Safaris with Teenagers
Travel inspires, it broadens the mind. It is an integral and inspirational part of our childrens’ education. Imagine walking with Maasai guides to your star beds and sleeping out beneath a million stars. Or canoeing down the Zambezi past herds of elephant drinking and cavorting in the shallows.
Would your family like to ride thoroughbred horses across the hills of Laikipia amongst giraffe, zebra and antelope? Maybe combine this with tracking mountain gorilla up the slopes of a Rwandan volcano. Whatever you want to do, if it’s safe and legal we can arrange it! And we’ll ensure you do it in style.
Walking, boating, canoeing, riding, mountain biking, hot-air balloons, desert quad bikes - and of course traditional open safari vehicles offer your family richly varied ways to enjoy the wildlife, scenery and culture of Africa at its best.
Take a look at a few of these places you can stay and things you can do, then call us and start exploring possibilities for your family safari.
As our children get older, it seems we have fewer opportunities to spend quality time together. As teenagers their worlds are expanding and they’re often doing their own thing. But these years are precious for the family too, as we continue to help shape the adults they will become.
A tailor-made safari is the perfect way to bring everyone together, enjoying shared moments away from the distractions of the modern world and our busy lives. The diversity of a safari ensures there is something for everyone as you enjoy new experiences and create shared memories.
A safari in the wilds of Africa allows you space to pause and wonder – to gaze and reflect. Epic landscapes, the balanced beauty of creation, the absence of hurry. You would imagine that the day’s adventures end with the setting sun. But as one star disappears and the heavens turn indigo to black, millions more appear, filling the unpolluted skies. We’ve chosen a few of our favourite spots for safari stargazing.
A sighting of any one of the Big Five is a cause for great excitement. But spotting a rhino in the wild? It is one of those things that dreams are made of. At around a tonne in weight, and generally considered to be the second largest land mammal, they shouldn’t be hard to see, but poaching has devastated population numbers. Park authorities have to be very cautious with any information they share about rhino numbers and regarding their whereabouts. An encounter, therefore, truly is a privilege.
Namibia is a spectacularly unusual place for a family holiday. You can see enormous numbers of elephant, rhinoceros, big cats and plains game, yet the main attraction is the incredible variety of desert landscapes.
Whether on foot, canoe or open vehicle - Zambia is the perfect place for a real family safari adventure. You can track elephants and giraffe walking with an expert guide. You can paddle a stable Canadian canoe down the Zambezi watching zebra and antelope drinking at the water’s edge.
Coming face to face with a quarter ton silverback is something you just have to do sometime in your life. This is one of the single most emotional animal encounters that you can have and is something you’ll never forget.
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.
Zarafa is one of the most exclusive camps in Botswana with just four luxuriously appointed marquee style tented suites. With a maximum of eight guests, the emphasis here is on individual hospitality, privacy and serenity. A family of up to five may like to treat themselves to the sumptuous Dhow Suites — the most exclusive private property in Botswana.
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.
A secluded hideaway in one of the most remote game reserves in Tanzania, Kiba Point is a rustic retreat from modern life. Here your days pass at your own pace, whether you choose to explore by open-sided jeep with a private guide, or intrepidly explore the bush on foot. Since you won’t see any other people while you’re here, it’s the perfect African escape to enjoy with your family.
Madikwe Hills Lodge is an intimate and luxurious safari lodge set among the 75,000 hectares of the Madikwe Game Reserve. The main lodge has five luxurious suites, a dining lodge and a spa. The suites have been designed for complete relaxation and comfort, each boasting soft sofas, voluminous mosquito netting and cotton picot linen. Overhead fans and air conditioning are a welcome respite from the harshness of the African heat.
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.
The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari holiday for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period. We can tailor make excellent family safaris at these times of year, taking into account seasonal wildlife movements and climatic conditions.The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari holiday for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period. We can tailor make excellent family safaris at these times of year, taking into account seasonal wildlife movements and climatic conditions.
Kenya is an international hub for East Africa so access is straightforward, it also offers excellent weather when it’s freezing in Europe and North America. Combine the wildebeest migration in Serengeti with the stupendous Ngorongoro Crater and maybe round off your holiday on exotic Zanzibar.
The Cape enjoys high summer at Christmas. Spend a few days in lively Cape Town before heading along the Garden Route for a malaria free safari on the magnificent Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. Cape Town also combines easily with Botswana where you can enjoy an exclusive safari in the Okavango Delta.
This is a great time to visit southern Africa. By Easter the sparse summer rains have finished, leaving the deserts of the Namib and Kalahari looking spectacular and momentarily green. Brief migrations of zebra and birds flash across the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana and these are also outstanding conditions for game viewing in the Okavango. A short flight can take you to Victoria Falls, where the waterfall is at its magnificent best.
The Cape is clothed in autumn colours and it’s a good time to visit any of South Africa’s malaria free reserves such as Madikwe. April to June are also some of the best months to explore Namibia, as temperatures fall and dry weather encourages huge numbers of animals to gather around the Etosha salt pan.
June to October is prime season for safaris throughout Africa. For a family with active teenagers Zambia provides the holiday of a lifetime as you canoe the Zambezi, white water raft a whole day beneath Victoria Falls and track elephants and plains game on foot through the idyllic Luangwa Valley.
Further north, the wildebeest migration moves from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara in a sequence of chaotic river crossings. We can arrange a small lodge fly-in safari to Kenya’s private reserves so that you can see this magnificent country without encountering the busy tourist areas.
