Don’t just take our word for it – see what one of our guests had to say about it:
Travelling with a 6 year old isn’t always straightforward. I was hesitant about going on safari with my daughter, especially wondering how she would cope with early starts and long periods of time in a vehicle. As it turns out I had nothing to worry about. Here is a summary of a few things that my 6 year old loved about her mobile safari – there are actually too many to mention!
Camping (sort of)
This was one of her favourite parts of our 3 day trip. She loved that the tent had a “real bed and even a real toilet”. She has never been so keen to have a wash, mixing the hot water from the flask with the cold water from the jug, perhaps this is something we should try at home!
Nights in the wild
Going to bed with the unfamiliar sounds of the hippos, wildebeest and even the odd lion in the distance is a magical experience. My daughter couldn’t wait to get into bed so she could try to guess which animals were making which noises.
Messing about in the river
Leleshwa Camp, when we visited, was pitched on the banks of a river in the Maasai Mara. Accompanied by the local Maasai guides she spent a lot of time learning to skim stones. There was also some paddling involved in a small stream on one of our game drives, with wildebeest trundling along their migratory path in the background. This had to be one of the delights of her trip.
The smells
Something only a 6 year old can appreciate! We were so lucky to be in the Mara during the migration. Whilst I was mesmerized by the lines of wildebeest weaving for miles across the planes, my daughter was particularly taken with the unique, and frequent odours arising from the remains of the predators! This trip was definitely a full sensory experience.
Hippos
We immediately came across a huge pod of hippos on arriving in the Mara just a short drive from camp. Particularly entertaining was watching them stumble and slide their way down the river bank into the water. It was the perfect start to her trip and lead to a real hippo affinity for the rest of her stay.
Picnics and food outdoors
Another 6 year old highlight! She loved getting up early, eating snacks in the open sided vehicle and then stopping under a tree, or next to a river bulging with hippos, watched over by well fed crocs to have brunch.
Spending time with friends
We were lucky to travel with a group of friends which included a number of similarly aged children. One of the benefits of staying at Leleshwa Camp, an exclusive use camp, is that the kids were able to run around, play, eat together and enjoy themselves without fear of disturbing other guests.
For anyone looking to travel with a family, or in a group, of all ages, we could not recommend this safari highly enough. Never before has our daughter been so engaged or have we seen so much as we did on this last trip to the Maasai Mara.
Sam Crosthwaite