Over the last 25 years we’ve traveled extensively across Africa, experiencing many different safari destinations. And over the last 10 of those years we have been exploring the best safari destinations for families with our kids.
We are big advocates of taking kids on safari. For families, an African safari is one of the most thrilling and rewarding adventures you can experience together.
It’s not just about the excitement of spotting animals in the wild; it’s also learning about conservation which is really important for the next generation to become passionate about.
But there are lots of amazing safari destinations to choose from and if it’s your first time on safari with kids, how do you pick the best and most appropriate place to go?
Our guide covers the most family-friendly safari destinations in Africa to help you pick the best family safari holiday.
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Why choose a safari for your next family holiday?
If you haven’t quite made up your mind about taking a safari with kids, here are just a few reasons why we think a family safari holiday is a great idea:
- Educational value: Safaris are an incredible opportunity for kids to learn about animals and ecosystems. Many safari lodges offer educational programs for children, including Junior Ranger programs where they can learn about wildlife conservation.
- Safe & accessible: Many safari destinations are well equipped to handle families, with private game reserves and child-friendly lodges offering safe, guided experiences that cater to younger travelers.
- Adventure for all ages: From jeep safaris to bush walks (for older children), and even night game drives for the whole family, there’s something exciting for everyone.
If you are not keen on booking your family-friendly safari independently then we cannot recommend Go2Africa highly enough.
We do a mix of independent travel and holidays through Go2Africa. They are the leading luxury tour operator in Africa (multi award winners) and know Africa better than anyone in the industry. They specialise in safaris and can create the most wonderful family safaris.
You can read all about them in our detailed Go2Africa review.
What to look out for when picking a family safari
The best safari destinations for families are generally in countries with a well-developed tourism infrastructure.
This doesn’t mean that we are recommending overly touristy places, it just means that transport is easier and that you will have better medical facilities that are used to looking after tourists should you need them.
With this in mind, these are the countries that we recommend for the best safari holidays for families:
- South Africa is very westernised and if you have younger children, you will appreciate the malaria-free areas and options for self-drive safaris.
- Namibia is also very westernised and as well as self-drive safaris, it offers absolutely incredible landscapes.
- Kenya offers the classic “Lion King” experience with huge plains and an abundance of Big Cats.
- Botswana is ideal for exclusive, fly-in adventures with incredible wildlife sightings.
- Zimbabwe provides a fantastic sense of remoteness and serenity with Hwange National Park and the incredible Victoria Falls.
We have been to all of these destinations with our kids and will speak a little about each one and what we loved and where we recommend to stay.
Best safari destinations for families
When planning a safari with kids, it’s important to choose destinations that not only offer excellent wildlife sightings but also provide comfortable accommodations and family-friendly activities.
You may also want to consider the risk of malaria. Don’t worry. We have some excellent non-malarial safari holiday suggestions.
Here are our top safari destinations for families recommendations:
South Africa – Kruger National Park & Private Reserves
South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the most iconic safari destinations in the world.
The park offers fantastic self-drive safari opportunities if you want to do more of a budget safari. If you do plan to do a self-drive safari, check our safari wildlife spotting guide and our guide to self-drive safaris for helpful tips to improve your self-drive safari holiday.
Here is a full list of places in South Africa to do a self-drive safari which helps to massively keep the costs down.
If it is your first time on safari, you may not want to do a self-drive holiday in which case you may be better looking at some of the family-friendly private reserves around the Kruger.
The lodges we recommend who offer family-friendly safari camps with kid-friendly activities are Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge and Thornybush Game Lodge, which provide more intimate experiences and less crowded game sightings.
Families are thoroughly looked after at these lodges with lots of activities on offer for the kids.
You can of course go on safari in the Western and Eastern Capes (malaria free) which tie in well with a Garden Route itinerary (see here for Garden Route safaris), but it really is hard to beat the Kruger.
Family accommodation in and around the Kruger National Park:
There are lots of municipal campsites within the Kruger that are fairly basic but if you are looking for something more upmarket, these are the family-friendly lodges bordering the park that we recommend:
Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge: Fabulous family accommodation and the best kids’ club around. Read our review of Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge for more information or see here to enquire.
Thornybush Game Lodge: Wonderful staff, great food options and child-friendly activities. See more here on Go2Africa or here on Booking.com.
- Best time to visit Kruger: April to October during the dry season when it is easier to spot animals.
