Kruger National Park, one of biggest game reserves in Africa, extends across the two provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Kruger is home to lions, elephant, cape buffalo, leopard, black rhinocerous, giraffes, hippos, wildebeests, cheetahs, zebras.

The reserve is huge, it encompasses over 7,000 square acres, and there's no shortage of full-service family lodges proximate to the park. Depending on the ages of your children, choose to do guided safari drives (arranged by your lodge) or self-drive excursions. Only children over the age of six are allowed on guided safari drives in the park.

If you're doing a self-drive excursion, it's a good idea to purchase the most juvenile map and guidebook of the park in advance, and have kids help plan your tour of the park. The animal sighting tips given on the map (certain watering holes, bridges, etc.) are proven sights. Go early in the morning or late afternoon, for the most animal activity.

In addition to keeping an eye out for creatures, have the kids look out for animal dung, animal tracks and other cars stopped with binoculars pointed in a certain direction - likely an animal or herd. Keep in mind, once in the park, there are no restrooms or food between rest camps. And getting out of the car is not usually allowed, so be sure to have food and drink and plan your bathroom breaks.

While game lodges cannot accommodate small kids on formal drives, many of the lodges will create a mini on-site safari trek near the lodge. Or, you can create one for your kids. Just staying in a safari camp is adventure in itself with plenty to see all around the lodges, from tortoises and beetles to antelope and wild dogs in the distance.

Tip: Before going to Kruger National Park, be sure to get advice on malaria. In summer malaria is typically a problem, and kids may need to take malaria pills.