Can we bring our kids on a Namibian Kunene safari?

The simple answer is: Yes, we love introducing kids to Namibia! Our recommended minimum age is eight years old, mainly because children get more out of the safari experience from this age and older. 

Our safari expeditions cover multiple days and traverse large parts of the arid Kunene Region of Namibia. You may think that it will be difficult to keep children engaged on such a trip, but we have guided families with children many times in the past and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Here are our top five reasons why our expedition-style safaris are ideal for your next family holiday.

1. Careful planning to cater for your family’s safari needs

In standard African safaris, your children may be expected to adapt to other guests in terms of schedules, length of game drives, type of accommodation, and a host of other factors. Late dinner times or long periods of down time during the day may not suit an active child who loves exploring during the day, but needs an early bed-time. 

Our safaris are planned through multiple engagements via email to ensure that we know your preferences, guided by our experience with the many options for an expedition. If hours of driving will not work, we can plan a trip with shorter drives interspersed with bush walks, climbing boulders or dunes, and playing in pools of fresh water along Namibia’s famous dry riverbeds. We can discuss the kinds of activities your kids enjoy and ensure that each day presents something new and exciting to see or do.

Some of our expeditions use lodge accommodation only, while others are a mix of camping and lodge stays. Your children may love camping, or feel more comfortable in a bedroom that has four solid walls. We can get the mix just right for your family during the planning phase, with flexibility built in if things don’t go to plan. 

2. Our safaris are exclusive, flexible and safe

Each safari we plan is exclusive to groups of people who know each other. Whether you want to come with just your family, or if you want to bring your best friends with you, your group will have the exclusive use of the safari vehicles and our guiding team. 

Exclusivity brings freedom, which is perfectly suited for trips with kids. We can stick to strict bed-times, decide to sleep in rather than have early morning wake-up calls, or break the rules for special events. During the journey we can discover activities and places that your children enjoy most and spend more time doing them, without worrying about other the other guests’ schedules – because you’re the only guests!

Although the overall itinerary is planned carefully, we always leave room for spontaneity. If particular rocky outcrop, spectacular view, or water pool attracts your family’s attention, we can stop and explore. When the children lose interest, we can move on to discover new adventures. 

The Kunene Region in Namibia has a very low occurrence of malaria, especially during the winter season (June-August), which is the best time for a safari. Our bush walks and other activities are adventurous, yet safe. Unlike safaris in many parts of Africa, we can step out of the vehicles any time we like in most places in the Kunene, but our guide always ensures that it is safe to do so. These expeditions come with full peace of mind.

3.  Our guiding team love children!

Our head guide, chef and other staff are parents themselves, and they love spending time with children. Our guide, Boas Hambo, goes out of his way to make the bush come alive for young kids, showing them how to track animals, pointing out which plants are useful (and which ones are poisonous!), and giving them tips on how to survive in the bush. Best of all, he knows how to find elephants, lions and rhinos, and all of the famous lone stone men of the Kunene. Searching for these enigmatic stone statues is an extended treasure hunt, which will keep the kids interested even on days where longer drives are necessary.

Our chef, Sonja Hambo, loves teaching children how to make a fire and cook using simple ingredients. Under Sonja’s supervision, kids can get involved around the camp, from putting up tents to setting the table, baking bread over hot coals, or pouring the drinks. They will be introduced to a whole new way of living, and perhaps develop a passion for camping in the wild! 

If your itinerary is more lodge-based, we will choose lodges that we know are child-friendly and have activities to keep them engaged during the breaks in our journey. Whether we are on the road or at our destination for the evening, our guiding team will entertain, educate and inspire your children to see the world with new eyes.

4. Rich cross-cultural experiences

Whether your kids are pre-teens or teenagers, spending with the OvaHimba can make a lasting impression. Experiencing a way of life shaped by different traditions, priorities and relationships with family, community and the surrounding environment can open up a very different perspective on what we value and why.

For children in particular, encountering people whose lives may look very different from their own can challenge assumptions they may never have thought to question. What do we really need? What makes a good life? And are the things we take for granted the only way of doing things? These are powerful questions for young people to encounter through real experience rather than simply reading about another culture.

We have close relationships with the OvaHimba people we will meet along our journey, and our guides have been trained to translate in a way that allows a real connection despite language differences. We highly recommend including a traditional dinner of goat meat with the OvaHimba for one night of your expedition – your children will no doubt be talking about this experience for years to come!

5. Breaking free from the online world

This generation of children cannot imagine the world before social media. Some kids may be horrified at the thought of being offline for more than a few hours. Getting them out into the real world away from all their devices may be just the kind of holiday your children need (not to mention you!).

Family time with no cell phones or other devices is a precious commodity, which would be difficult to ensure at home where the WiFi is always on. Out here, around the campfire, WiFi is non-existent. During these times, you can reflect on the day’s activities, fill the air with laughter and songs, and spend real time together with no distractions. 

Perhaps after an initial detox period where they miss their phones, your children will start to appreciate real-world engagement more than clicks and likes. While they learn about nature, explore new cultures, and test their new bush skills, they will discover that the world beyond the screen is much richer than anything they can find online.

Next steps for planning your family’s safari expedition

To find out more about our different Kunene expedition packages, head to our Expeditions page. You can download the rates for our 4-7 day Best of Damaraland expedition here, or the longer Premier Expedition here. To start planning your family holiday of a lifetime, contact us!