How to Plan a Family Safari to South Africa

How to plan
A Family Safari
to South Africa
How to plan
A Family Safari
to South Africa
Tips and advice from family travel experts
to help you save for, plan and enjoy a
family safari vacation in South Africa

Does the safari lodge offer educational programming and
game drives for children?
Whether you are travelschooling or simply on vacation, families
often want to include educational programs and games drives for
children during their holiday in South Africa. Not all hotels and
safari lodges include educational programming, and if they do, the
quality of the education programming varies. Choose a safari lodge
that offers a wide variety of activities for children. For example, at
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, hotel staff meet with parents upon arrival
to talk about specific activities for children, which include trail
walks, face painting, clay making and stargazing. Sanbona Wildlife
Reserve even offers a special family-only lodge, complete with
board games, crafts and children’s books.
When planning a family safari to South Africa, the most important decision is where
to stay. As a popular travel destination, in South Africa there are a wide range of
hotels and safaris to choose from, from small boutique bed-and-breakfasts to large
brand name chain hotels. The key is to choose a kid-friendly accommodation that
fits your budget and lifestyle. Here are tips to choosing the best family-friendly
hotels and safari lodges in South Africa.
how to
Choose a family friendly safari lodge
Find more tips and travel packages at dsavacations.com

how to
Does the safari lodge offer babysitting?
Whether it is because parents would like to take part in an evening game drive,
go to the onsite spa or even relax for time on their own, it is important that the
safari lodge you stay at in South Africa offers babysitting services. For example,
at Kariaga Game Reserve, children under 5 are not permitted on game drives for
safety reason, so babysitting services are available (for a fee). Always book your
babysitting services well in advance of your departure.
How do guests rate the kid-friendliness of the hotel?
It’s one thing for a safari lodge to claim that they are kid-friendly, but to
determine if the hotel you plan to stay at will accommodate children, read
reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor. It’s often the hotels that add special
touches that make your holiday in South Africa memorable. For example, the
Cullinan Southern Sun Hotel in Cape Town (included in our Ultimate South
Africa package), gets excellent reviews from mothers and fathers on TripAdvisor.
“Our boys (1,5 and 4,5) were entertained with all sorts of activities. The Easter
bunny came to visit and brought lots of chocolate,”writes Scarlett D. in her
TripAdvisor review of Cullinan Southern Sun.

how to
Does the hotel or safari lodge offer kids eat or stay free
incentives?
A family safari trip to South Africa can be very expensive, so
when booking your trip be sure to stay at a lodge or hotel that
is offering a kids eat or stay free promotion. The age restrictions
vary from hotel to hotel. For example, at Madikwe Game
Reserve (where most of our guests stay during in South Africa,
the lodge’s children stay free promotion only applies to kids 12
and under when staying with two paying adults. At others such
as Hog Hollow, children ages 2-12 stay at a reduced rate.
Are children permitted on the game driv es or walks?
On all DSA Vacations’family safaris in South Africa, families are
encouraged to take their children on game drives and walks.
However, each lodge has specific rules about the minimum
age that children should be before going on a game drive. At
most lodges in South Africa, the minimum age for children to
participate in a game drive is 8 years old. For safety reasons,
young children are rarely permitted on game walks.

how to
Is there television or internet?
Allowing your children to watch television while on vacation is a personal choice. Some
parents prefer that their family unplug from all electronics while others welcome the
opportunity for their children to watch educational TV shows or movie documentaries.
Most hotels in Cape Town include complimentary cable TV in their rates, but others such
as Hog Hollow do not have a television sets at all. Striking a balance are safari lodges like
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, which only allows educational DVDs on days will poor
weather. Larger hotels such as Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town offer complimentary include
high-speed internet. Do not except to have internet access when staying at a safari lodge.
Are there laundry facilities?
Packing for a family vacation to South Africa can be a challenge. Most airlines that transfer
you within South Africa have strict luggage weight restrictions and packing light is key.
Before booking your family safari, check to see if your hotel or lodge offers laundry services
so that you do not have to pack clothing for the duration of your trip. Some luxury camping
accommodations in Botswana, such as Footsteps Across the Delta, include daily laundry
service in their rates. Other family-friendly lodges, such as Jaci’s Lodge at Madikwe Game
Reserve, have laundry facilities but are excluded from their rates.

