Luxury Family Safaris in Kenya
Stay in exceptional, family-friendly safari lodges, tented camps, and exclusive villas, each chosen for their privacy, flexibility, and warm hospitality. You’ll be guided by some of Africa’s finest experts – walk through the bush with Samburu warriors, track rhino on foot, ride horseback alongside zebra, or watch lion cubs play from your open vehicle. See pioneering conservation in action and spend time with local communities who call these incredible places home. Whether you’re travelling with young children, teenagers, or across generations, every day is shaped to match your family’s pace and interests.
End your adventure with a few days on Kenya’s palm-fringed coast – a perfect balance of wild discovery and barefoot luxury.
What to Expect from a Family Safari with Journeysmiths
Every family is unique, and that’s exactly how we approach each safari we design. We’ve helped plan milestone birthdays, ‘last big trips’ with grandparents, and magical firsts for children. We know what matters - and we’re here to make it unforgettable.Every family is unique, and that’s exactly how we approach each safari we design. We’ve helped plan milestone birthdays, ‘last big trips’ with grandparents, and magical firsts for children. We know what matters - and we’re here to make it unforgettable.
A trip you’ll cherish forever, filled with unforgettable family experiences that reconnect you with each other and the wilderness.
We tailor each journey around your family’s unique rhythm and interests, allowing each generation to experience a safari on their own terms.
No rigid timetables. No crowds. Just your family and the freedom to explore in comfort and privacy.
Safaris are an education like no other - no matter your age - and a story your children will tell for years.
We handle every journey with expertise and passion. Relax in the knowledge that we’ve got the details covered.
From the Team
As a father of two, I understand the challenges of arranging a holiday to suit everyone’s interests. Safaris are one of those unique holidays, where the right sequence of accommodation and activities can create the perfect balance for all ages. I love that being an independent travel specialist, here at Journeysmiths we have the flexibility to create truly tailor-made itineraries the whole family will enjoy.
Why Choose Kenya for Your Family Safari?
Choosing the right country is the starting point in creating the perfect luxury safari for your family. You’ll want to know about the seasons, wildlife and how you will travel in-country. On safari in Kenya, you can expect exciting game viewing, a range of activities, privacy and the chance to engage with local cultures.Choosing the right country is the starting point in creating the perfect luxury safari for your family. You’ll want to know about the seasons, wildlife and how you will travel in-country. On safari in Kenya, you can expect exciting game viewing, a range of activities, privacy and the chance to engage with local cultures.
When Journeysmiths arranges your Kenya safari, we make it easy to get around. Many of the exclusive lodges that we use are accessed by small planes so you won’t have to endure long, bumpy road journeys.
Kenya is eight hours from London and if you fly overnight we can have you on safari just a few hours after you land. There are also direct flights from the USA. The rains fall mainly in April, May and November. From July to September the wildebeest migration passes through the Masai Mara, so it’s ideal for a holiday in our summer months.
Kenya has an incredible density of wildlife and a great variety of species. Even if you travel when the migration is not passing, there is still plenty to see including lots of big cats.
It also has iconic African scenery like the plains of the Masai Mara, volcanic hills, the rift valley and views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Kenya also has a beautiful coastline, so your safari can easily be combined with some time at the beach.
Although Kenya is a popular place to visit, we can arrange for you to avoid the crowds by staying in small, exclusive camps and lodges on private reserves. This even applies in the Masai Mara.
A big advantage of these places is that you are free to explore in all kinds of ways: driving, walking, riding, and even mountain biking with expert guides. See some of our favourite family lodges and camps here.
Many of these exclusive lodges are active in conservation and protecting endangered species. Kenya is one of the best countries to see conservation in action; a heart-warming and educational experience for the children.
Most private camps and lodges we recommend also operate in partnership with local communities and for children, meeting other families in the local Samburu and Maasai villages are often some of their most enduring memories.
Family Places to Stay in Kenya
These handpicked safari camps and lodges offer some of the best family places to stay in Kenya, combining comfort, adventure, and unforgettable wildlife experiences.These handpicked safari camps and lodges offer some of the best family places to stay in Kenya, combining comfort, adventure, and unforgettable wildlife experiences.
Lewa House in Kenya is more than simply a place to rest your head after your safaris. It’s the intangible warmth of being welcomed as family by owners Calum and Sophie McFarlane with the touches of home that make it a unique experience. You’ll wake in your thatched cottage to share biscuits on the veranda with the resident ‘go-away-birds’, soaking in the landscape of gently sloping plains and distant mountains.
