Family safaris can be as pleasant or as nail-biting as the choice of lodge you make. When travelling into the wilderness with children, it’s crucial to select a family-friendly lodge where carefully planned and well supervised activities will keep your young ones safe and suitably entertained. One of the things that makes a safari enjoyable for children, is to keep it hands-on, encouraging children’s safe participation in the environment.
Here are a few tips that have emerged from tried and tested family safaris:
* Introduce animal- or object-spotting competitions
* Equip children with their own binocs or cameras
* Allow as much hands-on experience as possible, such as handling leaves, bark, pods where possible
* Slow things down enough for children to learn: point out tracks, nests, dens etc.
* Provide for regular toilet breaks
* Keep drives short, if these are permitted
* Keep water and snacks on hand
* Make sure young ones are comfortably dressed and always take something warm to add
South Africa’s safari sector is abrim with lodges that answer to the needs of the family market. Several lodges in the luxury bracket welcome the younger set and cater superbly to children’s specific needs.
Mail our Getaway Consultants for more information about family-friendly safari lodges, or call us on 0860 102 907 (local) or +27 21 797-7122 (international).
