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Last week I discussed some of the best ideas for unique luxury multi-generational family vacations around the world, with safaris being one of the travel experiences recommended. If you haven’t had an opportunity to read the article, check it out and then come back here for a deeper dive into some amazing family safari options. Although international travel is on pause for now due to COVID-19, I intentionally wanted to highlight safaris because they are a particular travel experience that requires a significant amount of advance planning, particularly for family or group safaris, and it isn’t all that uncommon to start planning for a luxury group safari trip over a year or two in advance.

Before going into specific examples of where to stay for an incredible family or multi-generational safari, I want to highlight some important factors that should be considered when deciding on the best type of safari for your family. When working with a professional travel advisor these topics will be discussed in more detail in order to pair you with the perfect safari for your family or group, but for now here are some important things to take note of prior to planning your trip.

7 Considerations When Planning a Luxury Family Safari Trip

LOCATION

Are you just interested in a safari or do you want to combine a safari with other destinations? This will help guide what part of Africa to visit, particularly for the safari portion of the trip.

What about your comfort level or family restrictions with regard to malaria risk? Whether you are willing or able to visit a reserve within a low to moderate risk malaria zone will dictate your safari options, but there are also some wonderful options in malaria-free areas I will highlight later.

How about ease of access? Some safari lodges are within easy reach of regular commercial flights and brief road transfers while some lodges are more remote and require charter flights and/or longer road transfers that may pose more of a challenge when there are young children or older adults as part of the group.

DURATION

How much time do you have carved out for the entire trip? Is this a shorter trip where you may only have time to fit in one or two safari lodges, or is there more time to work with to add more to the itinerary and visit different regions for a varied and unique experience?

BUDGET

What is your overall budget for the trip? Safaris are not traditionally considered a “budget” vacation, and with the effort it takes to get to Africa and the extremely unique nature of the safari experience, it is definitely the type of trip worthy of splurging on the budget, particularly if it is a bucket list family vacation. There are lodge options in a variety of price points, and when discussing budget it is important to note that most lodges are almost always all inclusive, such as game drives, all meals, alcohol for adults, children’s activities, and even laundry.

MOBILITY REQUIREMENTS

If you are planning a multi-generational trip or just have family members with limited mobility, some lodges are more suitable than others based on the location and design of the lodge. Some accommodations are easily accessed on flat ground while others require navigating elevated walkways and uneven ground, swinging bridges, or even tree-house designs.

PRIVACY

Do you want private/exclusive use of the lodge or are you looking for a larger property with other guests? Even if booked in a larger lodge where you’ll be sharing communal space with other guests, depending on your group size you can often arrange to have game drives together or if you don’t have enough people within your group to fill a vehicle some lodges offer the option to pay extra for a guaranteed private vehicle.

CHILD-FRIENDLINESS

Some lodges are tailored to couples and adults, some allow children at the lodge and on game drives depending on age, while other lodges are truly family focused and embrace children with specific activities and programs on offer to keep the little ones entertained and engaged. Depending on the age range of your group, selecting the lodge that will be a good fit for those ages will be incredibly important to ensure a positive memorable experience for everyone.

REMAINING ITINERARY

If you want to experience more than just a safari, you can easily add time to visit a beautiful beach destination and/or explore the vibrant and gorgeous natural scenery of the western cape including Cape Town and the winelands. If you are traveling all the way to Africa, I highly recommend adding time to explore other areas in addition to a luxury safari experience. I will provide some recommendations of what that can look like in just a moment, but first, let’s get into some of my top lodge recommendations for luxury family and multi-generational safari trips!

