Tips for taking young kids on safari

Travelling with young kids on a safari in Africa takes careful planning. They can get bored very quickly and require constant supervision and stimulation. However, with proper planning and knowledge of what your kids enjoy, you can make a safari quite an enjoyable and memorable experience for the whole family.

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USEFUL TIPS to consider when taking young children on safari

• Have a bag packed full of entertainment for the kids for those flights, road transfers and long outings. Examples include colouring-in books, games, books, puzzles and mobile electronic devices with headphones. Of course, once on safari, you want to keep the kids away from electronic devices and enjoying the outdoor experience. For the game drive vehicle, pack quiet toys and informative, colourful books on the animals and plants they may find while out exploring the bushveld;

• When looking for accommodation options, note that some lodges have age restrictions or do not allow children. Choose family units or safari villas that can accommodate the whole family. This way, you can keep an eye on the little ones;

• Consider choosing lodges that offer a variety of fun and learning experiences tailored for kids - such as shorter game drives and exploratory walks near the lodge, boat rides, art classes, baking lessons, making bows and arrows, animal tracking and tree identification;

• Some lodges offer childminding facilities, giving you a break to enjoy time alone;

• Don’t move around too much between lodges during your holiday. Staying in one place for longer helps young children settle into a rhythm and minimises the disruption of repacking and road or air transfers;

• Lodges with perimeter fences will allow your kids more freedom to roam, whereas those with no fences will restrict their movements to the living areas and bedrooms for safety reasons;

• Never leave your young children unattended, as they are not equipped to react correctly when encountering wildlife around the lodge, such as monkeys, snakes or insects. Many lodges also have uncovered pools;

• Some outdoor activities also have age restrictions or do not permit children. For example, the minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15 years old - to prevent exposing the gorillas to childhood diseases such as mumps, chickenpox and measles. Some game lodges have an age restriction of 12 years for game drives (unless you hire a private vehicle) and 16 years for bush walks. Your Africa Geographic safari expert will provide the necessary advice in these regards. Let your kids know to be quiet during outdoor activities because animals are triggered by noise to flee or attack;

• Be proactive about your child's medical safety - pack a medical kit and speak to your paediatrician about emergency medication you might need. Very young children may not be able to take malaria prophylactics, so malaria zones must be avoided. Consult your local travel clinic for advice on malaria prophylactics and other medication. Ask your safari expert about the lodge or nearby medical facilities, evacuation procedures, local emergency numbers and cellphone coverage;

• Pack for all weather eventualities and conditions. Pack jackets, gloves, and beanies or earmuffs for the cool wind on the back of game drive vehicles, hats for the searing African sun and closed shoes to keep your little ones' toes safe from insects, thorns and scorpions. Refer to our tried-and-tested safari packing list for further packing tips; and

• Ask the staff at the lodge for spotting lists for animals and birds in the area - this will keep children entertained for hours as they try to wrack up their species lists.