Meet The Maasai In Kenya and Tanzania
Your family can enjoy superb wildlife viewing and can also spend some time experiencing the local culture firsthand. In our experience the people you meet will form some of your most precious memories of your family safari.
They can learn to track animals, understand the medicinal uses of plants, learn to use a bow and arrow, and get dressed up and have their face painted as a Maasai! In the evening, listen to the hauntingly beautiful harmonies as they sing around the campfire.
It is considered the duty of women to preserve these timeless techniques and they will be happy to share this sacred craft with you during your stay.
Below are three of our favourite safari properties for connecting with local communities.
The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is a magnificent private collection of fully-serviced private houses perched on a wooded rocky kopje in the heart of a private conservation area.
Ol Malo, meaning 'the place of the Greater Kudu', is Colin and Rocky Francombe's home. Owner-run, the lodge offers guests a seemingly limitless selection of activities - no two days here will be the same.
More so than any other camp in East Africa, Cottar’s manages to combine simplicity with a real sense of relaxed style and inspired guiding, mouthwatering cuisine, and attention to detail. All of this comes together to create an unforgettable Kenyan safari in the Masai Mara.
"We cannot express enough how truly luxurious all of the accommodations were (we stayed at 4 safari camps and then at the beach in Diani) and how everything was truly top of the line. The service was flawless and the entire family had a magical trip with memories of the warmth and love of Kenya through this perfect itinerary arranged by Paul."
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.
Lewa Wilderness is one of the oldest safari ventures in Kenya, and the property and experience have been passed down through generations of the Craig family. For over 100 years, the Craigs have helped to protect the country’s landscapes and wildlife and to share them with fortunate guests.
The award-winning Alfajiri Villas is an incredibly luxurious Italian-owned property which nevertheless still has a strong African flair. It’s no wonder that Conde Nast and Harper’s Bazaar have got excited about this property: it really is one of the finest places to relax on the African coast. Each villa has its own distinctive character and style, and you can walk straight out to enjoy the beach.
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.
Elephant Pepper Camp is a step back in time but with modern comforts: an original bush camp, eco-friendly, and committed to finding a way of life that does not harm the wilderness.
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is a traditional, comfortable bush camp located in Laikipia on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River.
Sarara Camp is a small and intimate camp in an impressive and remote area of northern Kenya. The property promises a safari full of unforgettable authentic wildlife and cultural experiences. Think long walks through the bush, learning how to bead with Samburu women, meeting orphaned elephants, and finding a natural water slide in the mountains.
Lewa Safari Camp offers a classic safari experience, with luxurious touches, in an exclusive and wildlife-rich conservancy. This is a great place to stay if you’re interested in endangered species, with a large population of black rhino and Grevy’s zebra living in the area. This particular camp is owned by the Lewa Conservancy, with profits being used to fund it, so simply by staying here you’re making a contribution to the conservation of the area.
An Exploration of Unforgettable Experiences at My Favourite Camps in Kenya
High on the edge of an escarpment, with a much visited waterhole below, Loisaba Tented Camp has an enviable position in Kenya’s Loisaba Conservancy. This is an area of rugged natural beauty, the camp a romantic retreat for those wanting to appreciate the wilderness in peace.
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.
Saruni Samburi sits in a private conservancy and offers beautiful, uninterrupted views of the wilderness. The vastness and purity of this African landscape combined with the untouched local culture makes for a genuinely different experience.
More so than any other camp in East Africa, Cottar’s manages to combine simplicity with a real sense of relaxed style and inspired guiding, mouthwatering cuisine, and attention to detail. All of this comes together to create an unforgettable Kenyan safari in the Masai Mara.
In the heart of the 35,000 acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy lies Mara Plains Camp. Access is over a bridge across the river, and when you cross it feels as if you are entering a private kingdom, a world apart from the norm. The standard of food and service here is of international class, being the only Relais & Chateaux accredited property in the Masai Mara and one of only three in the country.
Nestled within lush acacia forest Naboisho Camp is a wonderfully authentic luxurious tented camp. The camp is in the heart of the action where, in between activities, you can sit back from the comfort of your own veranda watching giraffe or herds of zebra grazing on the plains surrounding the camp.
Lodo Springs is the newest and most luxurious camp in the renowned Loisaba Conservancy. This camp is made for adventure and promises an exciting and varied safari experience in a gloriously game-rich area of Kenya.
The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is a magnificent private collection of fully-serviced private houses perched on a wooded rocky kopje in the heart of a private conservation area.
More than 1,000 elephant reside in Amboseli, overlooked by the breathtaking snow-capped peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. As a guest at the Tortilis Camp - a Gold Eco-Rated property - you’ll have stunning views, gorgeous accommodation, and a superb activity programme.
Ol Donyo Lodge is one of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World, and also an esteemed member of Relais & Chateaux. Such accolades are warranted: it’s in a truly stunning location, and capitalises on it with meticulous attention to detail and high levels of service.
Opened in late 2023, Angama Amboseli is an intimate, luxurious lodge in Kenya’s very first community-owned conservancy. High concentrations of wildlife roam here and you can expect complete privacy for game viewing and sightings of Super Tuskers - elephants so large their tusks reach the ground.
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.
Sasaab is a beautiful lodge in northern Kenya that offers a true wilderness experience in complete comfort and privacy. This area of Kenya is remote, wild and perfect for disconnecting daily life and immersing yourself in nature.
Combining style and authenticity, Elephant Bedroom Camp offers a classic safari experience amongst the spectacular scenery of the Samburu National Reserve. As the name suggests, this is a great place to stay if you love elephants - they regularly visit, providing you with some jaw-droppingly close sightings.
Built atop a granite hill, Elsa’s Kopje is an idyllically situated boutique safari lodge in the Meru National Park. It was opened in 1999 by Virginia McKenna, and the eponymous Elsa is the lioness star of Born Free. The lodge has been credited with single handedly reviving the fortunes of this beautiful national park.
Rhino River Camp offers an authentic tented camp experience in the untouched wilderness of the Meru National Park. Secluded and remote, you’ll enjoy a safari experience undisturbed by other visitors but filled with a diverse range of wildlife sightings. As the name suggests, this is a particularly good choice if you’re keen to see rhino.
Chui Lodge is one of the most comfortable small lodges in the Rift Valley and offers a diverse range of activities. Guests can enjoy a variety of safari activities both in the Oserian Private Wildlife Sanctuary and in the wider Rift Valley. They include visits to Lake Naivasha – one of only two freshwater lakes in the valley – the alkaline Lake Nakuru where lesser and greater flamingos gather in large numbers, and the spectacular rock formations of Hell’s Gate.
Loldia Houseis the most comfortable place to stay in this part of the Rift Valley and has a relaxing atmosphere, an excellent standard of cuisine, and is managed by an efficient and welcoming team of staff. Loldia was built in the 1940s by the present owner's grandfather and promises a gentle, slow and relaxing stay, ideal for the very beginning or end of your trip.
Join the family at Lewa House, staying in this charming, imaginatively designed property with owners Calum and Sophie McFarlane and their children. They are charming hosts, and you’ll be welcomed like relatives into their home, your children excited to join their brood and explore the magnificent surroundings.
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.