Best safari tour with kids

Botswana is worth it for families who want an off-the-beaten-track feel and premium exclusivity, as well as a variety of activities. Safari camps in the Okavango Delta and the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve offer both land- and water-based game viewing, and children can even learn the art of poling in a mokoro (traditional dugout) along safe, shallow channels. Watch their faces light up as they glide across the deep-blue water, spying reed frogs, colourful kingfishers and other water birds, and huge waterlilies. You can also enjoy boating and catch-and-release fishing at many water-based safari camps in Botswana.

Some of our favourite family-friendly camps for your Botswana safari tour include Wilderness DumaTau in the Linyanti, sited between two wildlife corridors and boasting one of the largest elephant meta-herds in Africa. It delights with evenings on the floating firepit, serenaded by hippos and other creatures, brunch or supper on a barge, and bush breakfasts where children can play sous chef. Wilderness’ flagship camp in the Delta, Mombo, also promises not only some of the best game viewing in Africa and lessons in impactful tourism, but also stages harvest table meals in the bush, where your family can feast to your hearts’ content. Then at lovely Wilderness Vumbura Plains, you can relax on cushions or picnic on a Delta island, while your children enjoy supervised play and a myriad of safari activities.

Kenya is one of the best places to introduce children to the magic of an African safari. The vast, open grasslands of the Masai Mara make for superb game viewing, with long sightlines that mean children can actually see the drama unfolding in front of them. And there is plenty to see: the Mara is home to the Big 5, as well as cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and countless antelope, providing the sort of wildlife encounters that keep even younger safari-goers interested.

Time your family safari here between July and October and you may witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles: the Great Migration. As vast herds of wildebeest and zebra move between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, the river crossings can be thrilling and chaotic, although very small children may find them a touch troubling. Even if you don’t catch a crossing, simply watching thousands of animals spread across the plains is an extraordinary lesson in ecology and survival.

Wilderness Mara in the Mara Triangle offers an ideal base for your family safari with a specific family unit, beautiful pool and marsh views where wildlife is frequently seen. From camp, guests have the option to take a short but thrilling walk across the river on the swing bridge to enjoy a game drive in a different area on the other side of the river; it’s also a less crowded safari compared to other more tourist-busy areas in the reserve. A research station in camp allows learners, both young and young at heart, the chance to hear more about conservation in the region, while nearby hot-air balloon rides offer a magical perspective. Kenya also adds an important cultural dimension to a family safari. A visit to a Maasai community can introduce children to a very different way of life, with opportunities to learn about traditional customs, crafts, livestock and the relationship between people and the land. For curious young travellers, it can be every bit as memorable as seeing a lion.

Another advantage is Kenya’s relatively straightforward safari infrastructure. Compared with some of Africa’s more remote destinations, there are fewer complicated internal transfers, and the Masai Mara can be combined relatively easily with other Kenyan highlights. For families planning their first safari, the combination of exceptional wildlife, accessible logistics and variety makes Kenya a particularly appealing choice.

Namibia will wow your children, and you as well. With its landscapes of rust-coloured desert, plains, canyons, mountains, edged to the west by a wild coast where the Namib Desert meets the sea, it’s truly otherworldly.

At Wilderness Little Kulala at Sossusvlei, race up and down 300-metre-high dunes like Big Daddy. The lodge’s exclusive-use access point gets you there faster, keeping everyone more content. On game drives or walks, spot desert-adapted wildlife such as ostriches, springbok, gemsbok, black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, perhaps an aardwolf, or the endemic dune lark. Age permitting, explore the sands by e-bike or eco-sensitive quad bike. At dusk listen for the notoriously shy barking geckos’ territorial call; set out for a fairy circle dinner in the desert, prefaced by a ‘critter night walk’. Later, follow a guide and UV light on a scorpion safari. Stargaze in one of the darkest places on Earth, counting the constellations by laser.

Further north, Wilderness Damaraland offers guided nature walks for the young ones (and their elders), taking in fascinating desert-adapted life such as desert-adapted plant species, and elephants almost camouflaged by the dust.  A visit to Tywfelfontein introduces your children to astounding San rock art and engravings dating back 6 000 years. In camp, fireside boma evenings of song, dance, and local stories will captivate all of you.

More desert-adapted wildlife is seen at remote, stunning Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast, where you can treat your team to a private dinner at the in-camp research centre as a scientist regales you with ‘lion tales’ – stories of the desert-adapted predators they’re studying, along with elephant and hyena. An uber-highlight for the family: take a rollicking, guided 4X4 drive over the floodplain and dunes to the Skeleton Coast, a wild stretch of the Atlantic where the cold Benguela current collides with the warm air from the desert, sending miles of fog inland. Here white beaches are dotted with whale bones and shipwreck remnants. Picnic on the sands to the cry of seabirds after a visit to a Cape fur seal colony. Discover the remnants of the Strandloper – Beachcomber – lifestyle from centuries past. Fly back to camp for an aerial view of what seems uninhabitable, but is full of life. Walk with a guide to witness that life, including the smaller creatures, an impressive variety of birds, and unusual flora.

Finally, Wilderness Serra Cafema, in Namibia’s far north, lies in one of the most untouched places on Earth – along an incongruous river rushing through the lunar-like desert. Explore the local geological wonders, like the natural rock arch at Bogenfels on the Atlantic coast. A wonderland of natural crevices, caves, and bizarre rock formations that your young ones can investigate with a guide while you ease into your sundowners. Meet with a community of Himba, Namibia’s last semi-nomads still living traditionally, and local custodians of the land. Hear their stories, and share yours. When water levels permit, take a boat cruise on the Kunene River, with Angola’s craggy mountains in the distance and plenty of aquatic life all around.

