Tag: family

Kids on Safari: Where to Go, What to Do?

Posted on by James

If you want to truly open your eyes to the wonders of nature, take your kids on safari.

There is a stunning curiosity that is innate in children, but tends to fade as we get older; a curiosity that is wide open to possibility, and a curiosity in all things, whether great or small.
The intricacies of natural ecosystems are dependent on all their inhabitants, not just the big furry things that most of us want to take photos of, and this curiosity of your kids will expose it to you in the most wonderful way.

Whether it be moulding a lion’s track out of plaster of Paris or understanding the egg case of a praying mantis, the unending ways in which kids’ interests are piqued on safari makes sure that it is one of the most stimulating trips they will ever take.

Most lodges in Africa insist upon a minimum age of 6 to bring kids on safari, with some increasing that to 12. If 6 is the number, then for the most part the lodge will also insist that you pay extra for a private vehicle, which, while being slightly more expensive, does ensure that your safari is run at your own pace, and guests not related to your group won’t be impacted in any way, or vice versa.
Private safari villas are on the rise for those for whom privacy and creature comforts are the focus. This means safari villas with their own guides, vehicles, chefs and sometimes spas. These will almost always be separate from, but associated with, a wider lodge. There’s also the possibility of exclusive-use booking of micro-camps. With these setups, it may be possible to flout the minimum age policy.

A game drive with children is likely to be far more inclusive of a wider range of senses. Nibble this delicious wild berry, feel the texture of the bark of this ancient leadwood tree, get down to eye level with this marching ant column… the longer gaps between the sightings of larger game are done away with as everything is explored, and children will find that the natural world is as broad as their imaginations.

Our favourite places to safari with kids are:

Londolozi, South Africa:

With their long-established Cubs Den Program, Londolozi has decades of experience in making young kids feel right at home in the bush. A dedicated

In the words of former Londolozi Ranger (and father of two) Tom Imrie:

A Children’s Safari Program is often set out with the intention of keeping little ones busy while the parents relax. It has a fairly rigid timetable and is usually unchanged from season to season, year to year. A Children’s Philosophy embraces the fact that each child is unique and he or she has a different departure point to fun. Our philosophy therefore promises that while the parents relax we’ll find that departure point for your children and maximize their enjoyment in this exciting environment. This philosophy comes, as you can see, from Londolozi’s nearly 100 year history and experience of five generations in the bush.

Londolozi has long perfected the art of the Family Safari. Family Land Rovers can stop often for kids to jump out and utilize their senses. Touching, feeling, smelling, throwing – it all comes into the mix and we recognize that a four hour game drive can be a long time for a child to sit still. We believe it is essential to get the little ones off the vehicle as often as possible, even if it’s just to identify tracks.

Jack’s Camp, Botswana:

With its open grasslands and seemingly endless salt pans that stretch to the horizon, Jack’s Camp is a place where the imagination can stretch…

Whilst the safari activities here are meant for anyone and everyone, many of them are of special interest to younger minds, who are able to appreciate things in a different way to adults.
Walking with the San Bushmen, sitting with the local meerkat colony as they get foraging into the morning, or cruising on a quad bike across the desert sands (for the slightly older kids on safari); all are slightly out of the normal approach to safaris, but offer such diversity of experience as to make a stay at Jack’s Camp a continual wealth of stimulation.

Kids will end the day  in blissful exhaustion after all they’ve seen and done…

Singita Serengeti House, Grumeti Reserve, Tanzania:

The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of Nature’s great spectacles. Singita Serengeti House’s enviable perch in the private Grumeti Reserve provides some of the best seats in the area to watch thousands upon thousands of wildebeest, zebra and other plains game journey in search of better grazing. Not only will you and your family be able to see this natural phenomenon first hand, you’ll also have exclusive use of the luxury house – including private onsite staff, a private safari vehicle and dedicated guide.

The Migration isn’t the only entertainment on the cards. Family bonding can take place over a match of tennis, watching a movie in the media room, or taking a dip in the 25-metre infinity swimming pool. Serengeti House also has a Mini Rangers course that’s sure to delight children of all ages. Young explorers will have the opportunity to learn how to track animals, dabble in some astronomy, upskill in bush survival techniques, put their knowledge to the test in nature quizzes, and participate in a whole host of fun competitions.

