When we first started planning a family holiday to St Lucia in KwaZulu Natal, I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what we would do. I found it incredibly difficult to find up to date information about the area online or details on what we could do with children. But then we discovered The Little Bush Baby Company, a husband-and-wife-run safari company, and their assistance transformed the entire tone of our trip.
The Little Bush Baby Company isn’t a big, polished tour operator. It’s not a corporate safari company with schedules and spreadsheets. It’s a small, personal, family-inspired business, run by two people who understand firsthand what travelling with kids really means (they have three of their own). Every tour, every itinerary, and every little detail feels carefully designed for families. From the very first email exchange, we felt the warmth and care that would define our entire experience.
More about St Lucia
St Lucia is a tiny coastal town nestled on the edge of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you’re used to the massive expanses of Kruger or the Cape’s famous coastlines, St Lucia feels delightfully intimate, less touristy and more remote. It’s a place where you can walk to the beach in ten minutes, grab an ice cream, and still be steps away from hippos wandering through town at night. Yes, this is a place where hippos actually walk through the streets. Virtually every night.
We arrived with our two princesses, a mix of excitement and nerves bubbling in equal measure (our 4-year-old being very uncertain about staying in a place that is also the domain of crocs and hippos). But upon her first encounter with a hippo ambling past the edge of the town’s main road just after sunset she was enthralled.
“Mom, in Africa animals don’t actually walk down our roads… unless you live in this place!” she exclaimed. But it also felt safe, accessible, and surprisingly manageable with young children, especially when guided by experts who know the rhythm of family travel.
More about The Little Bush Baby Company
Our first introduction to Katie from The Little Bush Baby Company was over email and WhatsApp where it instantly felt like I was communicating with an old friend. There was no hard sell, no pushy itinerary, just genuine conversation about what kind of experience we wanted for our kids. We explained our concerns, asked questions and got not just information about what tours they offered but also advice on where to eat, where to buy everything from meat to bananas, where to stay and all sorts of things we could do with our children during our stay.
Our actual adventure officially began with them on a full day drive in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park, the oldest proclaimed game reserve in Africa located around an hour from St Lucia. We had feared the usual long hours of monotony, but The Little Bush Baby’s approach was completely different. The drive was deliberately paced to accommodate our children, with a kiddie-friendly snack pack provided on arrival, frequent stops to look at tracks or other smaller creatures like snails and birds, a box of toys and tricks to keep the kids entertained when boredom began to set in, provided child-sized binoculars, a long lunchtime braai for everyone to spread their legs, and a guide (who is also the company co-owner) that wasn’t put off by the stream of endless questions. In fact, Ashley’s (our guide) enthusiasm was infectious, and I loved how he shared my ethos that in order for children to care about the natural world they need to be introduced to it from a young age.
His stories also appealed to both our kids and us adults alike. My kids were captivated, and honestly, so were we. And at no point did it feel rushed or formal, it felt like exploring with trusted friends who genuinely wanted us to experience the magic.
Nighttime adventures in St Lucia
Perhaps the most memorable part of our trip was the nighttime experience. With The Little Bush Baby’s guidance, we were able to see hippos in their natural environment safely. This was done on a gentle night drive through the town, stopping to hear the frogs chorusing from the reeds, watching bushbabies scurrying in the trees, and of course, the highlight, hippos quietly navigating the shadows.
Hippos spend most of the day submerged in water to keep cool and protect their sensitive skin from the sun. As night falls, they leave the water to graze on grasses and explore nearby areas, which is why you’ll often see them wandering along the streets or grazing on riverbanks after sunset. The kids of course were absolutely delighted to be out after dark, torches in hand, whispering excitedly as they spotted each massive shape. It was thrilling to see them so engaged, wide-eyed, pointing, and asking endless questions, without the worry or stress of a traditional night drive.
Attention to the little things
What sets The Little Bush Baby Company apart isn’t just the wildlife expertise or the family-friendly pacing, it’s the thoughtful attention to small details that can make or break a family safari. Snacks and drinks were always available, toys and surprises for the kids were thoughtfully provided, and every stop was planned with the kids in mind. Even the pacing of the drives accounted for the kid’s energy levels with short bursts of adventure interspersed with breaks for curiosity, learning, and rest. When our little one needed a bathroom break in the middle of the reserve, Ash calmly adapted the route. This is a company that understands the unpredictability of family travel.
What else to do in St Lucia
St Lucia offers a rare combination of beachside relaxation and wild adventure. After our drives, we spent mornings on the shoreline, spotting crabs and birds along the boardwalk. Ice cream stops were essential (a must for kids and parents alike), and the town’s small streets exuded a charm that larger tourist hubs can’t match. Here are some of our highlights:
– Ice-Creams at Ella’s Ice-Cream & Waffle Co: This is a must-do treat for families and the perfect way to slow down and soak in the town’s charm. The ice-creams are simply delicious but I’m still dreaming about their decadently delicious waffles.
– Snorkelling and rockpooling at Cape Vidal: Part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Cape Vidal has calm, clear waters ideal for little snorkellers. The kids loved spotting tiny fish, crabs, and colourful shells, while safely exploring the rock pools at low tide.
– Turtle Tours with Shakabarker: We joined a guided turtle tour to see nesting turtles along the beach. While we decided to go at it alone as the tour is quite long and at night, and unfortunately we didn’t see any turtles, this would be a good choice for families with older children as the night drive through the park is quite interesting (we saw rhinos, hippos and chameleons) while driving and walking along the beach in the dark provided an experience you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere.
– Hippo and boat cruise with Advantage Tours: This leisurely boat cruise along the estuary provided us with close-up views of hippos and a baby crocodile in their natural habitat. The kids were thrilled to see hippos from the water, a completely different perspective from the streets or boardwalks and the boat itself as double decker providing higher views but also a lovely safe shady area where the kids were free to move around safely. A bar and snacks on board were also much appreciated.
With so many accessible and engaging activities, St Lucia strikes a rare balance: it’s wild enough to feel like an adventure, yet manageable enough that families with young children can experience it all without stress. And with The Little Bush Baby’s local knowledge, every activity felt personalised, safe, and full of discovery. They provide a deeply personal experience that turns the complexity of family travel into something manageable, exciting, and unforgettable. And we felt profoundly grateful for having found a guide who treated our family as their own, who celebrated every sighting with genuine enthusiasm, and who made our holiday truly memorable.
We left St Lucia with our hearts full, our kids buzzing with stories, our cameras overflowing with memories, and some new friends!