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Original poster

To consider spending a LOT of money on a safari holiday ...

132 replies

lilybetsy · 30/08/2017 21:35

My three kids will be 19, 16 and 13 next Summer, I am a single parent and really thinking this is likley to be the last oppportunity for us to go away as a family together,

It's a 3 weeks trip, very nice, and pretty expensive. But amazing. Will see stuff and do stuff together that we will always remember,

What are memories worth ? Is it worth the debt it will be for me ( but I can manage) .... I can't make my mind up ...

OP posts:
solittletime · 02/09/2017 08:22

I wouldn't do 3 weeks of just safari though... are you planning other trips as well? 4 days would be my maximum, I'd find game drives get quite tiring after that.
Why not just a 10 day holiday and reduce the cost

TFPsa · 02/09/2017 08:33

Borrowing for a holiday isn't great. And I don't really buy that the best times/best memories come from the most lavish expenditures.

TeenTimesTwo · 02/09/2017 08:37

ihate

How to choose the country?
Well, to be honest we almost stuck a pin in!
We wanted political stability, and English spoken, so we plumped for SA (which was a bit more stable when we went than now I think).

  • We then wanted malaria-free so that ruled out quite a bit.
  • We didn't want internal flights, or massive road journeys.
  • We didn't want too hot so went in our summer = their winter
  • Ended up flying to J'Burg, and doing Pilansberg & Madikwe(sp)
Ragwort · 02/09/2017 08:50

You haven't answered about whether your children really want to go? I get the feeling that people want to have 'one last holiday with their children' but be honest, is it for your sake or for the childrens? I appreciate it is difficult as I have a teenage DS and my DH is always going on about 'family holidays' but I know that my DS doesn't really want to go away with us ...... maybe your children are different but do think about it very carefully as I know more than one family who have had a really disappointing (and expensive) holiday with bored, unappreciative teenagers - however exotic the location. Grin.

LakieLady · 02/09/2017 08:51

retrospective saving

Brilliant expression, Cardibach, and I'm afraid I'm going to steal it!

Mellington · 02/09/2017 08:58

Sounds amazing but I wouldn't get in debt for a holiday. Could you save really hard and go the year after instead?

flumpybear · 02/09/2017 08:58

Fabulous - do it !!

We did a week in Cape Town then half a week each in Sabi Sands and then an island retreat 20k up river from
Victoria falls for our honeymoon - it was so lovely
If I did it again I wouldn't stay a week in Cape town though I'd use the time to do a better wine trail, we did trips to the wine areas, to the cape etc but a week was too long in Cape Town

Bluntness100 · 02/09/2017 09:03

If you can save the money, then yes do it. Do not get into debt for it. You never know what life will throw at you and it's a terrible idea to borrow to do it.

Fruitbat1980 · 02/09/2017 09:13

Do it. I've been lucky enough to do 4 safaris. For our honeymoon we did a whole week (22 back to back game drives) from governors camp to see the migration. Most amazing times of my life. As soon as DS is old enough we're going back.
People saying they would never get into debt for a holiday have just never been on safari Wink

LakieLady · 02/09/2017 09:19

A safari holiday is on my bucket list, and I think it would be a fantastic experience for you all. My only reservation would be getting stuck with a load of people I didn't like (which is very likely, I'm a bit of a misanthrope) and not being able to get away from them. I'd never go on a cruise for fear of being latched on to!

But I would think very carefully about the money and how much of an impact the debt will have on your ability to support the older DC's through college.

HattiesBackpack · 02/09/2017 09:21

Boring voice of reason here-
As someone who grew up with parents who are terrible at managing finances my advice is do not get into debt for a holiday.

UrsulaPandress · 02/09/2017 09:28

Do it. Do it. Do it.

The Kruger is my second home. Doing 7 days with DD in October and we are beyond giddy.

imjessie · 02/09/2017 09:31

My mum took me on safari when I was 16, it was pretty amazing and memories I hold forever ! If you can afford it then do it

imjessie · 02/09/2017 09:35

We did a week of safari and then a week in a hotel in Mombasa . I actually don't think I'd take my 16 year old dd there now but we survived and I had no idea how potentially dangerous it was .. the hotel was amazing and right on the beach ..

weatherbomb · 02/09/2017 11:33

Do it!!! The memories will last forever. It's something I dearly want to do with my kids when they're a bit older as it will be magical and a one in a lifetime opportunity to see beautiful animals in a natural habitat.

purplecorkheart · 02/09/2017 11:36

I wouldn't go into debt for a holiday.

Holidayhooray · 02/09/2017 12:18

Imjess

What's the issue with Mombasa?

FO doesn't advise against travel there's

BlackeyedSusan · 02/09/2017 12:25

I would definitely spend money on a once in a lifetime type holiday...

a little concerned over you not being able to save for it all before spending though. what are your back up plans if things go tits up at home?

mando12345 · 02/09/2017 12:51

You can minimise the cost by being careful.
We had a week in a waterfront development apartment in Cape town, car hire there, internal flight to Johannesburg, charter flight to elephant plains in sabi Sands, 3 nights there in the best accommodation, car transfer to tanda tula camp in timbaveti, 3 nights there then flight to Johannesburg, then back to London.
Two people, albeit about 7 years ago but with direct ba club class flights into Cape Town and back from Johannesburg, total costs including spending under £5,000. Camps were properly in the game reserves with twice daily drives and walks, not B&B's with drives to the game reserves included.
I could have done it cheaper as well.

mando12345 · 02/09/2017 12:53

Continued to say I put the whole trip together myself way way cheaper than tour operator. But I used companies to book my safari camps, cheaper than direct.

imjessie · 02/09/2017 13:23

It was 30 years ago and my mum is very adventurous . We took a guide into Mombasa itself and it was a bit hairy for a while . We did get away but the African men as a rule aren't that kind to a woman and a child together . I remember feeling safe in the hotel but very unsafe outside of it .

BalconyBunting · 02/09/2017 13:30

I wouldn't get into debt for a holiday. Lots of posters on here saying about the marvellous memories they will never forget. I feel the same way about lots of family holidays I've been on which haven't been hugely expensive long weekends attending comic cons, even a week in Iberia trips don't have to be hugely expensive to have those fabulous memories.

hmcAsWas · 02/09/2017 14:23

Well Balcony - my favourite holidays yielding the best and most vivid memories have been Costa Rica, Western Australia and the Galapagos Islands. Villa holidays in Spain, Italy, France ,Greece etc have all been pleasant enough at the time but tend to blend into one in my recollections.....For me there is no comparison. I want to see something different, unfamiliar and novel when I travel. We're all different

AliCat36 · 02/09/2017 14:40

ihatethecold I wanted a single-base safari as travelling with a 10 year old. Booked Kafunta River Lodge in Zambia via Naturetrek which was perfect. Previous trip to Kenya involved lengthy drives every few days which was fine but not with a child.

Decent companies have good, specialist insurance, & can advise on time of year to travel etc.

Those saying 3 weeks would be too long - no way!! I'd love to spend 3 weeks there
The longer the better.

ihatethecold · 02/09/2017 15:03

Thanks

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