In early October 2022 Toby and his wife, Olivia, took their six-month-old son on his first safari.

Read his account of their mini-break below:

Going on safari with my wife and son was magical and a dream come true. 

As someone who is obsessed with safari and everything it holds, to see my little boy out in the middle of wild nature was just incredible for me - memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

It was made all the more special as we shared it with my parents, who took me on my first safari at age four.

Phin won’t remember his first safari (although naturally, we think he’s a genius, so maybe), but it really doesn’t matter one bit. 

Olivia, my parents and I will remember it forever, and that’s just as important. 

Olivia and I are determined to, safely, expose him to as much as possible while he is young, to instil in him a deep-rooted and subconscious love and respect for different cultures and, of course, nature. 

Even if he doesn’t remember these initial trips when he’s older, we know that he’ll love going on adventures and that they will have an impact on him as he grows up.

At Bonamy we are often asked when the best age is for kids to go on their first safari. 

My answer is always ‘go now’. 

If you, as parents, are ready and comfortable with where you’re going, which I’ll give some tips on below, then you’ll have an amazing time. 

I often think it a little unfair on the eldest if you wait for the youngest to be of the ‘right’ age. And, while we often think safari will be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip, I can, with almost certainty, say that you’ll be back, so no worries if they don’t remember the first one, YOU WILL.

How did our first safari with Phin go then?

Well, in all honesty, he was mostly asleep on the game drives themselves. The combination of fresh flowing air with the bouncing motion of the vehicle makes for very sleepy babes. 

While he may have missed his first elephant and giraffe sightings, he tells us he loved seeing rhinos with big bottoms, stripey zebras, grumpy buffalo and so much more. On the drives he was perfect, and if he was starting to get a little grizzly, which very rarely happened we gave him some milk and he was calm again.

Some of our favourite moments on the game drives were when we stopped for coffee or a sundowner. We popped a picnic blanket out and laid Phin down so he could stretch out, and wiggle around, which he loved. 

One particular morning we were enjoying coffee overlooking a river with an elephant gently splashing about.

For a few drives we planned on staying out a bit longer than usual, or it was really hot so Olivia stayed back at the lodge with him. We could have left him with a babysitter, but in the privileged position that Olivia and I have, of being able to regularly go on safari, she opted for time on her short holiday to spend with Phin. 

On other occasions, Olivia and Phin came out for the first half of the drive and then were ‘linked back’ to the lodge by another member of the guiding team.

Where did we stay? 

We stayed at the brilliant Melton Manor, a private lodge in Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. 

The beauty of the private lodge is that it comes with its own private guide and vehicle, something I think is essential, but also its own private team of managers, chefs etc. 

This meant we could tailor everything around our own timings, and not worry about disturbing anyone else’s holiday. Kwandwe is a malaria-free area, which was also helpful.

How does a safari work with little people?

As one might expect, safety is absolutely paramount and while Phin is too small to wander about into the bush, older children could be intrigued to see what lies behind a bush. 

This is where family-friendly lodges come into their own; they are generally in big open areas with no big game in the immediate vicinity. Alternatively, they are fenced properties. 

Guides have full discretion when it comes to children’s participation in activities and will always put their safety first. Often the smallest visitors will be taken out on their own special game drives, to areas where a little bit of excited chatter won’t spook the wildlife. 

You can rest assured that your children, yourselves and the animals’ wellbeing will be priority number one.

What should you consider to make sure you are relaxed when going on safari with little ones?

I would suggest, especially for the first safari and if travelling in/around the rainy season to go to a malaria-free area. 

You can of course go to a malaria area, but for the first time, you might find this adds to stress levels and takes away from being able to relax and enjoy the experience together.

Check if there are babysitting options. 

It’s great to be able to head out on the odd drive or walk without the little ones. 

It’s also nice to know that you can enjoy a lovely dinner and drinks around the campfire while the cherubs are sleeping under the watchful eye of a babysitter, who can quickly get hold of you should they need to.

Private lodges are amazing, especially if travelling with extended family or friends, but it’s not essential. There are so many great lodges which are very child-friendly and range in size from two to eight bedrooms. We wrote a notebook entry about some of the best family-friendly lodges.

Some lodges and camps are also set up for hosting kids’ clubs, where they can be looked after for as long as you want during the day. Younger ones can do arts and crafts, bigger ones can learn some bushcraft and all ages are regularly welcomed to help the chef make some treats.

Which family-friendly safari lodges do we suggest?

• Mkombe's House, Lamai, Tanzania - private house for up to 10 people.

• Londolozi, Sabi Sands, South Africa - ideal for ages 6+ with kids club etc.

• Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, South Africa - great private houses.

• Lewa Wilderness, Kenya - amazing for lots of fun on horses etc.

And plenty of others! 

Chat to us to find out more.