If a family adventure is what you’re after, look no further than an African family safari. This blossoming bush trend has taken off, with numerous lodges across Africa catering to you and your clan’s every need. It’s all about adapting Africa’s wildest offerings to good old-fashioned family fun.
Family friendly lodges will have a well-planned itinerary that caters to parents and children alike. We have listed a couple of great family-friendly trips here. Activities vary from group fun to a relaxing outdoor dinner for mom and dad, while the children are entertained with the numerous activities in and around the lodge. Whatever your personal preference for a family vacation, there’s a safari for you.
When it comes to keeping the little ones amused, all the bases have been covered with an attention to detail that is second to none. If you want a more intimate family safari, there are personal guides, kiddies menus, private vehicles and personal villas. All family-friendly reserves offer childminders and babysitters for the little ones, as well as lodge and bush-based activities. Most family-focused camps will have a junior ranger and tracker program, which unlock the secrets of the African wilderness in a fun and manageable way for children, like Somalisa Camp in Zimbabwe.
Family safari activities include:
Lodge-based activities include:
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Sand art
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Face painting
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Beading
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Board games
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Cooking and baking with the lodge chefs
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Flower pressing
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Swimming
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Cosmic safari (stargazing)
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Wildlife shows
Bush Activities include:
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Mini ranger’s course with certificate of achievement
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Tracking
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Frogging
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Butterfly capture and release
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Bush survival techniques
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nature quizzes
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Kiddies safari drives
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Specialised kiddies’ walks ( bugs, bones and spore)
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Track moulding
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Traditional skills (fire making with sticks, etc.)
As a developing continent there are opportunities at most reserves for voluntourism. Many of the reserves and lodges are closely affiliated with community upliftment and development programs, should you wish to get involved. It’s all about giving back to the communities that make these life changing safari experiences possible. Why not volunteer to spend some time at the local school doing arts and crafts or playing a game of soccer.
With so much to keep everyone occupied in just a few short days in the bush, it can be a struggle to fit it all in. Planning is key to safari fun. It is worthwhile contacting your safari destination before you arrive to discuss which activities are offered. Each lodge will have different policies regarding age and activity when it comes to children in the wild, for this reason it is wise to investigate the details of your adventure before it is booked. Read more about taking your baby on safari here.
Going on safari is a bit like having kids – once you’ve been bitten by the safari bug, life will never quite be the same. So rally your kin, big and small, young and old, for an African experience your family will never forget.
