Family Specialist Operators

Specialist Reports Special Interest Holidays Safaris Family Specialist Operators Aardvark Safaris Ltd 

	Aardvark Safaris Ltd
RBL House, Ordnance Road, Tidworth, Hants SP9 7QD			MAP
tel: (01980) 849 160

One of the newer African operators but with 20-plus years of experience among its main staff, all of whom have children themselves and understand ‘the importance of choosing the right location, teaming up with the right guide, and ensuring that the children's safety and enjoyment are paramount'. They only recommend places they have personally visited and most are owned and run by people with children of their own. Guides employed for family trips are required to have training in looking after children.

Not surprisingly, it reported that family safaris have become its biggest growth area.

The programme concentrates on small, high quality camps, lodges and hotels and among those only the camps on those with good mosquito nets and repellent systems.

Two centres with Mauritius, Seychelles or Zanzibar as well as other less well known surrounding islands are also offered.

Recommendations

A family brochure incorporates elements like the reduction of the minimum age from 12 to eight years, creation of two and three bed tents on the back or side of existing guest tents and bathroom, creating a family unit; waiving of single supplements for children in these rooms, children's rates including all meals, drinks and game activities 33% less than adult rates, a discounted rate for Easter and May half term. Game drives are tailormade and guides should pick up when the children are bored and offer tuition in tracking skills, bow and arrow making, fire building and more. During the heat of the day however most families spend time by the pool. Babysitting is always available and generally so are alternative activities such as cooking in the camp kitchen while parents are on an early morning game drive.
Specific suggestions depend on what you most want to see and do, the time of travel and the ages of your children but options include Botswana with Kwando Safaris's three remote camps in the Okavango Delta and Linyanti where over 12s are accepted year round and for younger children and parents a private vehicle can be arranged with the specialist guide. The company is also working with Wilderness Safaris, a Southern African camp operator which is opening family friendly tents at 10 of its camps in Botswana and Namibia. Along with Southern Africa also recommend Kenya where has found that smaller camps offer the flexibility and imagination required for parents and children. If that doesn't suit there are plenty of others.

Sample Price

For a two-week Botswana safari and beach holiday in school holidays high season for a family of two adults and two children under 12 would cost £14,996. The same holiday at Easter or in May would cost £12,195.