how to
Save money for your family safari holiday
Cut out unnecessary expenses
Best known for his backpacking adventures around the world,
Steve James from SavingForTravel.com knows that travel can
be expensive. On both his blog and in an article for Matador,
James tells future travellers to eliminate all unnecessary
expenses in order to save for their trip. Adults should consider
dining out and alcohol as expenses to cut and children should
borrow books and toys from lending libraries.
Use an automatic deposit program
Janet Bodnar, writer of the popular Money Smart Kids blog,
advises families saving for a vacation to set their savings to
auto-pilot. “The very best way to save money is to take it off
the top before you even see it,” Bodnar told Frommers Travel.
A family safari in South Africa is a dream for many parents and children, spending years planning their perfect holiday. Part of the planning
process of going to South Africa is saving for your trip. While DSA Vacations has several affordable family vacation packages to South Africa
(some even under $1100 per person), the reality is that a holiday will cost thousands of dollars by the time flights, travel health insurance,
travel health vaccinations and medications, excursions and of course the travel packages are all add up. Here are our favorite tips for saving
money for – and on – your family safari to South Africa.

how to
Involve your kids
The great thing about saving money for a family safari to Africa is
that you can involve your children in the process, teaching them
valuable lessons about money. Encourage your children to sell
their old clothing, books and toys on E-Bay, earn money through
household chores, contribute a portion of their birthday money
or if their old enough, get a job and start their own automatic
savings plan. All the experts that Suzanne Rowan Kelleher spoke
with for her Frommers post on savings strategies agreed that
parents should involve children in saving for a family vacation.
Travel in off-peak seasons
Some families choose to book their safari to South Africa during
animal migration season for the thrill of seeing so many of
Africa’s wild animals up close - but be warned that you will pay
a premium during that time of year! If visiting Victoria Falls in
Zambia is on your list of destinations, consider visiting South
Africa in November or December, when the falls are at their
lowest, offering a unique view of the falls. At Kariega Safari
Lodge, families pay 25% less during the off season. Booking
in the off-peak season allows families to take advantage of
discounted rates, says Cameron Huddleston on Kiplinger.com.

how to
Look for lodges offering“kids stay free”packages
Safari lodges in South Africa that specialize in family travel often charge less - or nothing
at all - for young children. For example, at Madikwe Safari Lodge, kids under 6 stay
for free. Keep in mind that young children are not always permitted on safari game
drives, however these lodges do offer a wide variety of activities for children and even
babysitting services so that parents can experience a game drive in South Africa.
Book all-inclusive or best-value packages
Don’t assume an all inclusive safari vacation to be the most expensive option - in
many cases it is the most affordable! Most of the lodges that are included in our travel
packages include meals and beverages for adults, with kids staying and eating at no
additional cost. On the other hand, best value packages with DSA Vacations may not
be all inclusive, but instead have families staying in comfortable hotels in Cape Town
or Botswana and driving into game reserves each day. These best value family safari
packages mean that families can enjoy both city and safari experiences.
Research and apply for travel grants
If you’ve scrimped and saved and still don’t have quite enough for your family safari to
South Africa, Independent Traveler has a creative way to top up your holiday savings
account: apply for a travel grant. It may not fund your entire trip, but for families that
qualify, a travel grant can help cover some of your travel costs.

how to
Safely take children on a safari game drive
Wait until your children are in school
"I would only recommend a safari to families with kids 4 and over.
They key is to wait until your kids can sit still for a period of time
(for the game drives) and listen well to instructions (especially on
when to be quiet- for the safety of the entire group)," advises Jamie
Lynne Grumet on her blog I Am Not the Babysitter. DSA Vacations
hosted Grumet and her family in March 2013. Be sure to check with
the safari lodge for what their minimum age requirements are for
taking children on game drives (most require children to be at least
8 years old).
The biggest attraction of any family safari holiday to South Africa is naturally "The Big 5" (in Africa, The Big 5 are lions, African elephants,
Cape buffalo, leopards, and rhinoceros). Many of the lodges that host DSA Vacations' guests are located on wildlife game reserves making
viewing of The Big 5 easy, however it is on guided safari drives where the magic of South Africa can truly be experienced.
Guided safari drives are a safe way for children and families to view wildlife in Africa, but some parents may be worried about how their
children may (or may not!) behave on a drive. Young children can be very excited about seeing lions and African elephants, but patience is
often needed while tracking African game.
Here are some expert tips from family travel bloggers for helping parents
and children to fully enjoy their guided South African family safari.