THE BEST LUXURY SAFARI EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES

For the sake of this article, I’m focusing on safari experiences within South Africa since I want to highlight how you can easily combine a safari with a city and/or beach experience and the simplest way to do this is to keep the safari portion within South Africa. In addition, the lodges in South Africa are typically easier to get to compared to some other regions with commercial flights and reliable roads. Of course there are plenty of other wonderful options for family safaris in other areas including Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, or Tanzania and if those areas are of particular interest, please reach out and I would love to discuss options that fit your needs. The following information highlights some of the best properties for family safaris in four different regions of South Africa:

Greater Kruger Region

My first few picks are located on private reserves that share unfenced boundaries with the famous Kruger National Park, resulting in some of the best wildlife sightings in South Africa. As mentioned in my list of considerations, this area does fall within a malaria-risk zone, particularly from October through May, so it is something important to keep in mind. This is a personal decision for each visitor and I highly recommend consulting with your medical professional before making any decisions. The safari experience in this region is outstanding; however your safety and comfort level are obviously of utmost importance, particularly when planning a family safari with younger children or older family members. Since a safari in a malaria-risk region is not possible for everyone, I will also highlight some options in very low-risk and malaria-free areas as well.

Singita Castleton

My first pick is part of the Singita portfolio-one of the most respected brands known for luxury safari properties across Africa. Singita Castleton is located in the private Sabi Sands reserve and is an exclusive-use farmhouse property with 6 cottages for up to 12 people with all ages welcome. The property includes a private pool and boma, activities for children, private lodge staff including butler service, a chef, safari guide and tracker, a mini-rangers program for children, and customized activities designed for the family. This is a wonderful safari option for multi-generational families who want a personalized safari experience in one of the most famous private reserves in the country (Sabi Sands is also world-renowned for its leopard sightings!).

Dulini Collection

The Dulini Collection consists of 3 separate properties, also within the Sabi Sands reserve. While not intentionally designed for exclusive use, with only 6 suites at two of the properties (Dulini Lodge and Dulini River Lodge) and 4 suites at Dulini Leadwood, the lodges can easily be booked out exclusively by one family group if planned far enough in advance. Dulini allows children ages 8 and over; however it tends to be more popular with couples or family groups with children who are a little bit older, so it would be a perfect fit for a family or multi-generational trip with teenagers on up. Having personally stayed at two of the properties on separate trips to South Africa, I cannot recommend Dulini highly enough for its incredibly friendly staff, amazing wildlife viewing, and gorgeous accommodations and common areas which have all undergone recent refurbishments.

Royal Malawane

Still located in the Greater Kruger region, but within the private Thornybush reserve, Royal Malawane offers a variety of accommodations to fit the needs of different group sizes. There is the main lodge and Africa House private villa which consists of 6 bedrooms, as well as the Farmstead suites and Farmhouse which consists of 3 and ½ bedrooms. The Farmhouse can also be booked as 4 separate units, but it is perfect for private use up to 14 guests. Royal Malawane welcomes children over 10 in the main lodge suites and farm suites, while children of all ages are welcome in the main lodge royal suites, Africa House villa, and Farmstead house.

There are a number of amenities and activities tailored to children at Royal Malawane including a children’s amenities range, bush backpack, activity booklets, the Royal Cubs Spa menu, kitchen activities such as baking and homemade play-dough, and an animal checklist with pictures. For slightly older children there is also a Junior Rangers course available.

Tintswalo Lodge and Manor House

Also sharing an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park, Manyeleti Game Reserve is home to Tintswalo Safari Lodge and Tintswalo Manor House. The main lodge consists of 6 suites and 2 two-bedroom suites which are available for individual bookings. Children under the age of 9 are not permitted at the main lodge unless it is booked out as exclusive use for one group. The best option for a family group, however, is the beautiful Tintswalo Manor House, which consists of five luxurious suites for up to 10 people and children of all ages are welcome.

The Manor House is a fully-catered, home style villa offering a private safari getaway to families or traveling groups. When booking the Manor House as a family group, you receive a private game viewing vehicle, private guide and tracker, chef and butler, personalized children’s program, private family-size swimming pool, fenced garden, and private lounge and kitchen with an outdoor patio and bar. If there are children in the group, the guides offer an activity program to keep them entertained and on arrival they will receive a welcome backpack with educational items and a “little ranger” activity and story book.

The following options are located in other regions of South Africa, offering an alternative for those who can’t or don’t want to be within a malaria-risk zone, or perhaps want to combine a safari in the Greater Kruger region with a completely different area that offers a change of scenery and wildlife viewing.

