Safari with toddler and baby

[Flymeaway4]

Never been on safari and now have a 2yr old and 5 month old. Had resigned myself to waiting 10 years til they were old enough, but a family member has just returned from her first one and it looks incredible! She also said there was a British couple there with their 2yr old and triplet babies!! So it got me thinking, maybe we don't have to wait 10 years?! Thoughts? Anyone done it and can share their experience, good or bad?

Wait OP. We did a self drive and camping in Zimbabwe when ours were 6 and 9. I don't think it would have worked well before. We could go at our own pace and also did things like Great Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls so not all game drives. They are in their 30s now, have travelled extensively and still say it was their best trip.

Yeah I wouldn’t. Many reasons -because it would be such a waste of money paying to take them, the fact it won’t be safe to do a lot of key activities , and it just won’t be enjoyable.

Plus I don’t think it’s fair on other travellers.

Id love to go myself but may even wait til my kids have grown up as it’s be so expensive

A typical "game drive" starts before dawn, in a Landie with 3 rows of tiered seats - no seat-belts - & bumping over very rough terrain. You are told (not asked) to wear dull-coloured clothing & be quiet. I really can't see a baby or toddler in that scenario.
I'd stick to Whipsnade, Woburn, etc for the time being.

I would try getting up at 4am, driving around a field, sitting in the corner of the field in the car and asking the children to be very quiet for an hour and to never leave the car. If they can't manage that then no.

Also consider the vaccinations they'll need. I personally wouldn't want to make my DC take malaria tablets (which are very necessary!). When we went we also needed deet and tetse fly deterrent.

God no.

I thought about it and camping on safari but minimum Ave was 7.

Yeah, that kind of makes your heart stop doesn't it. I don't think until you're up close you realise how enormous and powerful they are.

Or the stones on the ground.

Just thought I'd follow up on this, in case anyone else has similar thoughts.

Despite the majority view, we decided to go for it and it was fantastic! The lodge we picked was only 2hrs drive from the airport (Johannesburg, so not Kruger), was Malaria free and big cat free too. It also welcomed children; ours were too young, but it included a junior ranger course for 5-12 year old, so we intend to take them back for that one day too!

We were there 4 nights and were prepared to take it in turns for drives if they didn't like it, but they were fine. Youngest was on me in her sling and loved facing outwards on the morning drives, then mostly slept on me for the afternoon ones. Eldest sat in between us and loved looking for animals, playing with binoculars etc. Her favorite was the rhino! Drives were about 2hrs, then we got out for a pre breakfast snack or sundowners; much longer than that and she may have got a bit restless, but as it was it worked well. All but two drive it was just us, as we were the only ones staying there for 3 of the nights. It was a bit more stressful when we had the other couple with us (I didn't mind the girls potentially ruining our drive, it was our choice to take them, but didn't want them to spoil it for others), but they were as good as gold and they remarked how well behaved they were. I was so relieved!

Overall, I would definitely recommend it!

Do you think it was worth the money? I assume if it is a trip of a lifetime better to wait until children are older and get something from it. Im assuming the 2 year old would have been just as excited by a plastic life sized rhino

Glad it worked well, but it means more will follow you and that means we will be sticking to areas where younger kids are banned. Not all will be as good as yours were. I can't help but feel it's rather selfish when the downside risk is quite big.

Yes, worth the money, but I get a good discount. That's is also the reason why we'll be able to do it again.

Plastic life sized rhino? I'm not even sure where we'd find one to show her anyway! I also think she was more excited by the real ones than she would have been by a plastic one (she's 2, not stupid!). Besides, why does having kids mean you no longer get to enjoy a holiday yourself too?! We, obviously, would find no enjoyment from a plastic rhino!

Yes, this place wouldn't have been for you, but I've no doubt you wouldn't have picked it anyway. I, for one, think it's great that places exist to give children these sorts of opportunities too. Just like beach resorts all over the world, there'll be adult only ones and child oriented ones as well, and we'll each visit what suits us.

I'm not really sure what downside or risk you're referring to? We had a great time, she still talks about it now and we disturbed nobody else.

Just wanted to report back, so others can make an informed decision based on info from someone who has actually done it, not just speculation.

I recently went on safari to Pilansberg and there were loads of families with young children there. It was mostly families in our lodge (Bakubung), with kids of all ages. I would love to go with my kids but it would cost a fortune (I was there on a work trip). The drives were at 8 am and 3pm so not awful hours. Good for you taking the kids OP.

The risk is that your child doesn't behave well and does spoil other peoples holiday. Yours did behave, mine likely would too, but plenty don't. I have taken my kids on many long haul holidays flights, and I have been the one with the child that screamed all night back from the US. It can't be helped, but it does ruin the experience for everyone else. Until kids know how to conduct themselves, and can be safely relied on to do so, big ticket holidays around wildlife is no no for me.

But this place was clearly geared up for kids, they offer a young ranger course. If you don't want to risk kids ruining your trip then you wouldn't stay there! Do you also go to McDonald's and complain about them ruining your dinner?!!

A place geared up for kids (a bit like McDonalds), you wouldn’t go there if you didn’t have kids. Not banning kids is different as people have to use judgement, which some people don’t have.