AFRICA
A Walk on the Wild Side
A new wave of kid-friendly safaris (and luxe lodges for you) brings an once-in-a-lifetime way to keep your little animals occupied this half term. KWT brings you the pick of the pack…
FOR WILD ONES… Lukimbi, Kruger lukimbi.com Run by a couple with young kids of their own, this retreat by the Kruger National Park (home to the Big Five) has children firmly on the brain. Its ‘bush Olympics’ are a surefire way to rid their excess energy, while rangerled sessions will occupy overactive minds with animal facts. Even splashing around in its pool delivers an extraordinary thrill; you can spy elephants drinking at the riverbed. Fun factor: Beds and cots come in the shape of wild animals, so bedtime won’t be a battle.
FOR THE ELEPHANT MAD… River Bend Lodge, South Africa riverbendlodge.co.za Big cats are sparse here, but what the fivestar lodge has in abundance is elephants. Set in a private section of Addo Elephant Park, the lodge could well be home to the best sightings the world over. If your offspring have seen Disney’s Dumbo, they’ll be falling over themselves at the awe-inspiring sight of the grey giants (and their dawdling calves) ambling across the land. Fun factor: For older kids, a leopard rehabili8 February 2012 Kanoo World Traveller
tation centre provides a rare chance to see Africa’s hardest-to-spot cat up close.
FOR STORYBOOK DIGS… Chongwe River House, Zambia chongweriverhouse.com The whole family will be amazed by this private, four-bed abode whose exterior looks like a porcupine and whose interiors bear wooden furniture carved from a winterthorn tree and river pebbles on its ceiling – simply put, it looks plucked from a Flintstones cartoon. The Chongwe River flows before the lodge, where wildlife flock like bees to honey, and, back inside, a private chef can cater for even the fussiest of eaters. Fun factor: Kids can stay put, chaperoned by a hostess, for games and cooking or head out for canoeing, fishing and game drives.
FOR MINI ADVENTURERS… &Beyond’s Kichwa Tembo Masai Mara Tented Camp, Kenya andbeyond.com The ‘posh camping’ here will make kids feel part of the wilderness, while you get a helping of luxury. On arrival, they’ll be given
a ‘Planet Manager’ pack, including a quizfilled eco-guide that rangers will help them complete: mucky pups can get their mitts on everything from feathers to bugs and embark on ‘Pooh Walks’ to spot wild droppings, before graduating as a Planet Manager. The fishing and frogging safaris are a hoot, too. Fun factor: If the weather spoils kids’ outdoor fun, they can go to the kitchen and bake cookies for afternoon tea or toast marshmallows on huge grill ovens.
FOR EDUCATIONAL TRIPS… Wolwedans Private Camp, Namibia wolwedans-namibia.com If you want to leave a world of mod cons behind, the solar-powered Wolwedans will help you get back to basics. Its Private Camp has a ‘home from home’ feel, despite the absence of power points, while wide open spaces as far as the eye can see will have kids scouting for wildlife. But, the guides are the best bet to expand their minds with expert know-how on the plains’ weird and wonderful creatures. Fun factor: With no childcare service or electricity, this is our pick for sheer family bonding and an appreciation of Mother Nature.