Finding the right safari for your family

Safari expert, ex-teacher and founder of Abambo, Rosanne Cobb is the voice of authority on getting you and your kids to the best of Africa and its wildlife. Here she offers her top 10 safari getaways to suit different ages.

1/10 South Africa Safari and City

An awesome week’s adventure in South Africa: three nights on safari and four nights exploring Cape Town and surrounds.

Notten’s Bush Camp is a family-run safari lodge of just eight suites, overlooking a waterhole in the southern Sabi Sand Private Reserve – arguably the best reserve in South Africa. A lap pool, manicured lawn, pavilion and spa offer plenty of opportunities for you to soak up the African ambience in between game drives.

Next it’s down to vibrant Cape Town to stay at More Quarters Hotel: a collection of stylish apartments, located in the quiet suburb of Gardens. The hotel is within strolling distance of boutique stores, restaurants and bars, and a complimentary chauffeur service is available to transfer you to the V&A Waterfront. With Cape Town as a base you could head into the Winelands for a spot of wine tasting, head up, up and away in a balloon or helicopter, swim with sharks, cycle to see penguins…

  

2/10 Malaria-Free South Africa

This is a great itinerary for those who enjoy the freedom of their own vehicle on the open road, and for whom the hassle of malaria pills is one hassle too many.

Upon arrival at Cape Town airport we’ll meet you at the door of your aircraft with your name on a paging board and whisk you into the City, to the lovely Cape Grace on a private quay on the V&A Waterfront. Two days later you’ll pick up your hire car and drive the family to the charming Babylonstoren Farm Hotel where you’ll stay in a family cottage for the next three nights. This is the glorious Drakenstein Valley of the Winelands, and the white-washed Cape Dutch Babylonstoren is a working wine and fruit farm. Here you’ll wander along the secluded oak-shaded paths; feel rejuvenated at the spa, gym and pool; canoe, fish, cycle, or perhaps collect some eggs!

Finally you’ll drive to Port Elizabeth and pick up a short little flight to Kwandwe for 3 nights malaria-free luxury game-viewing with your private vehicle, ranger and tracker.

3/10 Southern Africa Luxury Safari and Beach: South Africa & Mozambique

This is for the ‘no messing’ luxury family who wants a few days of the best game viewing and then a few days at the best Indian Ocean island resort.

On safari, think stylish thatched suites (indoor and outdoor showers), king beds draped with mosquito nets, private lounge & patio. The children will be well entertained on the Ranger programme supervised by qualified staff (tracking, map-reading etc) whilst you will be well looked after on little surprise bush sundowners and world-class cuisine.

Then you take to the air and travel by plane and helicopter to Azura Beguerra Island to stay in a luxury beach villa complete with butler, and including a sunset dhow cruise and a paddle board or two. And don’t forget the beach dinners, sunset cocktail of the day, Land Rover island drive, snorkelling, kayaking, deep see fishing, scuba diving, horse riding…

 

 4/10 Kenya Luxury Safari and Beach

This is the luxury African break to fit in to a short holiday: eight nights in Kenya’s bush, and on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

Nairobi is an easy direct flight from London and once through immigration you’ll find yourself flown directly into the seldom-explored arid and semi-arid bush of Samburu. Saruni Samburu is a stunning lodge built into a rockface, and its scattering of huge villas and swimming pools overlook waterholes where the famous Samburu elephant, leopard, reticulated giraffe and grevy’ zebra gather to drink.

After three nights of tracking wild animals with Samburu warriors, you’ll head to the Indian Ocean to stay at the new and utterly fabulous Ocean Spa Lodge with its 1,000sqm infinity pool. Here you can get involved in the wellness activities or play some games with the kids: beach volleyball, bowls, or perhaps start a family argument with a lengthy game of Monopoly? There are dhows to sail, golf balls to hit, mangroves to motorised canoe, deep seas to fish, winds to surf and boards to paddle, amongst other ideas to run the kids out of energy.

5/10 Kenya Wild Luxury Family Adventure

If you’re the family that loves to be away from the hustle and bustle, this is for you: a week in the wilds of Kenya, away from cities, beaches – and other people!

We’ll fly you to the private Lewa Reserve to stay four nights at the Craig’s family home, surrounded by over 11 percent of Kenya’s black rhino population and over 14% of Kenya’s white rhino population. Here you can swim, play tennis, ride out into the bush, jump off rocks into rivers, take the kids crabbing…
Then it’s off the Cottar’s home in their private conservancy on the edge of the legendary Maasai Mara Reserve for three nights.

