As a young girl my parents would often take our family to the Kruger National Park for holidays. These times spent in nature, looking for wildlife and appreciating nature’s beauty have become etched in my mind and are some of my happiest memories. These beautiful wild spaces hold endless magic for young children and adults alike and are, more often than not, places to celebrate special occasions and milestones. My love for wild places has stayed with me ever since those early trips.

It is for this reason that I wanted to share with you why we believe that every family should have a safari experience on their bucket list.

Why every family should have a safari trip on their bucket list

Reconnect

The wild spaces of beautiful game parks are wonderful for families to reconnect not only with one another but also with nature. So often in our busy lives, we get caught up in the rush of living in cities that we forget to spend quality time with the people who are closest to us. Going on a safari allows you the time to appreciate nature as a family. It’s an experience that you can share together and there’s nothing quite like seeing a wild animal such as a leopard, lion, rhino or elephant for the first time.

Escape

The untouched beauty and stillness of the wilderness offers a wonderful escape from the trappings of everyday life. This is especially important for your family and for children who get caught up in modern technology and forget to experience the outdoors. A safari is the ultimate escape from all this. Wake up to a beautiful dawn chorus and immerse yourself in the harmonious sounds of the bushveld.  At night once you’ve left the crackle of the campfire for bed, the hoot of an owl or the roars of a lion will be the only alarm calls you’ll hear while you fall asleep. There’s pure relaxation to be found in wild places. At Londolozi we have a treatment room for massages and therapies which will make you feel even more comfortable and relaxed…

Experience culture

A family safari should be about getting to know the place that you visit. In order to do this you have to indulge in all it has to offer. Londolozi believes in the Relais & Chateaux values that strives to give each visitor a chance to ‘experience the taste of the land and discover the soul of the innkeeper.’ On safari you get a first-hand look at the beautiful African landscapes, the people who live here, the spectacular wildlife and the tasty local cuisine prepared by some of the finest Chefs in Africa. All of this is naturally underpinned by a service excellence that is at the heart of everything we do.

At Londolozi we offer guests the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle of the local Shangaan people who live and work at the reserve. A daily village walk takes guests on a tour where you can learn about the history of Londolozi. The walk ends at the staff village where a local storyteller imparts knowledge about the Shangaan history and their traditional cultural practices. It’s a great way to learn about the history of a place and take a bit of this knowledge home with you.

Learn from nature

Visiting a game reserve is not only a relaxing and exciting experience. On a safari your guide or ranger will impart knowledge of the bushveld, animals, birds and the small wonders around you. We all know that there is a lot that we can learn from nature. Nature is a wonderful teacher and an especially wonderful place for young children to play and explore. The Cubs Den facility at Londolozi is a place where families can leave their children in the company of a teacher who teaches kids about the wild with a strong emphasis on play. Click here to read our Cubs Den blog.

Capture special moments

A safari is not complete without capturing your special moments on camera or video. Once the adventure is over and the smells, sights and sounds you experienced in Africa have left, you can still remember and look back on your holiday. There are many photographic opportunities from big game to birds and magnificent landscapes for you to capture while here. The Londolozi Creative Studio is one of the places to visit especially if you are an enthusiastic photographer. This unique facility is a place where an image editing expert will assist you with processing your safari images. The Studio also offers canvas printing, photography rentals and the chance for you to write for our blog. Read more about the studio here. Our daily blog gives you the change to re-immerse yourself in the dramas that unfold daily at Londolozi.

Photographs by Elsa Young and James Tyrrell. 

Learn more about Family Safari

At Londolozi, we’re about sharing. Sharing experiences in the sun. Sharing incredible moments with the animals, in the nature. And of course, most importantly, sharing moments with those we love, our family. Over the years we have accumulated extensive experience in family safaris. That’s why we’ve written several articles dedicated to family on our blog. We’ve listed these articles below, so you can enjoy all our expertise on the subject.

• A Family Safari In South Africa ~ 10 Reasons Why You Need To Go
• Luxury Private Family Villas in Kruger
• An African Family Safari Experience

If you want to know what family safari is at Londolozi, check out our Family Safari experience page!