If you want to take your family on an unforgettable adventure, complete with wild animals and exotic experiences, then consider booking a safari. Once exclusively the domain of the wealthy single male, safaris now come in many varieties, including ones which the whole family can enjoy. While not exactly cheap, these safari adventures do offer a lot of bang for the buck, and we’ve come up with a great list of family-friendly safaris to start your planning with:
Rhino Africa: If you’re looking for a bit of a luxury safari experience for the family, Rhino Africa has put together a list of their family and kid-friendly lodges available for your trip, which can save you some time, as there are plenty of safaris which only cater to adults. Because as they say, “We believe that kids should experience true adventure in the real world too.”
African Safari Consultants: From self-driven safaris to trips with multiple destinations and lodges, African Safaris has a number of different options for family-friendly adventures, and their philosophy is all about the rich experiences possible for kids and adults alike: “A family-friendly African Safari provides the ideal platform for families to bond and share “once in a lifetime” experiences. It is rich, not in neon-lit malls, but in wildlife, scenery, cultures and safe, adventurous fun for the whole family.”
Siyabona Africa: It’s not everyday that you can say, “We’re off to Botswana”, but if you want a diverse safari experience with the family, one of the family trips from Siyabona Africa may be the ticket. Their fly-in safaris explore both the waterways of the Okavango Delta and the dry interior of Savute, and include the classic game drives and bush walks as well as boating and other activities. And according to their site, “There are also opportunities for the kids to be active while the parents relax and enjoy the peace of Africa.” That alone might be worth the trip…
Kenya Intrepid Family Sojourn: Feeling intrepid? Then this might be the trip for you. According to the information from Go2Africa.com, the Family Sojourn will entertain your children as much as it will the adults, and educate them at the same time: “From feeding giraffe to making friends with Masai children; meeting chimpanzees and riding camels; the kids will love this family safari and they will also learn a great deal.”
Kabiza Wilderness Safari: If you choose a pre-packaged safari experience, you run the risk of finding out your kids are too young for some of the activities, but if you build your own safari with Kabiza, you can get a personalized tour experience which is created from the ground up with the kids in mind. “You create it and we will assist you in every manner with suggestions, input, travel times between parks and lodges that will be fun for the kids.”
Wild about Africa: From desert adventures in Namibia to camping in the wilderness in Zambia and Botswana to staying in lodges in Tanzania, Wild about Africa offers a wide variety of family-friendly safaris (although the minimum age is usually 10 to 12 years old).
Going on an African safari is a trip-of-a-lifetime, and there’s no need to wait until the kids are grown up to enjoy one, because yes, there is such a thing as a family-friendly safari. With a little bit of research and planning, you can choose a safari which will delight and entertain the kids as well as you.
[Image: coda]
