TAKEAWAY
STAY
Where thewild
things are is awesome. And
worth preserving.
TIPS
Game drives are
best for ages 5 and up.
•
Prepare kids to shush,
lest they scare Simba.
AFRICAN
SAFARI
T
WENTYFEETFROMYOU,
lionsroar.
Toweringelephantstakedowntrees
forbreakfast.Andsundownsilhouettesa
PeaceableKingdompanoramaofgira es,
zebra,andantelope.Goingonsafari
meansgettingasclosetonatureat its
mostspectacularas issafelypossible. It’sa
visceralexperience, fromhearingbirdsong
atsunriseto feelingthegatheringwarmth
spreadingacrosstheveldandholdingyour
breathwhileyoustalkapreyanimal from
yourLandRover.SouthAfrica’ssouthern
regiono ersall this,plustheadded family-
friendly featureofbeingmalaria-free.The
AfricaAdventureCompany
(africa
adventure.com)tours itandpicturesque
CapeTown in14days.
2
3
JUST THE FACT THAT YOU
CAN SEE IT FROM SPACE
(albeit, under perfect conditions, if at all)
will light up kids’ imaginations. Kids love
superlatives, so the fact
that the
Great Wall of China
is the longest man-made
object ever built will surely
impress. And the fact that
they can conquer it (or at
least a part of it) and own
it, by walking a piece of it,
is priceless. Plus, experi-
encing the Great Wall will
give the kids a hands-on
lesson in ancient history.
The facts: Some of it dates
as early as the 7th century
B.C.; it’s a UNESCOWorld
Heritage Site (that was an
easy call); it’s more than 13,000miles
long; and in some sections the wall is 30
feet wide. The fact that it offers a varied
visual experience— there arewatchtowers,
temples, andmoats, not tomention the
changing, dramatic landscape of jagged
mountains and deserts— delivers an
element of surprise and discovery. Practi-
calities: Beijing is a fine base fromwhich
to see such sections of the wall as Badal-
ing, Jinshanling, Mutianyu, and Simatai.
Naturally, the less steep sections will
attract more crowds, so weigh that against
the age and physical condition of the
whole family. If your kids are complainers,
it’s best to avoid the height of summer
(bring lots of water, nomatter the sea-
son). Cut down the arduousness by taking
the cable car up and the toboggan track
down. And finally, thoughmost people
regard souvenir hawkers as annoyances,
for kids, few boasts can replace being
able to say, “Oh, this? I bought it on the
Great Wall of China.”
In the untrammeled
Eastern Cape,
Kwandwe Private
Game Reserve
sprawls over
54,000 acres, home to the Big
Five and innumerable lesser
creatures. Deluxe cottages fea-
ture indoor and outdoor show-
ers, plunge pools, andwalls of
windows throughwhich to spy
kudu. Lodging from $450 per
person, all-inclusive. 011-27-
46-603-3400
, kwandwe.com
GREATWALL
OF
CHINA
BY DREW LIMSKY
BY ELAINE GLUSAC
SUMMER2013
celebratedliving.com
36
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