African safaris are best suited for children age 5 and up.  Each one is specially designed to suit each family’s interests and preferences and the camps will happily accommodate special dietary requirements.  Your safari experience will be very private and you will be kept well away from the crowds and minibuses that you see in the busier reserves that cater for cheaper package tours.  Africa is a year round safari destination and there are always good game viewing opportunities – whether you are visiting over Christmas, Easter, the summer holiday or one of the half term breaks.

South Africa and Kenya are the obvious family safari destinations but Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia also offer some excellent family accommodation.  South Africa is popular because it offers malaria free safaris and Kenya is popular for its easy access from the UK and Europe as well as its wonderful variety of activities and cultural interaction. A Botswana safari and a Zambia safari are well suited for active families with teenagers who enjoy traditional game viewing activities like walking safaris and game drives.

A luxury family safari in Africa combines well with a Robinson Crusoe style beach holiday in Mozambique, Mauritius or Zanzibar where the whole family can enjoy a variety of water sports.  If you are planning a malaria free South Africa safari, then you should definitely spend a few days in Cape Town – exploring the city and the Cape Winelands.

A few family safari camps and lodges:

Lagoon Camp

Lagoon Camp lies on the banks of a permanent lagoon formed by the Kwando River.  The camp consists of 6 tents and is the perfect place for families who are very into wildlife.  The activities are focussed on the game viewing experience and include canoeing safaris, boating safaris, walking safaris and traditional game drives as well as tiger fishing – a popular activity for boys of all ages.

Chitabe Lediba

Chitabe Lediba is situated in the Chitabe Concession, neighbouring the Moremi Game Reserve.  It is just south f the Okavango Delta and features a seasonal landscape that changes from brown scrub in the dry season to a lush green oasis in the wet season.  Chitabe is a small camp that consists of five tented suites that have been built on raised teak platforms.  Some of the tents are inter leading – making it a great choice for family groups.  The wildlife is prolific and activities include walking safaris, game drives and sleep outs in the hides.

Sabuk Lodge

Sabuk Lodge is situated in the northern frontier district and is perched on a cliff that overlooks the Ewaso River.  The camp has far reaching views over the Laikipia plains and offers the very best in family accommodation.  Activities are adventurous and include camel safaris, walking safaris, game drives, bush craft, fire lighting, animal tracking and cultural interaction with the Samburu guides who will teach your kids about their traditional way of life.

Vamizi Island Lodge

Vamizi Island Lodge is a Robinson Crusoe style beach lodge on the northern coast of Mozambique.  It offers private accommodation that is surrounded by miles and miles of white powdery sand and crystal clear and warm Indian Ocean waters.  Activities include scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing, kayaking, game walks and picnic to the neighbouring islands.

Impodimo

Impodimo is situated in the malaria free Madikwe reserve. At Impodimo, staff go out of their way to welcome children of all ages.  All children are given a good y bag on arrival and activities are designed to be fun and informative.  They include bush baking, bush crafts, animal tracking, paper mask making, swimming and guided nature walks around the camp.  Impodimo also offers a baby sitting service so parents can enjoy a much needed rest.

Kiba Point

Kiba Point is a beautiful Tanzania safari lodge situated in the Northern Selous.  It offers one of the best family safari experiences in Tanzania and is suited for children of all ages.  The camp has been built in a lovely quiet spot on the banks of the Rufiji River and consists of four spacious and well appointed cottages with private plunge pools.  You will also have a private vehicle and guide who will accompany you on all your bush activities.  Activities include game drives, walking safaris, boating safaris and fishing.

Cape Grace

Although the Cape Grace is not a safari camp it has great family accommodation choices and is worth a stay if you are visiting Cape Town.  The Cape Grace is situated on the bustling Victoria and Alfred Waterfront – in the shadow of Table Mountain.  The accommodation is spacious and very luxurious and it is the ideal base from which to explore the city.  The hotel is very welcoming to families and even offers a baby sitting service.  Children are given a welcome pack on arrival and are invited to enjoy bedtime stories in the library every evening.  The hotel also has a luxury yacht that is available for exclusive use.

