Planning the Perfect Family Safari with Micato Safaris
Giraffe. Topi. Hyena. Zebra. Baobab trees: the exotic milieu of your African safari creates a sense of wonder, which serves as a common denominator for family members of every age.
Yet, certain considerations can make the difference between a memorable family vacation and an unforgettable one. We spoke with Kenya-based Micato Safaris to determine what factors prove paramount for a multi-generational safari. Micato's founders, Felix and Jane Pinto, have experienced these group tours and bespoke safaris with their own children and grandchildren to guarantee activities are the ultimate family-friendly adventures befitting of their award-winning reputation. We provide you with some tips to keep in mind when choosing a safari ideally suited to your family's needs.
Choosing The Ideal Family Safari
Plan Age-Appropriate Activities
It is tantamount to choose a safari that takes into consideration various ages and interests of your group. To relax, grandparents may choose to luxuriate in the spa, while you seek out a chaise by the pool with a sketchpad. Micato's family safaris epitomize this notion, spanning the age gap with individualized activities. Younger kids can learn African crafts such as Samburu traditional beaded necklaces and learn to make an arrow, and shoot it, with a Maasai tribe member. Meanwhile, teens might join a safari director on a big-game tracking expedition via ATV. With decades of experience, your Micato hosts know exactly how to alter the schedule to appease everyone simultaneously. Then the whole clan can reconvene at day's end to share adventures over a chef-prepared meal catering to individual palates.
Mix It Up
Partaking in a safari by Elephant-back is one way to ensure everyone in the group remains engaged and interested. Micato allows you to choose a safari that imparts variety from the start. Micato's Hemingway Wing Safari takes you through three legendary East African game parks: the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti and Samburu, where you'll experience two distinct luxury-tented camps and unique surrounds. Further customize your adventure with creative ways to experience it up-close. Pedal a bike through the bush in Kenya's Chyulu Hills, meander by camel through the Laikipia Plains, gallop through the grassy savanna in Tanzania on horseback or lumber through Sabi Sabi Reserve in South Africa on elephant-back.
Mark the Occasion
Whether a celebration is intimate or elaborate, a safari adds poignancy to life's most important milestones. Marriage proposals floating above the Serengeti in a hot balloon, a chorus of Happy Birthday sung beside a waterfall at sunset in Kenya's Laikipia Plains or a champagne toast to 40 years together during a private anniversary picnic beneath the baobab trees; every moment becomes more profound in the bush. We can help you coordinate the details of family reunions or weddings, and Micato Safaris is famous for impromptu surprise celebrations, delivered with an elegant and personalized touch.
Foster Learning
Safari by vehicle travel takes you beyond the books, instilling you with extraordinary first-hand knowledge. Your safari provides a platform for learning, disguised as pure amusement. Micato's compendium of East Africa's most evocative wildlife takes your scope way beyond the Big Five. During your outings, university-trained guides share fascinating details and as avid storytellers, keep even the littlest ones engaged. Bespoke safaris further align with your particular interests and personal encounters with esteemed experts enrich learning even more. This might entail arranging a private lunch for your budding teen anthropologist and a member of the Leakey family, whose fossil discoveries changed the face of evolution, or an African dance lesson with your little ballerina.
Give Back
You will be instilled with a wonderful feeling knowing that your safari purchase will sponsor a child's education, as part of Micato's charitable non-profit program, AmericaShare. You can also personalize this altruism with a visit to Nairobi's Mukuru slum. You'll have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with residents whose lives are positively impacted by your contributions at Micato's Harambee Centre. Laughter and fun span cultural gaps as you join children on the soccer field reminding you of universal humanity. In the library, sit down with a community member for a heartfelt conversation about daily life in East Africa and even pen an inspiring forward in the frontispiece of a book you donate. Lifelong friendships often ensue from these adventures, an experience every generation can appreciate and bond over for many years to come.
If you're interested in individual Micato Safaris, here are a few currently being offered by the Safari Operator: