Traveling is a very important aspect of one’s life. It is an opportunity to explore, learn and network with people. Travelling opens up your mind to different ideas and cultures. It is liberating and a great way to shed off a lot of stress. Some people travel either in groups, as a family, or solo. As a family, traveling with kids can be hectic. Several preparations need to be made. Kids are vulnerable and hence require some special care and assistance. So it can be very stressful how to travel around Africa with kids.
Things you need to know
Family traveling with kids need to know that every preparation is done with the welfare of their kids in mind. Africa is a beautiful continent and has several countries you can visit with your kids in tow. As a general rule, Africa is warm and sunny throughout most of the year but certain countries and even regions within a country experience a variety of climates. If you plan on going on safari, do your research or ask your travel agent the best time to go.
Different seasons bring different weather but also different sightings. The wildebeest migration is one of the most incredible things you will see but go at the wrong time of the year, and you might not see many animals. The best times of year to go on safari in East Africa differs from the best time in South Africa. March to December are the best time for a beach holiday in Cape Town and the rest of South Africa, and beach holiday destinations in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles are generally considered year-round destinations.
In this article, Mrpocu.com has huge tips and guidelines on how to travel around Africa with kids. What are you waiting for? scroll down to read more
1.Efficient planning and leaving space for time
Traveling anywhere requires a lot of planning, especially when you’re with kids. With kids, everything will take longer than expected. From checking in at the airport to boarding the plane, kids tend to waste a lot is time. It would be ideal if you plan way ahead of time. Packing must be done early and properly. This is to prevent forgetting items and wasting time. All travel documents and important documents need to be safeguarded from your kids to prevent any destruction.
It is also important to ensure that you factor child expenses into your budget. Make important bookings, like getting hotels friendly with kids.
2.Do not overpack
Overpacking is one big thing you should avoid as you travel with kids. Kids themselves already add to your baggage, they can be overbearing and difficult at times. It is necessary to pack only items that you would need and can’t get anywhere else. Packing other items like toys, and stuff that kids use at home would be a terrible idea. Pack only the essentials to save you the trouble of carrying extra luggage. This can give you an ideal on how to travel around Africa with kids.
3.Make reservations and pre-bookings
You can never be certain about anything when it comes to traveling with kids. You have to make sure that all reservations and bookings are done before your trip. Why? Simple, you do not want to get inconvenienced with a kid or two in tow when traveling. From hotel bookings to meal reservations you need to ensure that your child is included in all these preparations. Booking flights is not the only thing that needs to be on the reservation list, you need to add your hotel, tour guides, and meal plans.
4.Always have snacks.
Kids easily get bored, restless, and hungry. This is where snacks step in. Snacks are a great way to quench your thirst and satisfy your kid’s hunger. Traveling to a new place probably means your kids would have to contend with new foods. If you have a meal and the kid eats only a little, you can supplement it with some healthy snacks to prevent your kid from getting hungry. And a hungry kid is not something you want to deal with on your trip. Examples of healthy snacks you can get are dried fruits, nuts, chocolate bars, fruit juices, and pastries.
Then again, you may not know when the time between meals would get extended. From long flights to unexpected traffic, it is prudent to have snacks to cover such unexpected happenings.
5.Explain the reason for the trip
A lot of kids are very inquisitive, they want to know everything. It wouldn’t be surprising if they pester you with hundreds of questions about your trip. Introduce your kids to the trip, build up the excitement and let your kids see how enthused you are about traveling. They say sometimes excitement can be infectious and your kids would also share in this excitement. Educate your kids about Africa and how beautiful it is. Help your kids understand the differences in culture and how great it is to learn more about people.
Explaining the trip can include giving your kids an idea of what to expect on the trip and even an outline of the itinerary you have planned out for the trip. And this should be the first on the “How to travel around Africa with kids” bucket list. You need to educate them about Africa even before planning such a trip.
6.Make use of child discounts
Several travel agencies and establishments provide discounts for families traveling with kids. Asking for child discounts can reduce a lot of money on your trip. Some people have a tough time asking for discounts, but you should. Discounts are made with you the customer in mind. It is the business or company’s way to say thank you and to provide essential services at reduced costs. You would be surprised how many establishments offer discounts when you travel with kids. Discounts can include and are not limited to services like hotels, restaurants, private guides, transportation, and attraction fees.
7.Prepare for disappointments
When you travel with kids things are very much likely to go wrong. Don’t be shocked or surprised if they do it is better to be prepared. There’s nothing you can do to avoid such situations because no matter what you do something is bound to be out of place. The sooner you accept this the less you stress over it. I think most parent are aware of this point.
Examples include losing your luggage, getting to your hotel, and finding out that your room is not up to standard. Not getting adequate services for something you’ve paid for.
8.Travel with necessary medications
Another thing that can be a bugger to your trip is if one or all the family members gets sick. In these times, it is important to always safeguard your health and that of your kid. If your kid has any special needs, allergies or ailment it is necessary to pack medications along. Examples are inhalers for asthma attacks and over-the-counter medications for diarrhea, headaches, and body pains. If any family member has prescribed medication, you must get enough medication to last the period of your trip and even more just to be on the safer side.
9.Ensure your kids know your contact
Your contact details need to be at the fingertips of your child. If your child gets lost despite your best efforts, you’ll want them to have your contact details so that they can get in touch with you. Your contact details should include mobile phone numbers, email addresses, local addresses, and even your name. For younger kids, it might be impossible for them to memorize your contact details so you should have small notes of your contact in their pockets or backpack of your kids. This should be the most important point on “How to travel around Africa with kids” bucket list
10.Keep track of your kids
Kids can be a bundle of joy and a ton of stress. Just so you know, your kid/kids would have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. It is important to keep a watchful eye out for them. These kids can easily disappear on you when you least expect, especially when you’re in crowded areas. Ensure that you have your child in your sights at all times. When traveling to a new area, always make sure that you keep kids away from sharp objects. In these COVID-19 times, you need to make certain that your kids follow all health and safety protocols to prevent contracting the virus.