Luxury African Safaris For Kids, Best Places to Stay/Visit & Tips
Luxury African Safaris For Kids provide an exceptional opportunity for children to engage with nature, gain knowledge about wildlife, and forge enduring memories. Numerous safari hotels and camps are explicitly built to be child-friendly, including customized activities, lodgings, and even childcare services. South Africa and Kenya are esteemed locales for family safaris, featuring well-organized parks and an array of child-appropriate activities.
A safari may not initially seem like the most suitable activity for a holiday with small children; nonetheless, it offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse them in nature, wildlife, and traditional African traditions. It is a retreat that is both engaging and informative for the youngest family members. Witnessing the astonished and captivated expressions on children’s faces as they uncover the mysteries of the African bush is an experience you will not want to forgo. Premier lodges and camps across Africa are recognizing the significance of providing safaris for children and are now introducing specialized junior ranger programs to enhance their enthusiasm and understanding through age-appropriate, secure guided activities. Here are our preferred child-friendly safari hotels for an African safari with children.
Luxury African Safaris For Kids
Luxury African safaris for children provide a distinctive and indelible family experience. Numerous lodges and camps expressly accommodate families with children, offering age-appropriate activities, excellent lodging, and an emphasis on conservation and education. Prominent destinations encompass Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and Botswana, offering a spectrum of experiences from traditional Big Five game drives to cultural engagements and wildlife conservation initiatives.
Based on my experience, the Luxury African safaris for families integrate exceptional wildlife access inside a conservation-oriented reserve, a private vehicle, a guide, and a tracker to establish a personalized itinerary, childcare services, and a variety of experience kinds. Preferably, seek malaria-free zones that are devoid of concern, or at a minimum, low-risk places. These are many premier destination for taking children on an African safari.
Luxury African Safari Destinations For Kids
We have dispatched families of various ages around Africa; nonetheless, certain countries always emerge as preferred destinations for family-oriented safaris. Examine the sections below, or discover additional safari ideas for children here.
What Age is Best for a Family Safari
There exists a belief that one must reach a specific age to appreciate and recall travel experiences. After more than a decade of facilitating African safaris for families, we can unequivocally dispel this notion. Safari is accessible to anyone, from toddlers to the elderly. The essential task is to develop an itinerary that caters to each life stage. Kabira Safaris’ family safari specialists meticulously attend to details, anticipating essential conveniences such as hotel arrangements, infant equipment, and suitable journey pace. There are excellent opportunities for embarking on a safari with adolescents.
Botswana Family Safaris
Botswana safaris, featuring elephants, lions, and meerkats, are an exceptional option for families, with numerous hotels offering specialised programming for youngsters. Children can acquire bush skills through skilled instruction, including basket weaving, wildlife tracking, and avian identification.
Selinda Explorers Camp elevates mobile safari experiences to an unprecedented standard. This exclusive yet opulent camp is ideal for families seeking an enchanting vacation in Botswana. Little Vumbura and Vumbura Plains serve as excellent bases of operation. Camp Kalahari is an exceptional location in the centre of the vast Kalahari, featuring a designated family suite and a perimeter fence surrounding the camp. Activities suitable for families encompass quad biking, horseback riding, bushman walks, and classic game drives.
Kenya Family Safaris
Kenya safaris are a fundamental component of our repertoire and are cherished by our founders and team.
We like Kenya’s private conservancy alternatives, which may tailor the traditional bush experience to your family’s requirements. In contrast to national parks, conservancies and privately-managed campgrounds and hotels do not adhere to fixed itineraries. Certain family members may engage in horseback riding one morning while the others rest, reconvening for lunch. Alternatively, you might favour a gaming drive, but just subsequent to the completion of the nap taken by the irritable individual. Your timetable, your decision. Activities encompass a wide range, including bush hikes, safari drives, local village visits, and spectacular helicopter flights.
We take pleasure in directing families to Kalepo Camp, a private, family-oriented, luxury tented camp. We especially appreciate Ol Malo Lodge and Lewa Wilderness, where the proprietors and managers are parents who reside on the premises with their families. Mara Nyika Camp provides two-bedroom family tents situated in a wooded valley elevated over a creek.
