Marloth Park with kids
Children usually remember the zebra at the braai more than anything else. Here's what else to do with them, and how to keep everyone safe around the animals and in the heat.
For most children the animals at the house are the best part. Zebra, kudu, giraffe and warthog walk past the stoep, and bushbabies come out at night. Add a short morning in Kruger, a river lookout at sunset and the water park on Olifant Drive. Keep a few metres from every animal, don't hand-feed them, and stay indoors or in the pool through the midday heat in summer. Malaria is a risk in this part of Mpumalanga, so read our malaria page before you book, especially if you have children under five.
What children enjoy here
The garden comes first. Give the children a list of animals to tick off, a pair of binoculars and a torch for the evening, when bushbabies and genets come to the trees. Most animals walk through in the morning and late afternoon. Our wildlife guide helps with the names.
- Lionspruit is a drive in the car looking for lions, with picnic spots and bird hides. Children stay in the car while you drive. See Lionspruit.
- The river lookouts on Seekoei Street face Kruger. An hour before sunset is a good time to spot elephants and hippos across the water. See river viewing.
- Bushveld Atlantis, at 3883 Olifant Drive, has water slides, pools and a mini-golf course. It sells ice cream and slushies, and you can take your own picnic or eat at the Bush Centre next door. Opening days change, so check before you drive over.
- Henk van Rooyen Park on the river has a swimming pool, a tennis court and beach volleyball. Visitors who don't own property in Marloth pay R120,71 a person before VAT (2026/27 municipal tariff).
- The free guided bird walk on the first Saturday of the month suits older children who can walk quietly for a while. See our events page for the date.
Kruger with children
With young children, driving yourself is the easiest way to do Kruger. Go in when the gate opens, drive for three or four hours and you're back at the pool by lunch. Children aged 2 to 11 pay R70 a day from 1 November 2026 (South African rate), and under-2s go in free. See the Kruger fees page and our Kruger day trip guide.
Guided drives have age limits.
- SANParks drives from the rest camps don't take children under 6 years.
- Some operators that fetch you in Marloth have this rule: No children under 3; ages 4-5 on private bookings only.
Ask each operator about its age rule before you book. See game drives from Marloth Park.
Staying safe around the animals
The animals in Marloth Park are wild, even when they're standing at the stoep. A zebra can kick hard and a warthog has sharp tusks. Teach children to watch from a few metres away, never to walk up to an animal and never to get between a mother and her young.
- Don't hand-feed anything. Read the Marloth Park rules on feeding.
- Close doors and windows when you go out. Vervet monkeys and baboons come in through open ones to take food.
- After dark, children wear closed shoes and carry a torch outside, and nobody walks on the roads. Lions from Kruger occasionally come into Marloth Park.
- Check for ticks after walks in long grass.
- Save the emergency numbers on your phone on the first day. Our emergency page has them.
Heat
Summer in the Lowveld is hot, and young children feel it first. Plan the day around the cool hours, with animals and outings early and late and the pool and shade in the middle of the day. Pack hats, sunscreen and plenty of water every time you go out. Never leave a child or a pet in a parked car. Check the weather page for the days you're here.
Malaria
Marloth Park is in eastern Mpumalanga, one of the provinces where malaria is endemic. See a doctor or travel clinic before you come with children, and read our malaria page for the seasons, the risk and how to avoid bites.
Day trips with children
The Panorama Route is a long day in the car from Marloth Park, and that's hard on small children. Mozambique and Eswatini are closer, but the border queues can be long. See day trips from Marloth Park for distances and what to pack, including the passports and papers children need at a border.
