African Safari Planning with Travel Mom Kristen
Travel Mom Kristen joins us to share all the details for planning her family’s next big adventure…an African Safari. As Marketing Director for African Travel, the Luxury Safari Operator, she has great tips and insights to share.
Get more inspiration for your family’s next travel adventure from additional podcast episodes. Adventure Awaits!
What is your family’s next big adventure?
Within the next year, we’re going to Africa (me, my husband, 12-year-old son, and 9-year-old girl)… we’re still deciding between East Africa and South Africa.
How do you plan an African Safari?
My suggestion is to start by doing some online research and think about these types of questions…
- What kind of trip do you want to do…City and Safari? Or just Safari adventures? Or adding in some Culture?
- What pace do you want…some adventure and some relaxing? All adventure and active? Tick everything off your bucket list?
- What animals do you want to see…the Big 5 (African elephants, African lion, African leopard, the Cape buffalo, and Rhino)? The Great Migration animals?
- What time of year can you go?
Then take this to a Travel Advisor specializing in Africa like AAA Travel as they can help you turn your dreams into a reality. This will help them think about Africa’s different options, and what types of experiences will be best for your family.
For example, you could spend all your time in one country experiencing the city and the safari in places like South Africa, Tanzania, or Kenya. Or you can be extremely active and tick everything off your bucket list with Victoria Falls and South Africa.
What are the differences between East Africa vs. South Africa adventures?
If we’re going in the next 6 months, it may be to East Africa as it’s open. We could land in Nairobi do Kenya, or Tanzania. These are the total Lion King types of adventures. You can experience amazing culture (Maasai Mara and Maasai warriors) and safari (guided walks and drives).
South Africa is malaria-free if you don’t want to do shots. You can experience Cape Town with penguins, coastal scenery, and local wineries. You can also enjoy safari experiences with plains or rolling hills like Shamwari Private Game Reserve, where I went in January.
The Safari Experience
There is so much to do on these adventures, depending on your family’s size, ages, and interests. There are game drives, spas, pools, game drives, fantastic food, meeting the locals, sitting around the campfires, and more. That’s what’s so great about the lodges and camps we work with is tailoring to the family, and the kids won’t get bored.
And it’s like the classroom is brought to life for kids and adults. Kids of all ages are engaged by the amazing Rangers and Guides who know how to tailor to their audience age and interests.
It’s incredible to see the circle of life and how animals live day to day, and the extraordinary sustainable efforts that places like Shamwari are doing. You get to talk to the wildlife experts and participate.
(Check out the fantastic Virtual Safari with AAA Travel and African Travel at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.)
Other African Safari Planning Tips
- As with any travel, have realistic expectations and be flexible. Save some time to relax.
- Affordability…There are lots of different accommodations depending on your goals and needs. And the pricing usually includes everything…food, wine, AND experiences. Again it can all be tailored to your family.
- Planning time… It’s reasonable to plan within one to 2 years.
- I love to give my kids research projects before our travels. National Geographic Kids is great for learning about animals and cultures.
Why do you travel with your kids?
It’s all about experiencing new things and meeting new people. Those are the things my kids remember from all of our trips.
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Thank you for joining us, Kristen! We can’t wait to have you back to hear all about your African Travel Adventures.
Check out more African Travel on Instagram and Facebook. And get more Family Travel inspiration with AAA on Instagram.