South Africa is a wonderful place to introduce your family to Africa for the first time with its stunning and varied scenery, lots of family friendly lodges and top class food and wine it is the ideal place for your first safari holiday.

The safari guides who will make sure your stay is safe and exciting, are used to accommodating the younger members of the party on safari and there are several excellent private safari reserves in malaria free locations essential for those with young children.

Accommodation in a safari lodge, in a private game reserve is a must for families as all of your meals are usually included in the stay including delicious food and drinks, afternoon tea and for lazy afternoons, cocktails when relaxing around the pool.

Each day visitors are offered two game drives, where they will have the chance of spotting the big 5. The guides are experts at finding the sometimes elusive wildlife and giving families the best photo opportunities.

South Africa works particularly well for a first time safari as it is easy to combine a short safari with a visit to Cape Town where you can spend a few days getting to know the best that this lively and diverse city has to offer.

So many people dream of going on a safari holiday, but what is it actually like? South Africa is one of if not the most popular choices for a safari holiday. Its boosts the perfect climate for the ultimate safari holiday, creating an idea place for many different types of wildlife to set up camp.

Although not every day on safari may be as enjoyable as the one previous, it is certainly a holiday that will not disappoint. You do need to be very patient at times and you may find that you are driving around for hours on end without viewing a single animal, but then when you do (and you almost certainly will) it will be completely worth it.

Depending on where you stay, you may have your own private lodge, ensuring that you have a lovely place to relax in after a day out on the road. Safari holidays do often mean early starts but somehow when you are there, this doesn’t feel as much of a chore as it would at home. Often it gets so warm in the middle of the day that you are glad to be out in the early morning to beat the heat.   

For some safari travellers It can be easy to become obsessed with ticking off the Big Five when planning a safari holiday but some of the other options offer the chance to experience a different, hidden magic of Africa which can be equally as rewarding.

The word safari means long journey in Swahili and Africa is renowned for its safari experiences in areas such as the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti and Kruger National Park. The rich selection of wildlife including the Big Five thrive in these parts and the opportunity to experience the natural wonder of the incredible wildlife is a not to be missed encounter. The many companies offering safaris in these regions have lots of choice at all budgets and an all-year round season which Inevitably make them very popular. However, there are also more under the radar alternatives for experiencing life under African skies. You may be reducing the odds of stumbling across a pride of lions, but if the idea of a truly wild bush experience without the risk of crowds appeals, then this could be for you.

Zambia is considered the home of the walking safari and certainly no trip would be complete without venturing out on foot with guides who are renowned as being amongst the best. Learning about tracks, trees, shrubs and the smaller gems missed from the confines of a game drive vehicle is what makes this type of safari a popular choice.

A visit to South Africa for many people is synonymous with going on safari and although that is an amazing experience to have, South Africa is a country with far more to offer in terms of incredible experiences.

South African beaches are some of the most impressive in the world and Cape Town is home to one of the top beaches Camps Bay. The bay is surrounded by trendy bars and restaurants and its glorious sandy beach is popular with tourists across the globe.

If you are interested in the cultural heritage of the native South African people then a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Tsodilo will have you gazing in wonderment at the ancient rock paintings dating back thousands of years. A guided tour of the site will enable you to learn about the history of the site and its present-day significance to South Africans.

Of course, there is also the wonderful wildlife of South Africa to be seen in the many National parks. One of the most popular is Amboseli National park in Kenya as it has five different habitats ranging from dry and dusty salt beds to wetlands. Many species of birds can be seen here including water birds such as pelicans, but the star attraction of this incredible place is the African bush elephant.

With many people having their holiday trips abroad cancelled or delayed this year, it may be that next year there is a massive boom. People may have managed to save the money they were going to spend on a holiday this year and instead decided to put together and go all out next year.

A safari holiday is the perfect choice for a luxury holiday that has adventure thrown in too. They are often quite expensive and therefore many people can only afford to go when it is a special occasion or when they have been saving for a while. Although there are cheaper alternatives, it really is the type of holiday that you do not want to skimp on.  

South Africa is by far the best place for a safari holiday, with the perfect climate for seeing the animals and viewing the amazing scenery. On a safari holiday you will often see animals such as the tigers, lions, elephants and gorillas but there are many other animals you may encounter that you had not thought of. The elephant shrews is definitely one to look out for.  With its long trunk like nose and extra-long legs that are disproportionate to the rest of its body, it hops around like a rabbit and can get up to great speed. These speeds can help it escape the many predators it has. On a safari there are also a huge number of bird species that you may of never encountered before. Some of the birds are truly fascinating to watch and really can add something special to your trip.

