Africa buffs answer the big questions about wildlife breaks with the younger generation
By Lydia Bell
Is it suitable to go on safari with kids?
Yes. “The great outdoors is the best classroom of all,” Chris Wain of Africa Travel says. If your children love nature and trips to the zoo, then going on safari in Africa will blow them away. As well as seeing the stars of The Lion King, they will spot animals from whales and meerkats to dolphins and elephants.”
It’s great for adults to have children around on safari – a bit like at Christmas. As Anita Powell (of Small World Marketing, a long-time safari goer with kids) says, “I have been fortunate to experience many safaris but seeing the bush through the eyes of my own children added a completely new dimension. There is nothing like the amazement on a child’s face when giraffes and zebras are so close that you can smell them.”
Being with children can bring out the child in us, too. As Dereck Joubert, CEO of Great Plains, says, "We can all remember the liberation, as kids, of having the freedom to be outside all day, making stuff from sticks, catching tadpoles and climbing trees. We were all explorers of some kind, and we still are.”
Also, it’s all set up. Kyle de Nobrega, Maun-based explorations specialist and pro-guide for Journeys By Design in Botswana, comments: “Africa is a continent for families. Logistics are easy and there are loads of options for stays and experiences.”
Last but by no means least, taking children on safari instils in them the significance of the natural world – and the need to protect it – and teaches them about conservation tourism as a force for good rather than destruction.
What’s the best age to bring kids on safari?
The jury’s out on this. On paper, there tends to be a minimum age of six. Most lodges tend to allow children from this age, though some may insist on a private vehicle (a good thing – you won’t have to worry about them disrupting others). Adriaan Erasmus, Group GM for Cheetah Ridge and The Homestead on Nambiti Reserve in South Africa suggests eight years and up as a good age. “Before that, they can’t always listen to or take instructions, plus you certainly want them to remember such an expensive holiday.” Henrietta Loyd, founder and director of Cazenove+Loyd, agrees with that. “They are long tiring days on safari, and it is an expensive holiday for the whole family not to benefit. I speak from experience having taken a five-year-old who did one game drive and then spent most of the time in the pool or playing with the manager’s dog.”
Other experts take the opposite view. “The notion that there’s a specific right age is a great misconception,” says Kyle de Nobrega. It’s not necessarily the memories you need, but what happens inside you that builds character and embeds a spirit that you’ll carry consciously or unconsciously for the rest of your life.
Lisa Johnson, a travel writer who’s tried different ages and stages of safari with children, points out, “If it’s a one-off, I will wait until secondary school when kids can fully process and learn from the experience. Being in such vast, wild environments can be profound and even life-changing for teenagers. Otherwise, it depends on how relaxed the family is being in the wild and entrusting their children’s safety to others – and whether a child can be quiet and sit still when told to. At five, my daughter loved interacting with our Maasai hosts: beading with the women, riding on the shoulders of our guide on a walking safari, holding a baby goat on a visit to a local village, and dancing with the Maasai in the firelight. By seven, she was wowed by the immensity of the landscape and the majesty of the big cats and delighted by the monkeys. Now 11, she is a huge Africa fan.”
Which are the best countries for family safaris?
The classic picks are the big five habitats, including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. It depends if it’s your first rodeo – South Africa is unanimously advised if so. “Not only does your budget go further,” comments Anita Powell, but often the game is more plentiful and relatively easy to spot, meaning no bumping around for hours. You can also easily combine it with Cape Town, the Winelands, and the coast.”
Cazenove+Loyd’s owners and destination experts vote for the “fabulous wildlife reserves, craggy mountains and powdery beaches” of South Africa, too.
Co-founder and Director of Mahlatini Luxury Africa Safaris Greg Fox agrees. He advises sticking to the Great Kruger Area, where “most private reserves have children’s programmes. Alternatively, South Africa’s Eastern Cape includes a few more budget options and is malaria-free.”
Chris Wain of Africa Travel advises the malaria-free spots. “In Namibia, there’s the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the world’s oldest desert, and the Etosha National Park, the country’s premier wildlife hotspot, whilst the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park offers Botswana’s only malaria-free safari experience. In South Africa, there’s the Eastern Cape, where the Shamwari, Amakhala, Kwandwe and Samara Private Game Reserves are all found, and the Western Cape, which plays host to the Sanbona, Aquila and Gondwana Game Reserves. In the north-west is the Madikwe Game Reserve, which has a number of superb family-friendly safari lodges.”
Wain has a few special mentions in South Africa. “The Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape leads the way with special family programmes and activities promoted at their Hlosi and Woodbury Lodges,” he says, “then the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, two hours outside Cape Town, is not traditional Big Five territory but has the Marine Five – with whales, sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals.”
For teenagers and second-timers, Kenya comes up trumps. Kyle de Norbrega suggests: “Kenya is extraordinary for older children in their teens. You can explore some extremely remote areas in the north and interact with tribes like the Samburu, an amazing way to show young minds the planet’s cultural diversity.”
Anita Powell seconds this: “I always think Kenya is perfect for second-timers. I love the human cultural element of Kenya. Meeting the tribes and learning about their lives is so fascinating for kids.” For third-timers, she says, “Zambia and the Lower Zambezi is unbeatable due to the variety of activities on offer. There’s fishing daily, walking safaris, canoeing, river lunches on a sandbar in the middle of the Zambezi – the game viewing is phenomenal whether from a boat or from land.”
Which are the best operators for a family safari?
The best operators know how to meld parents' wishes with what will work better for a family group that may encompass a huge age range, from grandparents to grandchildren.
Whilst a few operators specialise in the confluence of travel and families, such as Coral Tree Travel, there are some family operators that also do safari, such as Stubborn Mule (which does gorilla trekking in Rwanda, fly camping in wild Northern Kenya, and more).
