Top Ten Experiences on a Kenya 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.