Going on safari with a child--10 tips for a wonderful trip

leopard and cub in the Serengeti

Last year, I took my 10-year-old grandson to Kenya and Tanzania.  We spent 12 days in tented camps and a lodge (at the Ngorongoro Crater), in the Kenyan Highlands, Tanzania's fabulous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. 
This summer, I took my 9-year-old granddaughter on a similar trip, but visited Kenya's magnificent Masai Mara rather than the Highlands, which did not have the rich variety of animals that the Masai Mara has.

our tent in Masai Mara

 These two trips have brought me so much joy--traveling with one grandchild by myself, seeing an extraordinary part of the world with each of them.  I feel so incredibly lucky.
I learned a lot about traveling on safari with children, so thought I would share some of my lessons learned.  My granddaughter is a devoted animal-lover who quickly learned the names of many of the birds and all of the  animals we saw.  She loved being an animal spotter, became quite fascinated with the various carcasses provided by the large predators, and enjoyed the scenery. 

silver-backed jackal, a favorite on both trips

My grandson was deep into book 7 of the Harry Potter series and did not want to put his books down, even in the back of a bouncing Land Cruiser.  He loved seeing and photographing all the animals we saw, but was not as interested in spotting them as his sister.
Safaris can involve long drives between camps, sometimes without seeing a lot of animals.  To get around quickly, we also had quite a few flights on the tiny planes that hop around the game parks of East Africa, landing at small airstrips. 
All of this is worth it for the incredible experience of seeing such beautiful animals, some in very large numbers.  I am going to do several more blogs about what my granddaughter and I did and saw this summer, but will start with some suggestions on how to travel happily with a child.
We started both trips with 2 nights in Nairobi since our flights arrived in the evening.  That gave us a chance to have a lazy morning after a long day of travel, visit some of the fun sites for kids (see my next blogs) in Nairobi, and relax in the late afternoon.

a matriarch and her family

1.  Reserve your own vehicle and driver/guide, just for your family.  
I've been in Africa and on safari many times.  The most important thing to me is to have our own vehicle and driver/guide.  In East Africa, we always reserve a pop-top Land Cruiser that lets you stand up, look for game and take photos while having a roof to protect you from too much sun (Southern Africa more often has open vehicles, but you can usually still reserve your own).  With kids, the flexibility of having your own vehicle and guide is a huge bonus because you can decide when and where you want to go and how long you want to stay out looking for animals.
2.  Do not overdo the game drives.  
A full day game drive is a lot for a child.  So, I made sure we did not have 2 long days in a row.  We would spend one full day seeing animals, usually the day we changed camps, and break up the next day with early morning and late afternoon drives, enjoying a long, relaxing break with lunch in camp and time in our tents in between.  That way, kids can take a nap or read their books or play games on their tablets and relax.  I think this is really important since the drives can be very tiring.  Tired children cannot enjoy the experience.

mom and baby--all babies are a big hit

3.  Be very flexible.
My grandson wanted to read Harry Potter during our longer drives and I wanted him to watch for animals.  When I finally figured out that he would enjoy the trip much more if I were just more flexible, we both had a lot more fun.  We worked out a system where he would get 30 to 60 minutes to read while we were driving, but not when we stopped to see animals, and then he would spend 30 minutes spotting animals as we drove.  In camp, he got to do just what he wanted while I edited photos and wrote my blogs.  We both really liked this arrangement.
4.  Spend at least 2 nights at each stop.  Consider spending 3 nights at 1 or 2 stops.  This lets you have a place to return to for mid-day time rest and relaxation.  
On our trips anywhere, we always stay at least 2 nights in one place so we don't have to pack and move every day.  I think this is particularly important when you're on safari, and even more important with a child who needs a place to return to.  With my grandchildren, I spent 3 nights at our first camp.  We all liked coming back to our tent and our beds and our things for a couple of nights.  The rest of the time, we spent 2 nights at each camp.  If we were taking a longer trip, I would add a third night at one of the camps.

waterbuck right outside our room at the Ngogongoro Crater

5.  Don't make the trip too long.  Our trips were 12 days, including travel days.  This was plenty for my grandchildren.  Much as they loved the animals and enjoyed the tents, the guides, the different culture and the experience of being in Africa, 10 days of seeing lots of animals was plenty.  They were ready to go home when it was time to leave (and they're equally ready to go on another adventure).
6.  Take a tablet or similar for each child, loaded with several books they really want to read and a couple of games they love to play.  
My grandson and I had one very delayed flight from the Kenyan Highlands to Nairobi, where we were to catch a bush flight to the Serengeti.  Fortunately, we were at a small airport that had chairs and a little restaurant (with a grilled cheese sandwich).  The airstrips generally have no place to wait except in your vehicle--no guide should ever leave until your plane is in the air.  My grandson had his tablet with his Harry Potter books loaded onto it and some games.  He was perfectly happy curled up in a chair reading and occasionally eating while we waited 4 hours for our plane.  Fortunately, the local airlines going to the game parks (which are excellent) wait for delayed passengers.

zebras are another favorite

7.  A travel pillow in the vehicle can provide a more comfortable nap for a tired child.  
We took small travel pillows which made my grandchildren very happy, along with my fleece jacket draped cozily over their shoulders.
8.  Look for camps that are child-friendly, but don't believe everything they say.  
I took my grandson to a child-friendly camp in the Kenyan Highlands because they advertised lots of activities for kids and the owners have 2 young boys of their own.  The activities were fun when they were available, but required an iron nerve from me because they were a bit risky and under-supervised.  The boys did not always want my grandson to do things with them.  With my granddaughter, our camp in Masai Mara had crafts, walks and games for kids, which she really enjoyed.  So, check them out in the reviews before you reserve.

who wouldn't love a warthog?

9.  Take lightweight binoculars and a simple camera for children.  I found a Canon camera, very simple and lightweight, with a 40x zoom, which was great for photographing animals.
Both my grandchildren are very proud of their photos.  We put them into photobooks and they look at them constantly.  Having their own binoculars gives them the chance to watch all the animals in all their daily activities and lets you enjoy your own viewing with your own binoculars.
10.  Be extremely careful about what you eat and drink.
There's nothing that will destroy a trip faster than being sick.  I was extremely careful about what my grandchildren ate and drank.  Only bottled water to drink and brush teeth.  Only cooked food and peeled fruits and vegetables.  No food at all that might have been washed in unsafe water.  Many camps provide purified water for filling water bottles, which should be fine, but I strongly recommend against eating fresh, unpeeled fruits and vegetables and salads.  And, just in case, take some child-strength Imodium or prescription to relieve the miserable symptoms.  Better not to get sick in the first place.  We returned healthy and happy.
I think safaris can be wonderful for adults and children if you plan carefully and expect to be very flexible.  My grandchildren and I will remember our trips to Africa with so much enthusiasm and pleasure. 

the extremely rare black rhino--meandering across the Crater