| Planning a vacation is not an easy task. It might | | | | case, it is worth noting that the National parks and |
| be easy if you know the destination well. The | | | | Game reserves in consider persons below the age |
| planning will certainly be easier when you are | | | | of 18 years as children and therefore the child |
| travelling alone. Even then, you might still find that | | | | rate should apply when paying the entrance fees |
| you will need the travel agent or destination | | | | to their facilities. |
| specialist to help you here and there especially if | | | | Age of children and age restrictions in some |
| you have to make a big decision. When you are a | | | | hotels |
| single traveller, planning is easy because you know | | | | Some hotels have age restrictions. In simple |
| your interests and can easily sacrifice one interest | | | | terms, these hotels have rules that do not allow |
| to be able to achieve the other. But when or if | | | | children below a certain age to stay in their |
| another family member - for example a spouse - | | | | facilities. These types of hotels are the ones |
| is also involved, then you have to be sensitive to | | | | commonly referred to as 'tree hotels'. Generally, |
| their needs as well. That means more discussions, | | | | these are hotels that either have a natural |
| more deliberations, more considerations and more | | | | waterhole or salt deposits that attract wild animals |
| concerns. | | | | to come within the vicinity. This of course allows |
| And when kids come into the mix, the situation | | | | the visitors to view the animals from the comfort |
| gets a little complex. You have to deal with more | | | | of their rooms or balconies. For this reason, these |
| challenging issues and you have trickier decisions | | | | types of hotels place an age restriction on the |
| to make. As you think about how best to enjoy | | | | basis that very small children may scare away |
| yourself, and get the best value for your money, | | | | the animals as the children play or cry. Find out if |
| you also get concerned about the children's | | | | your Kenya Safari itinerary might involve any |
| safety, health, and comfort, interests, among | | | | form of age restriction from your Safari outfitter |
| other issues. Balancing these aspects of a trip is | | | | or destination specialist. |
| hard enough when only adults are planning. Having | | | | Age of children and Safari activities |
| children come along obviously calls for a little more | | | | If you intend to engage on safari activities while |
| effort and attention to detail during your planning | | | | on your vacation, you will have to worry about |
| stages. | | | | the participation of the children as well. The age of |
| Let us now assume you have finally held that | | | | the child will determine whether they will take part |
| family meeting to discuss this very important | | | | in some activities that may be part of the safari. |
| matter of vacation. The consensus favoured | | | | For example, hot air balloon excursion in the |
| travel to Africa. You have decided to go on a | | | | Serengeti is restricted to persons above 12 years. |
| Safari in Kenya. And you are going with the | | | | Similar excursions in Maasai Mara may also have |
| children. How then do you proceed from here? | | | | such age limitation. This is obviously due to safety |
| Kenya remains a great destination even for kids | | | | concerns. If you insist as a parent, you will be |
| Even with the changing faces of family travel, | | | | asked to sign a release form. Other activities that |
| Kenya still remains a very attractive destination in | | | | may have age restrictions are bush walks or |
| Africa. Kenya's magical attraction lies partly, in its | | | | hiking. Check these details and get the correct |
| contrasting physical features and to a great | | | | position. |
| extent, in the wildlife. Within the borders of this | | | | Age of children and flow of your Kenya Safari |
| same country, you will find beaches - both public | | | | itinerary |
| and private, pockets of rainforests, steep rocky | | | | As you plan your vacation to Kenya, the age of |
| hills alongside flush green plains teeming with | | | | your child will play a major role in determining the |
| wildlife, cold mountains and hot deserts, all in one. | | | | flow of your itinerary. For example, do you want |
| The climate and the culture are almost as diverse. | | | | to use road or air transportation? You may not |
| This enchanting and alluring combination means | | | | want to subject your 5-year-old to a 5-hour-drive |
| you have a wide variety of options when it | | | | from Nairobi to Samburu game reserve. The |
| comes to planning your vacation to Africa. It also | | | | scenic drive would certainly be worth the drive |
| means families travelling with children have a | | | | for the discerning adult who wants to see the |
| wider range of options to explore. Needless to | | | | country-side, the people and probably learn their |
| say, the age of the child or children involved will | | | | way of life. But the young ones will find it taxing |
| be one of the most important aspects that will | | | | and exhausting. Such a consideration will lead you |
| guide the process of the vacation planning. For | | | | towards opting for the schedule flight option that |
| example, the age of the children will determine | | | | will take you there in 1 hour. You will probably |
| the type of vacation - adventure or beach or | | | | spend a little bit more, but the kids enjoy the |
| otherwise. It will have an effect on the cost. | | | | safari ultimately. That means your destination |
| Some hotels may have age restrictions. Some | | | | specialist will be good enough to be able to advise |
| activities may be too strenuous for children below | | | | you on the best way to design your itinerary. |
| a certain age. | | | | With young children you need an itinerary that will |
| Here is a summary of the connection between | | | | avoid long, uninterrupted drives that may be on |
| the age of children and the other aspects of your | | | | rough roads as well. |
| Kenya safari. | | | | Age of children and the services in the hotels |
| Age of children and type of Safari vacation | | | | Related to the question of the flow of itinerary is |
