Are African Safaris Right for Children?

Two questions come first to mind for families considering an African safari: Is it safe for kids? Will they enjoy the experience? Researching to find the right destination and the right type of safari can assure travelers the answers to both these questions is “yes.”

The most popular African countries for sighting game are Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa. Each has its own appeal for families.

If seeing the Big Five (lion, elephant, rhinoceros, African buffalo and leopard) is everyone’s goal, South Africa’s Kruger National Park and neighboring Sabi Sands reserves may be the best choice. Kruger is one of lowest cost safari destinations in Africa and one of the richest in wildlife. In East Africa, Tanzania safaris often combine the Serengeti with Tarangire National Park (known for its elephant herds) and the vast game-rich Norongoro Crater.

In Kenya, Maasai Mara is part of the Serengeti, and family safaris there often include cultural interaction with Maasai people. Less well-known is Botswana’s Okavango Delta, where the game viewing is more secluded and intimate, with few other vehicles in sight; many of the experiences are by boat or in a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe. With large populations of elephant, zebra, lion, hippo, buffalo and even the rare leopard, the Okavango is Africa’s last remaining Garden of Eden.

Remember the Big Five are not the only wildlife to see, and kids are more likely to get excited about watching giraffes, zebras, hippos and the antics of the ever-present baboons. When choosing safari camps for your base, look for those with special programs for children.

Kruger has educational programs aimed at kids, and in the adjoining Sabi Sands reserve, Londolozi invites young visitors to join the Kids Club, complete with its own “den” and activities and adventures that include closer looks at smaller wildlife through a microscope. Junior ranger programs often include backpacks with shirts and caps, as well as books and activities. Other special experiences for kids may include animal tracking and making track casts to take home.

What ages are right for safaris? Most agree that, for safety reasons, children 5 or under should not travel in the major wildlife areas because they are more susceptible to malaria. Everyone should take malaria medication before and while traveling, and wear insect repellants when outdoors.

Apart from health concerns, kids should be old enough to listen to guides and rangers, stay close, and never step out of a vehicle until assured it’s safe. You never know when a lion may be hidden behind the roadside shrubbery. Kids need to be old enough to adapt to new schedules, with early morning and evening game drives and late dinners.

As long as everyone listens to the rangers and guides while outside the camps, safety is rarely an issue. The camps are well-fenced and gated to keep animals in the bush, where they belong. The camps are well-guarded, and although you shouldn’t flaunt valuables, personal security is good. Outside the camps and while traveling, everyone should use the same precautions they would use traveling anywhere. That said, those planning to be in or passing through Kenya should check State Department advisories.