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