Game Drives with Kids in South Luangwa National Park

We’re SO excited to share our game drive experience with the kids in South Luangwa National Park! We’re going to start with a recap and photos of the experience and will share our favorite tips for game drives with kids at the end of the post.

After several relaxing days at our friends’ lovely home in Lusaka, we all ventured northeast to South Luangwa National Park. Given the distance and space needed to transport our staples for the weekend, we decided to try a “divide and conquer” method. Isaac and Ty packed a truck full with all our luggage and food and set out on the 10 hour drive across the country on Thursday. Frannie and I opted to take the 1 hour morning flight on Friday with the kiddos. Isla would have handled the long drive easily, but we weren’t sure how well Cole and Henry (both 1.5) would do with that much time confined in one vehicle. It turned out to be a great decision for our families and we’ll share more about the flight later in the post.

South Luangwa National Park is one of the only parks in Africa that allows night drives. Even though the evening was drizzly, the guys decided to go for an game drive after they arrived on Thursday, and they were rewarded with some pretty amazing animal sightings- especially for the rainy season! A large male leopard stepped out in front of their vehicle 20 minutes into the drive, a pack of wild dogs lounged out in the grasslands, and a pride of lions shared the road with them!

The flight from Lusaka to Mfuwe (the closest airport to the park) took place in a 30-seater prop plane, and while the idea of being in such a small aircraft got my heart beating pretty fast, it was a very smooth and easy trip. Note to those traveling with active kiddos: the cabin is quite small and cramped, especially when you have an infant in your lap, so we would not recommend this option if your kiddos are unable to sit relatively still for an hour.

The guys were waiting for us at the airport when we landed and they brought us back to our accommodations. We stayed at this gorgeous sprawling private home on the edge of park. There was a huge open living space and wonderfully charming maze of rooms in each wing. Handicrafts and rustic decor gave the space a very eclectic feel. Out back was a pool, a large yard, and a newly constructed hide for watching wildlife. The views were lovely, and the interesting critters were plentiful- many of them even found their way indoors, which was certainly exciting!

Our beautiful room had an en suite bathroom and a smaller attached room for the kids. It was perfect! The first night we were all together a bunch of fireflies got into our room, and we fell asleep to them twinkling overhead.

Isla loved this room, but it was clear across the house from where we were staying, so we didn’t feel comfortable having her sleep there. We compromised, however, by letting her take her naps and enjoy play time in there, and she loved it!

It did not take long for the kids to make their way outside and start exploring. Within minutes we had seen baboons, vervet monkeys, a giant termite mound, countless insects, and frogs. We absolutely loved observing Isla during our time in South Luangwa so much! A serious animal lover, she responded within as much breathless excitement to each butterfly as she did to the mighty elephants. Here she is cheering on a little dung beetle we found working hard in our yard!

Over the next few days we enjoyed morning and afternoon/evening game drives. When we planned this trip we honestly weren’t sure how well Cole would handle the game drives. Hours of sitting in one vehicle, rutted roads jostling us around, needing to keep quiet… thankfully, Cole was absolutely fantastic! Not only was he happy on the long, bumpy rides, he was totally engaged whenever we came across any animals. Within two drives he was properly identifying (and greeting) elephants, impalas, zebras, and baboons- though he sometimes got confused and called the baboons “kitty” when they walked around on all fours!
I often hear people say they want to wait to take their kids on a big adventure until they are old enough to remember or appreciate the experience. It’s totally understandable and I have even echoed these sentiments myself. However, I’m starting to see an even greater value in traveling with children when they are infants and toddlers. While they may not remember every detail, they are gaining so much from exposure to new places, cultures, foods, sights, sounds, smells, etc. These experiences begin to shape our children, and help them become more adventurous, adaptable, curious, empathetic, and social.

South Luangwa National Park is Home to the Burchell’s zebras, whose stripes have no shadows.

Of all the wonderful sights we experienced on our game drives, THIS was my favorite!

Me: Isla, those are impalas. Their bottoms look like they have M’s on them.
Isla: (whispering to me secretively with one hand next to her mouth) Our bottoms look like they have I’s on them.
Me: … that’s true…

African wild dogs are a rarity to spot. We were so excited to see this pack three days in a row!

It’s not really an adventure unless you have to change a tire… or two!

The Thornicroft’s Giraffes that inhabit South Luangwa National Park are geographically isolated from all other species of giraffes and can be found in only this area.

It was really entertaining watching the wild dogs chase a group of vultures away during one game drive. It was clear the dogs were protecting their kill, but it also looked like they were making a game out of the interaction.

Taking a dip in the pool at the house was the perfect way to spend the balmy day between game drives!

You can imagine Isla’s delight when she stepped out of the car at our house in South Luangwa for the first time and noticed the dirt driveway was studded with countless crystals!

Even though we visited South Luangwa in the rainy season when the foliage was overgrown and dense, we were happy to enjoy numerous elephant sightings. What miraculous creatures! Most of the elephants we saw were relatively small and young, as this population is still working to recover from extensive poaching.
Cole was so excited when he’d see them! He’d wave and say, “Hi, el-phant!” And when we’d drive on he’d wave again and shout, “Bye, el-phant!”

Our babies. On a Sunday morning in March. Snuggled up in a safari vehicle. In AFRICA!
There are so many days we struggle with stress and doubt for choosing to live a life outside of the norm. The unknowns of self employment can be really scary, and our hearts are constantly pulled between two lives we have loved.
This moment though. This moment is validation that all the hard times are worth it and we are on the right path for us. We are so, so grateful.

During the final hour of our last game drive we stumbled upon this herd of elephants. The quiet moments we spent with them were among our favorites of the entire trip!

Tips for Game Drives with Kids:

Children aren’t always allowed in the open air vehicles, so check with your safari company BEFORE booking!
Bring layers. The vehicles are open on the sides and front, so there is a lot of air blowing on you. The temperature can drop quite a bit in the evenings. If your kiddos are uncomfortable, everyone will be uncomfortable!
Bring plenty of water
If you are traveling with babies or toddlers, bring at least 2 diapers and wipes on each drive. It’s a good idea to bring wipes on ALL drives for wiping hands, noses, etc.
Bring snacks, but make sure to check with your safari company FIRST to be sure food is allowed and to learn how best to store your snacks (we kept ours in a cooler) to avoid attracting animals.
Apply insect repellent and sunscreen before the drive, and bring it with you, just in case.
Prepare your kids before the drive so they have an idea of what to expect. This varies child by child. Some ideas include showing them photos of animals they might see, talking about what you might to see, letting them know there may be long periods of driving without seeing any animals and the roads might be bumpy, helping them understand why they should stay quiet, discussing strategies for overcoming boredom, should it arise, etc.)
Consider the seasons/weather when booking your trip. We went during the rainy season which meant the foliage was dense and resources were plentiful, so it was harder to see the animals. It was still a great experience, but there was a lot of driving time where we just observed and enjoyed all the greenery.
Allow older kids to bring their own cameras so they can document the experience from their perspective! Binoculars can also be fun!