Rebecca Sparrow is Marketing Manager at Safari.co.uk.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

7 great places to experience a luxury family safari in Africa is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

The Indian Ocean has become synonymous with remote beauty and unspoiled majesty. The gem like islands that dot its continental rims are recognised as some of the most breathtaking places on earth; a kaleidoscope of granitic paradises and shimmering coral sands that unassumingly nestle amongst a vast expanse of blue. It is this seemingly ethereal magnificence supplemented by a select portfolio of exclusive resorts and holiday properties that asserts the Indian Ocean as the home of the luxury retreat.

Mnemba Island, Tanzania – A country perhaps better known for its safaris than its sun downers; the territories of the Republic of Tanzania in fact extend from the mainland to 40 coastal islands ranging in size from the largest, Zanzibar, to the smallest uninhabited cays such as Toten and Maziwi. Mnemba Island is itself situated east of the quiet northern peninsula of Zanzibar. A tiny but beautifully formed island, Mnemba was named by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the three most romantic places on earth, perhaps in no small part thanks to the island’s heart shaped coastline. Mnemba is encompassed by a large oval reef that not only protects the island from strong tides but is a haven for marine life and thus a hotspot for divers. Mnemba is home to only one guest property, the eponymously named Mnemba Island Resort. Famed for its Robinson Crusoe-esque beach chic the resort consists of ten beautifully crafted en-suite bungalows featuring thatched pine branches and traditional Zanzibari palm matting.

Denis Private Island, Seychelles – We already know that this group of remote granitic islands is a favourite haunt for the likes of Prince William and Princess Catherine and even the briefest of glances will give you some idea why. An archipelago of 115 islands situated North East of Madagascar this smattering of idyllic islands offers unrivalled seclusion and intimacy. Without doubt one of the most detached and remote communities in the Seychelles is that of Denis Island; lying 95km north of the main island of Mahé, Denis is the epitome of seclusion and romance. The private island resort features only 25 stunningly appointed chalets dotted amongst the dense foliage and coconut trees and all featuring a panoramic sea view. The island is a haven for wildlife both on land and in the water so whether you decide to stroll down the meandering jungle pathways listening to the sweet serenade of bird song or explore the vibrant corals of the nearby reef you are sure to uncover something marvellous and exciting everyday.

Kanuhura, Maldives – In a remote corner of one of the most isolated island groups on Earth you will find Kanuhura, a microscopic white sandy isle hiding inconspicuously in the Lhaviyani Atoll. Accessed by sea plane a long wooden planked jetty leads in towards the 18 overwater bungalows that dominate the western shoreline. Boasting some of the best dive sites in the Maldives, a fitness studio, gymnasium, tennis courts, squash courts and a water sports centre as well as a boutique and spa guests can choose to do as much or as little as they wish. If Kanuhura itself isn’t quite remote enough for you then by day boat transfers will convey you to the nearby uninhabited Jenuhura island to relax and lounge or by night offer you the ultimate candle lit dining experience. Although the resort is an ideal retreat for honeymooners and couples, families are also welcome with a number of luxury duplex beach villas established to provide the space and amenities to satisfy the needs of any travelling party.

Vamizi Island, Mozmabique – Another destination you may not immediately associate with remote island chic, Mozambique in fact veils a star studded crest of islands that dot its coast in two distinctive archipelagos. Vamizi Island is located on the northern Quirimbas Island group and for those in search of a more rugged, authentic island adventure this is certainly the place to go. A desert island in every sense of the word there is no natural store of fresh water here so until a group of enthusiastic but environmentally sympathetic British investors established the lavish Vamizi Island resort and built a desalination plant and airstrip to boot there had been minimal human interaction on the island. Not as manicured as other more commercialised islands Vamizi still harbours that sense of wilderness and the excitement of the unknown.  With just 13 villas each of which features a number of beautiful colonial furnishings as well as private gardens, guests are treated to a kind of by-gone elegance. Combined with miles of unspoiled beaches and the clearest of turquoise waters Vamizi certainly earns it place on my list.

