What to consider when booking a safari holiday with children
A safari is on most people’s bucket list, especially if you can take your children and give them this truly life changing experience.
Whilst Southern Africa is generally a super child friendly place not all of the safari lodges will welcome children. Whilst there are many that do it is also important to make sure that this is truly the case. Truly welcoming means more than just supplying family sized rooms and a high chair.
Whilst welcomed in some safari lodges it is important to check the age restrictions for some of the activities. Some of the lodges will offer activities for younger children based around the camp, such as bug collecting. This keeps your children occupied whilst you are free to enjoy a game drive.
In cases where the children are old enough to enjoy a game drive it is a good idea, even if not required by the camp to have a private vehicle and guide. This allows you to come back to the camp at your convenience and you don’t need to be concerned with impacting the peace and tranquility of your fellow travellers.
Children over the age of 12 are considered to be adults, however for some of the activities such as walking safaris the lodge may specify a minimum age of 15. It is worth noting that these restrictions don’t just apply therefore to really young children.
Being mindful of the standard of your lodge will have a huge impact on your holiday. The quality of the lodge and their position in the game reserve can have a huge impact on price.
South Africa has the most comprehensive choice of child friendly lodges, some of whom will also offer taster safaris so you can get your little ones used to it without the full on day of a conventional safari. Botswana and Zambia are both great locations but have more exclusive lodge options and tend to be more expensive. Their exclusivity means that many do not want to welcome children as a result.
One of the biggest questions about deciding your location is how you feel about private vs non-private game reserves. Many people often feel that they are not getting a ‘true’ safari experience in a private game reserve as even though it is such a huge place the animals are within a fenced area and so the guides can often guarantee their sightings. The opposite is the case for a non-private game reserve. When travelling with children however it is easier to hold their attention if they are able to spot more animals so this may sway your decision.
Whilst the Big 5 are common to most areas in Southern Africa, some regions have a greater focus on other animals. If there is something that you particularly wanted to see this could also influence your choice of location.
If you would like to twin your safari holiday with some beach time then distance is all important. Botswana and Mozambique are the classic match although South Africa can offer all the elements in one country.
To talk more about the safari experience that best suits your family give us a call on 0118 336 0363 or email us on info@littlepeoplebigadventures.com