and give each family their own vehicle for this game drive. ... We have also tried to make it as affordable as possible
families on safari MADIKWE SAFARI LODGE How to contact us Lodge: Alan Bailes, General Manager, Tel: +27 18 350 9902, Email:
[email protected] Head Office / Reservations: +27 11 880 9992, Email:
[email protected] Website: www.madikwesafarilodge.co.za MORE’s family philosophy The reason we have not called this a program or an itinerary is because we don’t want it to become just that. Instead, we want to create an environment for kids & parents where they can tailor their stay based on exactly what they feel like doing, or taking advantage of opportunities that may arise in the moment. We developed the family program with the co-founders of MORE, Robert and Britt More - themselves parents of twins. We understand kids, and encourage you to bring them on safari with you. Menu planning can be discussed on your arrival. We do our best to accommodate all requests, and will ensure that food and snacks are - wherever possible - free of additives and preservatives. A few marshmallows do, however, find their way onto the menu during Boma dinners, to be toasted on the open fire. All families are accommodated at Lelapa Lodge (Tswana word for family) where we have five family suites, which can accommodate two adults and two children of the ages of ten or younger. The suites are 110 m2 (1180ft2), with their own private swimming pool (depth of 1.2m/ 3.9ft). We have also tried to make it as affordable as possible for parents by not charging for kids up to the age of six years old, and although they will only get one game drive during the day, the rest of their stay will be spent fully engaged with so many other fun experiential activities.
Some of the Kid & Parent activities available are: 1. Family safari drives: Family safari drives are offered just after breakfast so not to rush the wakeup process and where possible we try and give each family their own vehicle for this game drive. Although we don’t go into Lion or Elephant sightings, for safety reasons, it is an exciting opportunity for the kids to go out with their parents into the bush & enjoy the general game. Parents can opt to go on separate game drive and babysitting is available.
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We would suggest this for the afternoon drive as we can ensure the kids are involved in interactive activities with our management while the parents get to go on an adult safari’ 2. Bush Orientation: bush orientation would entail a number of fun and interesting bush skill activities like identifying trees for different uses, for example how to make a tooth brush or identify edible trees; how to find direction in the bush; how to make fire and how to find water;
Bug CSI:
Baking in the kitchen:
Bug CSI is offered by your field ranger were the kids are taken around the lodge area identifying the bugs, tracks and interesting plants writing up a list of everything that was seen and identified. The Lodge provides notebooks for sketching and notes which can be taken home as a souvenir;
Baking in the kitchen – decorating their own chef’s hat with some crayons, getting involved in making the dough and then cutting all the different cookie shapes finally getting to decorate them with all sorts of goodies! The cookies are presented at lunch/tea time. Making pizzas:
Dung tracking: Dung tracking – identifying the dung on drive and teaching the children about the animals’ diets and certain understandable behaviour patterns. Notebooks are provided which allow the kids to mark-off each spoor they identify;
Making pizzas – This will be done in the Boma’s new pizza oven which starts with the dough preparation and ends with a lovely hot pizza being served for lunch/tea. Note that the oven is only operated by the Lodge staff to ensure safety of the little chefs; Our galaxy:
Track pack with Plaster of Paris: Track pack with Plaster of Paris, where kids make moulds of animal tracks found during the family safaris. Go back after a little while to collect the mould.
Our Galaxy can be viewed from all the open wooden viewing decks and field rangers will arrange for a little show and tell about the stars which appear covering all the main constellations which can be done before or after dinner;
Painting/drawing/colouring: Games night/afternoon: Painting/Drawing/Colouring-in, a range of options which we make relevant to what was seen on the drives during the stay. These can be captured in the notebook again so the memories are taken home to record for everyone what an amazing experience was had by the family. Washing the safari vehicle: Washing the Safari vehicle with their ranger... getting wet & muddy can often entertain kids for hours and combined with a Land Rover this becomes a really cool activity for the right personality of course;
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Games night\afternoon – Especially for families who would want to play games as a family or families to challenge other families for example: 30 seconds or playing cards or any game of their choice which we have available and could be like a competition type of thing. The idea behind this was to set this up as a game night which would include snacks, drinks (cocktails) and if in winter around the fireplace, if summer then on the main deck.
DVD’s with home-made popcorn: DVD’s with home-made popcorn - we try and do this only in bad weather... rather keeping the children entertained in the bush environment.
All of the above activities will be hosted by our Management so if the parents wish to slip away for a little R&R they can do this knowing that they will not be missed! We do have a few rules that you need to be aware of but again we are confident these will not take away from an incredible safari experience for the entire family.
• No walks for kids under 16 years of age; • Unfortunately no game drives for kids under the age of two years and kids between two and six are only allowed on the late morning family safari drives; • The family safari drives for ages two and older depart at 11:00 in winter and 10:00 in summer with duration of approximately two hours; • Family safaris will not be taken into close sightings of Lion and Elephant; • Families who are on a private vehicle booked can go on game drive anytime however there is a surcharge for this and this vehicle is subject to availability;
Please feel free to contact us if you have any specific questions as the more information we get before your arrival the better prepared we will be.
MADIKWE SAFARI LODGE Lodge: Alan Bailes, General Manager, Tel: +27 18 350 9902 Email:
[email protected] Head Office / Reservations: +27 11 880 9992, Email:
[email protected] Website: www.madikwesafarilodge.co.za
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