From incredible walking opportunities and night drives to boating, bungee jumping, and fishing on the majestic Zambezi River, Zambia delivers diverse and action-packed safaris with plenty for families of all ages to uncover.
Family Safari Vacations in Zambia
Seasoned safari enthusiasts and families with older children will love Zambia’s adventurous spirit, outstanding wildlife, and owner-run camps and lodges.
Why choose Zambia for your Family Safari Vacation?
Off the Beaten Track
Once considered a destination for experienced travelers who’d already safaried in South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya and sought untrodden paths for their next adventure, Zambia has long upheld its off-the-beaten-track reputation. While its camps can now compete with the rest of the continent, Zambia remains a comparatively undiscovered gem.
Family-Friendly Accommodation
Best suited to children aged 8 and above, Zambia has plenty of independent, family-friendly camps and lodges to accommodate those travelling with children. There are also some terrific exclusive-use options, some built specifically for families, typically including private vehicles, in-house staff, and child-friendly amenities.
Authenticity
Though its camps have upped their game in recent years to cater for families and luxury travellers, Zambia remains a thoroughly authentic safari destination with an adventurous, unmanufactured spirit. This is the land of the walking safari, great explorations, campfires under starry skies, and friendly family-run camps and lodges. It retains a sense of remoteness and is relatively uncharted, aligned with the explorative safari sensibilities of yesteryear.
Diverse Activities
Between day and night game drives, walking safaris, boating on permanent rivers, fishing, birding, cultural excursions, and the high action of Victoria Falls, Zambia offers a huge variety of adventurous activities suited to all ages and interests.
Potential Add-Ons
Zambia is well located for some unmissable add-on destinations. Lake Malawi is a short hop from South Luangwa and provides the option of a post-safari beach trip, not quite as simple when travelling from Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa to an extent. Visitors can also easily combine Zambia with Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and South Africa.
Where to go on your family safari in Zambia
Outstretched on either side of the permanent Luangwa River, South Luangwa National Park encompasses a variety of terrains and a diverse wildlife population. Vast numbers of predators include lion, leopard, African wild dog, and hyena, on the prowl for impala, puku, and other herbivores. Unusually, night drives are permitted in the park, offering increased chances for leopard sightings – a key draw to this area.
Lower Zambezi National Park is an area of striking natural beauty and abundant wildlife, bordered by the Zambezi River, which flows between Lower Zambezi National Park and Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools. Families seeking highly personalised safaris led by superb guides and staying at intimate owner-run camps or exclusive private houses will be utterly captivated.
Victoria Falls guarantees a rip-roaring adventure for the entire family with the attraction’s assortment of adrenaline-fuelled activities, including bungee jumping, white-water rafting, scenic helicopter flights over the falls, canoeing, treetop canopy walks, jet boats, and abseiling. There are also plenty of family-friendly camps and lodges, including some great-value options.
What is the best time to visit Zambia?
Zambia’s climate is largely subtropical, with a distinct rainy season between December and April, when the roads are impassable, and many lodges closed. June, July, and August are excellent months to visit, with ideal conditions for walking safaris and excellent game viewing, albeit with a heftier price tag! Expect to wrap up warm, though, as mornings and evenings are cold during peak season. The climate starts to heat up again in September, though we still consider this a good month to visit on balance. By October, the soaring temperatures can make family travel uncomfortable, so we suggest avoiding it unless you’re prepared for potentially very hot days!
Recommended Family Activities in Zambia
Game Drives
Game drives in Zambia’s biodiverse national parks deliver sensational wildlife sightings, including lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, hippopotamus, wild dog, and massive elephant herds. The country's permanent rivers provide a year-round water source, enticing animals to congregate on the banks and drink – a sight to behold from an open-top safari vehicle!
Night Drives
Unusually for national parks, both South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi allow night game drives. During prime hunting hours, guests can head out after dark with an infrared spotlight to search for leopards, prowling hyenas, and elusive species such as aardvarks, pangolins, and civet cats.
