The Garden Route in South Africa is one of the most iconic drives in the world and most people visiting South Africa for the first time will include it in their South African family itinerary.
Most people also like to include a safari on their first visit to South Africa. If you want to do the same, here are the best places to go on safari on the Garden Route with kids.
We have also given a few suggestions of safari lodges near the Garden Route.
For the purpose of this post, when we talk about the start and the end of the Garden Route, we are assuming you are driving from Cape Town towards Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).
See here for all the best things to do on the Garden Route with kids and don’t miss our guide to hiking the Waterfall Trail in Tsitsikamma. It is stunning!
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Garden Route information
The Garden Route is a 180km (112 mile) coastal route in the Western Cape stretching from Mossel Bay to Storms River. Don’t miss the Stormsriver Suspension Bridge walk when passing by Storms River!
It is called the ‘Garden Route’ because of the ecological diversity you will encounter along the route. The area benefits from a fairly mild maritime climate which gives rise to forests and other vegetation such as fynbos which is native to the Western and Eastern Capes.
Along the way you will encounter beautiful scenery including sandy beaches, dramatic coastline and natural forests. There are also places to go on safari on the Garden Route.
The great thing about a Garden Route safari is that it fits very nicely into your Garden Route itinerary. There are no extra flights to catch. You also do not have to worry about malaria. The whole of the Western Cape is malaria free.
Even the game reserves in the Eastern Cape we have included are malaria free.
A safari along the Garden Route is a great first introduction to going on safari. If you love it, and I’m sure you will, you can take a look at our safaris for families section for more African safari inspiration.
The Garden Route is a very easy self-drive holiday but if you need help pulling together a full itinerary, we recommend Go2Africa who are experts in African travel. They are based in Cape Town and know Africa better than anyone.
Where to go on safari on the Garden Route
Whilst there are lots of places to go on safari in South Africa and indeed South Africa is one of the best places to go on safari with kids, there aren’t actually lots of game reserves on the Garden Route.
Well, not on the true Garden Route anyway.
Because of this we’ve included places to go on safari on the Garden Route and then safari lodges near the Garden Route to give you a wider choice.
These Garden Route safaris with kids are only an hour or two’s drive from the end of the Garden Route and should be considered in your itinerary.
Botlierskop Private Game Reserve
Botlierskop is at the start of the Garden Route near Mossel Bay. It is just a 10 minute drive once you leave the N2 at Klein Brak River.
They don’t have the Big 5 because they don’t have leopard but to be honest, it is very hard to spot leopard in any of the Western and Eastern Cape game reserves.
- Tented lodge – for kids age 6+
- The Village Lodge – all ages welcome but families with kids under 3 must book a private game drive or a babysitter.
- Bush Villas – all ages welcome but families with kids under 3 must book a private game drive or a babysitter.
You can also take a look at the prices to book on Booking.com.
They also accept day visitors if you don’t want to or don’t have the time to stay. Parents with children under 3 must book a private game drive.
Gondwana Private Game Reserve
Gondwana is a Big 5 private game reserve located around 25 minute drive north west of Mossel Bay.
This is our top pick for safari lodges on the Garden Route for families because it offers a Junior Range Programme for kids age 4+.
Kids aged under 3 are not permitted on Big 5 game drives but private vehicles can be booked (at an extra cost) for families with kids under 3. See here for the child policy at Gondwana.
Some of the accommodation don’t allow kids under 12 years old. These ones allow kids of all ages.
You can also take a look at the prices to book in Booking.com.
Plettenberg Game Reserve
Plettenberg Game Reserve is situated 30 minutes north of Plettenberg Bay and 1 hour drive from Storms River.
It offers 3 of the Big 5 (elephants, rhinos and leopards).
You can visit for the day and book a 2 hour game drive. This is the only option for families with younger kids because the accommodation for families at the Belle Balance Bush Hideout is for kids age 12+.
Where to go on safari near the Garden Route
There are also lots of game reserves near the Garden Route. Our favourite are:
Kariega Game Reserve
Kariega is a 2 hour drive from the end of the Garden Route and 90 minutes from Port Elizabeth airport.
We have actually been to Kariega twice because we enjoyed it so much. You can read our Kariega Game Reserve review.
It is a lovely setting between two rivers and near the coast. There are stunning views of the game reserve from the accommodation and dining area at Main Lodge.
They offer the Big 5 game drives and a range of accommodation but the most suitable for families is Main Lodge.
Take a look at the prices on Booking.com.
Shamwari Private Game Reserve
Shamwari is one of the most luxury places to go on safari near the Garden Route and one of the best safari lodges for families in South Africa. It is located just under 3 hours from Storms River and just under 1 hour to Port Elizabeth airport.
It is fantastic for kids as they have a dedicated kids’ club with lots of safari related activities as well as a large outdoor play area.
You can read more about kids on safari at Shamwari here. Kids under 4 are not permitted on game drives but there is babysitting available.
Their family accommodation is:
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Kwandwe is another exclusive game reserve near the Garden Route. It is around 3.5 hours from the end of the Garden Route making it the furthest to reach but it is still an excellent choice.
They maintain an exclusive feel by having the largest land area to guest ratio and they tailor safaris to suit families. You can read more about a family safari at Kwandwe here.
These are their family-friendly Garden Route safari lodges with no age restrictions:
- Ecca Lodge (see their prices Booking.com)
- Melton Manor (see their prices Booking.com)
- Uplands Homestead (see their prices Booking.com)
- The Fort (see their prices Booking.com)
Their Great Fish River Lodge is for children 12+ (see their prices Booking.com).
Addo Elephant National Park
Addo Elephant National Park is located around 2 hours from the end of the Garden Route and around 35 minutes from Port Elizabeth airport.
It is a National Park run by SanParks which means that you can do a self-drive safari. This is great if you want to do a budget safari. It also means there are no age restrictions.
As the name suggests, it is great for spotting elephants!
It is the only South African self-drive safari destination near the Garden Route. See here for our guide to self-drive safaris as well as our animal spotting tips.
If you don’t want to do a self-drive safari you can also book a guided safari.
They have several accommodation options for families. See here for Addo accommodation options.
Garden Route Game Lodge
The Garden Route Game Lodge is a Big 5 reserve located around 50km before Mossel Bay just before the start of the Garden Route.
You can actually reach this game reserve in 3.5 hours from Cape Town, making it possible to do it on a day trip from Cape Town.
Safari activities here are for kids aged between 6-12. You can read more about family safaris at the Garden Route Game Lodge here.
They offer a range of accommodation for famililes from a standard family rooms to luxury family suites with private plunge pool. See also on Booking.com.
You can also visit the Garden Route Game Lodge on a day visit and take a 2-3 hour game drive.