On these reserves you can enjoy horse riding, mountain biking, quad biking and walking with Maasai warriors in addition to traditional game drives.
From the glistening floodplains of the Okavango Delta, to the pristine wilderness of Linyanti, and beyond to the shimmering salt flats of Makgadikgadi - this family friendly safari will leave you all with lifelong memories. Experience the diverse ecosystems and wildlife Botswana has to offer in this spectacular journey from Delta to Desert.
See the splendour of South Africa as a family on this exclusive safari. Spend your days exploring captivating Cape Town, enjoying the delights of the Winelands and on safari, seeking out the abundant wildlife that roams the wilderness. No matter your age, this iconic safari will leave you with memories for a lifetime.
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.
Create memories of a lifetime together on an epic family safari in Tanzania. Witness the endless, game-filled plains of the Serengeti, explore the natural wonder of the Ngorongoro Crater and experience the magnificent wildlife in Tarangire.
"They even arranged for a photographer to accompany us on our entire safari adventure and this was truly such a blessing to have someone capturing the pictures so that we could sit back, relax and truly experience all of the beauty of Kenya. Thank you Paul, our family is forever grateful for your help arranging our trip of a lifetime."
We are a boutique family 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 family 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.
Generally, South Africa and Kenya would be the first places to consider for a safari with young children. Both countries have superb family safari accommodation and offer services such as babysitting and kids activity programmes. If you have teenagers or young adult children, any destination can work but for particularly active family safaris we would recommend Zambia, Zimbabwe, or southern Tanzania. If your family wants to conclude with a few days on the beach then the Kenyan coast, Zanzibar and Mozambique are ideal.
The best way to start is to have a chat with one of our experienced team.
For destination specific information Travel Health Pro (UK) and the Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (USA) have comprehensive websites which provide the latest vaccination requirements, anti-malarial measures and general health advice for every country. We would suggest booking an appointment with a specialist doctor or clinic to discuss your particular requirements no less than 8 weeks prior to travel.
You can explore some of the possibilities based on your children’s ages below.
Best Safaris With Young Children
Best Safaris With Teenagers
Multigenerational and Extended Family Safaris
The links below will take you to articles featuring some of our favourite family safari activities by destination.
An average price for a tailor made luxury safari of 7-10 days would be in the region of £8,000 per person. If you travel in low season, or reduce the level of luxury this can fall to around £6,000 per person. Equally, if you travel to the finest properties during peak season or include privately chartered flights and private guides this figure would likely increase to £20,000 per person or more.
There is a world of difference between one of our individually designed safaris and most package holidays. Package holidays are usually designed to be as cheap as possible and involve large numbers of people doing the same thing.
Our safaris use small, exclusive and remote camps that offer great flexibility in the best locations and usually virtually everything is included in the price; all accommodation, internal travel, park fees, meals, drinks, game viewing activities, door to door assistance, and 24/7 support while you are on your safari.
Other Factors that Impact the Cost of Your Luxury Safari:
- Who you are travelling with can have an impact on the cost. At most of the safari camps and lodges we work with, children under 12 receive lower rates and the youngest (under 3 years old) often go free, so the cost of your trip will also depend on the age and number of the children in your family.
- Combining your safari with a beach stay or a visit to Cape Town or the Garden Route in South Africa can also have a favourable impact on the cost of your holiday as these would not normally carry the same sort of price tag as the safari section.
- Booking out a whole camp exclusively, adding an exclusive behind the scenes tour with leading conservation experts or an Emmy award nominee cinematographer to document your safari will move the price in the opposite direction.
Whatever your desires might be, our team of experts will recommend the best options based on your interest and budget.
For a tailored quote contact our team here.
From the moment you step off the plane you will be assisted by our partners so you are never left wondering where to go, or how to get there. In addition we are here 24/7 for any questions you have during your trip.
We have over 30 years experience arranging family safaris; we understand which questions to ask and what needs to be considered. We then combine the information you give us about your unique requirements with our knowledge of Africa to create the trip of a lifetime, without the stress. Our long standing relationships also allow us to go further, arranging for special interactions or experiences that wouldn’t normally be possible.
When you contact us, we will begin with a short conversation so that your dedicated travel designer can start to understand the needs of your family and can give advice on destinations or experiences that would be right for you.
Your dedicated travel designer will then create the first draft of your journey to share with you, this can then be finetuned until you are completely happy with everything.
Once you have confirmed your safari with Journeysmiths we will send you all the information you need to prepare for your trip from packing lists, to visa and vaccination information etc. In the background, our operations team will be working away to ensure every element of your itinerary runs perfectly.
Your dedicated travel designer is available to support you as you prepare for your trip, answering any questions you have.
While away, you’ll be met at every step of the way by our partners and we are also only a phone call or message away, 24/7.
You can read more about how we work by clicking the link below, or, get in touch.
Are you celebrating a big birthday, a retirement or special anniversary? Maybe you have a plan to take your whole family, children and grandchildren on a trip that will delight and inspire them. Any reason will do!
Many of Africa’s best safari regions are low to very low risk of malaria, particularly if you travel during the summer holidays.
Young children delight to see wild animals in their natural environment. With Journeysmiths your safari will be expertly designed to match your family’s needs and interests. We use the best guides and arrange superb accommodation in the wilds of Africa.