Best Family Friendly Safari Camps & Lodges in Africa
You will want to be in a genuinely remote location among the wildlife yet with a high level of comfort. And if you have younger children, you’ll all want to be under one roof. These will exceed your dreams of what is possible out in wildest Africa!
Grootbos Garden Lodge is our favourite for families on the Groobos Private Nature Reserve. The array of exciting and engaging activities on offer here is simply enormous and the setup for children, with a playroom and small farm, is unbeatable.
Children will love the magic and adventure of staying at Tsala Treetop Lodge. What could be more fun than staying in a luxurious suite suspended among a forest canopy on the Garden Route? The cuisine, wine and service are all top notch, so there’s plenty for parents to enjoy, too.
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.
Linyanti Ebony is the ultimate luxury family safari camp in northern Botswana. The camp welcomes children of all ages and we love the specialist guides who tailor their varied range of activities to suit your family.
Splash Camp, located on the Private Kwara Reserve, is an excellent safari property for single families and groups alike. We love it for its versatility, but also for its array of activities and top-notch guiding. This is an incredibly comfortable camp well-equipped for families.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If privacy, luxury, and the option of inviting your friends and family are your bag, then there’s no better way of enjoying a safari than at Singita’s Serengeti House.
Ant’s Nest is one of the best places in Africa for a family safari, purpose built for families with children ranging from the very young through to teenage years. You’ll be hosted by Ant and Tessa Baber, who exude warm hospitality and have vast experience of conducting safaris for people of all ages in this pristine wilderness environment.
Ignite your inner explorer with a stay at Camp Kalahari, where the comfortable canvas tented suites are reminiscent of an African adventure from an earlier era. With a range of activities for all ages and two family suites, this is an excellent camp for discovering the enchantment of the Kalahari with your youngsters.
Seba Camp is the Okavango Delta’s magical outdoor classroom. This is one of the most family-friendly properties in Botswana, with two family suites and specialist guides and activities that are both engaging and fun for children.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 collection of exclusive-use bush villas, Morukuru Family welcomes you with top-notch personal service. The unrivalled range of activities, outstanding personal service, expert guiding and world-class cuisine make this portfolio of villas some of the best malaria-free safari properties in South Africa for families or a group of friends.
Set amidst two rolling mountain ranges, the Motse legae and Tarkuni homestead are the ultimate private sanctuaries on the vast Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Recently redesigned to uncompromising standards of comfort and elegance, Tarkuni is an exceptional choice for families seeking a tranquil, exclusive-use escape.
Cresting the rim of its namesake, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is a favourite of ours for parents and children alike. The vistas of the crater are visible from everywhere in your suite, surrounding you with the sunlit beauty of one of Africa’s most spectacular landscapes. Children of all ages are welcome here and will love picnics on the crater floor as well as the WILDChild programme.
Mkombe’s House is the first and only private house in the Serengeti. This is one of the best choices for families who want a classic Tanzania safari in exclusivity with expertly personal and attentive service.
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.
Situated at the far-eastern reaches of the park, Anabezi is characterised by the elephants which are drawn to the surrounding Winterthorn trees.
Situated under a canopy of Albida thorn trees Chongwe River Camp is family owned and managed and benefits from a friendly and informal atmosphere.
A far cry from the clutch of tents that it started out as, Tongabezi Lodge has been listed by Conde Nast as one of the top 20 hotels in the world. Within easy reach of Victoria Falls yet far enough away for peaceful seclusion, this place is a luxury gem.
Unique design set in the heart sun-bleached coastal dunes of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, Shipwreck Lodge is one of Africa’s most innovative modern camps.
Morokuru River House is one of the most exciting exclusive use properties in South Africa.
Tswalu (meaning “a new beginning”) is designed in classic African style and blends into the Kalahari environment, offering unrivalled elegance.
An intimate, family-owned luxury lodge that offers a truly private, high-quality safari experience and a genuine home away from home, it's perfect for families or smaller groups.
"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."
