isabelmei

I am just back from a 2 week trip to Kenya with my 4 year old daughter, Issy; and as there are very few reports of safari with kids, thought I would post a trip report which may be useful to others with similar plans.

We travelled to:

Malewa River Lodge
Sabuk
Ol Seki Mara
Manda Bay

The lodges were chosen mainly on the basis that they were happy to take small children; and not for specific opportunities to view game. That said, the result was a happy mix of different environments, good viewings and fantastic people.

I used a UK company called Aardvark Safaris, and the ground handler was Bush Homes. All of our arrangements were very smooth. Given the age of my daughter, I decided on transfers by private charter or Safari Link, and having experienced the roads a bit on transfers to air strips, am happy this was the right decision despite the extra cost! We also had our own vehicle throughout: I judged this very important, as there will be occasions when any 4 year old's behaviour is trying, and should ideally not be tried out on others.

We started planning our trip back in January. We are based in Saudi Arabia, and thought we would take advantage of proximity (4 hour flight) to do a safari. I also have British Kenyan friends here who were very positive about the idea; although, lurking on this board, for a few months before our trip, I did have a few doubts about the wisdom of taking such a small child to Kenya. Especially when my friends nicknamed my daughter "Live Bait": not funny. In the event, despite each of our lodges having rooms which were open to the elements, we had no problems with unexpected visitations (except from bats, (much) more on that later).

A little bit on each of our lodges (happy to answer any detailed queries if there are any):

Malewa: great introduction to Kenya. It almost felt like our safari was being orchestrated by central casting: our Cessna flew over the airstrip first to clear game on the runway, then within 5 minutes of entering the reserve, we had seen white rhino, Rothschild giraffe, zebra, warthog etc etc. The setting of the lodge is magnificent, very relaxing; and we enjoyed a walking trip with Patrick (the excellent Samburu guide) into a nearby gorge. We were able to feed Molly, a giraffe recently moved from Giraffe Manor, who we came across on a couple of our gamedrives. The lodge's hosts, Chris and Christine, were very friendly; as were the bats in the room which delighted in doing a nightly fly-past and dive bombing me in the bathroom (I should add I have a bird phobia, and bats come fairly close to birds in the ugh league). This is where the mosquito net comes in handy: it provided a useful refuge from the bats ;-). The only real downside for me here was patchy food, despite it being promoted as cordon bleu, and not enough food to go around the guests (there is another post on this).

Sabuk: a real gem. The setting, at the top of a ravine overlooking the river, was stunning. The owner,Verity, is a very hands-on host and makes it her personal mission to ensure you have a great time. The Samburu guides, in particular Gabriel and Lettuce, were in a different league; and fantastic with kids. The camel safaris come highly recommended; and we saw lots of wildlife, spaced out across a wide area eg elephants, Grevy's zebra, oryx, leopard. The highlight was an invitation to attend a ceremony at a local Samburu village to mark an initiation into warrior status by one of the clan, who turned out to be Lettuce's brother. We thankfully did not witness the circumcision itself; but were invited to take part in the dancing and other celebrations: what a privilege and delight. The food and the welcome at Sabuk was just great; and I highly recommend it. We had another bat in our room (or maybe it had travelled with us from Malewa, it certainly had similar swooping techniques...).

We then moved on to Ol Seki Mara, which is a luxury tented camp run by Sue Allan outside the Mara reserve. The camp is run on eco-principles, and has only been open for a year or so. It is well-managed and a delightful setting. I spent my birthday here: the staff did some wonderful Masai dancing before dinner, and produced a spoof elephant poo birthday cake (gales of laughter as I tried to cut it up), soon replaced by a delicious chocolate alternative. We had some fantastic early morning game drives around the camp, and saw a lot of giraffe and lion (two separate large prides, one with 6 small cubs). We did a long trek to the Mara reserve: 9 hours, which was the only time Issy really complained about a game drive being boring. We saw our only kill of the trip, which unexpectedly was a baboon killing a small Thompson's gazelle! This was our only lodge without bats: a welcome respite!

We then moved on to the magnificent Manda Bay, at Lamu. This was a treat to reward Issy (a real beach babe) after 10 days on safari with some down time. Issy enjoyed everything about it: the transfer by speedboat from the airport; the warm staff; the great cakes at tea time; and the bushbabies which came down into the restaurant every night to eat fruit. More bats here: I started to think I was jinxed. Lamu itself was a delight: interesting history, some beautiful old buildings being lovingly restored. I would recommend a trip to the Baraka Gallery for some fantastic African art, and cheap and cheerful souvenirs; and Abdullah the guide at the Lamu Tourist Association was a mine of information, and always had a ready smile. Donkey rides around town kept Issy happy here.

