22 Dec 2026
Twin share
£2,045pp
Escorted tour
South Africa Family Safari with Teenagers – 12 Days
Game drives, kayaking, cycling, camping and a village homestay for families with teenagers.
12 days
From £1,895
Tour overview
This 12-day family adventure is designed for parents travelling with teenagers aged ten and over, combining game drives in three parks with kayaking, cycling, camping and a village homestay. A tour leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than sixteen, and you travel by overland truck, with open 4×4 vehicles for game drives. You stay eleven nights in a mix of participatory camping, log chalets, a lantern-lit camp and a homestay. Most meals are included: eleven breakfasts, seven lunches and nine dinners.
Your trip begins in Johannesburg with a cycle tour of Soweto, through Meadowlands to the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela once lived. You then head into KwaZulu-Natal to camp near Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the oldest proclaimed game reserve in South Africa, for a day in an open safari vehicle looking for the Big Five and the world's largest population of white rhinos.
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At Kosi Bay, between jungle and coral reef, you stay in log chalets and kayak through mangroves to see the traditional Tsonga fish traps, with the chance to snorkel. In Eswatini, Hlane National Park, once a royal hunting ground, has a camp lit only by lanterns, a floodlit waterhole and a sunset game drive in search of wildebeest, zebra and the white-backed vultures that nest here in record numbers.
Back in South Africa, two nights in the Kruger bring an arrival game drive and a full day in a 4×4 looking for the Big Five and wild dogs. You are then welcomed by a local family in Phiring village for a homestay, with the chance to join in cooking, dancing or a walk in the hills, before a final night at the Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world, with the Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes.
The physical rating is medium, and camping is participatory, so everyone helps to set up tents and prepare meals. This trip suits active families who want a real adventure together.
Trip highlights
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A Soweto cycle tour (Day 1)
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Hluhluwe-iMfolozi game drives (Day 3)
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Kayaking at Kosi Bay (Day 5)
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A sunset drive in Hlane, Eswatini (Day 7)
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A full day in the Kruger (Day 9)
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A homestay in Phiring village (Day 10)
Your route
8 stops from Johannesburg to Johannesburg
- Johannesburg Day 1
- Bonamanzi Game Reserve Days 2–3
- Kosi Bay Days 4–5
- Hlane Royal National Park Days 6–7
- Skukuza Days 8–9
- Phiring Village Day 10
- Blyde River Canyon Day 11
- Johannesburg Day 12
Why choose this tour
A real family adventure, designed for teenagers. Three parks, two countries and a village homestay.
Best suited to
- Families with teenagers aged 10 and over
- Active travellers
- Wildlife lovers
- Families who enjoy camping
Day-by-day itinerary
12 days from Johannesburg, South Africa to Johannesburg, South Africa
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Day 1 · Johannesburg, Soweto Johannesburg
A Soweto cycle tour.
- Hotel
- Indaba Hotel
-
Day 2 · KwaZulu-Natal Hluhluwe
Into Zululand.
- Hotel
- Bonamanzi Game Reserve
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 3 · Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park Hluhluwe-iMfolozi
A day of game drives.
- Hotel
- Bonamanzi Game Reserve
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 4 · Kosi Bay Kosi Bay
To the coast.
- Hotel
- Kosi Bay Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 5 · Kosi Bay Kosi Bay
Kayaking among fish traps.
- Hotel
- Kosi Bay Lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 6 · Hlane National Park Hlane
Into Eswatini.
- Hotel
- Ndlovu Camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 7 · Hlane National Park Hlane
A sunset game drive.
- Hotel
- Ndlovu Camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 8 · Kruger National Park Kruger
An arrival game drive.
- Hotel
- Skukuza campsite
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 9 · Kruger National Park Kruger
A full day in a 4x4.
- Hotel
- Skukuza campsite
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 10 · Phiring village Phiring
A village homestay.
- Hotel
- Phiring homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 11 · Three Rondavels, Bourke's Luck Potholes Blyde River Canyon
A great canyon.
- Hotel
- Forever Resorts Blyde River Canyon
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 12 · Johannesburg Johannesburg
The trip ends at the airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Johannesburg (1 night) Indaba Hotel
- Hluhluwe (2 nights) Bonamanzi Game Reserve (camping)
- Kosi Bay (2 nights) Kosi Bay Lodge
- Hlane, Eswatini (2 nights) Ndlovu Camp
- Kruger (2 nights) Skukuza campsite
- Phiring (1 night) Phiring homestay
- Blyde River Canyon (1 night) Forever Resorts Blyde River Canyon
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 11 nights in camps, chalets and a homestay
- Meals 11 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 9 dinners
- Overland truck and 4x4 safari vehicles
- Soweto cycle tour
- Game drives in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, Hlane and the Kruger
- Kosi Bay kayaking and the Phiring homestay
- Camping equipment and a tour leader
Not included
- Flights
- Meals not included 3 lunches and 2 dinners
- Sleeping bag (available to hire)
- Optional activities
- Visas, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want hotels throughout
- You have children under 10
- You don't want to help around camp
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–12 · Lunch: Days 2–7 and 10 · Dinner: Days 2–10
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £1,895 per person, twin share, tour only. 42 upcoming departures.
03 Jan 2027
Twin share
£1,895pp
28 Mar 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
04 Apr 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
11 Apr 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
27 Jun 2027
Twin share
£2,040pp
30 Jun 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
01 Jul 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
03 Jul 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
05 Jul 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
22 Jul 2027
Twin share
£2,120pp
25 Jul 2027
Twin share
£2,195pp
29 Jul 2027
Twin share
£2,075pp
01 Aug 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
05 Aug 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
12 Aug 2027
Twin share
£2,080pp
19 Sep 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
24 Sep 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
26 Sep 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
22 Oct 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
23 Dec 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
30 Dec 2027
Twin share
£1,995pp
02 Jan 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
02 Apr 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
09 Apr 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
25 Jun 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
29 Jun 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
01 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
03 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
08 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
23 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,180pp
27 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,180pp
30 Jul 2028
Twin share
£2,180pp
03 Aug 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
10 Aug 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
13 Aug 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
22 Sep 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
24 Sep 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
29 Sep 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
01 Oct 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
21 Dec 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
28 Dec 2028
Twin share
£2,095pp
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
What ages is this trip for?
Families with children aged 10 and over, designed with teenagers in mind.
What is participatory camping?
Everyone helps to put up tents and with meal preparation and cleaning. Tents and mattresses are supplied.
Do I need a sleeping bag?
Yes, bring one or hire one locally. Pillows and towels aren't provided when camping.
Do children need special documents?
South Africa may ask for unabridged birth certificates and consent letters. Check the latest advice before travel.
When should flights home depart?
The trip ends at the airport between 2pm and 4pm; book flights after 8pm.
Who leads the trip?
A tour leader travels with the group.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary