Q. I would like to take my 10-year-old on a South African safari in August 2010. Easily done, you may say, but here’s the “but”: I have only a total of £2,000 for both of us. Is a week feasible or should I forget it and go to Longleat instead? Michael Chaloner, Beaconsfield

A. It’s a tough challenge, but if you’re happy to do the driving from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park yourself, and stay in South African National Parks rest camps, then it’s just possible to keep within your budget.

Thousands of South Africans holiday in the park from Jo’burg, so the roads are good (it’s about a four-hour drive), and though the bungalows in the park camps are not luxurious, they are clean and tidy, and some have pools. It’s a bit chilly in August, but a great time to see the animals. And the camps are in superb game-viewing positions.

Rainbow Tours (020 7226 1004, rainbowtours.co.uk) can put together a seven-day trip for £1,995 for both of you, including Emirates flights from London to Jo’burg via Dubai and an intermediate-size hire car with zero-excess insurance.

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You’ll drive to Hazyview (just outside the Kruger area) and spend a night at the Rissington Inn (B&B included; rissington.co.za), then head into the park for two nights at the Satara rest camp, followed by three at Lower Sabie rest camp (www.krugerpark.co.za).

The trip price also includes the daily park-entry fee, but you’ll have to do your own catering inside the park: your rooms will have a kitchenette.

Or try Cedarberg (020 8755 7917, cedarberg-travel.com), Detour Africa (00 27 21 424 1115, detourafrica.co.za) or Wild Wings Safaris (0808 101 2268 toll-free from the UK 7am-4pm, wild-wings.co.za).