Family Safari Holidays in Africa

If you're travelling with very young children, the main priority is to travel to areas that have no malaria. As virtually all of Africa lies within the malaria belt, the only destination we would recommend for families with very young children is South Africa. There are a number of malaria-free holiday reserves in South Africa, which can easily be combined with Cape Town and the Garden Route, or even the beach destination of Mauritius – Africa’s most family-friendly beach destination.

For families with children between the ages of 5 and 10, we would recommend a family safari holiday to either South Africa or Kenya. South Africa’s parks (both non-malaria and malarial areas such as the Kruger) are well set up for children, with a number of lodges offering excellent children's programmes that occupy the middle of the day during safaris. Kenya is also an extremely good destination for family safari holidays. The Maasai Mara offers superb big-game viewing, while the Laikipia and Lewa area offers a large range of activities, and also interaction with local cultures.

If you think your children are able to handle the kind of wild experiences Africa can offer, we really recommend that families with children over 10 consider a more adventurous trip.

Southern Tanzania is particularly ideal for adventurous families, as it has many small camps where the focus is on adventurous activities such as boating, fly camping, and walking. Climbing Kilimanjaro is also an option for a family wishing to do something different during their safari-focused holiday. Zambia is our other recommendation. It is home to the most adventurous safari in Africa. Walking is the highlight here, while there are also a number of canoe safari options on the Zambezi river.