through. We’ve seen rhino, giraffe quite regularly and occasionally wild dog. Every now and then a lion will come down.

We pretty much assign a vehicle to each family so the game drives are kind of your own. You usually stop and have a nice coffee but we’ll also surprise guests by setting up pancake stands, breakfasts and such. There’s also a kiddies menu that’s a little bit healthier as a lot of that type of food tends to be fried. All our food is made at the lodge from scratch with a menu that changes regularly. For me, as an experience, the boma nights are great when you’re sitting all together, out in the open enjoying dinner by the campfire. There’s great steak and fish – my wife is vegetarian and she absolutely loves the food there as well.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

South Africa Family Safari
by Helen Austin

Length7 Days

Price range£3,095 - £3,295pp
Itinerary

The Blue Train and Big Five Safari
by Malcolm Holcroft

Length11 Days

Price range£5,075 - £5,750pp

Alfred & Jarrod Cross

With years of marketing experience under his belt for a roster of creative media agencies, Jarrod Cross is able to combine his love for South Africa’s wildlife and his passion for marketing as Head of Marketing at Madikwe Safari Lodge.

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.