My tips for travel to Kenya with a small child (those that worked for me anyway) are:

don't overthink the difficulties; but be prepared. take some familiar snacks and nibbles for those times when food is too unfamiliar or not forthcoming at the right time. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the shared table for dinner and lunch: but we did at times end up waiting for other guests to get back to be served: a small child may not want to wait. Despite arranging early meals for Issy in advance, results were a bit patchy. Be kind to yourself and your child: let them sleep in the car during the game drives if they want to: the stress level will rise otherwise. I was surprised how well Issy coped with early starts (she was always up by 0530) and with amusing herself with what was available rather than her usual toys. We took some crayons, glue sticks and paper; and she really enjoyed collecting stuff during our trips out to make into safari collages. Buy some cheap binoculars and an easy camera for your child to use: they don't feel left out when others in the vehicle is snapping away, and we have some surprisingly good results from Issy. Make sure they have their own torch too: it's a useful toy as well as a light. I would personally choose to stay only in lodges with power if I do another trip: one of ours (Malewa) didn't have electricity, and I didn't particularly enjoy the kerosene alternative. I took lots of peadiatric meds, none of which I needed, and which I donated at trip's end; but I am glad I took them nonethless for peace of mind.

All in all, I would recommend a safari with small children subject to some of the caveats above (own transport, ensuring early meals etc). We met some delightful people, and would definitely do it again (when my bank balance recovers...). We are off to New York in October: looking forward to the urban jungle for contrast....

atravelynn

Your excessive bat encounters is not the norm in my experience.

I'm sure the ele poo cake was a hit with your daughter.

A kill by a baboon is quite rare. I hope it did not upset your daughter, though.

You provide some useful advice for anyone considering a safari with young children.

Glad it went so well.

Patty

Thanks for your report. It's nice to get some feedback on camps that we don't often hear about. I think you're the first to have reported on Ol Seki Mara. I'm sure your advice will be very helpful for those thinking about a safari with young kids.

Nyamera

Isabel,
Thanks for your report. What a lucky little “Live Bait” you have!

kimburu

I hope you'll post some of Issy's photos! Sounds like a really nice trip and refreshingly off the beaten path.

jdavies

Thanks for the post. We are going to Tanzania in 29 days and are taking 5, yes 5 children. The youngest being 6, the oldest 13. How was the food for your daughter? Most of the kids we are bringing are pretty easy but we have a few verrry picky ones! What types of snacks did you bring? Did you buy them there or bring them with you? Do you have any other suggestions. We will be staying mainly in lodges, but for 2 days we will be at Sayari camp in the Serengeti, which I assume will not have electricity. Would appreciate your insight!
Thanks,
j

HLester3

Thank you for your trip report. I have not found any others on taking young children. We are taking our 5 year old (in two days) boy/girl twins on our first safari on Sept. 16th.

You have made me feel much better about Sabuk, I am really looking forward to it. How were the camel rides? Did they take you on a short one? Are they typically for sundowners or just something to do during the day. Please elaborate if you have a chance on Sabuk. We will be leaving on Sept. 16th and that is our first stop in Africa for 2 days.

How was your daughter with the malaria pills? Did she have any reactions? May I ask which one she was on?

Did the noises at night scare her? Are there a lot of night noises at Sabuk? I have also not heard previous mention of bats. I also am not too fond of birds because of the swooping thing. Are the bathrooms semi-inside there or are they under the sky? Is there a mosquito net over them?

I would also love to see the pictures from your trip. I had never heard of Ol Seki Mara before your post, it looks great. Maybe for our next trip...

Thanks, Heather

matnikstym

thanks for your report. not having children, I appreciate you thinking about others by having a private guide, though I think Issy would be a pleasure and delight to have on safari! how cool Issy got to experience Africa at such an early age, i'm sure she'll remember it always and will be back.

isabelmei

jdavies: bearing in mind that the lodges are largely geared around serving all the guests at the same time, and then to a high standard, the food for Issy was sometimes good, although sometimes repetitive and very occasionally looked as though it had been put together last minute, as an afterthought. It was always home-cooked food, ie no french fries or chicken nuggets! Depends how picky the kids are, but I would suggest taking a few snacks you know the pickiest would like as well as a few treats for those moments when either you or the kids are stressing out or for unexpected delays in dinner.We never had time or found anywhere to buy snacks en route.

Heather: really, Sabuk is a great place. We did a camel ride, 1 hour each way for breakfast in the bush. Issy and I rode the same camel; and believe me, 2 hours was enough: I am still walking like John Wayne. The rooms are well-designed for kids: we had a triple, which had a loft bed (on a platform reached by a ladder). All the beds were with nets. The bathroom is open to the elements, but there is a roof (ie it's open to the side). The baths are huge, and are in the open air but screened: we enjoyed lovely baths after game drives.

Issy was fine with the pills: we took mefloquine, which is the larium family I belive; but knew we'd have no side effects as we had taken them before (we lived in a malaria zone in China previously and we couldn't get any alternative). Nothing about the trip fazed Issy: she was fascinated by the noises she heard, and only really wary when first meeting some of the guides, as they were always dressed in amazing outfits which she took some time to get used to. But once the ice was broken...At night, Issy was often so exhausted, she would just collapse; but the few times we heard lions roar, didn't seem to find it scary.