| The type of safari you choose - whether on the | | | | the matter of services delivered by hotels and |
| adventurous side or beach vacation will be | | | | lodges in your itinerary of choice. You will want to |
| dependent on the age of the children. The age in | | | | ensure wherever possible, you stay in hotels that |
| turn determines many other things. For example | | | | are built with children in mind. This goes beyond |
| what is their interest? At that age, are they able | | | | the physical structures. It concerns that area of |
| to appreciate nature, or meeting new people? Or | | | | food, recreational facilities, staffing and all other |
| would they have more fun playing with the sand | | | | services. The truth of the matter is the lodges |
| instead? How much attention will they need while | | | | that will serve you while you are on your Kenya |
| you are on holiday? Can trust other persons with | | | | Safari will score differently, when it comes to |
| the task of looking after them? If you are | | | | 'child-friendliness'. Some are better equipped than |
| thinking of a particular resort, does it provide | | | | others. A few are simply not built for children. |
| child-friendly environment? These are just a few | | | | Generally, one can say that within the mid-market |
| of the things you are considering as you plan. The | | | | range of larger lodges with many rooms, you will |
| answers to these questions lead you to picking | | | | need to try harder and insist more if you are to a |
| the right Kenya Safari. | | | | perfect lodge for a vacation that both adults and |
| Age of children and the cost of the Safari | | | | children will enjoy. |
| The age of your child or children has implications | | | | On the other hand, the smaller, up-market, |
| on the pricing of the Safari. Most hotels, and by | | | | boutique hotels appear to be better equipped for |
| extension, most Safari outfitters, have a pricing | | | | families with children. But again, this is a huge |
| policy that is guided, partly, by age. For the | | | | generalization and you will need to keep asking for |
| purpose of costing, they will consider the ages | | | | details on what you need. |
| from birth to 2 years, as infancy. Persons falling | | | | If, in the process of planning your Kenya Safari, |
| within this age-group may be free of charge | | | | you contact a lodge or hotel and ask the front |
| during their stay. Some other hotels will say | | | | office person if they will provide a baby cot and |
| accommodation is free but you pay for meals. | | | | the persons hesitates in response or says they |
| You will therefore need to get a clarification on | | | | have to find out, that hotel is probably not wired |
| what is applicable in your case. From 2 years to | | | | for children. Drop it. And if you are planning your |
| 12 years, the person is considered a 'child'. Again | | | | vacation with the assistance of a destination |
| here there is a whole spectrum of policies and | | | | specialist, make it clear that you have such and |
| general procedures that the hotels and safari | | | | such a wish with regard to the children. They |
| outfitters apply. Some will tell you they charge | | | | should be able to suggest the best hotels that can |
| 50% of the adult rate on condition that the 'child' | | | | meet your needs. But even if you decide to |
| is sharing a room with 2 adults. Others may say | | | | delegate this small matter to your destination |
| 70%. You may also encounter a situation where | | | | specialist, remember to hang on to it as your own |
| the child's rate changes depending on whether the | | | | responsibility so that you it delivered. Keep |
| child is sharing the room with 2 adults, 1 adult, or | | | | insisting politely. |
| with another child or children. Avoid grey areas, | | | | Age of children and room occupancy |
| just seek clarification as you plan. | | | | Put differently, how many persons can be in a |
| The question of age and pricing gets a bit hazy | | | | one room while on safari? You are traveling with |
| and slippery from 12 years upwards. Definitions | | | | your 2 children on Kenya Safari. There age is 8 |
| like 'young adults' pop up. Suddenly you realize | | | | and 14 years. You feel these are children and |
| that at 12 years you have a 'child' but at 15 years | | | | because you are concerned by their security |
| some hotels insist he or she is an adult, while | | | | especially at night in the African bush, you want |
| others label him or her 'young adult'. The problem | | | | be together in the same room. If this is your |
| is that these definitions are not universal and | | | | wish, you will have to ensure that the entire |
| therefore will not apply to all the service providers | | | | itinerary is booked on family rooms. This will be |
| that you might come into contact with. Your best | | | | challenging because not many hotels and lodges |
| bet is to go with the definition fronted by your | | | | have 'family room'. The most comfortable number |
| trusted travel agent of Safari outfitter. There is | | | | for hotels is 2 persons in a room. They are willing |
| reason you want to insist on settling these | | | | to do 3 persons in a room. Most are not ready to |
| seemingly minor issues in the process of arranging | | | | have a 4th bed in the rooms. Apart from the size |
| you vacation in Kenya. It might bring forth a | | | | of the rooms being a hindrance to this, the quality |
| minor dispute if not addressed in the beginning. | | | | of comfort of also compromised. |
| For example, you might be considering your | | | | Finally, as you plan your Kenya Safari with |
| 13-year-old as a 'child', yet the hotel expects full | | | | children, I would advise that you avoid |
| adult rate to apply. | | | | ready-made safari programs. These will look |
| You might be considering doing a self-drive Kenya | | | | attractive, especially in terms of price, but they |
| Safari where you will be making direct payments | | | | do not offer you the flexibility you need to |
| to the hotels, as opposed to a an all-inclusive | | | | ensure the children enjoy themselves. Ask your |
| Safari where you prepare a tour operator to take | | | | Safari outfitter or destination specialist to help you |
| care of your payments on your behalf. In that | | | | design a perfect child-friendly Kenya Safari. |