We have curated the best destinations for an unforgettable family holiday. Step into the scenes of the Lion King on the rolling plains of Kenya, go in search of sloths in the rainforest of Costa Rica or follow in the footsteps of the Inca on an adventure up to Machu Picchu.We have curated the best destinations for an unforgettable family holiday. Step into the scenes of the Lion King on the rolling plains of Kenya, go in search of sloths in the rainforest of Costa Rica or follow in the footsteps of the Inca on an adventure up to Machu Picchu.
We are a boutique family travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made family holidays to the world’s wild places. 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 crafting the finest tailor-made family holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.
A safari is a family holiday that your children will cherish forever. Over the last three decades we have received hundreds of questions from both parents and children alike. We have answered some of the most frequently asked question about family safaris to Africa below.
It’s always a struggle to think of Christmas presents in the modern world. Giving our loved ones more objects to unwrap seems increasingly pointless, which is why gifts of life-long memories are so much more appropriate. And if those memories are shared, then giving really does become the same as receiving. A safari holiday at Christmas with family, friends, or both, is not just generosity, it’s an investment.
Over our three decades of creating tailor-made safari itineraries for families, we’ve learned about the kind of experiences which get teenagers excited. We understand that your family has a unique mix of personalities and aspirations, so we will create a unique safari just for you. We use only the finest camps, the best guides and create unforgettable adventures in the wild places of Africa.
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!
When travelling with children, we know there's no comfort like having your own space, with plenty of activities for everyone. These incredible island hideaways and beach retreats strike a perfect balance between luxury and fun. We asked our safari design team for their personal recommendations of Africa’s most family-friendly beach properties.
Easter and spring breaks are the perfect time to welcome the season with a refreshing getaway. Whether you’re after a beach escape or an adventure in nature, spring offers endless opportunities for exploration.
South Africa is an excellent choice for family travel with children of all ages. Its wildlife is abundant, with a great diversity of species, including the Big Five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo. There are vast malaria-free reserves and it’s easy to get from safari regions to Cape Town and the beach.
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.
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
What To Do In Kenya With Children? We’ve chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya.
At Journeysmiths we take you out into the wilds to enjoy all kinds of activities with expert, personable guides. Read our top ten Tanzania family safari experiences.
We highlight the top ten must-do activities for your family to enjoy in Costa Rica.
If you’re looking for a place where you can embrace adventure, learn more about our planet’s incredible wildlife and truly connect to nature, Ecuador has it all.
For families of all ages there is so much to see and do in South Africa, making it an excellent and diverse travel destination. We’ve chosen 20 of the best experiences to immerse you in the culture, wildlife and beautiful places of this remarkable country.
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
If you’re seeking an active family holiday of natural wonders and vanilla sand beaches we recommend Costa Rica. Choose between Pacific and Caribbean beaches where turtles nest and the reefs abound with colourful fish. Rainforests cascade down mountainsides to the ocean.
Many of Africa’s best safari regions are low to very low risk of malaria, particularly if you travel during the summer holidays.
If you’re looking for a country that’s got everything, choose South Africa. Renowned for the spectacular views of the Garden Route, vibrant Cape Town, malaria free safaris, fascinating history and outstanding wildlife, the whole family will fall under the alluring spell of this diverse country.
Treat your family to an extraordinary wildlife adventure holiday in the Galapagos and Ecuador. It’s a place you’ll likely visit just once so be sure to do it well. We have access to the finest yachts, lodges and expert guides. This way your family can visit remote islands in comfort and privacy encountering amazing wildlife.
If your young explorers are hungry for an adventure, look no further than Peru. The diverse landscapes range from the vibrant jungles of the Amazon Rainforest to the jagged peaks of the Andes Mountains. Needless to say, you’ll have the chance to experience the unique mountain top setting of mysterious Machu Picchu.
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.
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
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.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are truly spectacular settings filled with great herds and big cats. We take you far from the crowds and minibuses with your own private guide, staying in exclusive accommodation. Families with older teenagers will love the wildly remote Selous, Ruaha and Mahale, where you can walk, canoe and even track chimpanzees. Round it off on exotic Zanzibar.
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.