Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Northern Cape Province, South Africa
The safari: Take a "game drive" in a covered Jeep, "bush walks" led on foot by trained guides, or set out on horseback (possible for even beginner riders and kids ages 6 and up). Snacks, or "sundowners," are provided around a rustic campfire before returning to the resort in the evening.
The lodging: Stay in stone-walled thatch-roofed African dwellings with indoor and outdoor showers and private sundecks. There's also a (supervised) kid's room where children can engage in organized games, art projects, and various outdoor activities.
Jaci's Lodges
Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Province, South Africa
The safari: A children's "jungle drive" takes kids 7 and younger (and parents, if they choose) out during the day, and kids 8 and older can join the longer adult expedition. (Babysitters are available to watch young children while the parents are out.)
The lodging: Stay in either the Safari Lodge, where the elegant tentlike rooms are built around an ancient termite mound, or the Tree Lodge, eight raised tree houses on built around giant trees and connected to the Safari Lodge by a raised wooden walkways.
Marks Camp
Lalibela Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa
The safari: Children under 8 can safely enjoy the safari experience during guided Bumble Bee drives in the morning and afternoon (during which the more dangerous animals will only be viewed from a distance). Parents and siblings can tag along with the tots, or they can take kids 8 and up on the more intense adult safaris.
The lodging: Guests are housed among eight spacious stone-and-thatch cabins (four of which are family-size) and share a private viewing deck, a pool, and an outdoor dining area with a fire pit.
Jacks Camp
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, Africa
The safari: During the dry winter months, guests can take Jacks Camp's all-terrain vehicles out into the pans to discover desert life. In the wet summer season the pans fill with shallow waters that attract exotic birds along with zebras, wildebeests and springboks, which are drawn to the grasslands by the rains. Expert staff lead the guided expeditions from the camp in open vehicles or on foot.
The lodging: Ten cozy, 1940s-style tents are set in a palm grove. Each have an en suite bathroom, and there's a tented lounge with a library and a beautiful dining area overlooking the plains.
Safari West
Santa Rosa, California
The safari: See more than 400 exotic animals, including zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, impalas, wildebeests, flamingos and macaws, roaming free in a natural habitat. Owner Nancy Lang leads morning hikes around the grounds before breakfast, while daytime safari vehicle tours (recommended for ages 3 and up) take guests on a 3-hour open-air expedition through the entire reserve.
The lodging: Guests can stay in the on-site "African tent camp," which is built on high wooden platforms with private bathrooms. Or, if you prefer solid walls, stay in the two-bedroom cottage, which has a king bed, a double bunk bed, and a queen futon. Gather for BBQ-style meals at the Savannah Café.
