Africa Wild

Is this the best place to put this thread, I wasn't sure

Anyway, how does this look for a plan for next February (2016). Myself, The Husband, large son and small son (will be 10 and 5).

Fly from the UK to Jo'burg, domestic flight to Durban (I know we could drive but it's a long, boring drive and The Husband hates driving the roads around Jo'burg, plus we will be in the airport already)
Spend a few days in Durban - do touristy, beach, Durban-y things (we've been to Cape Town the last 3 times we've been over and never been to Durban, also Durban strikes me as much more 'beachy')
Drive up the coast to St Lucia, spend a few days in/around St Lucia doing touristy, beach things
Drive up into Swaziland (my original plan was to spend one night here on the way to Kruger, but I wonder if we should try spend two instead?)
Kruger - 2 nights Pretoriuskop, 2 nights Satara, 2 nights Lower Sabie (chosen because they are all in different areas and have pools. Or should I lose a night in Kruger and spend an extra night in Swazi?)
Fly from the Kruger (again the drive is long and boring and would be a bit of an anticlimax for the end of the holiday) to Jo'burg and back to the UK

The husband can get 2 weeks off (so 16 days including the day we leave and the day we get back)

As you can see I haven't really given it much thought or anything

Lotsa beachy things

I would prefer the bushy things instead of Durban but each to their own

I'd fly in, spend a fortnight in the bush and then fly back to the UK if it were just me

Kids want to do beachy things though (we don't get warm oceans in the UK!).

If I lose some beach time we could go Hluhluwe or more time in Swazi or more time in Kruger.......

not easy to pleased to everybody

I think, it's hard for us to judge if you could squeeze in more bush time or not. Depends on how keen your kids are, I reckon.
If you can keep them happy with pools in the park and with spotting games, I'd definitely go for more time in a game park.

For spotting games, check this out - we got some cool game templates here:

https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=268&t=3025

It’s difficult to make everyone happy in a family

Durban definitely doesn’t have the beauty or the safety when it comes to the beach experience when compared with Cape Town; however there is probably more concentrated beach activity and warmer water.

I would consider Umhlanga Rocks or Ballito (30km & 50km north of Durban) as better and safer options.

St Lucia is cool, but Cape Vidal, just a little further north, is way better and has a reasonable “bush/beach” mix. (Plus the log cabins are on the beach)There are often leopard and Bushpig in the area and some of the best “rock pool” diving on the coast as an outer reef creates a protected area. (A mate of mine has spotted a leopard and cub on the beach in the early morning while walking to his fishing spot)

I wouldn’t look at Hluhluwe as Imfolozi is way better (Mpila camp, but no fence, so watch kids walking around after dark). Personally I would rather spend an extra day in Kruger.

Swaziland Maybe it’s because I have worked there on and off in the past, but it doesn’t get my attention as Kruger is to the north and northern KZN to the south and both better in my opinion. I would rather spend 1 night in Kruger than 5 in Swaziland.

As for KNP

I agree with Lower Sabie and Satara but not Pretoriuskop.

Have you been before , if you haven’t I would look at a few bush camps like Talamati and Biyamiti instead of Pretoriuskop. Alternatively Skukuza is better than Pretoriuskop when it comes to sightings.

I can offer unit advice once you have decided on the chosen camps

They're both very keen (they have been brainwashed from day one )

I'll have a think and see where we can lose a day or two..... might be nice to stay somewhere other than Kruger.......

It's so nice to talk to people who understand, my sister told me that we had 'done' Kruger (The Husband has only been once, 7 years ago) and 6 nights in a game park is far too long

Those games and lists look brilliant! I was going to make something but they are great. Thanks to whoever made them

Thanks Bushcraft

Possibly miss out Durban all together and just head up the coast.... we don't really go for night life or towns..... just wanted warm oceans and pretty beaches with lots of birds to spot.

Cape Vidal sounds like it might be what we were looking for, I'll look into it. I was looking last night a read something about turtles! Can you see turtles in Cape Vidal?

I've been to Kruger a couple of times as a kid, but that was a long time ago before I came to the UK (pre 1996), I went with The Husband, big son (when he was small) and some of my family in 2008, we stayed at Roodewaal, and didn't touch the south, we loved Olifants and Letaba area though so heading north might be a possibility as well.

We were wanting to avoid Skukuza because it looks/sounds so big...... we weren't sure if it would feel busy

Swazi was really just an idea to break up the drive from KwaZulu Natal to Kruger

Durban only for making the airplane land St. Lucia is great for at least 2/3 days and cape Vidal for a couple of days. I would have a look at Tempe. I do not know the KZN parks, for those you'll have to listen to Bushcraft. Swaziland is Toko territory and then of course Kruger. (Husband must get another week off!!!) Game viewing ....Lower Sabie (Which I do not like but for personal reasons like getting a terrible accommodation twice in a row , but it seems that they have been updating )
I do not know Satara and go to Skukuza only for the Panic Lake Bird Hide

By now you must be confused, Sammy

A stopover in Swaziland is a nice if you manage to book Hlane Ndlovu camp and arrive early enough to enjoy rhino watching from the chalet and then do the evening drive. Brst place in the world for rhino close up.

Tembe is not an option if you don't have time, you need 3 nights there.