The best family safari experiences in Africa for kids of all ages

Kate Lewis

African safaris are incredible experiences for children and now many tour operators and lodges go beyond the traditional to offer a more tailored experience for younger minds.

Watching elephants at the water hole © BlueOrange Studio - Adobe Stock Image

Here we look at some of the best family safari experiences in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa to thrill kids, big and little.

Find your fun-filled family safari: browse the latest tours from the likes of G Adventures^*, TUI^* and Explore!^* plus a swathe of other operators with TourRadar^* today.

Kenya

Kenya^* is one of the top destinations for a family safari because of its easy access to wildlife-heavy reserves, lodges geared to hosting kids and sandy beaches for some end-of-trip relaxation.

Kenya's main draw is the Masai Mara National Reserve, home to the Big Five and the annual Great Migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. This jaw-dropping sight takes place between July and October, ideally timed for a summer holiday trip.

Amboseli is another popular spot for a family safari, particularly for elephant fanatics. Watching dozens of wild elephants before one of the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro is an awesome sight whatever your age.

Elephants in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya © Melnikov Dmitriy - Shutterstock.com

No big cats live on Crescent Island on Lake Naivasha which makes it a safe option to wander on foot alongside zebra and giraffe.

For the cute factor, visit Daphne Sheldrick's elephant orphanage, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, to help feed giraffes or baby orphan elephants.

Kenya has a wide range of family-friendly accommodation. Some of the best lodges for families include conservation pioneer Lewa Wilderness with horse riding safaris and fly camping in the bush and family-focused El Karama Lodge, with hands-on wildlife monitoring for budding conservationists.

Maasai warriors at Kicheche and Saruni Mara will show children how to use a bow and arrow to hunt and forage for food on hunter-gatherer bush walks.

Climate in Kenya

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	25	26	25	23	22	21	20	21	22	23	22	24
Hours of sunshine (daily)	6	7	6	5	5	5	4	4	6	6	5	5
Days with some rainfall	11	11	15	22	19	11	12	12	11	14	20	13

The above guide shows the climate in Naivasha. Find out more about the climate in Kenya.

Tanzania

Endless swaths of wilderness, diverse Swahili, Indian and Arab cultural influences, sugar-sand beaches and two of Africa's highest mountains make Tanzania^* an adventurous family safari option.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest inactive volcanic bowl, containing 25,000 large animals, including some of the highest concentration of lions in Africa.

In contrast, the vast open plains of the Serengeti need a little more patience for wildlife spotting, but a safari here is equally as rewarding. Adjacent to the Masai Mara but over 10 times larger, it also bears witness to massive herds following the seasons during the Great Migration.

The white-sand beaches of Zanzibar © Snaptitude - Adobe Stock Image

A Tanzanian family safari can easily be combined with a beach stop in Zanzibar^* or, for true wilderness, head south to Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve, which receives a fraction of the visitors in the north but is a haven for the Big Five, particularly elephants.

Though lodges in Tanzania are not tailored to families in quite the same way as in Kenya and South Africa there are plenty of excellent options. Gibb's Farm is a welcoming organic farm with spacious family cottages to sleep in, a swimming pool and 32 acres of fenced land to explore post-safari.

Meanwhile, Kati Kati Tented Camp is fabulous for a wilder experience with campfires, stargazing and listening to lions roaring at night.

Climate in Tanzania

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	32	32	32	30	29	29	28	29	30	31	31	31
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	8	7	6	6	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
Days with some rainfall	10	5	12	17	16	7	7	8	8	9	13	13
Sea temperature °C	28	28	29	29	28	27	26	25	26	26	27	28

The above guide shows the climate in Zanzibar. Find out more about the climate in Tanzania.

South Africa

South Africa^* ticks the coast, city, culture and cute wildlife boxes, and with direct flights, no jet lag and many options for staying in non-malarial zones, it's a firm favourite for a family safari.

South Africa is cooler in summer but still pleasant, plus it's the prime time for whale watching. Alternatively, head there in autumn or around Easter for warmer days.

Top picks for families include Kruger National Park, one of Africa's most famous wildlife-watching destinations, and Madikwe, a private game reserve with kids-only game drives, dung tracking and 'bug CSI' for insect enthusiasts.

Idling leopard, Kruger National Park, South Africa © Fokke Baarssen - Shutterstock.com

Shamwari and Kwande private game reserves on the Eastern Cape are both brilliant for families with assigned rangers and private Jeeps, bush walks and treasure hunts.

There's even a zipline and rock climbing wall at Shamwari to ease post-safari blues as well as Born Free Big Cat Sanctuaries. Nearby Addo Elephant National Park, a more affordable, family-friendly experience, is known for its large elephant population and flexible self-drive options.

The extremely pretty Garden Route takes in prime whale and dolphin spotting sights from June to November and can be linked with a stop in Cape Town to visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and ride the cable car to the top of Table Mountain.

Private game reserves have excellent family-friendly accommodation. Otherwise, look for spacious or interconnected family rooms, a swimming pool (extra points if it overlooks a waterhole), flexible eating times and children's menus, and whether your home needs to be fenced off from unwanted wild visitors!

Climate in South Africa

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	32	32	31	29	28	26	26	27	29	29	30	32
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	8	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	8	8	8
Days with some rainfall	9	9	8	6	3	2	2	2	3	7	10	9

The above guide shows the climate in Skukuza Restcamp. Find out more about the climate in South Africa.

Namibia

Namibia has dramatically different landscapes to Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Giant orange sand dunes and dusty desert scenery mixed with German influences and coastal shipwrecks make Namibia^* a safari destination like no other. The summer holidays are an ideal time to visit Namibia, and it's malaria-free too.

Etosha National Park is an arid, starkly beautiful place known for its huge salt pan and concentrated wildlife around waterholes. In contrast, Damaraland's landscape is more rugged and home to desert-adapted elephants and the critically endangered black rhino.

The desert-scape of Sossusvlei, Namibia © EcoPrint - Shutterstock.com

Little legs might find clambering up the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei tiring but the allure of running down them again should win out.

Teenage adventure seekers will appreciate a stop in the lively city of Swakopmund for sandboarding fun in the nearby Namib desert dunes.

Further north, families can kayak alongside seals on the wild Atlantic coastline and visit the Skeleton Coast with its haunting collection of littered shipwrecks, whale and seal bones. Budding conservationists should head to the AfriCat Foundation to learn about and see leopards, brown hyenas and pangolins.

Namibia is a dream destination for families who enjoy camping, with many sites offering pools as well as good (but basic) facilities. For a more upmarket but child-friendly sleep, there's Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Mushara Bush Camp and Onguma Bush Camp.

Climate in Namibia

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	30	29	29	27	25	23	23	23	25	26	28	29
Hours of sunshine (daily)	11	10	10	10	9	9	9	10	10	10	11	11
Days with some rainfall	2	3	3	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1

The above guide shows the climate in Sossusvlei. Find out more about the climate in Namibia.

Ready to book your family safari? Find the latest offers on safaris from a wide range of tour operators including holiday pro TUI, the experts at G Adventures and Explore! too.