If you’re planning a unit study on or near Africa in the near future, Carcassonne Safari is not to be missed!
It’s another fabulous game in the Carcassonne family – there’s the original version and lots of expansions to add on to it, and this game is a standalone bonus version that doesn’t require any other base game. It has everything you need to enjoy exploring the African savanna and some of the animals you might find there.
The rules and game play are very similar to the original game with some extra fun pieces and rules – animal tokens can be used to earn extra points and to build a watering hole for those poor thirsty animals out in the heat! There’s also a Ranger vehicle that travels around, giving players extra points.
Players draw and lay a land tile on each turn. The land elements must line up with those already on the board (paths and bush must connect, etc.) and players place meeples to claim trails, bush, or baobab trees. When the land element is completed, points are tallied for how many unique animals are within that land element.
Players can add animal tokens to their land element for additional points and even more points if they can play 4 in a circle to make a watering hole.
It’s a simple game to learn but not easy to win! It’s great for kids 7+ and a variety of ages can easily play together.
I love watching my older boys play games with my younger ones, especially with my zany red-headed 6 year old. He is pretty good at games but does need some help, and I love watching his older brothers help him and give him pointers and teach him strategy. It’s the most heart-warming thing in the world to watch your children being kind to each other, and I have seen a lot of that as they’ve played games together. You might think that games bring out the competitive beast in boys, but we have experienced the opposite. They are kind and helpful, and just play to have fun. It’s been a wonderful thing to witness.
Carcassonne Safari has so many gameschool possibilities! Add it to any Africa or animal unit, a study of geography or geology, ecosystems, habitats, so many other possibilities. It can be played often for a variety of school subjects and, as always, it can count for math practice too!
Thanks to Z-Man Games for sharing this loved Carcassonne game with us!