Safari doesn’t have to be for the rugged explorer anymore (although there are certainly still places that call for this kind of adventurer). It is becoming a more and more refined experience for the whole family. All-inclusive, interpretive, and deeply fulfilling, it promises to bond people together like few other journeys can or will.

If you are wondering whether or not taking your kids with you on safari is the right move, it almost certainly is.

Get hold of us through info@iconicafrica.com to find out about more amazing safari options at which you can open your children’s eyes to the magic of this wonderful world…

Madikwe Safari Lodge: the Perfect Mid-Week Getaway

Posted on by James

One of South Africa’s lesser known game reserves, but one of its most ecologically diverse, the 75000ha Madikwe Game Reserve is a hidden gem of wildlife viewing.

A comfortable forty minute flight from Johannesburg – or just over four hours drive for those who enjoy a short road trip – and situated in a malaria-free area, Madikwe has been wowing visitors since 1991 when the park was first declared. Known primarily for its elephant herds – the park has a higher density of these huge herbivores than any other protected area in South Africa – and packs of African Wild Dogs, Madikwe boasts a number of full board lodges, and with the current midweek specials currently being run by Madikwe Safari Lodge, there is no better time to nip out for a few days bush break.

The beautifully appointed main area in Dithaba Lodge.
Madikwe Safari Lodger experiences some of the most amazing sunsets in Africa.

Three extravagant camps – Kopano (4 suites), Lelapa (12 suites) and Dithaba (4 suites) – are spread between two picturesque and boulder-strewn hills on the eastern side of the reserve.The two smaller camps offer a slightly more intimate experience and are perfect for romantic couples or small groups, whilst Lelapa the largest of the three camps is the more family-oriented, with specialised rangers and facilities for budding young naturalists.

Dining under the African night sky is an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.
Children are welcome at Madikwe Safari Lodge

The stunning camps are defined by a laid-back feeling and incredibly friendly staff, who immediately make you feel like you are at your very own holiday home. Experienced guides bring the complex biomes of Madikwe to life in front of your eyes, and the limit of a maximum of three vehicles allowed in a sighting maintains the intimate feel of the experience even when you are out on game drive.

The diversity of habitats found in Madikwe is part of what makes it so special.
Opulence abounds back at the lodge.

Madikwe rests on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. It is semi-arid, receiving just 350mm of rain annually but despite this supports an astonishing variety of fauna and flora. More than 60 species of mammal have been recorded at Madikwe and the bird list is now topping 350 species.

Lantern-lit pathways in the evening maintain a beautifully natural feeling.
Elephants are plentiful throughout the reserve.

In the east, Madikwe is bounded by the Marico River – a perennial stream that grows until it eventually forms the mighty Limpopo of Rudyard Kipling fame. To the west lies the Kalahari and the northern border is the national boundary with Botswana. The south is bounded by the purple and red Dwarsberg Hills. Undulating woodlands stretch north from the hills eventually falling over the Tweedepoort escarpment onto the low lying savannahs and grassland. The plains are dotted with inselbergs where baboons, hyrax and klipspringer keep a watchful eye for the attentions of Africa’s elusive leopard.

The views across the reserve are simply unbeatable.

Whilst maybe not as well-known as some of its counterparts towards the Kruger Park, Madikwe Safari Lodge offers an experience in every way as comfortable, exciting, widlife-rich and ultimately rewarding as any lodge in South Africa.

Contact us to find out more about the incredible specials Madikwe Safari Lodge is currently running…

 

 

 

Londolozi: A Return Home

Posted on by Terri

It has been 26 years since I first journeyed to Londolozi Game Reserve, yet every time I visit I still feel the same sense of giddy excitement I did on that initial visit so long ago, the same sense of nostalgia when I climb up into the Land Rover for the opening game drive of the trip, and the same overwhelming sense of sadness when I leave.