Walking Safaris
Zambia delivers an excellent standard of walking safari, led by some of the best, most qualified wildlife guides in Africa. South Luangwa National Park is widely referred to as the birthplace of the walking safari, the activity maintaining a highly accomplished reputation to this day with some superb operators at the helm.
Boating
Boating opportunities abound on the magnificent Zambezi River that flows year-round on the border of Lower Zambezi National Park. Canoe and motorboat excursions provide a front-row seat to life on the river – beady-eyed hippos peering from the water’s surface, a lone Nile crocodile gliding off the river bank, and elephant and buffalo congregating to drink.
Catch-and-Release Fishing
With sustainability at the forefront, freshwater fishing on the Zambezi is offered on a strictly catch-and-release basis. Fishing for tigerfish is a particularly fun way to spend a few hours on a boat, as these fearless piranha relatives are tenacious and known for their dramatic leaps from the water.
Victoria Falls Activities
Victoria Falls is positively brimming with exhilarating activities, giving Zambia the edge in terms of diversity and family-friendly appeal. The sight of the Falls is thrilling alone, but for adventure-seekers, adrenalin-pumping excursions such as rafting, abseiling, jet boating, and helicopter rides add to its appeal.
Wildlife you can expect to see on safari in Zambia
Zambia supports astonishing wildlife densities in its national parks, with some of the best walking safaris in Africa. You’ll see plenty of big game in South Luangwa National Park, where the Luangwa River is a water source for huge herds of elephant and buffalo. The park is also well-reputed for its leopard sightings, with relaxed regulations around night drives allowing guests to venture out after dark during prime leopard hunting time. Bounded by the majestic Zambezi, Lower Zambezi National Park is populated by lion, leopard, African wild dog, spotted hyena, elephant, buffalo, and many antelope species. Highlights of unfrequented Kafue National Park include lion, cheetah, leopard, spotted hyena, hippo, and wild dog.

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Family-Friendly Safari Lodges in Zambia
Zambia has some superb exclusive-use private houses designed with families in mind. These generally come with in-house staff, including private chefs and safari guides. Private residences offer some of the best-value accommodations in Zambia, each day tailored to the family’s specific requirements. Quite simply, Zambia has everything required for a high-spec family experience minus the crowds and without surrendering comfort levels.
1. Luangwa Safari House
Lagoon-front Luangwa Safari House is the best family property in South Luangwa. It features four en-suite bedrooms, living/dining areas, a swimming pool, and its own 4x4 vehicle with a dedicated safari guide.
2. Nkwali Camp
Nkwali Camp is an informal camp in South Luangwa run by Robin Pope Safaris, offering game drives, walking safaris, and boating. With just six airy chalets, it works well for an exclusive take-over for families with children aged 7+ years.
3. Tena Tena
Another excellent camp by Robin Pope Safaris, Tena Tena is ideal for children aged 12 and above. A remote and authentic bush camp experience with just six private tents, the guiding here is excellent – perfect for a walking safari.
4. Nsefu Camp
A small, charming camp – the first to open in the South Luangwa –, Nsefu has an enviable location. It offers incredible wildlife sightings and early morning walking safaris, with breakfast served in the bush.
5. Flatdogs Camp
Riverfront Flatdogs Camp is one of the best-value properties on the continent, making it a great base for families visiting South Luangwa. There’s a wide range of accommodations, including family chalets for 4–6 guests.
6. Waterberry Lodge
With its flower-filled gardens and riverfront setting, Waterberry Lodge is a popular, family-friendly option close to Victoria Falls. Separate from the main lodge, River Farmhouse is a private, riverside house that comfortably accommodates 8-10 guests.
7. The Royal Livingstone
The Royal Livingstone provides a solid, well-located base for families to explore Victoria Falls. A large, rather grand affair, its swimming pool, kids and teens club, babysitting services, and kids’ dining make this an excellent choice for travel with children.
8. Tongabezi
Tongabezi is an exclusive luxury lodge in a splendid location on the banks of the Zambezi River, close to Victoria Falls. Three secluded, private houses are ideal for families – the largest, Tangala, has four en-suite bedrooms and its own pool.