Planning the perfect wildlife excursion with the kids
With about 300,000 to 400,000 moose and 150,000 beavers roaming around Sweden, the country is the perfect place for kids who love wildlife. Through a moose safari in Skinnskatteberg or beaver expedition through their ecosystem, your children can get up close and personal with these animals and enjoy the vacation of a lifetime. However, planning for a trip with kids can be hectic. So, here are some tips to help you prepare for the safari adventure of a lifetime.
Where To Stay During Your Trip
Since many of the beaver and moose expeditions end pretty late, you will want to stay somewhere close so that your children can simply doze off to bed and prepare for the next day.
For older children who love camping, you may want to make an entire adventure of the trip and stay in the nearby Kolarbyn Ecolodge. This accommodation is located in the forest of Skinnskattesburg, and is known as Sweden’s most primitive hotel. You can camp out in the great outdoors, experiencing life without running water or electricity, and participating in some nature watching right outside your door.
For younger children, you can also elect to stay at Udden Guesthouse or the Baggå Schoolhouse, both of which provide more modern facilities and are close to the wildlife safaris.
Prepare Before You Arrive, But Don’t Over-plan
You should do as much research as you can before you arrive so that you have a rough itinerary. You will also want to get input from your children during the planning process to see what they want to do while they’re on vacation. Get a feel for what kinds of animals they're interested in, why wildlife is fun for them, and what else they want to learn on the trip. However, with children, you also need to add room for flexibility within your schedule.
Keep a simple itinerary, and know that spontaneity can be half the fun.
Pad your schedule with some downtime, and remember to add 15 minutes of relaxation for every hour of activity.
Packing For Your Adventure
As with any safari, you will need to remember to pack for the weather. Summers in Sweden are not very long, so even during the summer, you will want to bring warmer clothing. Pack layers, including a thin jacket and a warm hat for the night, as well as waterproof clothing in case of rain. For the winters, you will want to prepare for the snow, as the floors are generally covered from November until May. Therefore, pack all of the warm necessities – a jacket, hat, insulated trousers, mittens, and winter boots. Since children also tend to explore during the trips, you will also want to bring a change of clothing for the days that you will be out in the wilderness. This will keep them warm when they get wet, and clean when they splash in mud. You may also want to pack some snacks for your trips in case your kids get hungry, and a camera to capture all the amazing family memories.
If your child is a fan of wildlife then a trip to Sweden is perfect for you. You can all dive right into nature as a family, and enjoy all that the great outdoors has to offer.