how to
Let children use a camera and binoculars
On her About.com post about taking children to Africa, travel agent Anouk
Zijlma warns that young children can easily become bored on longer safari
drives in South Africa. By letting them use a camera and binoculars, children
become part of the action. Maybe they will spot a lion before you do!
Consider a self-drive or private safari
At larger lodges where families may have to share vehicles during a game
drive, keep in mind not all travellers will enjoy having children on their
safari. If this is the case, spend the extra money to rent a private guide
and vehicle, advises travel agent and About.com contributor Anouk
Zijlma.
Remember your little kids are potential prey for the Big 5
Yes, it's a scary thought that your young children could potentially be
a meal for wild dogs. On her post on National Geographic's Intelligent
Travel, Heather Greenwood-Davis reminds parents to weigh the prey
factor. "My sons once stepped out of a jeep at a game reserve where
wild dogs were being preserved and the immediate transformation of
the dogs from playful puppies to hunters made me very grateful for
the electric fence," she writes.

how to
Pack for a family vacation in South Africa
Most lodges, such as Kariega Game Reserve, offer laundry
facilities. We suggest packing light and taking advantage of
on-site laundry.“Pack clothes that are in natural colours, except
for white, which can be spotted by game a long ways off,”Mark
Nolting tells USA Today in an interview about safari packing
tips. Make sure all families members have broken in their shoes
before your vacation - game walks are not the time for blisters
or sore feet.
q 1 X comfortable closed-toe walking shoes
q 1 X sandals
q 1 X rain jacket
q 1 X wide-brimmed hat that shades your neck
If you are planning your first family safari to South Africa, it may be tempting to bring multiple changes of clothing for everyone in your
family. But the important thing to remember about packing for a family safari to South Africa is that there are weight restrictions in
place on not only the flights that you may take from one destination to another within Africa, but also on the game drive vehicles. The
challenge is separating the essential travel items from the items that your children think that they need to bring on a long trip (do they
really need to bring every stuffed animal and book on their vacation?). Not to mention, you will want to bring home souvenirs from your
trip to Africa, so not overpacking is key!
q 4 X socks and underwear (all experts agree that extra socks
that go past your ankles are a must)
q 2 X shorts
q 3 X t-shirts
q 1 X pyjamas
q 1 X swimsuits
q 2 X lightweight pants
q 1 X long sleeve shirt or sweater
formal wear (if required for dinner at the safari lodge you are
staying at)

how to
Pack for a family vacation in South Africa
Toiletries
Bring your preferred brands of toothbrushes, toothpaste,
razors, shaving cream, soaps and shampoos to Africa. The
toiletries available in Africa can be very expensive and not of
the same quality as what you would buy in North America.
Many of the lodges that DSA Vacations’guest stay at do have
small shops where you can buy toiletries in emergencies, but
keep in mind that they only take South African currency. In
addition to your personal toiletries, bring:
q insect repellant containing Deet
q sunscreen with a high SPF level
q medications
q anti-malaria pills if required
q anti-naseau medication
q anti-diarherrai medication
Accessories
Leave your contact lenses at home. The sand and dry air in Africa
makes putting in and taking out contact lenses uncomfortable.
q head lamp or flashlight with spare batteries
q luggage scale
q camera, spare batteries, memory cards and charging cables
q zip lock bags to store toiletries while on game drives (game
drives are very sandy)
q sunglasses
q wall plug compatible with South Africa voltage
q lightweight backpacks for all family members
q micro fibre towel