Discover the remote corners of Kenya’s Laikipia Province, a vast and impressive landscape defined by rocky hills scattered with traditional tribal villages and camel trains traversing the arid wilderness. Staying at the family-owned Ol Malo House ranch, you’ll explore this area on horseback, hikes, drives and flights, ensuring a thrilling adventure for all ages.
Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is our favourite property for a truly exclusive family safari in the Masai Mara. Located outside the national reserve on a private conservancy, Cottar’s combines authentic style, inspired guiding, immersive activities and fantastic attention to detail. All of which creates an unforgettable African safari.
Tucked away on a 200,000-acre private reserve, Saruni Samburu is excellent for a family safari. We love the six spacious villas, set right into the mountainside, with verandas overlooking the best views in Kenya. A wealth of activities await you: game drives and walking safaris, mountain treks, bush breakfasts and cultural visits.
Ol Lentille is one of Laikipia’s most luxurious properties and perfect for families. Here, exclusivity is key. The private 40,000-acre conservancy is over three times the size of Manhattan and teeming of wildlife. Fill your days with activities, enjoying personal butler service back in the comfort of your villa.
If you’re searching for the ultimate in luxury for your family safari, we may suggest ol Donyo Lodge. Just six suites here emerge from the landscape of Kenya’s Chyulu HIlls. With Relais and Chateaux accreditation, you know that you will enjoy the very best in fine dining and wine selection throughout your stay. Pair that with myriad ways to explore the 275,000 acres of private wilderness. Combine with sister-camp, Mara Plains for a truly indulgent Kenyan safari.
Kinondo Kwetu is our favourite boutique beach lodge on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, beautifully secluded on 16 private acres of Diani Beach. Fill your days with horseback rides, tennis, thrilling watersports and of course, relaxing on the beach and splashing in the surf.
Saruni Wild is one of our favourite camps in the Masai Mara for families with children of all ages. The experience here is that of a true African adventure, with local Maasai guides leading you and your youngsters on exhilarating game drives, bush walks, and even showing you what it takes to live like a Maasai Warrior.
Laikipia Wilderness is the perfect place to reconnect with nature and each other on an authentic bushcamp adventure. Owners Steve and Annabelle Carey embrace you into their safari family, inviting you to make their home in the wilds of northern Kenya your own.
Sosian Lodge is an adventure playground, welcoming guests of all ages. Not only is Sosian set on its own 60,000-acre private conservancy, it's a working, free-range ranch. To stay here is more than going on safari, it's a firsthand immersion into Laikipian life.
Alfajiri Villas on Kenya’s Diani Beach are among the most luxurious properties in Kenya. We love this property for larger groups and families who want an exclusive-use beach retreat after their time on safari. There truly is nowhere else like it.
House in the Wild is an intimate, family-owned luxury lodge that offers a truly private, high-quality safari experience and a genuine home away from home, simply perfect for families or smaller groups.
Kenya’s Best Family Experiences
Kenya is filled with remarkable family experiences, but these are the ones we return to time and again – our top recommendations for an unforgettable family safari.Kenya is filled with remarkable family experiences, but these are the ones we return to time and again – our top recommendations for an unforgettable family safari.
What an adventure! It’s the polar opposite of a crowded, minibus safari. Your family can wander through beautiful Kenyan landscapes chatting with friendly Maasai. The camels carry everything and you can ride them too. Do it for a day, or longer if you wish, watching wildlife and enjoying the freedom.
Millions of animals live on the Masai Mara plains, so there is always a lot to see. The region is perhaps best known for its excellent populations of lion, leopard and cheetah. From June to October, these feline predators feast as over a million more wildebeest, zebra and Thomson gazelle come crashing across the rivers from the Serengeti. This is Africa’s Great Migration.
With your own private guide, you can take the time to capture images that catch the character of different animals. And action shots. We can even arrange for Big Cat Diary cameraman Warren Samuels to guide you for a few days around his secret wildlife hotspots.
Imagine spending the night together, out in the wilds under a billion stars. In the afternoon, arrive at the private starbeds where cosy beds, bathroom and all you need is on a great wooden deck overlooking the plains. Enjoy dinner with your guide, then drift off to sleep in the beating heart of Africa, nothing but a mosquito net between you and the vast inky sky.
Wildlife conservation is a big issue with threats from poaching, climate change and a growing population. Kenya is pioneering exciting solutions where local communities partner with safari lodges to protect rhinoceros, elephant and other endangered species. Your family can meet conservationists, see this work in action and enjoy a great safari at the same time.
