Thinking about planning a family safari to Africa? We wholeheartedly support you! Taking your kids on safari could be the highlight of their childhood, and we make pulling it off easier than you ever thought possible.
Read on for our answers to 24 of your most frequently asked questions about a safari with kids.
Preparing for your family safari
South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana all top our list. For stunning landscapes and a truly unique desert experience, Namibia might also be a good fit for you.
Depending on the age of your kids and your particular preferences, there’s likely a destination in Africa for you just about any time of the year. For fewer crowds and more value for your money, we often recommend traveling during the shoulder season. If you plan to celebrate the holiday season on safari, you’ll likely need to book at least a year in advance.
We can find a safari for just about any age group.
Some safari camps and lodges have a minimum age limit of 12 years. For others, the limit is six years, and some even offer free accommodation for children five years and younger.
Kenya tends to offer more options for all ages because so many properties are family-owned. They’re used to improvising and adapting your safari to make it work for everyone. We also love Somalisa Acacia in Zimbabwe, and in Botswana, we recommend the Young Explorer’s program at Footsteps Camp.
It’s important to note that even at the most inclusive properties, some safari activities are not suitable for younger children, including walking safaris, gorilla and chimp trekking, canoeing, or horseback riding.
If your kids are in their teens, you will encounter fewer age restrictions, but be sure to ask us in advance!
In general, we recommend waiting until your children are between six and eight to take them on safari, as they’ll get more out of the interactions with the guides and have better stamina for game drives and the like.
You know your child better than anyone, though, so that’s not to say you shouldn’t bring your precocious five-year-old! Our Safari Specialists can help determine the best fit for your family, whatever your child’s age.
It’s also worth noting that many properties can arrange for a “child minder,” or nanny, to look after your young children during activities suited for adults and older children.
Children love safari if they have the right guides and activities. We often book families for safaris lasting at least seven days, and even after 10 days, many children continue to have an amazing time (and don’t want to go home!). Remember, your kids will be so busy discovering new things and loving the experience that it’s not likely they’ll get bored or even tire of the trip before you do!
In an effort to keep travel costs down, many families are accustomed to the DIY approach. While that may work for plenty of other locations all over the world, we strongly discourage going that route with a safari, especially one involving your entire family.
Planning a safari on your own is extraordinarily time consuming.
You might consult dozens of websites and spend anywhere from 15 to 40 hours researching and planning a single vacation. And that’s just your average vacation. Consider the complexities of a safari: remote locations, park permits, vaccinations, visas, transportation, lodging… The Extraordinary Journeys team collectively spends 20-100 hours per trip, and they’re the experts.
Your time is precious, especially as a parent. And the logistics of planning a safari can be a nightmare if you don’t know what you’re in for. Doing it on your own could easily eat up 100+ hours of your life. Our Safari Specialists do all the legwork for you. And you easily get 100 hours of your life back.
Beyond the time involved, we cannot overstate the importance of our experience, connections, and relationships with the properties and operators with whom we partner. We add value, peace of mind, and exclusive access to every one of the safaris we plan.
We work with you and your desired budget to deliver a safari perfectly tailored to your family’s needs and wants.
Thanks to long-term relationships with properties and operators across Africa, we’re able to provide you connections, access, and value that you simply won’t find anywhere else, especially online.
For family safaris in particular, there are a number of ways to maximize your budget and get incredible value from your investment, including
camps and lodges where kids stay free (see #8 below),
traveling in the shoulder season or low season,
opting for barefoot luxury-style properties over ultra-luxe accommodations, and
combining several days on safari with a few days exploring a city like Cape Town (the best of both worlds!).
Not if you don’t want to! There are countless properties that offer accommodations free of charge to children under the age of five or six, provided they share a room. Many of these properties are located in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Additionally, most properties offer a special rate for children under age 16 if they share a room. Even better, we know of some camps in Tanzania that extend reduced rates to children as old as 21 years, provided they share a room.
Here are a few properties to consider where kids stay free if sharing a room:
For kids under age five:
Several of Asilia’s Mara Bush Houses in the Greater Maasai Mara, including Topi House, Mara House, and Acacia House
Elephant Watch Camp in Kenya’s Samburu National Park
Lewa House, Ol Malo, and Sarara Camp in Northern Kenya
Kinondo Kwetu, a lovely family-owned property on the South Coast of Kenya
For kids under age six:
Most African Bush Camps in Zimbabwe and Botswana
Meno a Kwena, Jack’s Camp, San Camp, and Camp Kalahari near Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Namibia’s Shipwreck Lodge and Hoanib Valley Camp
Every member of your family will need a passport to travel to Africa. And depending on your destination and the length of your stay, you may need visas. Your Safari Specialist will let you know the necessary requirements well in advance and will work with you to get all the documentation you need.
