Children have enormous imaginations and create their own worlds to explore. An Africa family safari holiday is about allowing children to live the reality rather than just imagine it.
From child friendly safari accommodation, professional family orientated guides with exceptional experience to private transfers for your comfort and safety, travelling with children in Africa is certainly not as daunting as it sounds.
The secret is in the planning and you yourself will know that any family holiday requires great precision to ensure fun and truly memorable holiday for all.
Our Family safari holidays to Africa are designed with your family in mind.
We’ve visited and selected fantastic family camps, lodges and hotels in Africa and remain selective because we know that despite ubiquitous claims to family-friendliness, few hotels, camps or lodges really have the level of service that guarantees outstanding family experiences.
From exclusive use safari homes and beach villas, intimate tented camps to larger boutique lodges and hotels there is something for every family safari holiday seeker.
Encompass Africa thank you for the ultimate family holiday. My daughter had no expectations of this trip and expected it to be “full of old people” so she has had her eyes opened as to what Southern Africa truly has to offer and has been insanely spoilt seeing it from such high-end locations. We now have something amazingly special that we have shared.
EA Way
Work with your EA specialist to choose genuine child friendly accommodations. You want children welcomed and embraced into safari life not merely tolerated. They should offer custom menus and activities for kids. Let the kids explore and enjoy the smaller side of the safari. Younger children especially like to get hands dirty. Don’t be alarmed if they come back with stories of elephant dung throwing! Make up a game that engages interest on drives in between locations. So spot 5 different birds and 5 trees.
Good to Know
We recommend that you don’t even try to fight technology, embrace it. We all know kids and technology go hand in hand. We’ve partnered with a great app that allows you to track where you go, what you see and share with friends – kids will love it. Most importantly, don’t wait ‘until they are older’. Most lodges and camps offer discounted rates for children under 12 and so do airlines! Babysitting services are also offered so you can dine knowing someone is back at your room ensuring your little ones are safe.
Exclusive Family Time
If you want privacy, take the exclusive use safari house and villa option. There are many around and not all hugely expensive. They offer exceptional value, a tailor-made experience and private safari activities scheduled around your family’s routine. If a private villa isn’t an option, we recommend you get a private vehicle otherwise you may end up with guests who do not have kids thus lower tolerance of their behaviour.
Bush and Beach
Combine bush and beach for an all round experience. African islands are very different to Australian islands and beaches with more than white sand and palm trees on offer. Think culture, activities galore not to mention pure relaxation for parents and activity programs for kids. Don’t chase the big sightings if your kids are not old enough to sit still and keep quiet. It’s not worth the risk (and guides will not allow it anyway, so don’t ask) and the beauty is seeing Africa through the eyes of your child – the great and small of Africa.
Forever Family Memories
The wonderful thing about family travel: it provides you with experiences that will remain locked forever in the scar tissue of your mind. – Dave Barry
Browse our Itinerary Collection for Family Safari inspiration
Malaria free
Many people worry about giving their young children malaria tablets. You can go on an Africa family safari holiday without even needing them, it’s all in the planning. South Africa offers a number of exceptional areas including the Eastern Cape (Addo, Shamwari, Kwandwe and more) and the North West province (Pilanseberg, Madikwe and Waterberg). Not all accommodations in there areas are suitable for children of all ages so ask us today and we can design the ultimate malaria free safari holiday.
Off the beaten track
Some of our favourite family safari holiday destinations are far from the ‘usual’ locations and offer a service beyond comprehension to ensure your little ones experience the ultimate getaway. We like to combine various properties in off the beaten track locations to give the kids and adults a diverse experience and not a moment to feel bored. Whether it’s remote Namibia and tropical North Island Paradise or malaria free Madikwe with magical Mauritius, options are endless.
Tswalu
Tswalu Kalahari reserve is South Africa’s largest private game reserve covering over 100,000 hectares. Privately owned, the emphasis here is on conservation and immersive experiences for all ages. With private field guides and butlers, you choose how you would like to spend the day.There is a Tswalu Junior Ranger programme carefully designed to stimulate the senses of a broad age range. Tracking wildlife on foot, archery with bow and arrow that the kids learn to make through to game drives and spoor (footprint) identification and casting. Children even have their own menu and campfire where they cook their own bush dinner. Babysitting is free around the clock. This is everyone’s Kalahari as they say at Tswalu, so bring the family! It combines well with a Kruger or Madikwe safari for Big Five wildlife action and Mozambique island escape to end with some sand between your toes.
Sabuk
This remote and beautiful Lodge sits in an exclusive wilderness haven on the edge of Northern Laikipia plateau and overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River. The highlights for families are outstanding – camel safaris, star beds, fly camping, walking, game drives, fishing, river swimming and tubing. With just six spacious ensuite open fronted cottages, it’s intimate and exclusive. It combines well with the Masai Mara and Zanzibar so kids can experience a culturally diverse spice island finale.
Santorini Lodge
Located on the Mozambique coast of Vilanculos, this fantastic exclusive villa sleeps ten people in five bedrooms with private balconies and ensuite bathrooms. Open plan, multi level design means there are various places to relax and unwind. Sliding doors and windows open to the beach and allow in the sea breeze. With two swimming pools, alfresco dining complete with pizza oven and BBQ, indoor lounge, bar, elevated dining area, well equipped kitchen and library and playroom for kids. There’s also a boma (Camp fire) area for outstanding nights under the stars. This villa is served daily and the full team of staff attend to your every need. Enjoy swimming, snorkelling, dhow sailing, diving, horse riding, beach picnics, cultural excursions and more.
The Elephant Camp
When Victoria Falls is on your family safari holiday agenda, we recommend the Elephant Camp West, an extension of the main camp this will cater to groups and families. Here you get a more intimate and serene experience for your family with separate dining area and kitchen, main pool deck plus your tented suite has plunge pool overlooking the National Park. With just 8 guests in 4 tents, it’s an exclusive experience for any family. Your stay includes a 15 minute elephant interaction and there are daily shuttles to Victoria Falls where you can walk around the Falls, zip line through trees, canoe or white water raft for the brave (and older children).
Browse our Itinerary Collection for Family Safari inspiration
As we were heading back down the mountain an 8 year old gorilla male suddenly appeared on the trail in front of us. It walked past my husband and daughter within inches of then and then disappeared into the jungle – the smile on my daughters face was priceless!
We felt comfortable and safe with our guide at all times as well, which was important for the kids especially. We got lucky with having him as our guide and friend for our travels. He was immensely talented and was tireless at finding exciting wildlife to show us, was always cheery and enthusiastic and never seemed to run out of patience with our endless questions and attempts at Swahili.
Encompass Africa thank you for the ultimate family holiday. My daughter had no expectations of this trip and expected it to be “full of old people” so she has had her eyes opened as to what Southern Africa truly has to offer and has been insanely spoilt seeing it from such high-end locations. We now have something amazingly special that we have shared.
Want to know what others said? Read all our customer ovations.
Get in touch today so we can customise a Family Safari holiday for you.
