6 amazing family safaris in Africa

These six exceptional Wilderness camps have been carefully chosen for their family-friendly design, flexible activities, and unforgettable wildlife encounters for travellers of all ages.

There are many reasons why families enjoy this beautiful camp located on the banks of the Linyanti River’s Osprey Lagoon. Alongside traditional game drives, you can unwind with your family on a daytime boat cruise while looking out for wildlife such as elephant, water birds and large hippo pods. With 10 en-suite rooms, two of which are family suites, DumaTau is all about exploration – whether on a game drive, a guided walk, looking for nocturnal species on your night drive or taking to the water for catch-and-release fishing. At night, spend time on the camp’s floating fire deck, sharing stories and observing the vast night sky. A helicopter ride offers a thrilling opportunity to marvel at the formation of the Linyanti and its wildlife from above.

Special sightings to seek out: Large elephant herds, seasonal carmine bee-eaters, wild dog, hyena and lion.

Mombo, arguably the best safari destination in all of Africa, has rightly earned its reputation as The Place of Plenty. The camp is located just off the northern tip of Chief’s Island, the largest landmass in the Delta, and consists of eight spacious tents, each overlooking a floodplain teeming with game. Family travellers with children are required to book a private vehicle – the best way to ensure that your family can enjoy quality time together. Mombo’s sister camp, Little Mombo, is a smaller camp with just four tented rooms and is an option for families who wish to book out the entire camp.

Sightings to seek out: Lion, leopard, wild dog, cheetah and red lechwe

Set on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River at Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, Ruckomechi offers families a front-row seat to one of Africa’s most iconic landscapes. This elegant tented camp blends contemporary comfort with an authentic safari atmosphere – and with 10 spacious en-suite tents, including two family units, it is perfectly suited to multi-generational travel. Days unfold at a relaxed pace, with game drives revealing elephant, lion and wild dog, while guided walks introduce children to the smaller wonders of the bush. Canoeing on the Zambezi provides a thrilling way to experience wildlife from the water, and afternoons can be spent unwinding in camp as animals wander through the surrounding riverine forest. As evening falls, gather around the fire to share stories, watching the sun dip below the escarpment before settling in under a sky alive with stars.

Special sightings to seek out: Elephant, wild dog, lion, leopard, buffalo and hippo.

Little Vumbura is an intimate camp situated on a beautiful island in a private concession in the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta. Surrounded by water and lying close to large channels, water-and land-based activities are central to the overall experience, with both offering spectacular and diverse wildlife sightings. Little Vumbura has six beautiful tented rooms, each with views over the shimmering grasses of the surrounding floodplains. Being so small, and offering both water and land activities, this is an ideal destination for your family to enjoy the very best that the Okavango has to offer. Activities include mokoro rides, boating, catch-and-release fishing and game drives, or try your hand at traditional basket weaving during a demonstration by a talented staff member.

Special sightings to seek out: Sable, African wild cat, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and lion.

Savuti is well-suited for families, and has seven canvas-and-thatch tents (including a family unit) with a main area that extends outwards on raised decks, facing the Savuti Channel. Set on this productive channel, the camp is a refuge for a variety of wildlife; the channel presents a fascinating phenomenon: when dry, it is a rich feeding ground and serves as a corridor between the mopane woodlands for both plains game and predators. When the waters flow, game congregates around it in numbers. Activities are plentiful, from twice-daily game drives to guided walks and night drives. With a nearby Star Bed, you can also choose to sleep out, away from camp, for a night; alternatively, enjoy a helicopter ride, appreciating the wonders of the Linyanti from above.

Special sightings to seek out: Sable, roan, spotted hyaena, cheetah, leopard, aardwolf, wild dog.

Chitabe Lediba is an ideal camp for families, owing to its intimacy – five canvas tented-style rooms built on raised decks with en-suite bathrooms, double vanity basins and indoor and outdoor showers. There are two family units, one (for older children) with an adjoining front deck and the other (for youngsters) with an adjoining corridor; each family room has its own en-suite facilities.

Situated on a beautiful old tree-island in a prime wilderness locale in the south-east of the Okavango Delta, Chitabe’s mosaic of habitats attracts a plethora of plains game – seen on day and night drives, as well as guided walks. In front of camp, the waterhole is a magnet for a variety of game, providing ample opportunities to watch the daily animal traffic. A classic safari experience with excellent year-round game and bird viewing, enjoy daily drives, guided walks and a bush dinner with your loved ones under the stars. Chitabe Lediba will thoroughly immerse your family in the wilderness.

Sightings to seek out: Cheetah, wild dog, lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, red lechwe, buffalo and tsessebe.

Our Bush Buddy service is available at select family-friendly camps in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This complimentary service pairs a dedicated and highly-trained mentor with your children for the duration of their stay, offering an experiential and life-changing journey that aims to inspire them to love and conserve Africa’s pristine natural heritage.

Available on request prior to arrival, your Bush Buddy arrives a day before the family to ensure that all the necessary arrangements have been made beforehand. After meeting the family, the Bush Buddy will discuss the wide range of entertaining and educational activities available, tailor-making each experience to suit the children’s ages and individual interests.

Daytime activities may include nature walks, where they will explain the minutiae of the natural world often missed during game drives, tracking lessons, bird- and animal-call identification, treasure hunts, creating natural sculptures out of collected materials, painting with natural dyes, and jewellery making. In the evenings, the children are introduced to frogging, stargazing and storytelling. All activities are supervised by your Bush Buddy, who does everything they can to ensure the children have a life-changing safari adventure.

Whatever the age and personal tastes of the children, the kaleidoscopic spectrum of activities on offer, as well as Wilderness’ well-trained staff and family-friendly accommodation, is guaranteed to ensure that your family safari is enjoyed by every member.