Top 10 Safari Activities For Kids, Toddlers, Teens & Adults

Safari Activities For Kids, Toddlers, Teens & Adults

1. Game Drives & Guided Walks

This is old news… Both of these would be remiss of me if I omitted them. Most of you will spend your safari like this, anyway. Either a game drive vehicle or a trained guide can be used, depending on the availability, for this purpose.

Game Drives

Whether you’re on a shared excursion with other campers or have your own driver/guide in a private vehicle, game drives in open or closed (4×4) vehicles with pop-tops are a common component of most safaris.

Guided Walks

From most campgrounds and lodges, you may also arrange for guided walks when walking is permitted. As an activity alternative, most safaris offer armed (and licensed) morning walking tours, which typically last no more than a couple of hours. Caution: Some of the hikes that are provided are actually just nature treks that take place near the camp or even within.

Along with hiking routes, there are also camping routes. There has been some simplification of the real walking trail, which is going from camp to camp, in recent years. The safari now mostly includes a walking camp, where walking is the major activity (but game drives are still available). True walking trails are almost nonexistent. Laikipia and Loita Hills walking safaris in Kenya provide a little different take on the traditional experience. Here, local Maasai guides will accompany you across the vast savannah as a herd of camels or mules carries all of your camping stuff for the night.

2. Canoeing, Kayaking, Rafting & Mokoros

Any of these choices should be seriously considered by the daring among you. They all provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see wild animals. Float serenely downstream, following the channels and open water as you seek for wildlife, excellent birds, clear skies, and breathtaking sunsets. There must be something wonderful about this.

Canoeing:

Above the Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River, you can go on a canoe safari. However, the Lower Zambezi, situated below the Kariba dam, offers the most thrilling multi-day canoe safaris. It ranges from “do it yourself” (e.g., erecting your own tent and helping with meal prep) to “luxury camping” (e.g., setting up a huge tent with a waiter/cook and camp staff). I urge you to get over your fear of crocodiles and hippos before you participate in this thrilling adventure activity. There are very few incidents on canoe safaris because all of the guides have extensive experience on the river.

Kayaking and Rafting:

You may raft down the Kunene River in Namibia or kayak down the Orange River in South Africa—not quite the typical safari activities, but they are fun. You may experience world-class white-water rafting at the Victoria Falls.

Mokoros:

We must be in the Okavango Delta if this is a mokoro, a dugout canoe. Although you might see something similar in Chobe and maybe even in sections of Zambia or along the Zambezi, this is the only place where these traditional dugout canoes are used. An experienced “poler” who is familiar with the maze of channels is typically required to “pole” the mokoro along. Experience it firsthand.

3. Boating (Including Houseboats)

You can locate motor boats and opportunities for boating pretty much anywhere there’s water. Even though boats aren’t always reserved for getting people to and from camp, many safari companies provide the option to see wildlife up close and personal by water. The Okavango Delta, Selous GR, Lake Kariba, and the Zambezi River are just a few examples. You can see the landscape from a different angle, and you can usually get much closer to the animals than you would from a car or on foot.

Houseboats will also be included in this category. They provide a wonderful alternate means of lodging, enabling one to reside on the water and choose secluded spots to spend the night. Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and the Chobe River in northern Botswana are two of the greatest spots (and Namibia).

4. Balloon Safaris

Personally, I think safaris offer some of the most breathtaking settings for a hot air balloon flight. It’s a must-do for any safari adventurer. Fly through the sky in a hot air balloon over the expansive grasslands of the Serengeti or Masai Mara, or over the breathtaking Namibian sand dunes. And before long, across the verdant Okavango Delta!

5. Horseback Riding

The opportunity to approach some of Africa’s wildlife while mounted on a horse might be the pinnacle of excitement for serious or even occasional horseback riders. Finding a reputable equestrian safari company with trained horses and knowledgeable guides is a must if this is your idea of a fun vacation. In Botswana, the Okavango, in Kenya, Laikipia, the Chyulu Hills, and the Masai Mara, in South Africa, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Kruger, and the Cape region are all excellent places to travel. Several lodges in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania as well.

