Kenya Family Safaris
Kenya is the “original” safari country.
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.
We take you away from the crowds onto exclusive reserves where your family can experience the best of Africa in privacy and stay in amazing accommodation. You have the “quantity” of the great herds yet with Journeysmiths you also have an experience of unrivalled quality. In the long summer holiday months over a million animals join the Great Migration across the Masai Mara. Amboseli, beneath snow- capped Kilimanjaro, rift valley lakes and the ancient volcanic hills of Samburu are magical settings.
Kenya is one of the few countries where you can meet tribal people in a natural way. Learn bushcraft from a Maasai warrior, walk across the rift valley with the Samburu and their camels and learn about their way of life. New private reserves are opening all the time as safari lodges and tribes collaborate to conserve rhinoceros and endangered species. See this work in action while encountering big cats, giraffe and all kinds of animals in the company of the finest guides.
We take you away from the crowds onto exclusive reserves where your family can experience the best of Africa in privacy and stay in amazing accommodation. You have the “quantity” of the great herds yet with Journeysmiths you also have an experience of unrivalled quality. In the long summer holiday months over a million animals join the Great Migration across the Masai Mara. Amboseli, beneath snow- capped Kilimanjaro, rift valley lakes and the ancient volcanic hills of Samburu are magical settings.
Kenya is one of the few countries where you can meet tribal people in a natural way. Learn bushcraft from a Maasai warrior, walk across the rift valley with the Samburu and their camels and learn about their way of life. New private reserves are opening all the time as safari lodges and tribes collaborate to conserve rhinoceros and endangered species. See this work in action while encountering big cats, giraffe and all kinds of animals in the company of the finest guides.
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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.
1. Travelling and the seasons
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 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.
2. Kenya’s wildlife and landscapes
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.
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.
3. Exclusive family safari lodges
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.
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.
4. Join in conservation and meet the people
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.
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.
Why Travel With Journeysmiths
- 24/7 Support
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
Since 1990, we’ve been exploring our planet, discovering the world's finest properties and most reliable partners so that you too can experience the best of the wild world.
- Flexibility
We appreciate that like our trips, each client is unique, so our journeys are tailor-made to you, with a focus on flexibility. - Financial Security
We are fully bonded and licenced under the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL scheme and maintain a Total Payment Protection Policy.
Family Kenya - Top 10 Experiences
It's been a tough job because there are so many to choose from. But, we’ve finally chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya. In no particular order:It's been a tough job because there are so many to choose from. But, we’ve finally chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya. In no particular order:
1. Take a walking safari with Maasai and their camels
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.
2. Experience the Great Migration
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.
3. Capture amazing animal portraits
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.
4. Sleep beneath the stars
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.
5. See conservation in action
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.
6. Drift across the plains in a balloon
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.
7. Enjoy a surprise meal in the bush
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.
8. Become a Maasai warrior
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.
9. Set yourselves a challenge
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!
10. Sail, snorkel and swim the ocean
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.
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.
1. Will rain be a problem on safari in Kenya?
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.
2. What is Kenya like at Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays?
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.
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.
Masai Mara
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.
Amboseli
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.
Laikipia
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.
Lewa Conservancy
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.
Samburu
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.
Meru National Park
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.
Kenyan Coast
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.
Private Journeys Unique to You
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.
Who Are Journeysmiths?
An experienced team of well-travelled individuals, passionate about crafting journeys that are as exceptional as they are personal, while maximising our positive impact on the places in which we work.
Why Travel With Us?
While the evolution of travel and technology has seen much change at Journeysmiths over the years, our fundamental beliefs about the perfect holiday have not.
Our Positive Impact Mission
Journeysmiths mission is to inspire and expand peoples horizons through exceptional travel experiences, while preserving the natural world for future generations.
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Journeysmtihs and the Kenya Tourism Board
We believe in the importance of sharing our passion for wildlife, wild places with the next generation. By introducing children to the wonders of nature and different cultures, we inspire them to develop an appreciation for the natural world and a sense of responsibility for its protection.
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.
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.
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