A hot air balloon gives you the perfect perspective of the scale of Africa. At dawn you could be floating silently above thousands of wildebeest and zebra on their Great Migration. The plains below are criss-crossed by rivers and dotted with rocky kopjes.
The small exclusive lodges and camps that we use go out of their way to make sure that you have an amazing time. They love to spring the occasional surprise, like brunch beside a river at the end of your morning safari, or drinks and canapes at a secret sundowner spot.
Some lodges are run in close partnership with local Samburu and Maasai communities. You can meet the people, see how the children live, learn dances and jewellery making. You can even become a Maasai warrior, learning how to make and shoot a bow and arrow and throw a spear.
How about challenging yourselves to spot 100 different birds in a day? The camp will prepare a packed lunch and you can explore for the whole day. Majestic eagles, kingfishers and bee-eaters, storks, vultures and lilac-breasted rollers are all around. Grab a bird book, binoculars and camera ready and get spotting!
Round off your safari on Kenya’s beautiful Indian Ocean coast, where powder white sand meets warm azure waters. If you prefer, it’s just as easy to get you down to Zanzibar. We know all the best places, from remote hideaways to hotels with excellent facilities for the youngsters.
Father & Son Safari in Kenya
"Having the trip organised for us by Journeysmiths took so much of the hassle out of the planning. Their knowledge is incredible, and they understood what we wanted. I knew we were going to the best places available, and that all the logistics of moving between properties whilst we were away was seamless.
They made it beyond easy - there were also special touches along the way, a real feeling that everything had been done for us, personally, and that we, and our needs were being thought of every second of every day."
What is the Best Time to Go on a Kenya Safari
As with many good questions, there is a short answer and a longer one. The short answer is that the main rains in Kenya arrive in early April and usually peter out in early June. Some safari lodges close then, using that time to refurbish and take a break. Kenya also sees “short rains” fall in November, though this is still a great time to visit.As with many good questions, there is a short answer and a longer one. The short answer is that the main rains in Kenya arrive in early April and usually peter out in early June. Some safari lodges close then, using that time to refurbish and take a break. Kenya also sees “short rains” fall in November, though this is still a great time to visit.
Rain is not much fun on a beach holiday, so we recommend avoiding April and May if you want to include time by the coast. However, on safari it has less of an impact. In Kenya, where climate change is tending to make marginal places more arid, rainfall is welcomed.
Rain in Kenya often comes as sharp showers, refreshing the land, sometimes creating spectacular cloudscapes. It tends to come early afternoon or overnight and so early morning safaris usually see the driest part of the day.
If Easter falls in April, you may experience the beginning of the main rains, though often these don’t start in earnest until the second half of April. The main summer holidays coincide with the immense migration of wildebeest, antelope and zebra and good weather. This is the busiest time of year, making it even more important to stay on private reserves. Christmas usually sees warm, mainly dry weather. It is a great time for safaris and the coast, but you need to book early as this is a narrow time window.
Kenya Month by Month: Best Time to Visit
Kenya is a year-round destination, with each month offering something different – from the Great Migration and green-season birding to sun-soaked beaches and unforgettable family safaris.Kenya is a year-round destination, with each month offering something different – from the Great Migration and green-season birding to sun-soaked beaches and unforgettable family safaris.
Which Areas of Kenya Should You Visit?
Getting the right combination of locations and choosing the most appropriate lodges within them requires experience. It also requires a good perception of your priorities and interests, your preferred comfort level and the ages of your children. A family safari is a big, maybe a once in a lifetime holiday, so it’s vital to get it right! This is why we take time to listen to you and design every trip uniquely.Getting the right combination of locations and choosing the most appropriate lodges within them requires experience. It also requires a good perception of your priorities and interests, your preferred comfort level and the ages of your children. A family safari is a big, maybe a once in a lifetime holiday, so it’s vital to get it right! This is why we take time to listen to you and design every trip uniquely.
The vast rolling plains of the Masai Mara guarantee a spectacular safari experience, particularly on the private conservancies surrounding the national reserve where you can expect greater flexibility and privacy for your game viewing. The Big Five can be found here in abundance, including the majestic black rhino whose numbers once dramatically decreasing are now steadily on the increase.
Situated in the southwest of Kenya the Amboseli National Park is the second most visited national park in Kenya. With its views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and long dry months of superb wildlife watching when great herds of elephant are drawn to the swamps and remaining waterholes, Amboseli is one of Africa’s most spectacular national parks.
Once almost entirely a livestock region, Laikipia is now one of the most successful and progressive conservation areas in Kenya, offering visitors a personalised, adventurous and luxurious safari experience. A patchwork quilt of private reserves as a visitor to Laikipia you are welcomed into exquisite owner run properties nestled at the heart of wildlife rich lands.