&Beyond Phinda

Although not completely malaria-free, &Beyond Phinda private reserve located in the Kwazulu-Natal region of South Africa is considered very low-risk and is a great option for a family safari experience. The reserve is particularly well known for close-up sightings of cheetah, as well as the rare black rhino. In addition to wildlife viewing, Phinda offers unique scenery due to the variety of habitats such as woodland, grassland, wetland and forest, mountain ranges, rivers, marshes, and pans. The reserve is situated in close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering a great option for bush and beach adventures.

There are 6 properties spread out around the reserve; however there are three in particular that are ideal for families and/or exclusive-use stays. Phinda Zuka and Phinda Homestead are ideal for exclusive-use family groups. Equipped with your own dedicated ranger, tracker, butler, chef, and safari host, Phinda Zuka offers fully flexible schedules for game drive times and meals. Phinda Zuka consists of 4 individual bush suites clustered around a waterhole.

The other exclusive-use property is Phinda Homestead, ideal for both families and small groups consisting of four private bedrooms and bathrooms with communal guest spaces. An interactive kitchen brings the lodge’s private chef into the center of the guest experience. Like Phinda Zuka, game drive times and meals are also tailored to your preferences for complete flexibility.

A third option within the Phinda reserve is Phinda Mountain Lodge. This property is more traditional in the sense that it has 16 suites, 6 cottages that can be converted to 3 adjoining family cottages, and one family suite, therefore it is not a fully private experience, but it is an excellent family safari destination and definitely worth consideration if an exclusive-use property is not the right fit. Phinda Mountain is the ideal family lodge, with the family accommodation options, a dedicated WILDChild program for children ages 3-12, special children’s menus, and childminding services are available at an additional cost.

Tswalu Kalahari

Located in a completely different region of South Africa in the Northern Cape, Tswalu is malaria-free and welcomes children of all ages. On arrival, every child is welcomed with a backpack full of guides and tools; and they get their own opportunity to chat with the hospitality staff about what they would like to do. Tswalu also offers a Junior Ranger program designed for a broad age range.

Activities include archery (beginning by making your own bow and arrow), children’s bush walks that are hugely educational and often end with a fantastic picnic – parents can come too, and younger children are welcome during private game drives. Complimentary child-minding services are also available.

Accommodation options include the Motse and Tarkuni Homestead. The Motse is a “village” of 9 houses, 3 of which are family suites that each have two separate bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and are perfect for family groups. The Tarkuni Homestead is a private residence for up to 10 guests and perfect for a larger family or multi-generational luxury safari experience. There are 5 en-suite bedrooms each with a private deck and star bed and the homestead boasts a vast open-plan lounge and dining room, an intimate mezzanine library, and a spa therapy suite. A covered deck leads to a private tsala and swimming pool.

Being in the Kalahari region, Tswalu offers unique bird and wildlife viewing experiences that you may not see in other areas of South Africa including cheetah, meerkats, and if you’re really lucky perhaps a rare aardvark or pangolin sighting!

Morukuru

Last but not least is Morukuru located in the malaria-free Madikwe private reserve, a safari experience completely tailored to families. From the moment you arrive, the children are handed their very own ‘Morukuru Kidz’ backpack filled with some fun and useful goodies. The three exclusive-use house options offer a variety of child-specific activities, from tracking lessons to baking biscuits, from bush- and/or marine walks to board games. And for those children who simply can’t live without technology, those properties also offer access to free Wi-Fi, computer stations, DVDs and Playstation. Staff offer complete flexibility based on your interests and daily requirements, and are available at any time to ensure that your children are well taken care of and entertained. While the adults go on a bush walk, enjoy a romantic sunset dinner, or just relax with a good book, the children can participate in activities tailored just to them.

There are three separate homes available for private use, including the Owner’s House which accommodates 4, River House which accommodates 6 adults and 4 children, and Farm House which accommodates up to 10 adults and children. Each house is fully staffed to take care of any needs including a private safari guide and tracker, chef, butler, hostess, babysitter if needed, and housekeeper.

