Hi,

   As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, the thought of a sunny holiday can feel a long way off. Why not try South Africa or Mauritius for some winter sun. With an great climate and no jet lag, this could be an ideal destination for you and your family. This month, our friends at Bushbaby travel have written an article to showcase the delights of a Safari in South Africa with a young family.

Baby on Safari? Surely not! Travel to the malaria free parks and reserves in South Africa and it's more than possible, it's great.

Getting there

South Africa is an overnight flight away with little time difference to disrupt routines and your little traveler should sleep a fair portion of the journey too! Babies under a year old and certain weight are generally offered a bassinette cot which is attached to the internal aircraft wall in the bulkhead section. Seats for children under 2 do not have to be purchased unless you would like to free up some lap space.

Where to Start

It is a great idea to combine your actual safari visiting other wildlife-centred attractions in the Cape, such as the Penguins at Boulders Bay. Spier Village in the Winelands has a Cheetah Outreach Project as well as Eagle Encounters, a sanctuary for Birds of Prey, all set in spacious grounds. On the Garden Route, a 5 hour drive from the Cape, further excellent experiences can be found such as Monkeyland, where primates roam a woodland setting (backpacks for younger visitors provided) and Birds of Eden, the largest free-flight bird aviary in the world, set over a deep valley. Several Elephant sanctuaries also provide the change to learn more and touch these magnificent creatures.

Where to go

The malaria-free reserves are placed in two regions within South Africa. Firstly Eastern Cape which is a 3 hour drive on from the Garden Route and thus easy to combine with a holiday in this area and suggested for those looking to keep journey times to a minimum. Here you will find Addo Elephant National Park as well as a number of excellent private reserves such as Kwandwe and Lalibela. Alternatively, you can consider the North West Province, north of Johannesburg. Pilanesburg National Park is a 2 hour drive from the City whilst the journey to the Waterberg Region is 3 hours. Madikwe Game Reserve can be reached in about 4 hours by road or 1 hour by shuttle flight. Madikwe, on the border with Botswana, is ideal if you are prepared to go further off the beaten track (as perhaps you have been on safari before having children)

To read the full article where you read about places to stay as well as a sample itinery click here. Also add your own experiences if you have been on safari with young ones.

The Yes! Superbaby scarf and armband are designed to stimulate and entertain your baby whilst travelling.
Just add a comment about your experiences on an airline and you will be automatically entered to win a Yes! Superbaby scarf or armband. Click to find out more.

holidaywithbaby has 3 pairs of tickets to give away to the BabyShow at Earls court in London which is on between 19-21 October 2007. Just answer the question below and email your answer to competitions@holidaywithbaby.com

"Which famous car manufacturer is sponsoring the Earls Court baby show?"

For more information on the show click here

holidaywithbaby has teamed up with cottages4you where our users can benefit from a fantastic 5% discount on cottage breaks. Click here to find a cottage break for you and your family.

If you're looking for Lapland holidays, look no further! Lapland is where Christmas dreams come true. where you'll find Santa Claus and his trusty team of elves. Kids go free too! Click here for more details from COSMOS