6. Microlight & Helicopter Flights

Safaris often include the use of small charter flights for transportation between camps or even between game reserves; for example, from Kenya’s Samburu to the Masai Mara, for example. Be sure to bring your camera on board because these flights provide an incredible aerial perspective of these areas. Use a polarising filter (if available) and a fast shutter speed (minimum 1/500). However, I highly suggest taking a microlight fly if the chance presents itself. Another option is to take a helicopter ride over Botswana’s Okavango Delta, which may be arranged in advance. Alternatively, you might plan a full helicopter tour of the Kenyan Great Rift valley. It was an exciting adventure and provided some breathtaking photo chances.

7. Quad Bikes & Mountain Biking

One could assume that neither of these would be appropriate for a safari. Totally incorrect! These are fantastic things to do on a safari! When you’re in the right place, riding a quad bike is an unforgettable adventure. To get a feel for the openness and solitude of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans, for instance, quad bikes are the way to go. As an additional game drive option, several of Namibia’s Kalahari game reserves include quad bike tracks. Additionally, quad bike experiences in the surrounding dunes can be arranged in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. You can go mountain biking in a handful of wildlife reserves, but you’ll likely need a ranger or guide with a firearm.

8. Field Guide & Wildlife Courses

A field guide’s course is something to think about if you have a strong interest in the wildlife and natural landscapes of Africa. Courses for both aspiring tour guides and tourists from other countries have recently been launched by a number of South African training institutions. Explore the African jungle and discover its incredible variety of wildlife. Additionally, the components of ecology and different ecosystems, as well as their effects and interactions within themselves.

You will gain knowledge and experience in the field via a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on activities. Even better, there are FGSA-approved courses that you may take to get a credential in your field. General bush skills training last between seven and fourteen days, whereas field guide courses last between two and six months. These are fantastic things to do on a safari. Also, some safari companies have yearly “guide training exercises” that frequent guests are invited to participate in at their lodge or camp.

9. Sound Safaris

Allow me to simply state the obvious. I can think of just one individual who has ever provided something so unusual. Safari companies, listen up! The South African trader in question is Derek Solomon of Kuyimba Trading. With the help of a parabolic microphone, Derek records and describes the various sounds made by the surrounding jungle as everyone in the van listens through headphones. What would it be like? A call comes in, and your guide turns the microphone to listen. A rasping cough, like that of a leopard. With your headphones on, the boosted sound seems as close as if it were right there with you.

Consider the alternative: you are sitting peacefully in the dark, taking in the spooky sounds of the night. Among the crickets and frogs, you attempt to identify the nightjar. Next thing you know, that happened. Absolutely fantastic and, without a doubt, the highlight of the safari.

10. Photo Workshops

Whether it’s with a simple phone camera or a state-of-the-art DSLR, everyone loves taking pictures on safari. Actually, everyone could use some assistance—except you, of course!). A photo workshop is the way to go if you want to improve your safari photography skills and capture more stunning wildlife shots. A professional photographer is usually on board for these trips, which can last anywhere from four days to two weeks. During these seminars, you can enhance your photography skills and receive practical assistance, all while enjoying the wonders of a safari.

There’s So Much More

Even though there are a lot of things to do on safari, most safari camps and lodges only have one or two activities offered. Location is the primary factor. While you are still in the planning stages, you should bring up the possibility of any of these with your Africa travel expert.

All I’ve done is list the safari activities that are accessible in this page. Neither the Victoria Falls sightseeing flights nor the show cruises off the islands of Zanzibar or Mozambique were part of my itinerary. Even while it’s possible to go birdwatching while on safari—during a game drive, a stroll, or any of the other activities—I neglected to include it in my itinerary. Indeed, I will not apologise for urging all of you travelling to Africa to engage in birdwatching—the study of our wonderful feathered friends.