OPTIONS TO COMBINE WITH A LUXURY FAMILY SAFARI

So if you’re flying all the way to Africa for an incredible family safari, where else can you go to make the trip even more special?

By choosing to experience a safari within South Africa, you can easily combine a luxury family safari with some time in a relaxing beach destination, or visit the incredible Western Cape of South Africa including Cape Town and the winelands region just outside of the city.

SAFARI AND BEACH EXPERIENCE

Oyster Box © The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

For families who want some time to relax at a stunning beach resort, you can easily experience a safari and beach family trip. For families visiting Phinda reserve, a wonderful beach option a quick charter flight or road transfer away is the Oyster Box Hotel located on the eastern coast of South Africa. This gorgeous oceanfront luxury boutique resort offers stunning views and access to the Indian Ocean and a variety of activities for adults and children on and around the property.

For a more remote option, Mozambique offers pristine beaches with a sense of privacy and eco-luxury at resorts including Azura Benguerra and Azura Quilalea. There are a variety of accommodation options suitable for couples or family groups. While there aren’t traditional kids clubs you find in larger hotels, Azura offers a host of activities for children and families. Children can enjoy seeing interesting marine life above and below the water, search for pansy shells on an island that appears at low tide, experience cultural encounters, climb dunes, look for crocodiles, taste the island’s fruits or play soccer with the local team.

Another luxury beach option that requires a longer flight, but well worth the travel time is the stunning island of Mauritius. With more traditional luxury beach resort options available, there are incredible properties for families including the LUX Belle Mare Resort and Villas, One&Only Le Saint Geran, and The St. Regis Mauritius.

SAFARI, CITY, AND WINE

For my personal favorite South Africa itinerary which offers the greatest variety of experiences to cater to a family group’s interests, particularly if it is a family vacation with older children or all adults, is a combination of safari, Cape Town, and the winelands. Cape Town offers stunning natural beauty and scenery, cultural experiences, outdoor activities for those who want to hike, bike, or do adrenaline activities, and an amazing culinary scene.

While the winelands are traditionally thought of as an adult destination, many wine estates offer children’s activities and can still be a great family experience. Some properties I would recommend for family groups visiting the winelands include Lanzerac wine estate in beautiful Stellenbosch, La Cle Village and Lodge in Franschhoek which offers a variety of room combinations and villas, or the stunning Mont Rochelle manor house, also in Franschhoek, consisting of 4 suites and a children’s bunkroom for a fully private family residence.

For where to stay in Cape Town, my recommendations for family groups include the Cape Grace conveniently located in the Waterfront area and in easy walking distance to restaurants and fun activities for the children (and my personal favorite place to stay when I visit Cape Town), the Belmond Mount Nelson with its stunning gardens, variety of accommodations on offer, and relaxing pool area for families; as well as the Redcliffe House, a 4-bedroom exclusive use option instead of a more traditional hotel.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

Most people are overwhelmed when starting to think about a trip to Africa, with seemingly endless options for lodges, experiences, and destinations. When considering a trip to Africa for a larger family or multi-generational trip, it can feel downright impossible to know where to start. This is the perfect example of why working with a travel advisor is so important. Let the professional step in and guide you to the best options tailored to your family group or situation, take care of all of the logistics for you, and ensure your family trip is truly exceptional for everyone in the group.

This is the type of trip that requires a significant amount of advance planning and detail, particularly if it is a larger family group or you are interested in one of the incredible exclusive-use lodges since they are in high demand. The earlier you can start planning the better to guarantee being able to reserve the best properties, so if a family safari is even remotely on your radar for the future, now is the perfect time to take the next step to making that trip a reality!

Planning trips to Africa and unique safari experiences are some of my favorite types of travel to design, so I would love to help you plan an extraordinary family or multi-generational trip to Africa and deliver an experience no one in your family will ever forget! For more information, learn about my travel concierge services and the benefits of working with a travel advisor to ensure a wonderful and effortless travel experience!

Connect with me to ask any questions you may have or to get started on your next incredible travel experience!

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