What Age Can Children Go On Safari?
A Child Friendly Safari is a great way to expose your kids to nature and wildlife without having to worry about the boredom they may experience on a regular safari tour. Family safaris are tailored to keep the excitement of being on a wildlife and birdlife-spotting safari alive and interactive for everyone. Getting true value out of your holiday investment means having an itinerary that will keep your kids alert and captivated throughout your family adventure. That's exactly what we can offer you. When customizing a family safari for kids, we know which activities are best to include and which to exclude in order to combine good wildlife sightings with keeping children interested and entertained.
What Age Can Children Go On Safari?
One of the most frequently asked question we receive from our guests traveling with small children, is “What age can children go on safari?” There are no hard and fast rules which apply across the board when it comes to taking your kids on safari, and we suggest you consider 2 things when deciding whether to take them with you; one, will they be safe in the environment; and two, what will they take away from the experience? Really, children of any age can join you on safari and enjoy an experience in the bush, as long as you choose the right lodge or safari camp. In our opinion, children over the age of 5 are better able to appreciate the big game safari experience as they can concentrate for longer periods of time, allowing them to enjoy what’s in sight and take in any interesting information a guide has to give.
Will they be safe on safari?
It is good to know that many lodges don’t accept children under the age of 6, although some even under 8, 10 or 12, and some don’t allow children at all. Other lodges and camps however – especially in areas where dangerous wildlife is present – will allow children of all ages, but don’t allow younger children on most game viewing activities and safari outings. This mainly has to do with safety, namely sound and movement on the game viewing vehicle when near dangerous game such as elephant or lion. Children over the age of 6 can more easily understand to remain still or quiet in such an environment and not escalate a hairy situation. Another thing to consider is swimming pools and open water which is often found at picturesque safari lodges. As safe as lodges and camps try and make their properties, one has to remember that this is wild Africa and accidents do happen. You need to make sure you choose a lodge or camp with appropriate facilities, so that you feel comfortable having your children around the camp.
What will they take away from a safari experience?
Safety, of course is of paramount importance, but we always advise parents considering a safari with young children to consider what their little ones will be able to take away from an African safari. Children younger than 6 normally have to remain in camp with a child-minder while the parents (and older children) go out on game drives or walking safaris. Depending on the child and your wishes, this may or may not be possible. While some camps and lodges aren’t very child friendly, there are special properties all over Africa which cater specially to families with children. These kinds of camps offer total flexibility, excellent facilities, equipment and activities which can often make or break a family holiday with little ones. Some of the best camps and lodges for families with children are often run by families with kids of their own. These owner-run camps often offer activities such as identifying bugs with a bush guide, learning about tracking different animals according to their spoor and even pizza making with the chef in the kitchen. When deciding what age children can go on safari, it’s all about choosing a camp that has good family friendly activities or is well equipped for kids. You can get in touch with our Africa travel experts for recommendations for camps with excellent children's programs that are educational and fun, in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Namibia.
The Best Multi-generational Family Safari Vacations
There is African safari. And then there is best African family safari, where everyone can create their own experience on a shared vacation. The African safari experience is too broad for a standard program. And a two-week vacation is too long for a family to be together 24-7, so we customize every element of the trip to individual needs. With a private family safari everything is possible and everyone is invited, including those who may not have thought it possible to travel in Africa. While there are destinations for every family set up, we’ve seen most joy in destinations that excite different mindsets. Some arrive in Africa singing Hakuna Matata wanting to find lions on pride rock. Others want to lounge in a private plunge pool, watching hippos in the river below. There are the adventurists among us, who want a vacation to be an expedition. And there are those who want to snooze beneath the sun, escaping the world as elephants drink by the pool on the best African family safaris.
Family African Safari Vacation Packages
Everyone is different. As we get older, some of us become more set in our ways and more restricted with what we can do. If a multi-generational family safari vacation can satisfy grandparents and grandchildren, then everyone else will be happy. Customized programs allow everyone to have their own space to play, their choice over what to do and what they want to experience. For Grandma that might be finding a comfortable spot overlooking animals at a waterhole. But it could also be searching for an incredibly rare sight or living out a longstanding dream. The best multi-generational safari vacations are able to mix these personal experiences with shared family experiences. This caters for differing tastes and energy levels. There is chance to spend time with those you don’t often spend time with; perhaps also change from routine and space away from those you spend too much time with. At the end of each day you reconvene around the campfire, elated and animated, eager to start conversation and share stories. This article gives you an idea of all the different activities you can include on the best multi-generational family safari vacations.
The Best African Family Safaris With Kids and Teens – Child-Friendly Holidays
The vacations you most remember are usually those where children are able to fully share in the experience. Grandpa may have the patience to spend ten hours a day bumping around in a Land cruiser, searching for a rare eagle owl. But children need more regular stimuli. Coming face to face with majestic giants will keep them occupied on the first days and at the first destination. New activities and landscapes help keep them entertained and excited. Teenagers learning bush skills with warrior guides; champagne picnics besides a hippo-filled lake; camping on the plains then opulent resorts visited by dozens of baboons. Certain camps run special programs for children and teenagers, giving you space to stop and relax, before a shared family activity later in the day. Other camps are ideal for large families doing everything together. Having so many options gives every family journey an ideal point to start the discovery. Read more about choosing accommodation for a family safari. Unfortunately not everything is possible when you’re traveling with children. Many activities have strict age limits, such as 15 for gorilla trekking and usually 12 for walking safaris.
The Best African Family Safaris With Adult Children
Africa is rarely something you take from the guidebook. The world’s lesser-understood and lesser-visited continent comes alive through its secrets and nuance. Yet many first-time safari programs for families read the same, based upon a few destinations and experiences. We think every safari should be designed as if it was for a return visitor. We want every safari experience to be tailored as if it was for a specialist, even if they have never set foot in Africa before. The drumbeat of galloping herds, bashful black rhinos returning your gaze, opening the curtains to wallowing hippos. Intimate and authentic, an African safari brings you thousands of impressions and interactions every single day. It’s a diverse and encompassing experience that should be different for every family. So why not get everyone in your family to consider where to go and what to do. We can tailor an itinerary that works for all interests and ideas.
Best African Family Safaris For Single Parents with Kids / Teens
Stand in the wilderness and take a breath. Inhale the clean air. Look out towards herds of antelope and zebra. Listen to the distant sound of an elephant’s trumpet. This is an alien place, far removed from the stresses and pressures of home. You feel grounded and connected, surrounded by the humbling beauty of nature. And when this happens it’s easy to forget about everything else, everything that exists beyond the animal-filled Savannah. African safari creates a blank canvas that allows interaction to thrive. Being surrounded by those on four legs is a great way to come together with loved ones on two legs. There’s space and freedom to be as a family. And as the wildlife of Africa testifies, every mammal family is different.
A Tailored Family Vacation
The best African Child Friendly safaris for single parents with kids are those that are flexible to your wishes and interests. There’s so much choice over where you go and what you do, making this a vacation when everyone involved can have their say. A sunrise game drive searching for prowling lions; an adventurous walk with bushmen; a camp that offers educational parent and child activities, such as learning to track spoor. You’re able to tailor a vacation that marries your children’s interests with the opportunity to spend uninterrupted time together. Go to a beach on vacation and usually there’s not enough to do; the children can get bored as it seems they are spending too much time with their parents. There’s so much going on in a city that you rarely have chance for genuine conversation. A safari finds a balance that may seem paradoxical. Everything is always changing, different wildlife and wild scenes meaning no two moments are the same. So it’s hard to get bored here. At the same time there’s a consistency you’re looking for: uninterrupted time with your kids.