Hope I didn't overdo the bat stories, but it was quite funny how they kept turning up ;-)) But they certainly didn't affect my enjoyment at all.

C

HLester3

Hi. Sorry to ask so many questions, but I do have one more about the camel ride. Did Issy geta little bored on the camel ride? Did you see any animals while you were up there? Did you do this instead of a game drive, or did you do it after one? I am afraid they would get there and then not want to go on the camel all the way back.

Thanks, Heather

isabelmei

Heather

happy to answer questions! No, Issy wasn't bored at all on the camel: there was game to see en route (giraffe and antelope) and it was just such fun for her to be up on the camel. The guides make it a lot of fun, and are very informative so you don't notice time passing. No problem getting back on again after breakfast, although you can also walk back if you want: the camels walk slowly, so it's possible to cover the same distance on foot together.

We did the camel ride instead of a morning game drive. We set off about 0745. In terms of boredom, depends very much on what your childrens'characters are: but to give you some idea how gripping it was for all of us, Issy (who is a real fidget) sat quietly for hours on end on the roof of the car when we drove, viewing eveything there was to see. The guides were happy to hold her up there when I was taking pictures etc.

Oh, and do try out the mud fights by the river at Sabuk, no need to go in if you don't want: it was such fun and very silly, and we saw some water buck as we were fooling around.

C

HLester3

HI. Its me again. We are only in Sabuk for 2 nights, we get there around 11:45 a.m. on the first day, have a full day and then have to leave at 10:00 a.m. the next morning. Would you recommend the camel safari over the regular game drive? - or will I not have to make that kind of decision, and have the camel trips for sundowners? How long were you at Sabuk? I guess I am just nervous because that is where we will be taking the plunge into our safari.

Now off the topic, you posted that you lived in China previously. That is where I am currently thinking of going next, with Thailand. Maybe I can e-mail you privatly to get some tips on that if you don't mind.

Thanks, Heather

sandi

Heather -

The benefits of staying at Sabuk is that you can set your own schedule. You're under no obligation to do game drives in morning or afternoon, camel safaris in morning or afternoon, or walking, or visiting the nearby village or fishing or swimming.

This is wonderful for Adults, but especially with young'uns; you know their moods, so go with the flow and arrange a schedule with management that works for you.

Lucia78

I stayed at Malewa too. Seems they have a little bat and food problem. Your experiences were the same as mine...with the exception of instead of bats dive-bombing me in the bathroom they were going to the bathroom over my head which was hitting me in the face! Yuck. But I agree, Malewa is beautiful and the hosts are very nice. Now the just need to be nice and find a way to deal with the bats and make enough food

HLester3

Sandi - thanks for your reply. I was thinking of you when I asked about the camels, because I remember that you said you did a Camel Ride for a sundowner. Did you see any animals in the evening? P.S. If I don't get to thank you before I leave, thanks so much for all of the help you have given me in various posts. Your information has been invaluable.

Heather

sandi

Heather -

It's been my pleasure.

We did the sundowner camel safari as we only had one day at Sabuk; arriving late morning, then lunch, a walk, then the camel safari. Along the way, we did run into "rush-hour traffic" of camels. Too funny, this large herd on the road to the sundowner kopje. To be honest, I don't recall other animals, but for some skittish dik-dik and cows/goats from the village (it's really the place where camp staff [housekeeping gals, their children, their men/boys] live. Didn't pay much more attention as the camel handlers were just so fun, we laughed all the way to/from the kopje. Once at the kopje we spent almost an hour before reboarding our "ships of the desert." The handlers make this clicking sound that the camels follow, besides turning to me often asking "momma okay up there." After awhile, I wanted to hit him - "momma, my foot." Though I probably could have been his momma! He was simply showing respect, but it was a hoot!

The following morning after breakfast we went over to Loisaba; had the choice to travel by camel or vehicle. We chose the latter. 1.5/hrs atop a camel was fine and fun (and that was with a stop inbetween), but not for over 2/hrs straight.

You're all going to have a wonderful time and remember that at Sabuk and Shompole you can pretty much set your own schedule. Just keep a close eye on the children at Shompole.

Safari njema.

isabelmei

Hi Heather

apologies for not replying sooner: have been away on business. Sandi seems to have your Sabuk camel questions covered, and I quite agree with her, it was very possible to set your own agenda at Sabuk.

Happy to email on China (altogether have lived there for 12 years, and will be returning this December for another 4). I'm at [email protected]

Enjoy your time on safari!

Regards

Carma

HLester3

Carma: Thank you for your posts on Sabuk.
I will definitly be e-mailing you about China for our future trip when we get back.
Thanks again,
Heather