Tips for Your Family's Luxury African Safari

There is no travel experience more memorable than one shared across generations, and there are a number of luxury family safari options that allow you to explore Africa's wildlife and vibrant culture safely in the company of those you know and trust the most. Depending on the country and activities you choose, children as young as three can journey with their family in Africa, and many companies offer game drives that can accommodate those as young as eight. Of course, only you know what’s best for your children, but as rule ask yourself basic questions like:

1.) How well do your children listen?

2.) How well do they take instruction, especially regarding safety tips?

3.) Do you feel comfortable giving your children preventatives for Malaria and other diseases that pose a potential risk?

To better prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure, Epic Road offers some additional tips on how to tailor a holiday in Africa to appeal to family members of all ages – and make the trip one that will be remembered fondly for years to come!

Plan Ahead

After taking a look at the Best Time to Go On A Safari and working with ER to decide on the right country and time of year to go, get ready to start prepping for your family’s African Safari. Two important factors that will ensure a safe holiday are visas and vaccines. Although ER will help you along the way, be sure to do your research on both of these things well ahead of time.

Each country has different laws regarding visas, some of which require you to apply in advance, while others you can get upon arrival. To find out the specific visa regulations for the African country your family is visiting, we recommend consulting with an official passport and visa service agency like Visa HQ.

Your family’s health is the main priority while on an African safari, so make sure you know exactly what vaccines are required before you leave. Once again, this will vary country by country but we have found the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be helpful in making this information readily available for travelers.

Read Up

Although the unexpected surprise of stumbling on a herd of elephants while on an African safari can be thrilling, it is important that your family goes into the experience as well-informed as possible. This is especially true of younger children, but all travelers can be startled when seeing wild creatures up close! Familiarize yourself with some of the animals you are bound to see, like the Big Five, so seeing them up close is more of a pleasant surprise than a shock!

Safety precautions are also something you need to discuss beforehand. Your safari guide will brief you on the rules, but be sure your family remembers to:

Wear thick boots and socks in order to avoid stepping on any venomous creatures
Avoid swimming in bodies of water unless a guide says it is safe
If in a car: stay inside the vehicle and don’t stand or stick any limbs out the windows
If by foot: follow your guide, walk slowly and stay alert

Get Ready

To make the most of the heat, keep these tips in mind when preparing your family the morning before your big African safari!