Where to go
 

Have my family of 6 booked from MXP to CMB in late October for what was going to be a family wedding in Sri Lanka.

It's unlikely to go ahead but we can't move our annual leave. We are eligible for Qatars 5000 mile re routing policy - where would you go for a relaxing family holiday? I should add that we have a 1 year old, 3 year old and a 60 and 70 year old! All fairly well travelled....don't fancy Maldives as the kids will get bored. Weather at that time of year is a consideration and we would prefer somewhere on the travel corridor list.

Ideas very welcome!

We were in a similar predicament and elected to visit Tanzania. A Safari may be fun for all!

Wife and I were aiming for Zanzibar this Nov, but it's a struggle to get acceptable travel insurance (we are UK residents). Now we are looking at south-east Asia like Vietnam or Cambodia (easy to combine tourism for all ages and relaxing in a nice hotel room). But it's impossible to predict if those countries will let us in - looks like Indonesia definitely will not admit foreigners in 2020.

Safaris are always fun, and then there are the beaches on the mainland coast and Zanzibar as well. Just a word of caution though. Tanzania has taken the stance that through national prayer they have cured covid-19 and it does not exist in Tanzania. This needs to be balanced with footage of nighttime burials so that the people are not seeing the dead being buried, various neighbouring countries either closing borders with Tanzania or making sure everyone entering from Tanzania is being thoroughly tested.

Same dilemma. I've come to the conclusion that it is probably best to arrange anything very close to the time to avoid quarantine risks etc. At the moment, for us the primary consideration is what we will find when we get there. Likely lots of scared people, restrictions and general hassle. So I think we'll stay put.

There is a discussion on the topic of going on a Tanzanian safari this October in the Africa forum.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/afri...serengeti.html

Also another thread including a discussion with someone who has already been there recently.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/afri...-overview.html

A caution regarding going on safari with small children. Every safari operator I have worked with will not allow young children out on safari. As I recall, no one under 12 is allowed on a vehicle and similar restrictions exist for safari walks. Some camps are more restrictive. There are camps that allow young children and have a child program. This is something you would have to research carefully. I have ever taken young children to a safari camp or lodge, so I have no idea as to how well camps with a children's program work and if the children really enjoyed it or not.

Like others who are posting,
I am desperate to travel internationally but as a US citizen I am severely limited. Had to cancel a barely pre Covid trip due a truly emergent family illness the night before my trip in February and am still struggling with reimbursement for a trip to Europe in May.

I am still looking for any possible travel for international leisure trips.

Unlike those criticizing our President, he did the correct thing in restricting inbound and out bound travel even though it did have a personal and unhappy experience for me.

You may want to read up on Tanzania and how they handle covid there (hint: president says it doesn't exist, and government is similarly prepared).

-A

Personally I would totally avoid travel to any underdeveloped countries where covid statistics are completely unreliable.
Tanzania is even worse, as the President has decided to stop compiling data by the end of April and take no specific covid measures.
To answer Adstring, IMO it would be crazy to go to Tanzania, especially with young kids and elder people. If anyone ever get sick ...

Currently there is no safe place to go within 5,000 miles. The safest places are not open to tourists or QR does not fly there.

It really does depend on the lodge/camp and the country you are in. There are many many lodges around Africa that will take children under 12 on safari. Under 6 it starts becoming a different story, as in general the children are less able to control their excitement. Walking safaris are the exception where it is generally 12 or even 16+ only.

As you say, many of the camps have children's programmes - many involving the kids in nature walks, looking at the spoor, collecting leaves and pods and insects. Generally the younger children love it.

If you are looking at safari, I would personally be more inclined to say Kenya (of the QR destinations that are open) rather than Tanzania - where at least they are acknowledging that the country has covid-19 and there are precautions in place.

I was responding to the OP who is travelling with children aged 1 and 3. When we started going to Africa for safaris, we were empty nesters. So children were never an issue for us.

There's literally nowhere that you can go that fit all 3 criteria:

-UK exemption list (will be massively changed in 2 months anyway)
-served by QR
-lastly, somewhere that you will be allowed into as a tourist solely on a UK passport