Although holidays are on everyone’s mind at the moment, many places are not taking bookings yet, or if they are it is only for future dates. When it comes to a holiday in South Africa whether it be for a safari or other type of holiday, you want to ensure you have plenty of time to prepare so booking a year or so in advance is often advisable anyway.

Safari holidays are a fab way to explore the wildlife and habitat or a different country. Often safaris can be suitable for people of a wide range of ages and interests but have you ever heard of an elephant safari? This is a safari that is specifically designed to give you the best experience of a safari in South Africa whilst riding an elephant. Many elephants must be hand reared now in South Africa, often due to their mother being killed by poachers, so this is often seen as a very safe way to travel around on safari. Not only do you get to see some magnificent animals and take in the breath-taking views but do it all on the back of one of the world’s largest mammals. The cost of your safari also goes towards helping the keepers ensure they can carry on their projects and take in more abandoned elephants.

Some elephant safaris only cost around £30 per person for a few hours which is incredibly cheap.

Safari holidays can be an amazing experience but because they are so expensive you really want to try and make sure you book with the right company so your experience is a good one.

If you are going to be splashing out on a safari holiday anyway then you may as well spend that little bit extra and make it an extra special one.

Choosing the right holiday company to book with is essential as it can determine whether you have an ok holiday, a rubbish one or a fantastic one. When looking for a safari holiday, make sure you read plenty of the reviews for the tour operators before you decide to book. Also check out the itinerary for the safari to ensure that not too much time is wasted or spent in an area you don’t have much interest in. It may be worth trying to find out how many people can go on the safari trip at the same time – is it going to be just you and another few people or a large tour. Smaller group safaris tend to give you better experiences as you are more likely to be able to see the animals behaviour naturally and get more time with the guide.

For some families they are happy to be lying on a beach somewhere in the hot sun or lazing by the pool whilst the children splash around but for others they would like their holiday to offer something a little more. You often travel thousands of miles to another part of the world, and it seems silly not to spend some time exploring all that the location has to offer as you may not get the opportunity to return back there again.

You can learn a lot about a culture from studying historical places, sampling the local traditional dishes and mixing with the local people. Finding out about how the locals live and what a typical day for them is can be very enjoyable and you may even decide to incorporate some of their ways of life in to your own.

Mixing with the local people will allow you to get a true insight in to how they live, they will probably be more than happy to advise you of places you should go and visit and also advise you of places you should avoid.

Children are like sponges and you will usually find that they enjoy learning about different cultures.

Safari holidays are often amazing breath taking experiences that can be enjoyed by a huge array of people. When you think of a safari holiday you will probably think about being in the desert or trekking through a forest on the hunt for wildlife but did you know you can do an ocean safari trip.

These trips are offered all over the world but are often most popular in places where there is a coral reef or an abundance of sea life.

You can usually expect to be taken out on a boat to sail to the main destination where you can disembark. The boat may have a glass bottom allowing you to view the spectacular sea life on your journey.

Once you arrive at your destination you can often jump off the oat or climb down in to the water to enjoy some snorkelling or scuba diving. This is when the trip really comes to life. Depending on where you go, you can often see exotic fish, sea turtles coral reef and if you’re lucky you may even get to swim with dolphins.

Always check that your holiday insurance covers you to take part in such activities and that you book your trip with a reputable company.

The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country located in the Caribbean. It is a very popular destination with tourists all over the world and although it is not a cheap holiday, with its beautiful sandy beaches and clear waters, and amazing night life, it is a holiday that will not disappoint.
Up on the north coast or the Dominican Republic is the Puerto Plata region. Here you can find a wealth of places to explore and things to do such as the rum factories, the old quarter and the cable car up to Mount Isabel del Torres.
Near to the Puerto Plata region is Playa Dorada. This is the best place to go if you are looking for a good night out. It has a wide selection of casinos, bars and the beautiful restaurant-packed Plaza. This is the perfect setting for friends, families and couples who want to enjoy a nice meal or a dance.
If white sandy beaches are what you are looking for then you must ensure that you visit Costa Dorada and Bahia Maimon. These beaches look like they have come straight off a post card and with the bare foot bars surrounding them, you need not travel very far all day.
The Dominican Republic is the perfect destination all year round as the temperatures do not drop far below the high twenties to low thirties making it the perfect destination for some winter sun. It is also a common choice for couples looking to get married abroad or for honeymoons due to its picturesque setting.