- Malaria: there is a risk of malaria which is reduced during the dry season but you should still consult your doctor before you go.
Namibia – Etosha National Park
Namibia is an incredible country and is very easy to get around on a self-drive holiday. See here for our 2 week Namibia with kids itinerary. The diversity of the landscape is just astounding. And, of course, there is Etosha National Park.
Etosha National Park is in the north of the country and about 5- 6 hours drive from Windhoek. The main roads in Namibia are very good but inside of Etosha there are gravel roads.
You can drive a normal 2WD but we would recommend a 4WD to gain full access to the important watering holes, especially if you are visiting in the rainy season or shoulder season.
See our guide on what you need to know to do a self-drive safari in Etosha.
Family accommodation in and around Etosha National Park
There are a few places to stay within Etosha National Park. Our favourite was Okakuejo Camp which is located in the west of the park. It has basic accommodation (including a campsite if you are camping) and a pool.
The main reason we loved it is the fantastic watering hole which attracts lots of wildlife, including black rhino in the evenings.
Outside of the park we have stayed in Onguma Tamboti (a brilliant luxury campsite with ensuite facilities) and Onguma Forest Camp (now called Onguma Etosha Aoba) for kids age 3+. We enjoyed a lovely junior ranger bush walk whilst staying at the Forest Camp.
You can either drive yourself into Etosha or you can book a guided drive by speaking to reception.
- Best time to visit Etosha – see our guide on the ideal time to visit Etosha.
- Malaria – Etosha has a fairly low risk of malaria during the dry season, however, you should still consult your doctor before you go.
Kenya – Masai Mara
Kenya’s Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most famous safari destinations and a great place for families. Its large, open plains are home to some of the world’s most incredible wildlife.
We’ve had the best lion sightings in Kenya but as we have learned, every safari is different. People one day may see a pride of lions hunting and the next day see nothing!
The Masai Mara also offers cultural experiences, where children can learn about the indigenous Maasai people.
Families often combine a safari in Kenya with some time at the coast. You can either fly from Nairobi to Mombasa if you are pushed for time or take the train.
The benefit of taking the train is that you can enjoy the views of Nairobi National Park, Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Park along the way. If you’re lucky, you may spot Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day.
The popular beach resorts in Kenya are Diani Beach, Watamu and Lamu.
Here’s an example Masai Mara and Kenyan beach itinerary but also check out our own Kenyan family holiday itinerary.
Family accommodation in the Masai Mara
We stayed in Naboisho Camp which is in a private reserve on the fringes of the Masai Mara. Everything about our stay there was amazing. They don’t offer activities for children as such but they do welcome kids (age 5+) and provide wonderful family accommodation.
Encounter Mara is a similar camp run by the same company and offer children’s activities (also based in Naboisho). Welcomes kids age 5+.
For the ultimate Kenya family safari in the Masai Mara, you can’t beat Angama Mara.
If you have some time in Nairobi (which we highly recommend) then take a look at Hemingways and also the beautiful Ololo Safari Lodge which is actually located inside of Nairobi National Park.
- Best time to visit the Masai Mara – June to October, during the dry season and the Great Migration.
- Malaria – there is a risk of malaria in the Masai Mara (although it was low in Naboisho when we went in December). There is no malaria in Nairobi National Park (at the time of writing).
Botswana – Okavango Delta & Chobe National Park
Botswana is renowned for its incredible wilderness and less touristy nature but it can also be quite expensive if you are flying into the Okavango Delta.
The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a paradise for wildlife lovers and birds are particularly prolific here.
Families can enjoy boat safaris and mokoro (dugout canoe) rides, which are a unique and exciting way to see wildlife up close. If you are visiting in the dry season, check where you lodge is located because boat trips may not be available if the channels have dried up. Only the heart of the delta has permanent water.
Chobe National Park is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa, which will fascinate kids of all ages. It is a fairly easy drive from either Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Livingstone in Zambia. You can even fly into Kasane which is then a very short drive to the Sedudu Gate of Chobe National Park.
Family accommodation in the Okavango Delta & Chobe National Park
Splash Camp in the Okavango Delta offers some great accommodation for families and has some excellent activities to keep the kids entertained.
Chobe Game Lodge is a fantastic family-friendly lodge located within Chobe National Park (in fact it is the only lodge in the park which means you get access to animal sightings before the general public arrive!
On that note, Chobe is a very popular destination for day trippers and the park can get incredibly busy so getting that 45 minutes to one hour head start on everyone can be invaluable.
