African Safari with a Toddler: What to Know and How to Plan

African Safari with a Toddler Packages

Kabira Safaris Africa offer specialized African safari packages designed for families with toddlers, featuring child-friendly lodges, private vehicles, flexible schedules, and age-appropriate activities. Top destinations include South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, which often feature malaria-free reserves and dedicated childcare options.

What you need to consider when talking A toddler on An African Safari

Taking young children on safari is a bit of a rarity, but it is possible. Stories of kids learning to crawl among bugs in the jungle or feeding the local vervet monkey are common in safari literature. That’s fine and good, but there are a lot of additional things to take into account:

• Many lodges and camps have age restrictions: The minimum age for participating in most safari activities is six, however for walking safaris and gorilla trekking, it is sixteen. Because of this, you will have to narrow your hotel options down to those that don’t impose an age minimum.
• Many lodges and camps are unfenced: Animals of many kinds, especially nocturnally active predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas, can freely roam an unfenced camp. If you want to make sure your young children are safe, you’ll need more than just an elephant fence at your lodge. This again imposes immediate limits on your lodging options.
• Malaria zones: Malaria zones should be avoided whenever possible, especially with very small infants who may not be able to take prophylactics. Think about getting yellow fever shots if you need them. Tsetse flies are still around in some areas, and their bites are very unpleasant.
• Travelling on small planes: Small children may experience discomfort in a light aircraft due to the lack of pressurization and the close quarters. As the day heats up, they are also more susceptible to the turbulence and thermals that rise with it, which can cause nausea and dizziness. It’s important to remember that you may have to drop off or pick up other visitors en route to your resort, especially in East Africa. This means that there will be repeated takeoffs and landings, which could be stressful for young children.
• Limited luggage allowances: The needs of infants and toddlers necessitate a plethora of ancillary items, such as strollers, diapers, bottles, extra clothing, and more. There is limited space for luggage on light aircraft, so pack as efficiently as possible.
• Restricted supplies: It is quite difficult to find newborn necessities in the bush, despite the fact that many lodges offer safari stores selling trinkets and occasionally basic amenities. You’ll need to bring enough of supplies in case of emergencies.
• Private game-drive vehicles: Private game-drive cars are often recommended, and in some cases required, by many lodges and camps for families traveling with young children. The benefit of this is that you can take the kids back to camp whenever they’ve had enough without disturbing the other visitors. It’s important to remember that private transportation is not cheap and that spectators are expected to be quiet and seated during sporting events. Guides who have young passengers are prohibited from getting too close to potential predators, especially when traveling in open cars. This means your opportunities to see the big cats, or any other elusive game like buffalo, may be severely limited. A baby’s cry, like many other high-pitched sounds, can distress many animals; it’s better that they don’t get curious and try to find out what’s making the noise.
• Dust, heat, restrooms and bumpy roads: Even though we think safari is fantastic, we have to acknowledge that it may be a bit of an uncomfortable experience in terms of temperature, dust, and road quality. Can you handle a cranky kid on a long car ride or change them if you don’t have a bathroom nearby?
• Kids’ clubs or babysitters: Few hotels and camping grounds offer comprehensive programs for kids. Not only is television presumably not going to be available, but the Wi-Fi connection probably won’t be powerful enough to stream their favorite shows, either.
• The safari schedule: You’ll be an adult now, so you may sleep in after a night of drinking and eating around the campfire in the boma rather than getting up for early morning game drives. At least six hours a day will be spent in the wild. Consider your kids’ ability to adjust to a new routine.
• Family units: Family or interleading rooms are in high demand during the high season, and they book up rapidly. Plan ahead to secure a suite suitable for the whole family.