By Annie Garner, Safari Specialist for The Wild Source
At The Wild Source, we love planning safaris for families! There are many great options across the continent. Budding wildlife biologists can stay out all day with our big cat research team in Tanzania; adventurous families can hike and canoe between game drives; and families with busy schedules at home can reconnect over private dinners and relaxing together by the pool.
We are often asked what the best age is for taking children on safari. We say, you know your own family best – there is not one magic age when every child will be ready, or when they will remember a trip. Children will get different things out of a safari at different ages.
If you feel drawn to going on safari, we can customize a plan that will take into consideration the ages of the children and the desires of everyone in the family. We have planned safaris for kids of all ages – our youngest ever safari-goer was 10 months old, and some camps offer child discounts up to age 21! For younger children, easy wildlife viewing and family-friendly safari properties work perfectly – for families with older kids, consider special experiences like trekking to see chimpanzees or gorillas.
Below, some of our best tips for planning a family safari:
- Choose the right accommodations – We have favorites in all of the safari destinations. Some things we look for are family tents / rooms (many have 2 bathrooms and a living area to spread out in); flexible meal times; and fun and interactive guides. There are even safari properties that offer kids clubs or child-minding services so that the parents can have some solo time to relax. And pools are always a hit to get out extra energy between game drives!
- Book a private vehicle. This will give your family full flexibility to stop as you please (for wildlife sightings, or snacks!) and look for everyone’s favorite species without worrying about other travelers in the vehicle
- Bring gear for the kids. They love using binoculars and cameras, and it is a lot of fun to see the photos from their perspective. My children have CampSnap cameras, screen-free digital cameras – kind of like a reusable disposable camera.
- Slow down and embrace the small things. I love taking a family bush walk where the kids can learn about tracks, scat, plants and insects from the guide. One of my kids’ favorite sightings in Kenya’s Masai Mara was a stick bug that Ping spotted
- Travel with another family. This might be my number one favorite piece of advice for families! Traveling with another family is a lot of fun for everyone – the kids keep each other entertained so the adults are able to take breaks from parenting and connect with each other. A safari also works well for a multi-generational trip, and with larger groups there are opportunities to take camps on a private basis, or use special private houses.
Kick off your family adventure by exploring our sample itineraries or contact us to start planning your trip!