See animals in their natural habitat, watch a herd of elephants walk past your vehicle, spot a mother cheetah with her cubs, or listen to a pride of lions roaring at night – a family safari holiday is a magical experience you will never forget.
At Yellow Zebra we understand the importance of creating safaris that suit the whole family. Whether you’re travelling with teenagers or as part of a large multi-generational family group with parents, grandparents, and kids of all ages, we will design a trip to suit everyone.
Don’t just take our word for it!
‘I was recommended Yellow Zebra. The dedicated team were both knowledgeable and incredibly patient. We opted for Tanzania – the less-visited south rather than the majesty of the Great Migration in the north.... It was perfect. The format is standard – the experience anything but.... It was – hands down – the best holiday we have ever had.’
"Our family, ranging from five-year-olds to an 80-year-old, had the trip of a lifetime.
Most heartwarming was the interaction between the guides and the grandchildren. They catered to their needs, their interests, and their imaginations. It was wonderful.
Yellow Zebra’s itinerary allowed for very valuable “family” time. The true measure of how well Yellow Zebra served the needs of our family is that the siblings are looking to plan another family trip! 10 stars on a 5 star scale."
The best safari holidays with children
To help you start planning your family safari holiday, here we recommend specific destinations as well as family trips we've designed around the age of the children travelling:
Holidays for families with children under five
If you're travelling with very young children, the main priority is to travel to areas that have no malaria. As virtually all of Africa lies within the malaria belt, the only destination we would recommend for families with very young children is South Africa. There are a number of malaria-free holiday reserves in South Africa, which can easily be combined with Cape Town and the Garden Route, or even the beach destination of Mauritius – Africa’s most family-friendly beach destination.
Safari holidays for kids between 5 and 10
For families with children between the ages of 5 and 10, we would recommend a safari holiday to either South Africa or Kenya. South Africa’s parks (both non-malaria and malarial areas such as the Kruger) are well set up for children, with a number of lodges offering excellent children's programmes that occupy the middle of the day during safaris. Kenya is also an extremely good destination for family safari holidays. The Maasai Mara offers superb big-game viewing, while the Laikipia and Lewa area offers a large range of activities, and also interaction with local cultures.
Safari holidays for older children and teens
The whole of Africa opens up for families with older children, especially as children of this age do not necessarily need the range of non-safari activities offered in the destinations we recommend for younger families.
One of our favourite destinations for families with older children is Tanzania, especially the north of the country where the Serengeti and Ngorongoro region have the perfect balance of big game and great lodges, as well as authenticity and adventure. Trips to Tanzania can also include a cultural element, as the Maasai tribe lives throughout the region. The beaches of the Zanzibar Archipelago are also a superb place to finish. Botswana is also a wonderful destination, but it is expensive – you have to expect to pay Africa’s highest safari prices if you go there.
Best adventurous family holidays
If you think your children are able to handle the kind of wild experiences Africa can offer, we really recommend that families with children over 10 consider a more adventurous trip.
Southern Tanzania is particularly ideal for adventurous families, as it has many small camps where the focus is on adventurous activities such as boating, fly camping, and walking. Climbing Kilimanjaro is also an option for a family wishing to do something different during their safari-focused holiday. Zambia is our other recommendation. It is home to the most adventurous safari in Africa. Walking is the highlight here, while there are also a number of canoe safari options on the Zambezi river.
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"Yellow Zebra are genuine specialists; they know the African bush like the back of their hand."
Brian Jackman, safari expert for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and the BBC
Europe's Leading Safari Tour Operator 7 years in a row
"We cannot recommend Yellow Zebra highly enough. As it was a life long goal to go on a safari, and as we have not been on a safari before, we wanted to arrange our holiday with a specialist safari company-Yellow Zebra are exactly that-they were brilliant. We had to change our plans twice because o..."
Karen
"Our honeymoon to Tanzania and Rwanda was the trip of a lifetime! Wies and the rest of the team at Yellow Zebra did an excellent job advising us where to stay, particularly to catch the river crossings in the Northern Serengeti, and were also proactive, responsive, and patient as they worked with..."
Anthony & Laura
"Yellow Zebra planned a spectacular family trip in Tanzania that was flawlessly executed..."
Lauren M
"Excellent Service
We asked for a custom trip in the Delta,Botswana and our expectations were were well met. The logistics and travel went smoothly with excellent service."
Vivien Benjamin
"This was our third safari trip with Yellow Zebra and they have continued to exceed expectations. The latest trip was based on gorilla and monkey trekking in Uganda and safari in the Masai Mara. The arrangements were seamless and the lodges selected by YZ were brilliant. The wildlife viewing cou..."
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