This is the place to enjoy some of the best game-viewing, with some of the best guides, and in some of the most game-dense areas, in Africa, not to over-egg the pudding. You have four days so there is time to mix things up: whilst the children perhaps learn bush skills in the Cottar’s Warrior School, you might get out on foot to game view – a rare opportunity in the Mara area. Then we fly you back to Nairobi to say goodbye (perhaps stopping off to adopt an elephant at the elephant orphanage).

6/10 Teenage Zambia Explorer

A wild adventure in remote Zambia: 3 nights on a luxury safari and 3 nights by and on and in (!) the Victoria Falls.

The Lower Zambezi is one of the most beautiful stretches of wilderness you can find, and right on the river is your ‘camp’ for the next three days: Chiawa. Enjoy timber floors, inside and outside bathrooms (ball and claw baths, no less!), a swimming pool and a warm top class service from owner Grant’s family and camp team.

Next it’s over to the famous Victoria Falls to stay at the luxury Royal Livingstone Hotel, the best place in Zambia or Zimbabwe to watch the sunset over the mighty Zambezi. Here you can relax as the kids head off to bungee, microlight, white water raft and heaven knows what else!

7/10 The Ultimate Luxury Safari: Botswana & Victoria Falls

The absolute ultimate in family adventure: Three nights acclimatising at the iconic Victoria Falls, then flying in for three nights in a luxury camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Finally it’s down to the relatively unknown Makgadikgadi Salt Pan for five nights’ unique luxury adventure – including a quad bike safari of course.

This itinerary is a flying itinerary and the experiences along the way are as incredible as they are varied! Starting at Waterberry Farmhouse you can explore the mighty Zambezi by canoe, sunset river cruise, swimming in Devil’s Pool etc. Then you’re off into the depths of Botswana for a spot of mokoro-game viewing (a dug-out ebony tree canoe) along hippo channels. Finally you’ll end up in the eerily deserted salt pan of Makgadikgadi. If you wish, and if the conditions allow it, you can head off on quad bikes to fly camp on Kubu Island. You know you’ll be the only one at your next dinner party to have had that experience…

 

8/10 Luxury Namibia

This itinerary showcases Namibia’s highlights: two nights Sossusvlei, two nights Swakopmund, two nights Doro Nwas and two nights Ongava, staying at luxury accommodations and travelling the vast landscape by plane.

You’ll be whisked straight from your arrival into a small plane to head for the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei for a two-night stay. The kids could get involved in some quadbiking or visit Sesriem Canyon, whilst you may enjoy a long walk in the Namib desert – and then your dinner served by lantern light on the open dining veranda.

Onwards by plane to historical Swakopmund – Africa’s extreme sports capital! After two nights here it’s up to the dramatic Damaraland with its incredible geological phenomena such as Organ Pipes or the Petrified Forest. You’ll spend the final two nights at Etosha, Namibia’s most dense wildlife reserve where you can see both black and white rhino amongst other big game.

9/10 Self-drive Namibia Adventure

This is a self-reliant adventure for an adventurous family… We’ll meet you upon arrival at Windhoek to chat through your itinerary and show you around your vehicle. Then you’re on your own – except of course we’re always nearby and on the end of a phone 24/7!

Now most tourists head south to Sossusvlei, so you’re of course going to go the road less travelled; you’ll head north to the beautiful Erongo Mountains, flanked by the Namib Desert to the west and a mixed woodland savannah to the east.

The next day you’re off again for the Damaraland highlands where you’ll stop for two nights in the fabulous Palmwag Lodge and watch the elephants come to drink – or perhaps you would like to spend a day tracking with a Rhino Ranger tracker. Then it’s more wildlife at Etosha National Park – viewing it by vehicle, horseback or on mountain bike perhaps. And on your last stop before returning to Windhoek you’ll stay at Okomjima for a unique wild cat experience with the AfriCat Foundation

 

10/10 Tanzania Uber Luxury Safari and Beach: Serengeti & Zanzibar

The absolute ultimate luxury family adventure in Tanzania Africa: 3 nights in the renowned private Grumeti Reserve in the Serengeti, then flying onto beautiful Zanzibar Island for five nights beach time on the Indian Ocean.

If Singita’s Sasakwa Lodge is your first introduction to Africa I’m afraid you’ve been spoiled for life. This is the real deal: uber-luxury private houses with a dizzying view over the plains of the Serengeti. Your private guide can’t do enough for you or your kids, especially when it comes to high-speed open-vehicle tracking of animals on the move!

Flying over to Zanzibar Island you can slow the pace down a bit at White Sands (open air wellness centre and spa anyone?) – whilst the kids keep up the adrenaline on the white sand beaches with kite surfing, snorkelling and more!