But all the best safari operators are adept at curating family-centric safaris. These include the likes of Journeys by Design, Aardvark Safaris, Africa Travel, Green Safaris, Yellow Zebra Safaris, Expert Africa and The Explorations Company. Major lodge operators – also booked by the operators – include the likes of Great Plains, African Bush Camps, Wilderness, andBeyond, Natural Selection, Ultimate Safaris, and Asilia Africa. Most top lodge operators operate as ground handlers too, booking their private air and ground transfers.
What are the accommodation options for a family safari?
Built lodges or tented camps under canvas – though mobile tented camps and pop-up tents on walking safaris led by private guides and trackers are also gaining in popularity for the adventurous.
When choosing between lodges, Kyle de Nobrega suggests opting for those “that cater for families and have spacious family room setups, preferably with a pool, to enjoy those midday hours between activities.”
“There are also plenty of camps and lodges with interconnected family rooms,” says Alice Gully, owner of Aardvark Safaris.
Think about picky eaters. “Make sure the lodge has flexible dinner times and menus for children,” says Will Bolsover of Natural World Safaris. “A head’s up to the lodge on dietary or meal preferences for kids is very helpful for them.”
Lodges with open spaces where kids can run around freely without the constant threat of predators are a dream, and a lodge with a kids’ programme is ideal. Endless game drives don’t work for younger children who may see one elephant and then say: “Can we go now?” Walking, swimming in rock pools, sleep-outs under the stars, fly-camping, quad-biking, tracking on foot with a guide and breaking up the days works better than constant game drives. Most of the major players take families into account. Wilderness has planned programmes for six- to twelve-year-olds, with activities from treasure hunts and Masaai football to drumming and walking safaris. Great Plains offers the Young Explorers Programme at camps where specially trained guides teach younger guests about tracking wildlife, creating local dishes and African jewellery, basic survival in the wild skills and more. Ker & Downey has the Young Explorers Programme in Botswana – each family group is hosted by a specialist family guide with a specially-designed programme.
Are exclusive-use safaris with kids a good idea?
Private safari villas are on the rise for those for whom privacy and creature comforts are the focus. This means safari villas with their own guides, vehicles, chefs and sometimes spas. These will almost always be separate from, but associated with, a wider lodge. There’s also the possibility of exclusive-use booking of micro-camps. With these setups, it may be possible to flout the minimum age policy.
House in the Wild in Kenya was a pioneer, and Nomad’s Mkombe’s House in the Serengeti was designed for families with young children. Last Word Madikwe Bush House in the Madikwe Game Reserve is malaria-free and the former homestead with five rooms is ideal for a family or multi-generational takeover. The Bush House camp is fenced so children can roam freely (it also has an underground hide which steals up to the on-site waterhole!) Journeys by Design suggests Sirkoi cottage in the Laikipia or Laragai House.
Private safari villas are becoming ever more smart. Onduli Enclave encompasses three exclusive-use stilted suites in Nambia’s Damaraland – linked to Onduli Ridge, nearby. Singita Milele offers five private suites in Tanzania’s Grumeti Reserve, and Melote House in South Africa’s Lapalala Reserve is a magnificent new private option. “Private family safaris are also very possible in Zambia,” says Chris Wain. “Luangwa Safari House, Chongwe House and Tangala House all come fully loaded with private guides, staff and vehicles.”
Can safari teach kids about conservation?
The top lodges have amazing guides and trackers who know how to bring the experience alive for kids. Cottar’s 1920s Camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara has zoned in on kids with their “Budding Conservationist” project, which “trains” kids to be guides, teaming them up with patrollers, teaching them how to identify species and showing them the lodge-sponsored projects that benefit local communities.
How should I pack for kids on safari?
Refer to our comprehensive safari packing list. Beyond the essentials, pack light. Safari lodges tend not to wash underwear, but their laundry services are efficient. More than on any other holiday, safaris are a good time to take the materials for a scrapbook, as these are memories worth setting down. Anita Powell recommends walkie-talkies. “Normally the rooms will have phones in them, but sometimes, if it’s a bush camp, the rooms can be located quite separately, and it's useful for the kids to communicate...especially if they hear a lion roar late close to their room.” Chris Wain suggests “an old-fashioned species identification book – it’s always a winner with a pair of binoculars and basic camera bound to keep the young occupied.” He also advises taking gifts for local school children – “stationery, books, games, sporting equipment, discarded iPads and laptops will always be appreciated and will allow children to engage with their African peers in the local schools.”
Any more tips for taking children on safari?
A private vehicle is ideal for flexibility (and the freedom to behave in a relaxed manner). Lodges may also insist upon it.
If you want a malaria-free destination, refer to the NHS’s Fit For Travel web pages to check the malaria maps of each country. Malaria is a shifting scenario region by region so ask the lodge, rather than the operator, for advice, and take responsibility for your own decisions.
Adriaan Erasmus, Group GM for Cheetah Ridge and The Homestead on Nambiti Reserve in South Africa, suggests that longer stays in each destination with kids might be more relaxing rather than packing and moving every few days.
Nicky Coenen, Last Word Managing Director, says: “Encourage your children to watch a wildlife documentary or two or look through wildlife photography books so they can have a taste of what they will be seeing in person.”
But “limit their expectations”, too, suggests Chris Wain. “Children need to know that some species are harder to spot. Giraffes, zebras and springboks are easy, but lions, leopards and cheetahs are harder work.”
And finally, Maun-dwelling Kyle de Norbrega has some salient advice. “Travel with an open mind, and don’t be scared to show your kids, of any age, the place we all came from. These can be some of our children's most educational experiences.”
Read the original article on Condé Nast Traveller.
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