a guest blog by Sandy Salle of Hills Africa Travel
One of the greatest concerns travelers have when it comes to international family travel is safety. We often hear from families who would love to travel to Africa but who also have some safety concerns: “Is a safari safe for our family?” “Are health conditions in Africa safe for my family?” “Is traveling to and through Africa safe for my family?”
The answer to all of those questions is yes, Africa is a safe and wonderful place to bring your family. But, as with all destinations outside of your own country, there are obvious safety precautions that should be addressed and looked into prior to departure.
Some of these universal travel concerns include health precautions, language barriers, differing cultures, and unfamiliar governments. With these concerns lingering, it’s important to be educated, and have the right tools to prevent any unexpected emergencies when traveling outside your native country. The enriching and rewarding family experiences far outweigh any of these concerning factors, as all safety precautions are addressed prior to departure.
But two of the most popular safety concerns we receive from clients are in regards to family safari tours and children on safari.
TAKE AN EXTRAORDINARY SAFARI TO NAMIBIA AND HELP SAVE THE CHEETAH
Enjoy the trip of a lifetime AND help save most endangered cat in Africa? Yes.
Celebrating their new partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, where research, conservation and education efforts are helping to save the endangered cheetah, Baobab Expeditions helps turn travelers into explorers who make a difference with an extraordinary safari adventure through Namibia.
HOW: Baobab will make a donation to the Fund for each participant on the safari.
TRIP DETAILS: Arriving in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, guests are met by Baobab’s excellent guides and driven north to the Frans Indongo Lodge, a charming farmhouse modeled on traditional Ovambo homesteads. A highlight of the journey comes on the second day with a full-day visit to the Fund’s International Research and Education Centre in Otjiwarongo where visitors are shown the value of sustainable practices to save the cheetah and where they are able to view this elusive animal.
This just in from one of my favorite adventurers, Ged Caddick, the intrepid founder of Terra Incognita ECOTOURS…
“What a surprise……who would have expected WILD Jaguars…..we just returned from our inaugural trip to the Pantanal in Brazil and we were all blown away by the incredible, visible wildlife! Designed by Patricia Medici, a local biologist and Chair of the IUCN Tapir Specialist Group, this tour truly has the feel of an African Safari, as you participate in Game drives, horseback rides and boat tours, the wildlife just keeps surprising you.
Highlights of Wild Planet’s “Northern India Ultimate Wildlife Ecotour ” include:
· Leopard Safari—by Camelback and Jeep, Siana
· Tiger Safari—By Elephant-back and jeep, Kanha Nat’l Park
· Rhino Safari—by Elephant-back and Jeep, Kaziranga Nat’l Park
· Rare Wildlife Boat Safari—by Raft in Nameri National Park
· Sloth Bear Rescue Center—Conservation Project
· Bisnoi Hindus—Cultural exchange with a sect of Hindus that revere wildlife
· Taj Mahal, Agra—World Heritage Site and architectural jewel
· Jodhpur–The Blue City, Mehrangarh Fort and Royal Palaces
· Jaipur–The Pink City, City Palace and Palace of Winds
· Local Cooking and Folk Music
· Villages untouched by western influence
· Four and Five-Star hotels, Top Safari Lodges and Classic Safari Tented Camps
· And much more