The Lewa Conservancy is Big Five territory. But it’s not just a place to tick animals off your safari bucket list. This undulating conservancy covers 93,000 acres on which sits a collection of superb safari camps and lodges. Part of the Northern Rangelands Trust a stay on Lewa provides a fascinating insight into the life of a modern conservancy, working to preserve wildlife and natural habitats while also supporting local communities.
Without water there can be no life. The animals and birds of Samburu know this only too well, so they concentrate on the fertile strips of land either side of the Ewaso Nyiro River. The elephant here are plentiful, and so too are Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe. Heading out in the early morning when the animals come down to the water's edge to drink, you can get remarkably close.
The Meru National Park is filled with wooded grasslands, lush swamps, and bushland inhabited by elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, black rhino, and many more. It’s a real wilderness and you’ll get the most out of it if you combine your game drives with a couple of nights of fly camping, waking up each morning in some of the most unspoilt and little visited, rugged and remote areas of the country.
The Kenyan coastline is dominated by the fringing coral reef which follows the coast for most of its length and has created a broad sheltered lagoon. There are caves, the remains of ancient coral reefs once submerged by the ocean, as well as beaches of powdery fine sand and sea that is safe and blissfully warm. And just inland from the coast are tropical forests, rich in birds, plants, insects, and small mammals.
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It is rare that we hear from our clients while they are away, but if you need us, we are here 24 hours a day and act swiftly to resolve any issue. - Knowledge, Experience & Passion
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Looking for Inspiration?
An expedition that marries the awe-inspiring spectacle of the Great Migration with lesser-known treasures. Explore iconic wonders and uncover hidden gems, blending bucket list adventures with thrilling discoveries for an unforgettable journey of contrasts.
Merge thrilling safari experiences amid iconic wildlife-rich landscapes with tranquil beachfront relaxation along the pristine shores of the Indian Ocean, creating an unforgettable journey of contrasts and indulgence.
From the iconic Masai Mara to the awe-inspiring Laikipia, explore Kenya as a family. Witness breathtaking wildlife and immerse yourselves in rich traditions for an unforgettable adventure in a land where the untamed wilderness thrives alongside vibrant cultures.
We will ensure you can enjoy the best of Africa in the exclusivity of Kenya’s private conservancies where walking, riding and other expertly guided activities enable the richest safari experience.
Kenya has the ingredients for an amazing family safari. Your children will love seeing vast numbers of animals in iconic African settings. Stay in amazing and exclusive accommodation on private reserves. Enjoy adventures on foot, horseback and by open vehicle with Africa’s finest guides. Your children can see pioneering conservation work in action and meet remote tribal communities. Maybe end with a few days by the coast.
What To Do In Kenya With Children? We’ve chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya.
When one of TV’s best-known wildlife enthusiast, Steve Backshall, tasked us with crafting an unforgettable father-son safari in celebration of his son’s 5th birthday, we knew exactly how to create a trip that would excite and inspire both in equal measures.
Chloe’s trip took her off well-trodden paths and into the remote corners of Northern Kenya. Staying in Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy and Laikipia, the trip’s slow pace allows time to forge deep connections with the remote, wild landscapes and its people.
The only travel company to have access to a huge moment in conservation history, our Kenya Conservation safari group got to watch a rhino release!
I have spent the last 18 years travelling to some of the planet’s most incredible places under the guise of ‘work’. For 11 of those, I have been waiting for my young family to be old enough to join me. In October 2022, that time finally came. Our first family safari in Kenya was perhaps even more special as, like many holidays, it had been postponed twice due to the COVID pandemic but, wow, was it worth the wait!
Experiences in Kenya
Kenya is a vibrant tapestry of interlocking landscapes, climates, ecosystems, villages, communities and ethnic groups. Our teammate Julia travelled to three very different locations to experience how varying ingredients combine to create unique adventures.
Safaris in Kenya
The best safari adventures in Kenya combine luxurious comfort with the immersive experience of only having a layer of canvas between you and the nocturnal sounds of Africa. Our travel experts at Journeysmiths have curated some of Kenya's best luxury tented camps, offering exclusive private safari experiences that immerse you in the wild without compromising on comfort.
More About Us
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
Journeysmiths and the Kenya Tourism Board
As a company, we are dedicated to providing the best possible experiences for families to discover Kenya's wildlife, learn about its rich cultural heritage, and make lasting memories.
Through our partnership with the Kenyan Tourism Board, we hope to ignite a lifelong love for travel and conservation in families around the world.