As
a parent, you may be looking to introduce your children to the splendor
of African wildebeests; the bush camps are a great option for your kids
to learn the life cycle of animals on the planet, the hierarchy of
predation and the wonderful ways of animal survival in the African
habitat. So booking family safaris in Africa could be the best decision
you ever make to spend a quality vacation with your kids. But you need
some serious thinking before taking children on safari as they may grow
impatient of game drives or fall sick during safari tour, getting you
nowhere.
African
safaris have the best record of making family friendly vacations. It
involves many kids-friendly spots where parents and children alike enjoy
staying in lodges or tents, sleeping hearing the sounds of African
wildebeests, walking through the Savannah, swamp or bush and taking
horseback riding or boat riding safari. Family safaris are all about
sharing an African Safari experience
that would create ever lasting memories for families and would often
allow them to shape up the character of their children too. For kids,
these safaris are undoubtedly the most educative sessions in the world,
bringing the awesome nature to their real lives with perfectly knowledgeable tour guides
and interactive exhibits. They are a lifetime opportunity for parents
to share an African adventure together with their young kids.
Involving your children in Safari and introducing them to the magical bush and the wonderful wildlife of Africa they have watched on TV is a great idea. A Family Friendly Safaris In South Africa
can bring your family a lot of adventure and fun but it also requires
you to do careful thinking and planning for the comfort of your kids.
Below are given ten top tips for children in safari that would ensure
your family maximum enjoyment.
Mount Zion Tours’ top 10 tips for children in Safari
1. Know the interest and choice of your children – Your children in safari will behave in no different way than they are on any other vacation. What kind of family holidays do they enjoy? Adventurous or relaxing? Lots of fun activities ( walking, boating
or horse-riding) or spending time alone in a calm environment? Do they
like to interact with other children or want to be always with you? Do
they love watching wild animals and traveling great distances for it?
All these things are crucial information that will help you choose the
right kind of family safari.
2. See how fast they can adapt to a safari schedule – A
safari tour for a few days can be the perfect option for making your
kids get organized in life and get settled temporarily in a new
environment. Some children are silent in nature and can fast adapt into
the schedule of early morning and evening game drives mixed with other
leisure activities. But more active and noise making children can hardly
bear it.
3. If planning for a long safari with children: Stay where various entertaining activities are available
– For impatient children on long safaris, it is ideal to stay somewhere
where the kids can get engaged in various engaging activities like game
drives, horse riding, boating, poo tracking and more.
4. Consider how long the children can withstand the pressure of Safari
– The truth is that children as young as 3 to 4 years old may end up
getting hungry or tired soon. They are less likely to cope with a 3-4
hours long game drive. So, its better to plan your family safari with 6
to 9 years old or seek out a lodge for very young kids especially since
you want them to be part of a safari. You can even book a private
vehicle to come back once your small kids start to feel hungry or
sleepy.
5. Let them be adventurous: Try outdoor camps or tents – Your children should learn to be brave and adventurous. So,
go for either a luxury tent or fly safari camping which will expose
them to outdoor and make them connect with nature and wildlife rather
than putting them in a large safari lodge.
6. Check out sleeping facility for kids in the camp
– Not all family safari camps allow the kids to sleep with their
parents. If your child is too young, choose for large family tents
having sleeping arrangement for a family of four together. If there is a
large family group, privately managed safari houses can be rented
within the parks for comfortable sleep of all the children.
7. Don’t pick up a lodge with the children’s activities only – Many
safari camps and lodges highlight their children-friendly activities,
but have a look at their services carefully. Most of them have
compulsory baby-sitting services so that parents can head to game drives
themselves. In real, you need a safari experience to make your child
learn the lesson of animal life in the company of a good guide who can
deal with children properly.
8. Know special discounts offered for children in camps – Some of the African safari camps
charge as much as 75% of the adult price for a child below 12 years
while others charge only 25% of it. So, it is necessary to know which of
them offers the best pricing for children to reduce your safari cost a
bit. If you are a family of four or even more, private safari house or
higher end camp rentals will be more economic due to per person charge.
9. Binoculars and cameras should be carried along with you – Make
sure to carry at least a single pair of binoculars to let your children
view the game drive and landscape from a great distance. You also need
to take a camera to capture the special and memorable moments your kids
spending in the safari.
10. Your children should go to the bathroom just before going on the game drive – Often,
it won’t be possible for you to get off the vehicle and take your
children for toilet. So, take them to toilet just before you board on
the game drive vehicle.
Mount Zion Tours and Travels
has the best family safari solution for fun and enjoyment of families
with their children – A safe and affordable mobile African camping
safari, where your children can learn the best lessons in their life.
Call us at +27(11) 492 1740 for an enquiry today!For more information you can stay connected with us on our facebook ,twitter ,and google+ pages .