African safari tips for a big family

It is often said that on any safari vacation, the trip is enriched not only by the places you visit, but also the kind and number of people you travel with.

During your lifetime, there must have been instances of travel here and there with your close family members in a small group, but when it comes to multi-generation travel, and that too in the wilds of Africa, the scenario changes altogether.

Grouping people of different ages, personalities and preferences, even within one large family is a challenge, as despite all the affinity there are bound to be disagreements from grandson to grandma on the way.

So when you plan your next safari to Africa with an extended family, use a bit of tact and lots of planning to make the most out of probably your once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Booking through excellent tour agencies like Naturetrek will keep organizational inconveniences at bay and allow you to focus on family time and fun. 

Plan wisely

The success or failure of any vacation depends on how well it is planned. When it comes to group family travel, the process requires many more elements to be considered.

Traveling alone is easy, but when you have a group of ten or more members, some may have individual needs and interests, which you must take into consideration.

Time it well

Check thoroughly, whether the time of the year and dates you choose to travel are in concurrence with all family members and favorable for the destination of your choice as well.

When you are traveling in a multi-generation group, the best time to go on a safari will be during the summer months between June and August. Additionally, this is the time of the summer school break for the kids and for adults to take a longer vacation.

While safari destinations like Tanzania and Kenya will have high prices and big crowds, in South Africa the prices will be low and it will be less busy. 

Budget

Before deciding on the travel itinerary, sit down with all the group members and discuss the budget they are willing to spend for the trip. Take into consideration important things like flights, transportation, accommodation, and more importantly resort selection.

Some lodges are not kid-friendly while some may not be offering wheelchair access or other assistance for the physically challenged. Find out about the overhead costs like gratuities, and personal expenses and set a budget to which everyone should stick.

Group safari or private safari

On a group safari, you and your members will form a part of a larger group booked for the same itinerary. While these may be cheaper, they are only suitable for those who have no special itinerary preferences in mind.

Opt for a private safari which allows you full control over the itinerary. You decide where you stay, what you eat, and which spots you prefer to visit. This is without any doubt the best choice for a multi-generation group, even though they happen to be on the costly side.

Itinerary

Sir down with the group and discuss the places each one wants to see and whether doing that collectively is achievable. Do not cram too many destinations in a small period, and use the first day of your trip to just relax and unwind from the jetlag.

Transfers and game drives

Make sure transportation to and fro from the airport to the hotel is taken care of by your safari organizer. You don’t want to land up at an unearthly hour in a new country looking for a transfer with a tired group with bawling kids on hand.

Since you are traveling in a large group, ask your safari operator as to the type of transportation available on the game drives. While open safari vehicles are excellent for this, younger children may not be allowed. Instead, ask for a large van with a pop-up roof, that will preferably fit the whole group or a minivan at all places you intend to stay.

Keeping in touch

One of the often most neglected aspects of large group family travel is inadequate communication between all the members. Lack of sharing information with everyone results in unnecessary arguments and disagreements.

If it is not possible to have daily meetings each evening after a safari or during coffee or dinner breaks, make use of technology and bring everyone on the same wavelength by setting up a group chat. Apps like WhatsApp makes communication between large groups possible, by regularly updating information and comments about the day’s activity and providing a nice platform to share pictures later. For those who are not tech-savvy, a phone call at regular intervals will suffice.

Book the entire lodge

The accommodation offers a formidable challenge for large groups when traveling in the bush. Most safari lodges will book rooms in multiple resorts which will make it very difficult for the family to stay together.

To avoid this headache, ask your safari agent months in advance to look for a lodge or villa that you can book entirely or one which will at least fit all the group members in one place.

If you are unable to find a suitable option for the whole family, contact a camping safari expert. Tented camps are a wonderful way to experience the bush as you get to stay bang in the middle of the wilderness. That said, no matter how large your group is, camps can be pitched to accommodate up to 40 people at one time.

Be attentive to everyone’s needs

There will be many occasions on the trip when differences will arise by someone needing something or the other. The larger the age difference between the group members, the worse the cases will be.

While one child may be hungry, grandma may want to stop for a toilet break. At the same time, someone may want to stop for coffee. These are inevitable issues that need to be tackled in advance.

Carry some packs of munchies or mixed nuts, some board games for children’s entertainment, and insulated bottles of coffee. Don’t forget to ask the driver where the comfort spots are located.

Split up when necessary

Extended families have extensive needs and desires. For example, if there are young kids on the trip, not all may have the inclination to go on a game drive. To avoid this, research the alternate activities on offer with your tour organizer and then split the group up.

If you take the kids on a morning game drive, let them spend the afternoon splashing around the pool if they are happier doing that. Similarly, older adults may not opt for a walking safari, but may instead be given two game drives in return.

Fitness levels of individuals need to be considered in large groups, as an injury to any member can ruin the whole trip.