A family safari in South Africa is a great opportunity for your family to share a remarkable adventure, including vast plains, lakes and spectacular wildlife.

For an unforgettable family safari trip, fill out an enquiry form and our dedicated experts will plan the perfect holiday for you. 

The key to a successful safari with kids and young people lies in the selection of bases, guides and suitable activities With advice from experts, you can enjoy a safari that ensures the needs, expected level of comfort, individual interests and, of course, the safety of your nearest and dearest throughout a memorable trip. The goal is a safari that is unforgettable and enjoyable for all family members and also educational for your children in the process, including wildlife encounters with a professional guide.

Younger children can spend a morning watching a hundred elephants splashing and wallowing at a waterhole, then spend the afternoon on a beginner’s tracking course, playing with local Masai children or learning the medicinal use of plants from a bushman guide. For older siblings – the tricky teenage years – imagine a day canoeing together down the Zambezi or creeping up stealthily on a herd of giraffe, along with an excellent guide.

Also, you can combine time on safari with a city break, such as Cape Town or a Johannesburg. As with all travelling, a little groundwork is the greatest preparation – especially important with a family including young children. Some lodges, such as Treetops and The Ark, do not accept children under seven years old, while Mount Kenya Safari Club, children use a different dining room.

There is quite a lot of “downtime” on a safari: hours spent sitting quietly in the vehicle, patiently waiting for, or watching, animals who will be frightened away by sudden movement and hours whiled away in the camp between drives. Some travel agencies organise family safaris that are especially designed for couples travelling with children.

Some of the lodges cater for young ones with children clubs focusing on games and nature activities. Many of the lodges and permanent tented camps have swimming pools. Staying at a lodge with a pool is recommended for occupying the unoccupied daytime hours, especially as there are unlikely to be many other children around.

That said, safaris are now increasingly popular among families, since watching wildlife is something adults and children can do with equal pleasure.                    

Some activities are specifically age restricted to 15+, including walking and canoe safaris, but can still accommodate 11-year-olds. They may, however, require a specific guide and are limited to certain camps and locations.  Some activities are strictly not permissible for youngsters.

For the perfect safari trip for all the family, fill out an enquiry form and our South Africa experts will create a holiday thats right for you.