At Pafuri Camp, in Kruger’s Makuleke concession, there is entertainment aplenty for kids. When children don’t join their parents on game drives, they enjoy their own activities with professional guides, learning basic survival skills, such as where to find water or what plants are good to eat. They are encouraged to collect and identify anything that is of interest to them – leaves, grasses, even dung! Back at camp, they can quiz each other (and unwary adults in the vicinity) and put objects up on the Special Interests chart in the lounge area.

There are also “themed” excursions, for example, taking a drive out into the veld to meet various trees and plants. There’s the option of a day picnic, where they stop under huge shady trees to catch a power nap during the heat of the day.

Cooking in the bush
Children are taught to make a fire, find a stick and use it to wrap their home-made stokbrood dough around, and then put it on the fire. Or roast marshmallows at the evening fire. Delish!

On the Baobab Picnic, they can climb a nearby baobab tree, with staff on hand to make sure of everyone’s safety. At the top they have a picnic, a box filled with treats, while overlooking the scenery.

The Mini Pafuri Chef Course is for youngsters with culinary interests. They are taught to make delicious fare to tea time as well as helping to prepare starters and desserts, and decorate the tables. They are given a chef’s hat and an apron to make it official!

Mini Guides
For the serious young wildlife enthusiast, there’s the three-day Mini Pafuri Guide Course, aimed at providing some in-depth knowledge of the bush. Kids learn to identify birds, trees, animal tracks and signs, stars, insects and even help out to clean and ready the game drive vehicle. They learn ancient folk tales and how to give a short talk about any animal of their choice. At the end of the course they are given a test and upon successful completion, they are issued with a certificate and a mammal or bird book.

There are also colouring-in books, teambuilding games, obstacle races and hat making, using all natural ingredients from around the camp.

If any of the children are working on special school projects, such as phases of the moon, a particular species, or photosynthesis, Pafuri guides are happy to help with information.

Being a family-friendly camp, all activities at Pafuri Camp combine family quality time with learning about our beautiful wild places.

© Photographs by Dana Alllen, courtesy of Wilderness Safaris