Kruger Park e Blyde River Canyon with 1 year baby
Replies: 2 - Last Post: Jan 28, 2013 8:04 AM Last Post By: clockworkorange
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Kruger Park e Blyde River Canyon with 1 year baby
Hi,I will be traveling around South Africa with my husband and my 1 year son in a few days.
I have a few doubts about the security of my son during this trip.
I hope you all can help me.
Well, we will arrive in Johannesburg and rent a car in order to visit Kruger Park and Blyde River Canyon. We will probably spend 3 days in Kruger Park. So here are my doubts:
1 - Should we stay in its bungalow or should we stay in Hezyview? If we stay in Hazview, do we lose too much of the park, since we can only enter after the gates are open (5:30 a.m)?
2- With regard to the Kruger's Game Drives, could the presence of young children scare the animals out and/or bring some sort of dangerous to the group?
3 - We will get back to Johannesburg at the end of the tripo. Should we go to the Blyde River Canyon before or after the Kruger Park? Is this Canyon dangerous to children at this age (under 2 years)? Is there any waterfall that we shouldn't go?
We will spend more 7 days in Cape Town and Garden Route. All sugestions and comments are welcome.
Thanks very much,
Ana Karina.
1
Firstly please read the news regarding the affect that the floods have had on the Kruger National Park: See: http://www.sanparks.org/about/news/default.php?id=55418Secondly, are you aware that Kruger is in a malaria area. I do not believe that you can give a child as young as yours any anti-malaria medication. After the recent floods I would expect (I am not a medical professional) an increase in the number of mosquitoes and hence a spike in the incidence of malaria.
I would by far prefer to stay inside the park. And if you do not yet have reservations, you should make bookings asap because accommodation availability might be restricted as a result of the floods.
I could be wrong but I think that children under the age of 12 are not welcome on game drives, because of the disturbance they could make that would firstly annoy other people on the drive, and secondly, the noise could upset the animals, and thirdly they could be considered prey by carnivores. The game drives are on open vehicles.
It makes no difference whether you go to Blyde River Canyon before or after the visit to Kruger. Any danger to the child that exists at the canyon depends on how well you are looking after the child. The same applies to waterfalls. If you go too close to the edge you could go over, and it is a long way down.
Good luck.
Enjoy.