how to
Book with a reliable tour operator that accommodates kids
The family travel market is full of tour operators offering safaris to
South Africa and for families on a budget, it may be tempting to
book with a less expensive operator. Keep in mind that not all lodges
accommodate children and that less expensive is not always better.
Amie O'Shaughnessy, editor of Ciao Bambino advises that families
travelling to South Africa book with a single tour operator offering an
established portfolio of properties. "If someone is offering a package
that is much less than the others in the market, there is a reason for
that and I’d choose another provider," O'Shaughnessy says.
Have activities ready to keep children busy during the drive
Driving to your safari destination may take up to two hours and
parents of young children know that even the most patient child will
get bored during the drive. You can either prepare your our activity
package with coloring sheets and quiet games, or ask your safari
guide and lodge for ideas to keep children busy. The best South
African family lodges, such as Madikwe Safari Lodge and Kariega
Game Reserve, have activity sheets, notebooks, painting and
coloring sheets to keep kids entertained.

how to
Pack clothing that will keep them comfortable
Most family safari game drives take place in the morning
or afternoon but older children may want to take part in
night drives. If this is the case, remember to bring warm
clothes in the jeep, particularly in the colder months
from May to September, advises Kariega Game Reserve.
Don't feel pressured to go on every safari game drive
The excitement of being on a family trip in South Africa
can catch up with kids who want to take part in all the
drives and activities a safari lodge offers, leaving them
cranky and exhausted. If your children are tired, let them
sleep. "Let your little ones rest when things are slow
and rouse them for the highlights," Greenwood-Davis
tells Intelligent Traveller. "Tired kids make for terrible
safari companions," she adds. Family-friendly safari
lodges offer several game drives throughout the day,
allowing for ample time for your family to relax and
enjoy quiet time together as a family.

how to
Stay healthy during your South African vacation
Get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever
Regardless of where you are staying in South Africa,
all travellers are at risk on contracting Hepatitis A and
Typhoid Fever, most commonly through contaminated
food and water. Eating and drinking safely, combined
with vaccinations are advised by the CDC. Keep in mind
that the typhoid vaccine is only 50%-80% effective, so
you should still be careful about what you drink and
adventurous eaters may want to exercise caution.
In planning your family safari to South Africa, one of the first
questions you may have is about travel health, vaccinations
and malaria. The Center for Disease Control reports that risks
of contracting malaria is low and there is no risk of contracting
yellow fever in South Africa, but parents of young children
will still need to seek the advice of a travel health doctor or
clinician prior to even booking their safari to find out which
medications, vaccinations and other precautions that they
need to take.

how to
Malaria-free does not mean worry free
While there are areas in South Africa which are
malaria-free (for example, DSA Vacations' Family
Wildlife Adventures package is hosted in malaria-free
Madikwe), families should still seek a travel health
clinician's advice regarding protection against malaria.
Spread by mosquitos bites, protection against malaria
beyond vaccinations or medications includes covering
exposed skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants
and applying mosquito repellant. Share your full travel
itinerary with your travel health specialist who then
will provide a course of action to reduce the risk on
contracting malaria while in South Africa.
Children are at higher risk for rabies
Because rabies can be found in bats, dogs and other
mammals throughout South Africa, the Center for
Disease Control recommends that people who will be
camping, hiking and caving or working with wildlife
should be vaccinated against rabies. Children in

how to
particular are at a higher risk for rabies, because they tend to play
with animals and may not report animal bites. Needless to say,
keep watch over your children when they are in the company of
animals that you do not the health history of.
Check to see if you need a Yellow Fever vaccine
If you are travelling from the United States to South Africa,
you are no longer required to receive the yellow fever vaccine,
however the government of South Africa requires proof only if
you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. These
yellow fever vaccination recommendations are recent changes,
updated after extensive research by the CDC and the World
Health Organization. While there is no risk of yellow fever in
South Africa, it is ultimately the choice of the traveler and their
travel health specialist as to whether or not a vaccination should
be given.

For more information about
DSA Vacations and the family
safari travel packages we
offer, please contact us.
1-800-203-6724
dsavacations.com
facebook.com/traveltoafrica
For more information about
DSA Vacations and the family
safari travel packages we
offer, please contact us.
1-800-203-6724
dsavacations.com
facebook.com/traveltoafrica

How to Plan a Family Safari to South Africa

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (16)

Similar to How to Plan a Family Safari to South Africa

Similar to How to Plan a Family Safari to South Africa (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (15)

How to Plan a Family Safari to South Africa