We recommend six to nine months in advance. For peak-season travel, allow closer to a year.In South Africa, that’s anytime between November and February. Anywhere else, that’s July through September.
If you’re planning a safari over the winter holidays, know that Christmas time is busy everywhere and we even seeing people booking 18 months to 2 years out. For the best accommodations and bookings, we recommend you get in touch with us a full year out from your desired travel dates.
Extraordinary Journeys CEO and co-founder Elizabeth Gordon recommends:
While neutral, earth-tone clothes are recommended (as are layers!), don’t feel like you need to go shopping for an entirely new wardrobe just for your safari. Check out our complete packing guide here: What to Wear on Safari.
Image courtesy of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy / Lewa.
Health & safety concerns
In the right camps with the right guides, it is safe to take your younger children on safari. Our Specialists can build the perfect itinerary for your tiny adventurers!
Every property we partner with boils the water and uses best practices to mitigate risks. If you were to get sick while visiting, the lodges are well-equipped with most of the medicine and first aid you’d need to make a quick recovery.
Within East Africa, AMREF Flying Doctors, is an incredible resource should someone in your family need access to more involved medical care.
We can organize an evacuation from pretty much any part of Africa. Both Nairobi and Johannesburg are huge health hubs with amazing doctors and hospitals.
Regardless of destination, we recommend that all our clients purchase travel insurance. This should include an emergency medical evacuation policy which would pay for evacuation to the United States if needed.
For both adults and kids, malaria is easily preventable by taking a prescribed antimalarial pill. Even babies over 11 pounds can take Malarone. We definitely recommend consulting with your pediatrician (they’ll follow CDC guidelines) to determine the best course of prevention.
But maybe you’d rather avoid contact with malaria altogether. We certainly understand! For absolute peace of mind, you might opt for a malaria-free safari, all of which happen to be in South Africa (including the ever-popular Madikwe Game Reserve).
Our Safari Specialists keep up-to-date on the latest recommendations from the CDC. Depending on your destination, you may need a yellow fever vaccination (and accompanying certificate of vaccination).
Image courtesy of &Beyond / Phinda Mountain Lodge.
What to expect on your family safari
Yes! Camps are extremely accommodating. You may even cook with the chef!
Yes! Your guides will ensure you have all the food and water you need for your hungry, growing adventurers.
Think of it like camping. If your child needs to go to the bathroom, your guide will find a safe spot to do so, and an adult will accompany them. Usually, kids take care of their business right behind the vehicle. Remember, there is no one out there but the animals, and they certainly don’t mind!
No! Depending on where you stay, we can arrange interactive walks, camel rides, community visits, and more. There is so much to do. For children under 12, we do recommend a private vehicle so you can return to camp earlier.
Another good idea is to book properties with swimming pools so children can play after lunch, prior to the afternoon game drive.
The options are endless! Depending on the age of your children, they might enjoy walking safaris, boating or canoeing (usually for ages 12+) hanging out near a waterhole (where the wildlife come to you!), helicopter safaris, gorilla trekking and chimp trekking (usually for ages 16 and up), participating in Footsteps Camp’s Young Explorers program and more!
We absolutely encourage your family to meet and interact with local children and their communities. If you place a priority on authentic connections with the local community (and the chance to make a positive impact while you’re at it), let your Safari Specialist know and we'll make sure you have the chance to do so.
Depending on your family’s unique interests, we can plan an itinerary involving so much more than game drives!
There are some great cultural activities, opportunities to hang out with kids in local communities, and history tours in Johannesburg. Or if your family loves the water, try a marine safari at one of Africa's amazing diving destinations. We can also incorporate some time in a city like Cape Town, home to a host of fantastic tours for every type of traveler.
Start planning your family safari today!
Ready to start planning your own incredible African family safari? Whether you’re a group of four or fifteen, we make the process stress-free and enjoyable. Contact us today to explore your best options for a safari holiday you and your kids will never forget!
Then, start packing that suitcase because we’ve got all the details covered.
Every trip with Extraordinary Journeys is tailor-made, crafted in collaboration with one of our destination specialists. Use these as a starting point, or as inspiration to create your own journey.
