A Kenya family safari with teens

Some of the questions we’re asked most often by families are, “Where can we take our teenage kids on safari?”, “Will they enjoy it?”, and “What activities can they do?”

Many first-time safari-goers thinking of taking their teenage kids to Africa assume that there’s just one activity available – 4×4 game drives – and that there isn’t much else for teenagers to do. But nothing could be further from the case!

Of course, not all teenagers will enjoy sitting in a vehicle for several hours of wildlife viewing, which is why there’s so much more available than just game drives. Certain lodges really excel at keeping youngsters happy, inspired, and educated.

Kenya offers a real wealth of activities, such as camping, fishing, horse riding, white water rafting, and waterfall jumping, to name a few. And let’s not forget the importance of keeping the social platforms up to date! Even though many parents may cringe at the thought of Instagram, for example, plenty have also accepted that Wi-Fi is a prerequisite for most teenagers in this day and age. They can feel an acute need to retain a connection with the outside world. For the adults, however, disconnection can be bliss!

If you choose your lodge carefully, you can have the best of both worlds. Plenty of lodges also have special kids’ programmes (for all ages), which can be a fantastic way of keeping them engaged with the potential to meet other kids and make friends, too.

The key is balance – embark on a safari that isn’t purely game-focused, but is varied in its activities, and with staff who are flexible and accommodating. For example, you want your kids to have fun, to ease into the safari by enjoying activities such as bushcraft, rafting, horse riding, and camel riding. These activities are exciting and break the mould of a traditional safari. Then, from these activities, you can move into some gentle game viewing, introducing your children to their first wildlife sightings such as lion and leopard – which will blow them away!

If you’ve decided to end your trip with some beach time, you can head down to Kenya’s stunning coastline, which is where you can really let your kids loose. They can relax by the pool, check in with the outside world, and have time to themselves. This means parents can enjoy some alone time too!

There’s a strong feeling among some travellers that going on safari means disconnecting from the world, switching off your phone, and truly being in the heart of the African bush. Yellow Zebra subscribes wholeheartedly to this approach! But we also understand that the world of communication has evolved and younger generations have smartphones as part of their daily lives.

So we say, let’s embrace it, and use technology and photography to really help kids engage while on safari, so they can show their friends the incredible experiences they’re having. Being able to take photos of themselves in amazing places and post them is one of the most important parts of a holiday for some teenagers. So why not encourage it? What better way to educate your children than to take them somewhere they can create lasting memories, maybe become enthused about photography, and witness the planet's foremost wonders of nature.

As a back-up to all of this, you could upload some interesting nature programmes onto an iPad – or maybe even some topical movies. Then kids can remain engaged even during their downtime. While many lodges have games readily available, you could also take games with you, whether it’s board games or on your tablets, and play as a family.

Our final tip for a family safari is how to get everyone excited about the trip beforehand, by building up to the safari through movie nights and watching wildlife documentaries together. These are packed with information, and when you’re on safari, you can challenge each other on how much you remember – competing with each other to answer the questions posed by your guide!

Helping to deliver those perfect memories is crucial to your Yellow Zebra safari specialist, and that’s why we’ve come up with a list of the ideal ‘teen-friendly’ safari properties (see below). Each property incorporates activities, game viewing, and downtime – while remaining connected to the online world. In short, they aim to engage the kids while still offering something the whole family will enjoy.

If you’re interested in going on a family safari with your children and would like some safety tips, check them out here. Alternatively, chat with our Kenya experts to start planning your own luxury, tailor-made family safari.