South African Family Safaris
A traditional South African safari is an ideal option for first-time visitors to Africa, particularly if you seek a malaria-free safari destination, as most parks here, save Kruger National Park, are devoid of malaria. The Big Five can be observed in private reserves ranging from the northern Kalahari Desert to the southern coastal regions. If your family desires ease, familiarity, and English-speaking encounters, South Africa is an excellent choice.
Our preferred family-oriented properties include Marataba Luxury Lodges, Singita Sabi Sands, and Phinda Homestead.
Zambia Family Safaris
Are your children enthusiastic about daring adventures? Zambia, known as “the original walking safari destination,” offers exceptional safaris suitable for families prepared to venture further, generally designed for children aged 10 and upwards.
We endorse Chinzombo in South Luangwa. The intimate camp comprises six suites, featuring a splendid family area equipped with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and ample family-oriented activities. The fauna in this region is abundant, offering numerous chances to observe elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, and leopards.
Zimbabwe Family Safaris
Abundant in natural marvels, Zimbabwe hosts five UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Mana Pools National Park and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. Undoubtedly, the resounding Victoria Falls is the highlight of every opulent Zimbabwe safari trip.
The Elephant Express might be a realisation of dreams for both children and adults. This dual-engine single tram through Hwange National Park is certain to enchant young train enthusiasts. The capacity to permit your children to traverse the train is an additional advantage for restless legs that require movement.
Somalisa Acacia accommodates guests of all ages, offering customised nature tours conducted by experienced child guides.
Tanzania Family Safaris
Tanzania is an exceptional destination for a family safari. For older children, it provides numerous opportunities, including trips to Maasai villages, the abundant wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti, as well as the coastal beaches of Zanzibar and Pemba Island. Singita Grumeti in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park provides a mini rangers program that instructs children on the skills required to guide in one of the world’s premier wildlife habitats. If you are intrigued by southern Tanzania, peruse this blog entry regarding a family safari expedition in the Selous.
How to Plan an African Safari With Kids
In travelling to Africa with children, we priorities camps over countries. We are aware of the safari resorts that provide the most exceptional childcare services, including babysitting. Some facilities include a playground equipped with games and activities, such as scavenger hunts and cookery courses, to engage children during intervals between game-viewing excursions. Kwandwe Ecca Lodge, located in South Africa, organizes treasure hunts around the reserve that include fundamental compass navigation instruction.
1. Choose camps over countries
We understand that immersing oneself in the tranquil environment of a rustic bush camp is unsuitable for an energetic child incessantly enquiring about the next activity every 15 minutes. Safaris suitable for children require child-focused amenities and activities. Swimming pools serve as an enjoyable fixture for expending energy and providing respite during noon heat. Playrooms, games, and supervised safari activities complement the intervals between game drives. Visits to adjacent communities provide cultural and social experiences, frequently culminating in an energetic football match. Travellers frequently appreciate the kindness exhibited by camp staff towards their children, facilitating trust in the carers and allowing them to relish a well-deserved respite.
2. Keep things private
…Such as privately led safaris. Exceptional guides are vital as they serve as travelling educators. Our selection of engaging guides may instruct your children in various age-appropriate activities, such as securely throwing spears, crafting bows and arrows, operating a vehicle, fishing on safari, collecting ancient stone artefacts, climbing hills or trees, and stalking zebras. Game viewing is frequently regarded as secondary to these unforgettable, interactive experiences. Private guides also introduce flexibility into an itinerary. Parents are alleviated from the pressure of scheduling their day around childless visitors. Morning game drives commence slightly later, as skilled guides can discern when children’s attention diminishes or when a period of irritability might be alleviated with a snack break.
3. Plan for flexibility
Who desires a strictly organised safari devoid of personal input, particularly since preferences would differ significantly based on age? We advise incorporating flexibility into your itinerary to ensure a well-paced journey that accommodates everyone’s requirements. Valuable advice: selecting a private conservancy allows for the customisation of nearly every facet of your journey. Additionally, decelerate it. Avoid relocating every two days. The longer your stay, the stronger your connection to the locale, and those around you will seem like family. Create a home-like atmosphere, particularly when residing in private villas such as Segera in Laikipia, Kenya, Mkombe’s House in Lamai, Tanzania, or Phinda Homestead in South Africa. Furthermore, who desires to engage in constant packing and unpacking?