Explore the dunes on foot and in game vehicles, perhaps spotting oryx, springbok, Hartmann’s mountain zebras, or tiny desert chameleons. Take a carefully guided quad bike trip across the rolling dunes. Disconnect and connect at the same time.

Best for

• ✓ Adventurous families
• ✓ Desert landscapes
• ✓ Educational travel
• ✓ Self-driving

Rwanda offers something rather different from the classic African safari, and can be a rewarding choice for families with older children and teenagers. Gorilla trekking is the reason most people travel to Rwanda, but children must be at least 15 years old to take part in this activity. Younger children can enjoy walks to see golden monkeys or other forest walks, but generally this is a destination best explored with teens and older kids.

Then there is Akagera National Park, where Rwanda’s conservation story takes centre stage. After years of reintroduction, the park is now home to the Big 5. A family safari here offers children the chance to see how determined conservation efforts can restore an ecosystem and bring wildlife back. Here Wilderness Magashi Peninsula is a multi-roomed exclusive-use villa with its own vehicle and chef, perfect for multi-generational families who value exclusivity and privacy.

With a good reputation for cleanliness, safety and efficient infrastructure, Rwanda makes for an interesting family holiday for those that want to go beyond the traditional safari.

For families travelling with young children, South Africa is one of Africa’s easiest safari destinations, and its malaria-free reserves are a major part of the appeal. Reserves such as Madikwe in the North West Province, and Shamwari in the Eastern Cape, offer Big 5 game viewing without the need to travel to a malaria area, making them particularly attractive to parents, especially with younger children.
Many family-friendly reserves in South Africa also offer junior ranger or bush programmes, where children can learn about tracks, insects, plants and animal behaviour in ways that turn the wilderness into one enormous outdoor classroom. Family suites and interconnected rooms also make travelling with children easier.

South Africa’s greatest advantage, however, may be how easily a safari fits into a wider family holiday. With many safari lodges here catering to kids of all ages, you can combine game viewing with the beaches and penguins of Cape Town, a trip along the Garden Route, or a few days in the Winelands, and you can experience several very different sides of the country without a series of long-haul flights. That flexibility is hard to beat and Wilderness Touring Cape Town is very good at planning activities to cater to all ages.

English is widely spoken, the infrastructure is generally excellent, and children will find plenty of familiar foods and facilities along the way. It makes South Africa a particularly good introduction to Africa for families who may be nervous about their first safari.

For families looking for a truly bucket-list safari, Tanzania is an excellent choice. The Serengeti National Park in particular is known for its wildlife concentrations and some of Africa’s most iconic scenery, with the scale of it all providing children with the sense that they have stepped into a real-life wildlife movie.

One of the best times to tour the Serengeti with children is during the January and February calving season, when thousands of wildebeest give birth across the southern plains. Newborn calves take their first tentative steps while predators patrol nearby, creating an unforgettable lesson in the delicate balance between life and death on the African plains. April to July on the other hand is a good time for seeing the herds gather and move north while July to October is best for river crossings. Wilderness Usawa Serengeti offers a number of seasonal locations to place you in the best position for seeing the herds where they are at any given time, while the unique locations in designated walking areas allow those aged 12 and older the chance to explore on foot.  

Then there is the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast natural amphitheatre containing an extraordinary concentration of wildlife within its walls. But wildlife isn't the only thing that makes Tanzania special. Mount Kilimanjaro provides a spectacular backdrop to parts of the journey, while Maasai cultural experiences can add another dimension to the trip.

Families should check age restrictions carefully when planning their itinerary. Standard game drives are widely accessible, but walking safaris and fly-camping often have higher minimum ages, while certain camps have their own restrictions. With the right combination of camps and activities, however, Tanzania can deliver an extraordinary family safari.

Many call Zambia ‘the real Africa’, and rate its safari experiences above all others. Wilderness’ camps Shumba and Busanga Bush Camp, set in Kafue National Park’s renowned Busanga Plains, do not disappoint. For five months each year, before the rains return, watch a wildlife extravaganza play out on the infinite floodplains. Witness hundreds of red lechwe, puku, and other plains game, often fleeing predators, like the famous lions which leap across the channels after prey – the area’s show-stealers. Walking safaris, game drives, and an engrossing introduction to birding are just some of the unforgettable activities that can be tailored to younger guests. Here Wilderness Shumba caters to families, with one unit comfortably sleeping four in a semi-partitioned, room while Wilderness Busanga Bush Camp’s four tents can be booked on an exclusive-use basis for multi-generational groups and extended families travelling together.

A safari in Zambia’s Kafue National Park can also easily be combined with a visit to Wilderness Toka Leya on the banks of the Zambezi River, just upstream from Victoria the Falls. Here, thrills await the entire family: getting pleasurably drenched by the Falls’ mile-high spray, game drives amongst wildebeest, elephants and giraffes, boating trips on the mighty Zambezi, catch-and-release fishing, and a short walk to see the country’s last remaining rhino are just some of the things this lodge offers as complimentary for families. Additional excursions you can do with kids in Zambia include zip-lining, bungee jumping, white water rafting, train trips and helicopter tours.