There are some fabulous safari destinations in Africa but unfortunately some of them are in malarial areas.
If you don’t want to risk travelling to a malarial area for your safari (remember even if you take anti-malarials there is no guarantee you won’t get it), there are still lots of malaria free safari destinations for families to choose from.
We have listed out all of the malaria free safaris in Africa for families but first we’ve given a little guidance on how you can avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes because they are still around even if they aren’t carrying malaria.
See also our guide on things to pack for a safari with kids and what kids should wear on safari.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and book or buy something, we may earn a small commission but this is at no extra cost to you.
Before we get onto the best malaria free areas in Africa for a safari with kids, it is worth remembering that mosquitoes are everywhere. Even if you go on safari in a non-malarial area, there may still be mosquitoes.
While they may not be carrying the malaria infection, they will still bite you, especially as you will be going out at dawn and dusk which are their favourite times of day!
These are our tips for avoiding mosquito bites whether you are in a malarial area or not.
How to avoid mosquito bites
These are our tips for trying to minimize contact with mosquitos.
- Use mosquito repellent. If we’re in a non-malarial area, we tend to use products that don’t contain DEET. We like Vie and even Avon Skin So Soft (strange but true).
- Use additional mosquito repellents. As well as the traditional mosquito repellent we also use stickers and mosquito bracelets. Overkill maybe but we are prone to mosquito bites and they don’t take up much room!
- Wear long sleeved tops and trousers. The idea is to cover as much skin as you can.
- Wear clothes infused with repellent. You can buy some safari clothes with permetherin in like this top and these trousers for men or these tops and trousers for kids and trousers for women. Alternatively you can spray your own clothes with this. It lasts a few washes.
- Try to use mosquito nets. High end lodges will have them or you could take your own travel mosquito nets.
Malaria free safari destinations for families
We’ll break this down by country. In short, South Africa has the largest number of malaria free safari destinations which is why we say it is the best country to take kids on safari.
Malaria free safari areas in South Africa
The South African malaria-free safari areas are:
- Eastern Cape
- Northern Cape
- Waterberg (Limpopo)
- North West Province
You can also do Western Cape safaris on the Garden Route. See here for more Garden Route activities for families.
Eastern Cape
Places to go on malaria free safaris for kids in the Eastern Cape are:
Addo Elephant National Park – (mostly self-drive although you can hire guides). Read more about it in our guide on safaris in South Africa where you can self-drive. Self-drive safaris really keep the cost of your family safari down. See here to find out how much family safaris cost and tips for a self-drive safari as well as ways to book a budget family safari vacation.
Kariega Game Reserve – lovely mid-range lodge near Kenton-on-Sea with accommodation to suit different budgets. Families stay in Main Lodge. You can read more about it in our guide to child-friendly safari lodges in South Africa. Read our Kariega Game Reserve review for more info. Check the rates for Kariega on Booking.com or Expedia.
Amakhala – mid-range lodge near Port Elizabeth with conservation efforts and volunteer programmes. They are often featured on Wild Earth. Familes stay in Amakhala Hlosi Game Lodge (see also rates on Booking.com).
Shamwari – high end safari lodge close to Port Elizabeth with amazing children’s facilities and big on conservation. Families stay in Riverdene Lodge or Long Lee Manor. You can also read about this more in our guide above.
Kwandwe – high end lodge around 150km from Port Elizabeth with great facilities for kids. Families can stay in Ecca Lodge (see also rates on Booking.com), Melton Manor (see also rates on Booking.com), Kwandwe Fort House (see also rates on Booking.com) and Kwandwe Uplands Homestead (see also rates on Booking.com).
These safari destinations in the Eastern Cape are all easy to incorporate into a 2 week family holiday in South Africa.
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – located in the narrow strip of South Africa between Botswana and Namibia. The red sand dunes and scrub are home to large black-maned lions and Gemsbok (among lots of other animals). This is a little off the beaten track due to its remoteness adn requires 4×4 for self drives. See here for our safari animal spotting tips if you are self-driving.
North West Province
Madikwe Game Reserve – Situated on the border with Botswana and 4.5 hours drive from Johannesburg, Madikwe is the 5th largest game reserve in South Africa. Families with kids under 16 stay in Lelapa, Jaci’s and Tau Game Lodge. There are lots of kids’ activities available.
Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve – the largest private wildlife reserve in South Africa where conservation and eco tourism is at the heart of everything they do. Familes stay in the Motse Camp where there are plenty of activities for kids.
Waterberg (Limpopo)
Marataba Safari Lodge – high end safari lodge in a private concession in the Waterberg Bioshpere (with breathtaking mountains, plains and winding rivers) with a lovely kids club. Families stay in the safari lodge. Around 4 hours drive from Johannesburg.
Marakele National Park – self-drive safaris in this unique area of South Africa where the dry western region meets the wet eastern region. Around 4 hours drive from Johannesburg.
Malaria free safari areas in Namibia
Contrary to popular believe, malaria free safaris for families in Namibia are few and far between.
The malaria free areas in Namibia are the Namib Coast, Namib Desert and Windhoek.
Etosha National Park is the main place to go on safari in Namibia but it does have a high risk of malaria at certain times of the year.
We have put it on this list, however, because between July to September during the dry season Etosha is considered to be malaria free.
We have visited Etosha during this time and it was fine for us but we cannot suggest that it would be fine for you.
However, don’t be disheartened. There are lots of other wildlife viewing opportunities in Namibia like the desert elephants of Damaraland or take a desert animal safari in Swakopmund.
Everywhere you look in Namibia there are animals including the largest number of snakes we have seen on any of our world wide travels!
See our 2 week Namibia with kids itinerary, guide to self-drive safaris in Etosha and best time of year to visit Etosha.
Malaria free safari areas in Kenya
Malaria is prevelant in Kenya, however, there are certain parts of Kenya where there is little to no risk. So we thought it was worth putting them on here.
Nairobi (and the areas immediately surrounding Nairobi) is malaria free beacause of its high altitude. Areas generally over 2000 metres (6500 ft) are very low to no risk.
Nairobi National Park is the only malaria free safari destination in Kenya. It is an incredibly unique place to view wildlife because of its proximity to the airport and the city.
You can land from an international flight and be on a game drive within a couple of hours (or sooner if you only have hand luggage). In some parts of the park you can see the city skyline – not that I’m saying that’s a good thing.
We stayed at the beautiful Ololo Safari Lodge in Nairobi National Park which we cannot recommend enough. Our family bungalow was beautiful as was the pristine pool and the food cooked with produce from the garden was just gorgeous. You can check the rates on Booking.com or Agoda if you want to book it independently.
Don’t miss the Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust while in Nairobi. You can book a tour that takes in both here.
It is also worth mentioning here that Laikipia Plateau and the Masai Mara are considered low risk.
We visited Naboisho Camp in the Masai Mara in December and were advised by staff there that there was no malaria. We could not categorically say that this was true but we didn’t see a single mosquito.
We had the most incredible safari at Naboisho and highly recommend it for a safari in Kenya with kids.