It’s not just the amazing sightings of leopards in trees, lions wading through the Sand River, or being surrounded by the 7th herd of elephants for the morning. It’s far more than that.
This for me was where my true love for the bush began, as I began to see exactly what type of experience it could – and should – be.

My first visit to Londolozi, 26 years ago (I am standing centre). Ranger Julius Ngwenya (sitting in front) has his son now working as a tracker at Londolozi.
And our latest trip, out on game drive waiting for lions to wake up in the evening.

This is what Londolozi does so well. There’s no formula. That went out the window long ago. Yes there is a framework within which the lodge operates – out before sunrise each morning to catch the dawn chorus, night drives following lions on the hunt, bush walks to make you touch, smell, and truly listen – but the reality is that each safari, each time you venture out of the camp gates in fact, is tapered to suit your specific needs.

One of the many herds that inhabit the reserve wade across the Sand River (Pioneer Camp is just out of picture to the left).
The winter months are an especially good time to see elephants in the South African bush.

Birding is your thing? No problem; the focus shifts to the myriad different habitats that the reserve features, with the guide and tracker fully aware of which species are to be found where. Photographically inclined, wanting to capture that magical silhouette shot of a leopard outlined against the vivid reds of an African sunset? The tracking team will find that leopard, and – conditions permitting – the ranger will know exactly where to position the vehicle and what camera settings to use to make sure you nail the shot. There is no such thing as homogeneity in the Londolozi experience. It’s always unique and always special.

You never know what will be around the next corner at Londolozi…

I try to get back there once a year, except these days it’s not just me and my husband but my kids as well, and my brother and his wife regularly accompany us.
We try to stay in Pioneer Camp each year, the most westerly of the Londolozi camps. One of Londolozi’s three Relais and Chateaux camps, Pioneer only has three rooms, perfect for a family of our size. The adults go into two of them while the kids squeeze into the third (which is connected to ours by a discreet walkway).
And for a magical ten days, the camp becomes home.

The camp manager this year was Shannon Dawson, the most wonderful person you could ever wish to meet, and she shares a similar history with us in that she has also been visiting Londolozi with her family since she was small. And now she calls it home too.
Nothing was ever too much for Shannon, and her delightful smile was always there to welcome us home after game drive, morning and evening.

This leopard was waiting for us just off the edge of the Pioneer Camp deck as we returned from game drive one evening!

Travelling out from Atlanta, GA, where I live these days (having moved from South Africa in the 90s), it makes far more sense for us to come for a longer trip, so ten days is usually the least amount of time we will stay. I cannot emphasise enough the value of a longer stay. It allows one to truly sink into a place, to adjust to the flow of the African bush, and get to know the ranger, tracker and camp staff far better than one would in what would traditionally have been a three night adventure.

Our coffee stop one morning in a treehouse overlooking the Sand River.

 

A young leopard cub peers down nervously from the boughs of a marula tree, still uncertain of the best way to descend.

Particularly for those coming from further afield, long stay safaris are slowly starting to replace the three night visits, which travel trends are definitely starting to reflect. The idea it seems, is to go deeper, not broader. Rather than hopping between lodges, discerning travellers are preferring to remain in one place, getting the absolute most out of a visit that they can.
This is certainly what we try to accomplish each time we visit Londolozi.

Tiny wild dog pups emerge from their den as their mother calls them out.

This was our first time back in a couple of years, Covid-19 and other circumstances having prevented us visiting since July 2018.

The best thing for me was just how easy travel was in these times: flights were not a problem, covid-compliant and everything almost seemed easier than normal, especially given that airports are far less crowded. A hop, skip and a jump, and back in Londolozi we were…

And what a return it was.
Lions taking down a buffalo on our first morning, male leopards roaring back and forth at each other, a female leopard with her cubs just learning how to climb, wild dog pups emerging from their den for the first time… The sightings were incredibly varied and seemingly endless.
And in between them was the Londolozi fun; Wimbledon-themed dinners, soccer games for the kids, tracking lessons from Joy Mathebula… Whenever we least expected it, there was something new and exciting on the cards.