James Bell is a Director of Turquoise Holidays.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

4 of the most remote retreats in the Indian Ocean is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

What this new Indian Ocean alternative is offering is summed up by Vamizi Island. Billowing white muslins drape enormous beds, the gentle sea breeze whispers through pretty latticed windows and vast decks surround Robinson Crusoe villas scattered with deep sofas, colonial style chairs and cushion covered day beds…

The beaches are your own, the diving is to die for, deep sea fishing is unrivalled and the privacy is quite spectacular.  No rows of over water bungalows or ‘carefully hidden’ neighbours at Vamizi Island… the villas are 70 metres apart, absolutely private and with the company of weaver birds working over head and monkeys gamboling in front of your villa you will never feel lonely.

Vamizi Island, like most luxury African lodges is also fully inclusive except for scuba diving and deep sea fishing, so unlike other Indian Ocean destinations you will not face an extras bill at the end of your holiday.

Vamizi Island, Mozambique is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

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New suites at Azura, Mozambique is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

What is it that  you do exactly?

Everyday is different – that’s for sure! Throughout everyday there is a mix of our insiders, people I meet, things I read that help keep me and our team well informed about special finds all over the world. My days are mixed with business meetings and “checking things out” time. The mix is perfect for me!

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Everyone I know, almost everyone I meet is interested in Suzanne’s Files – super flattering. People are so curious how they can tap the ever-growing site; the way it can help them navigate through the noise out there- the clutter. The time-saving benefits they get from the e-Newsletters; the insight and personal voice is like a friend would tell you!

What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?

Little Kulala Lodge, Namibia: an intimate desert retreat on a private Namibian wilderness reserve. It felt like Fred Flintstone’s house meets chic stylish.   A real wow when you can sleep under the stars on your rooftop.

St. Regis in Singapore: imagine the most well serviced and most eclectically designed city hotel – now multiply by 2!

Cap Estel, Eze, Cote D’Azur, France: exactly what the Med should be. Surrounded by the sparkling sea, provided with great sporty activities on property.

What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?

Hmmm… that’s a fun question! So, I’d have to say when I was 16 years old, out to dinner in New York at a great Indian restaurant and I saw Bill Cosby (whom I grew up watching of course and adored). I walked over to him and said hi and asked if I could have a hug.   He hugged me tight!

Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?

I like to keep celebrities’ anonymity as there are quite a few that tap me for my suggestions of wonderful experiences to have, places to visit and go… I’ll share one non-work related story which is that years ago Christy Turlington entered the same elevator I was in in NYC.   She turned to me and complimented my jacket – which I had designed myself from an old military jacket I bought in a Washington DC thrift store.   I felt very stylish to say the least…

What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?

No question – these places: Atacama Desert in Chile, Mozambique, Madagascar, Wild Fitness bootcamp in Kenya, Croatian Coast, Tokyo….and I’d like to learn how to video document to better share my perceptions and finds via the web.

Thank you, Suzanne, for a great interview. And apologies on me having to be chased to get  it published… it’s been a busy time here at A Luxury Travel Blog!

Interview with Suzanne Aaronson of Suzanne’s Files is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

Luxury eco-boutique hotel on Benguerra Island is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

Indigo Bay Island Resort & Spa re-opens in Mozambique is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

• Benguerra, Mozambique: Benguerra Lodge
• Bermuda: Fairmont Southampston
• Dominica
• Maldives: Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa Rangali Island and Four Seasons‘ Explorer catamaran
• Tasmania, Australia: Islington Hotel
• Zakynthos, Greece: Hotel Nobelos

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Benguerra Lodge pool and honeymoon suites is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

Quilálea Island, Mozambique, East Africa is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog