To consider a safari with kids

[HeyThereDelilah1]

I’m looking into booking a Wilderness Safari staying at three camps with three light aircraft flights inbetween flights, in terms of safety animals do also roam around the camp as it’s very much nature first which we like as a concept, but do you think it’s suitable for our 12 and 13 year old daughters? They are nervous to go but I think it would be magical once we’re there, but I’m worried they won’t enjoy as it will feel dangerous. Im also wondering if I’m just being a bit mad and should look at a Greek island holiday instead?! How much would you look to spend for a 7 night stay? We’rep planning on visiting parks in both Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

yes 100% ! I’d say our family loved it at that age. They understand that these are wild animals and appreciate it 100% more. Just explain that they will be in a jeep and safe but that this is a privilege to see these animals.

They will love it, in Zimbabwe you can walk with the elephants or lions for a fee, its so cool.

Thank you! What do you think would be a reasonable cost for this type of holiday?

That is an impossible question to answer. It very much depends on the type of place you want to stay. You can spend anything from £50 to £5,000 per night depending what standard of camp you want to stay it.

Please do not go to places like this that encourage lion walks/cub handling. It’s inherently unethical and often associated with canned hunting.

https://www.zambiatourism.com/walking-with-lions-con-or-conservation/

We did a self drive camping road trip in Zimbabwe when ours were 6 and 9. They are in their 30s now and still say it was the best holiday.

@HeyThereDelilah1 , please don’t walk with animals which are supposed to be wild and support this vile and cruel trade.

I wouldn't force them to go if they are nervous.

I've been on safaris & love them, but there's no way I would stay anywhere without solid walls around me at night.

Yes to the kids at that age. Please don't pay for any sort of wildlife interactions, they are not ethical and fuel the trade in lion cubs, bones, parts and trophies.

in terms of safety animals do also roam around the camp as it’s very much nature first which we like as a concept, but do you think it’s suitable for our 12 and 13 year old daughters?

Yes, it's fine. I've stayed in camps like this in Zambia and it's lovely. A little bit exciting and I've always felt very well looked after.

There will be rules:

• no walking around after dark. You have dinner and camp staff escort you to your room(s) and you must stay there til morning. There will be a way of summoning help for emergencies (eg, air horn, whistle)
• security staff patrol at night
• if any dangerous animals come into camp during the day, you'll be told what to do (and must obey).

Saying that, the chalets in the camps I stayed in had open air bathrooms and I always need the loo in the night. Often wondered what I'd do if I found a leopard in the overhanging tree 😆

What do you think would be a reasonable cost for this type of holiday?

Expensive! I can recommend Expert Africa or Yellow Zebra Safaris. You don't have to pick an option off their website, they'll create a package for you.

We did 8 nights safari (in luxury tented camps) and 8 nights beach this year in East Africa - £10k each excluding international flights (but including some flights between safari destinations and coast). So, yes, expensive.

I think if your children are nervous, I would avoid. There was a lady in one of the camps who was terrified to tears by the proximity of the wildlife - which included bats flying and mongooses running around the dining tent, a snake on the path when walking towards the bedroom tent, and some very obvious large mammal noises (hippos, hyaenas, etc) right outside the bedroom at night etc.

I think you’re probably looking about £20-30k? Try Trailfinders.

that said , I would be be taking kids with me, they have their whole lives to experience that when they are ready.

We went to Tafika camp in the lower Luanga valley in June. Tafika was ordinary driving safari but wild animals did roam in the camps and the hippos were really noisy. We then did walking safaris in Chikoko tree camp and big lagoon camp. All very secure as someone pointed out up thread. But no you don't walk with the animals, you observe from a distance and please don't talk loudly on the walking safaris. We had a couple who were very loud and chatted all the time about nothing instead of listening to the sounds of the bush. My husband eventually told them to be quiet.

It was an amazing experience. But very expensive. We used a company called aardvark safaris in the UK but the camp is run by remote africa safaris. The walks are 4 hours in the morning and 1-1.5 at late afternoon. It could get a bit boring for the kids depending when you go as you have to wait for the animals to appear and they often don't!

It was expensive. Our camps for one week and we had a week in 2 lovely hotels and this cost £17000 for 2. Would probably have been nearer £11-12k without the 2nd week. Then our flights on top!

But it was worth it.

Sadly a couple of weeks after we returned we heard 2 ladies were killed by an elephant in the big lagoon camp. I think one lady had poor mobility and couldn't get out the way so there are dangers associated

Sounds fabulous! I am turning 50 next year and looking at doing either Explore family trip through Botswana or the Exodus family Namibia trip with our kids of a similar age, they will be 11 (turning 12 in the September) and 14 this time next year. I think these are much more of a budget trip than what you are looking at, but far from cheap!

It would be fantastic. We went wild camping in the Serengeti, one of the best trips, we had green eyes on us at night but nothing comes too close.

Ha, depends where you stay. Our 2.5 weeks was spectacular, but it was NOT cheap. The price can range a long way but you pay for location as well as comfort.

We did a safari with a 12 and 7yo. No light aircraft involved. Younger is/was animal mad. 8 days of 2 game drives a day in 2 locations. Loved it.

How keen are they on animals?

There are no parks in Zanzibar.

I wondered about this. Perhaps they mean Zambia?

Sorry that’s correct, I did mean Zambia and we’re looking at travelling with this company:https://www.wildernessdestinations.com/? they are both animal lovers but not obsessive, the younger one is very keen on big cats though. I think it’s the light aircraft that worries me the most but they have good safety records I believe. We’re looking at around 30k excluding flights but I have very little to compare this to as have only done beach holidays so far (did do light aircraft with children when visiting the Maldives and was bumpy but ok). Thanks so much for the replies super helpful!

I've been to Zambia twice, love it, they have been amazing experiences.

At that sort of cost, I would hesitate to take anyone who didn't absolutely love the idea.

A couple of other things to consider:

• some accommodation has tent walls. I mean eg three walls, a ceiling, a floor but one wall is canvas that's open during the day and closed at night (camp staff will do that). If that freaks you out then look for somewhere that doesn't do that
• there's a lot of down time. Early starts for 6am game drives (are your kids up for that?), back about 10am, then relaxing in camp incl lunch til 4pm game drive. Dinner then bed. There isn't a lot of 'entertainment' - a few camps might have a pool, more camps are getting WiFi but it's not a given
• lions can come into camp at night and be quite noisy/roar (never when I'm there annoyingly! but I have heard plenty of stories). I've found leopard prints outside my door (but they are solo and quiet).

We have very different budgets but if I could take my kids on safari, I would! In fact we have talked about it this week whilst away.

Last year we went to Beekse Bergen in the Netherlands which is a bit like Center Parcs on a safari park and is an amazing budget animal experience. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves animals or has smaller children who wouldn't get as much from a real safari. My kids are 14 and 12, and loved it and we will definitely return.

If you are in that market, speak to Ilona at Steppes Travel. She was fantastic and knowledgeable. The places and the guides were just incredible.

@HeyThereDelilah1We have been to Zambia 3 times but not with dc. We took them to Kenya and Tanzania.

The advice about what you do on safari is accurate. We’ve also done camping in Botswana last year. Also stayed in bush camps in South Africa and dc have been with us there too. We have stayed in zip up permanent tents with dc. DH and me have used tents with low walls.

It’s difficult to see from the web site exactly what you would be doing but using light aircraft puts the price up a lot! In Zambia it’s much easier to fly up to Mfuwe with Zambia airways, and do a safari from there. Some of the camps do walking safaris but you need to check ages allowed. However in Zambia you should go out at night in your vehicle and a large torch spots animals. All the camps along the river are good and the Lower Zambezi area around Vic Falls is fun too. The harder to reach areas will require a light aircraft but not sure you will need this type of camp on a first holiday. We have used light aircraft with dc and yes, it’s a bit ? occasionally.

Zambia guides are great and we have stayed in small camps. In Kenya we had buffalo in the camp. DDs had to stay in their tent - rules about being collected. With hindsight we should have split them up. We also had a deadly snake in camp and, in SA, a hyena ran through the boma where meals were served. So dc must be vigilant and you must do what you are told. DH and me had a scorpion in our room at one bush camp in Zambia. A mongoose getting in is also problematic.

There are also camps that might have some activities for teens. However getting up really early, keeping your eyes open for animals and watching them for some time is part of the experience. Zambia is a great choice but lots of places we have been are not really child friendly. They have to be keen. You might also find some other travellers are rude about you having dc with you. Mostly elderly Brits.

Just one last thing. Animals kill other animals. In Botswana recently we saw lions covered in blood from a dead buffalo. We saw a male hippo kill a baby hippo. Even I was shocked at that. In India we saw a petrified deer grabbed at the neck by a tiger with the inevitable result. Numerous times we have seen lions tucking in and ripping flesh. It’s not always cuddly! Just so you are prepared.