Tracker Andrea Sithole – who our family have known for years – celebrates a goal with my daughter Brodi in a soccer game organised for the kids staying in camp.
One of the dominant male leopards that Londolozi is so famous for, drinking only a few feet from our vehicle.

Londolozi doesn’t just thrill with the wildlife. They take you into their world and open your eyes. You get to see what this one wild life we have all been given should really be about: fun, connection, intimacy with nature and ultimately finding the best version of yourself.

I know I find that person whenever I’m at Londolozi.
And you can too…

 

 

Multigenerational Travel – The Who, What, Where & How

Posted on by Lexi Hall

“Family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” George Santayana

Multigenerational travel – a frequent choice among travellers – has grown in popularity over the years. Families no longer focus on collecting things, but prefer accumulating authentic and memorable experiences with three or more generations ranging from infants to great-grandparents. Although traveling with such a diversely-aged group can be daunting, it has become a trend.

With more time and distance between loved ones, families are taking advantage of free time to travel and maximise family time. Each age group instigates a new travel trend – be it adventure, some R&R or personal enrichment. Fortunately, multigenerational travel can accommodate everyone’s travel needs. Appealing to all age groups, each generation can create their own memories while having an authentic experience with the entire family.

What matters is the people you are with; but so does where you go and what you do… so we have put together some multigenerational travel tips for you here:

Before choosing where to go, you need to decide who will be paying. Family vacations include the young and old, immediate family and sometimes close friends. Never assume that you are or aren’t paying. Rather discuss who’s footing what bill before planning the vacation – that way there are no surprises and you can begin to budget.

Determine a budget before you begin putting together an itinerary. Once you’ve established who’s paying for what, you can then decide where you want to go, how much you want to spend and what you would like to do.

One of the main concerns for large families is visiting a destination that works for a diverse group. This is why so many people choose Africa as their top multigenerational travel destination! It can be exhausting trying to appeal to so many age groups on different levels, but it is important that you have a balance of and enough activities – something Africa is not short of. You can accommodate those who prefer scenic game drives and luxurious pampering, adrenaline seekers and young first-timers.

The great thing about Africa is that there doesn’t have to be the debate of visiting an ‘old favourite’ or trying something new. Some families believe that returning to a place they have already been to and enjoyed is the safe choice. However, each country will evoke that special meaning or sentimental value – one of Africa’s great gifts.

Perhaps choose the same time to visit Africa, plan an itinerary that will give you the same experience and choose a new destination.

Decide on which time of the year is most suitable for the age demographics on your trip (as the weather can often determine which activities you can do) and what type of accommodation you are looking for. For larger families, it is ideal to book an entire suite or villa instead of single rooms – especially with young children.

Planning ahead and knowing what each traveller wants out of the trip is the easiest way to put together a vacation that everyone enjoys. By knowing what they hope to see and do is a good way to decide on a location. Africa can often accommodate multiple travel requirements at the same destination. Most countries have an array of landscapes and activities including mountain escapes and seaside living.

Every African country offers the wonders of nature – but southern Africa in particular is home to magnificent wildlife including the Big Five, birdlife and marine life if your family’s ideal holiday includes game drives and safari walks.

Ocean Safaris White Pearl Mozambique

Or come down to Cape Town for the best of both – the mountain and sea. This way you can please everyone with the beach and the bush. This city is ideal for both indoor and outdoor leisure activities such as visiting Table Mountain, sea kayaking or shopping!

Africa is the ideal place to begin a tradition of multigenerational travel – especially with young children. Introduce them to the natural wonders of the world here and give them a new-found love and respect for wildlife, fauna and flora.

Ocean Safaris Mozambique Zanzibar Turtle Iconic Africa

If child friendly accommodation is what you’re worried about, do not fret. Most lodges, reserves and parks host exciting activities and programmes for children under 12. For more on our top family friendly safari destinations click here.

Do not let multigenerational travel frighten you. Planning a family vacation of such magnitude is easy if you plan ahead. Africa offers travellers an overwhelming variety of destinations – each with its own unique culture, cuisine, landscapes and activities. In Africa, you can be amongst the mountains, in rugged terrains or near the ocean at one destination, so tailor your vacation to fulfil everyone’s travel desires!