&Beyond WILDChild Program
With its warm heart, welcoming people and sunny skies, Africa is a dream destination for a family holiday with children of all ages.
A place where time slows down, it offers the luxury of a leisurely pace, ideal to reconnect and renew relationships among families, as well as grow friendships between the children and land, animals and people of Africa.
&Beyond’s WILDChild programme, designed especially for children visiting our safari lodges and camps in Africa, is filled with fun, interactive activities that offer opportunities to learn and discover new experiences and cultures. Deeply rooted in the love for the African bush, it not only creates a series of unforgettable moments for the whole family but forges strong bonds between our young guests, our planet and its people.
WILDChild Adventures
Expeditions may involve activities such as tracking and fishing, making traditional bows and arrows, beading, crafting and painting, as well as fun in the lodge garden or kitchen and more. At each of our African lodges, as young, sleepy heads take shelter in the comfort of their beds after a day full of thrills, they will find an assignment for the following day’s expedition laid out on their pillow, ready to fill their dreams with anticipation. Each expedition is carefully selected according to the interests and ages of the children and will be carried out in the care of our friendly staff, from rangers and trackers to child minders and cooks.
The children’s activities available at each of &Beyond’s lodges attempt to tie in with that particular environment, as well as the local heritage of the region. For example, at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in Namibia youngsters may experience stargazing as well as Bushman games that teach them the culture of the region, including how to find food and water in the desert. Meanwhile, in Botswana’s Okavango Delta adventures may include fishing expeditions and making necklaces with the Delta’s beautiful water lilies.
WILDChild Memories
Each WILDChild adventure is made up of unforgettable moments to cherish forever and, to help keep memories of their safari fresh, each young traveller will receive a WILDChild backpack with a special scrapbook and other goodies at the &Beyond lodge where they begin their journey. Throughout the safari, the scrapbook is filled up with mementoes of special times in the bush, from notes and drawings to stickers.
At each subsequent lodge our young guests will receive a different educational or bush-oriented gift, as well as fresh expeditions to carry out, so that each stop adds to their collection and their experience continues to grow throughout their journey. Each &Beyond lodge has something different to offer, whether it is a solar torch, a magnifying glass or a compass. Specially sourced by &Beyond, all our gifts consists of quality products made of recycled or sustainable materials where possible and used to encourage interaction between the child and their ranger or guide, who helps them unravel the mysteries of the African bush and introduces them to local customs and traditions.
To add to each child’s experience, the Safari Shops at &Beyond’s participating lodges and camps also stock a range of WILDChild goodies, including scrapbook stickers and clothing. Through purchasing these mementoes, our young guests not only provide themselves with a tangible reminder of their African adventure but also contribute towards the Community Leaders Education Fund scholarship programme, which assists students from the communities bordering &Beyond’s conservation areas with funding for their tertiary education.
WILDChild in the Making
At the end of your extraordinary family adventure, along with treasured memories of time spent together, you will find your WILDChild has fallen irrevocably in love with the animals, people and landscapes of Africa, a true conservationist in the making.
