FAMILY-FRIENDLY SAFARIS
OUR TOP PLANNING TIPS
Travelling through Africa will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life. There is no place quite as magical, diverse or interesting.
If you’re in search of your next family holiday, Africa should be at the top of your list – going on safari as a family and that moment your little one sees their first elephant or lion or giraffe in the wild is something incredibly special.
Here are five important tips or planning your first or next family-friendly safari in Africa.
1. Choose Your Destinations Wisely
Africa is full of magical and enchanting destinations but consider the countries in Africa that have family-friendly safari experiences. South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya have welcomed family or groups of travellers for many years. This means the lodges, safari activities and experiences are equipped for younger and older travellers. Many lodges and camps gear themselves towards hosting families and offer fantastic educational bush camping programmes for the little ones, to introduce them to the importance of African wildlife and conservation.
If you do have younger children, it is best to avoid malarial areas. Luckily, there are a number of malaria-free safari destinations such as South Africa, Namibia and the Indian Ocean Islands.
2. Be Mindful of the Peak Season
Family trips can add up in cost quite quickly, so if you’re looking to save some money it is worth considering travelling with your family outside of the peak season. Safari peak season in Africa is usually between June and October. This is excepting South Africa, where peak season is middle of December to middle of January. Luckily, the best game viewing in the Kruger National Park, Madikwe and KwaZulu Natal takes place during the low season of May to October. Which is a win-win – less strain on the budget and great Big Five sightings.
3. Don’t Go It Alone
We try to keep the self-promotion to a minimum but sometimes there is a time and a place (this being the time and the place). As we’ve mentioned before, planning a trip to Africa can be complicated; throw ‘family-friendly’ into the mix and you add even more variables to the safari planning equation. Using a tour-operator to help plan your safari is a great way to ensure hassle-free planning, navigate the logistics of creating a family-friendly safari, and allow you to have peace-of-mind and on-the-ground support throughout your trip. I.e. It allows for family-fun, stress-free parents and happy little ones – sounds too good to be true but it’s not! It also helps minimise that dent in the wallet – tour operators can negotiate lower prices across the board, from hotels to safari lodges to car hire.
4. Don’t Forget About the Children
If we are planning your family safari, we always make sure the lodges are children-friendly. It’s worth finding out beforehand what special children safari programmes the lodge has in place. Some lodges offer separate game drives for children. Try to clarify this before your arrival – it’s great for preventing any separation anxiety! Of course, you can always opt for 4×4 hire or car rental and go down the family road trip route.
5. Don’t Forget About Yourself
Of course, there’s nothing quite like taking your children on their first safari. However, it is likely to result in sensory overload (they will shout out every single animal they spot) and you needing a break from your break. Luckily, Africa saves the day with its beautiful tropical islands like the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Mauritius. The lure of cocktails, white sand beaches and azure waters is enough to convince anyone to combine beach with bush. Not to mention, most beach resorts also offer babysitting and children programmes so you can indulge in that second (or third) margarita.
Looking for Vacation Inspiration?
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