They have a range of activities including game drives and boat cruises.
We had the most incredible suite with a plunge pool and private courtyard where we had a candlelit dinner one night. It is a fairly big hotel so don’t expect small safari lodge vibes but it was just perfect for our needs.
One interesting thing to note is that Chobe Game Lodge was one of the first lodges in Africa to hire female guides and now they only hire female guides. They’re called the Chobe Angels. You can read more about this great story here.
If the prices are a little steep, then Chobe Safari Lodge is a great alternative. We had a lovely meal here and the sunset view from their river bar area is stunning.
- Best time to visit Botswana – May to October, during the dry season when animals are easier to spot.
- Malaria – Botswana has a high risk of malaria year round.
Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls
If you’re thinking about heading to Zimbabwe, its likely you’ve been on safari before and are looking for an adventure.
We loved getting away from the crowds in Hwange National Park. You can self-drive here but it is very remote so you’d really need to know what you were doing.
There are only a few small lodges in Hwange and a couple of campsites so you can drive around for hours and not see another vehicle.
Fun fact about safari guides in Zimbabwe – they go through the most rigorous training and exams of all safari guides in Africa which means that their knowledge is second to none! We learned so much on our Hwange safari.
Hwange also has an enormous population of elephants so this is the place to go if you like elephants.
You can’t really visit Zimbabwe without stoping in Victoria Falls and witnessing one of the 7 natural wonders of the world can you?
Read our complete guide to visiting Victoria Falls with kids.
Victoria Falls is a small town but the main tourist town in Zimbabwe where you will find lots of bars and restaurants and other facilities such as parmacies and medical clinics. We had one very poorly child during our stay and visited a great clinic (the Greenlight Medical Centre) to get him looked after.
Some of the cool adventures on offer at Victoria Falls for thrill seekers are:
- Boat trips along the Zambezi (sunset is a great time to take a cruise).
- Visit to Victoria Falls.
- Helicopter rides over Victoria Falls.
- Zipling across the Zambezi.
- Canopy tour across the Zambezi.
Family accommodation in Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls
We stayed at Somalisa Camp (by African Bush Camps) in Hwange National Park. It is a very small camp and we were looked after very well.
The best thing about the camp is the elephant watering hole right next to the dining deck. I don’t think we’ve ever been so close to elephants in the wild!
We were sitting having dinner one evening and the elephants had silently approached in the dark. It is amazing how quiet such huge animals can be. All of a sudden we heard swishing water sounds and the camp turned on some lights and a huge heard of elephants with soem tiny babies appeared and were at the watering hole drinking.They stayed for about 5 minutes then were off. Amazing!
Our family tent had two large bedrooms connected by an internal walkway and each bedroom had an ensuite. The main bedroom had an outdoor shower as well as a luxurious bath. The veranda overlooking the watering hole spanned the entire width of the tents.
At night you can leave the tent flaps up and gaze through the mesh windows to spot night visitors while you drift off to the distant roar of lions.
There are lots of places to stay in Victoria Falls but we recommend staying on the river for at least a couple of days to make the most of boat safaris.
In Victoria Falls we stayed at Old Drift Lodge which was just incredible. Our family suite was gorgeous with a plunge pool looking out onto the river and it even had an outdoor bath on our deck. The best part was that there are lots of activities included in the rate such as boat trips and guided tours of Victoria Falls.
If you have time to pop over the border into Zambia (this is very easy from Victoria Falls) then we cannot recommend Thorntree River Lodge highly enough! They also have activities included and seeing the falls from the Zambian side was a highlight for us! See here for a guided tour of the falls from both sides.
Maybe bookmark this post because I’m in the process of writing our Zimbabwe/Botswana/Zambia itinerary and it is worth coming back for!
- Best time to visit Zimbabwe – the best game viewing is between August – October which is the dry season. It can also get very cold. The best time to view Victoria Falls is around April at the end of the rainy season when the river is in full flow.
- Malaria – Zimbabwe has a high risk of malaria year round.
Tips for family safaris
Age restrictions: Some lodges and game drives have minimum age restrictions (often 6-12 years), so always check before booking.
Private game drives: If possible, opt for a private guide and vehicle for your family. This allows for a more personalized and flexible safari experience, especially with younger children.
Packing safari essentials: Don’t forget to pack hats, sunscreen, lightweight clothing, and plenty of snacks and activities to keep kids entertained between game drives. See more here on what to pack for a family safari.
