Richard, Linda, their daughter and her partner recently enjoyed a family safari with Africa Adventure Consultants (AAC). Richard and Linda recognized while on vacation in the Bahamas that they wanted to have a big trip with their daughter and her partner while they were all available. As a family, they chose to visit an African destination as their bucket list trip.
“…We decided to have each of us identify five places in the world we would most like to visit. We then sat together and discussed each of our picks and reasons. Africa came out at the top of the list.”
Richard and Linda worked with AAC Journey Specialist Sara to plan their dream trip. They chose South Africa and Mozambique for their adventures. After traveling, they said that “safari made for a beyond fabulous family vacation.”
They started their adventures at Geiger’s Camp in the Motswari Game Reserve, followed by a stay at Savanna Lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, both in South Africa’s greater Kruger ecosystem. They followed their safari with a visit to Cape Town and then were whisked off to the incomparable beach retreat of Santorini in Mozambique.
"There were so many special things about our trip. Obviously, sightings in the wild of animals we might not otherwise see up close was at the top of the list. We got so close to elephants, rhinos, and lions it was mind-blowing. We laughed a lot watching monkeys help themselves to food set out on tables for the guests…I think each of the four of us might have a different favorite animal, which makes it much more interesting." - Richard
The family safari group also very much enjoyed their accommodations.
“We also enjoyed the safari ’camps’ and the ways in which they treated us during our stays. Both of the lodges associated with safari were wonderful in their own unique ways. We were fortunate to start with a very nice lodge, then move to an even nicer lodge, and then capped off the trip with a spectacular lodge (Santorini in Mozambique).”
While the family loved being in the bush and experiencing the adventures that come with safari, they also enjoyed the city!
“Cape Town was super interesting in terms of its history, the geography, and the hustle and bustle of the city. We would definitely recommend a trip to the top of Table Mountain and visiting the penguins on the beach area. Restaurants were quite good and featured game on the menus that you clearly would not find anywhere else.”
The family found Mozambique to be eye-opening in many ways. Like many parts of the world, poverty is evident in some areas, but they were also able to see how their visit helped to uplift the local community.
“The abject poverty was a little overwhelming but a reminder that many parts of the world still struggle to meet their basic needs. It was interesting to note how the resort assisted the locals.”
After their travels, they were happy to share advice for future travelers.
“Take advantage of all that is offered. Although our days were exhausting, starting before dawn and ending around bedtime, we were all glad we did not just hang out in the resort and read a book. The other tip is to be adventurous, try different foods and learn about local customs. Pretty much every little detail, from on-the-ground transport, to domestic air travel (which was much better with on-time departures than many airlines in the U.S.), was handled by and eliminated any anxiety we might otherwise have had about schedules. We had a blast and will cherish our memories forever.”
Are you ready to experience your own family safari adventure? Contact one of our Journey Specialists to plan your own customized safari or subscribe to our newsletter below to keep in touch.
Photos courtesy Geiger’s Camp, AAC Livingstone Club member Richard G., Savanna Lodge, Captures on Photography and Santorini Mozambique