Tuningi Safari Lodge
One of the privileges of living in Africa is being able to share the wonders of the bush and of our extensive wildlife heritage with our children.
However, opportunities to do this are often limited to self-drive options and less than luxurious accommodation, as many private game lodges do not allow children under the age of 12. Not so for Tuningi Safari Lodge, however, which offers all the added touches of being in an exclusive five-star lodge so mum and dad feel special, while also offering fun and innovative ways for children of all ages to engage with the bush.
A fully equipped play area and activity room is designed to keep kids happily entertained for hours, thereby freeing up mum and dad for a cocktail on the deck, a dip in the pool, or an evening game drive. Kids can choose to play on the grass outside or hang out in the tent that is permanently pitched in the grounds, or opt to read, watch DVDs or play games. Every day there are different supervised activities, from T-shirt painting with animal stencils to treasure hunts and playing a game of Memory with found objects like feathers, bones and quills hidden under baskets on the lawn. There’s also a very popular clay animal making competition with kids eager to outdo each with the intricacies of their model game reserves.
However, the best way to truly experience the bush is to actually explore it. Older children may join their parents on early morning or afternoon game drives (behaviour dependent), otherwise littlies, and those kids not able to sit still for a full three hour game drive, are well catered for with shorter, kid-friendly game drives called Bumbles. Led by an experienced game ranger, kids are taken out and taught about the ways of the bush through active participation – they stop to pick up objects like bones and fallen birds’ nests for their discovery box, or hop out to trace paw prints onto transparencies to learn more about the differing sizes of various animals. They can also record the things they learn and the animals they spot in their interactive safari books to show mum and dad when they get back to the lodge.
Mealtimes are also fun with boma dinners (for adults and kiddies), followed my marshmallows around the fire and stories about the stars. Little guests are also invited into the kitchen from time to time to cook with the chef.
When they’re not out and about in the reserve or the lodge, kids and their parents can retreat to the comfort of their suites that come complete with deep baths, fun outdoor showers, decks from which to watch the animals wander by, and comfortable beds draped beautifully in muslin. The two Family Suites also have the added convenience of comprising two double en suite bedrooms, as well as a dining room, kitchenette, and living room.
It’s little wonder that the lodge has a high percentage of return visitors keen to revisit this best-of-both-worlds lodge – a haven for parents and an adventurous escape for kids.
**For more information, email reservations@tuningi.co.za or visit www.tuningi.com.**
0 comments :
Post a Comment