Kenya Family Safari Holidays

Choosing the ideal destination for your first family safari is a crucial part of the holiday planning puzzle. This is where we come in, as our travel experts are well-versed in the details of each game reserve and Kenya safaris are a firm favourite, especially if you’re travelling with the whole tribe. As experts on children’s entertainment, our friends at Sharky and George have the in-flight fun covered, with personalised activity packs to keep the children occupied all the way to Nairobi. Upon arrival in the capital, you can opt to spend your first night at Giraffe Manor, where breakfast is normally accompanied by a visit from the hotel’s friendly namesakes. If you’re interested in learning more about these long-legged mammals, the Giraffe Centre offers tours of the sanctuary, while the nearby David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust offers an equally adorable tour of their baby elephant rescue centre.

Our Kenya family safaris can include stays at more than one of the country’s legendary conservancies, so you’ll really get a taste for the safari capital of Africa. The most renowned of these is the Masai Mara National Reserve, thanks to its unrivalled population of Masai lions, Tanzanian cheetahs and African leopards, and its reputation as a prime spot for witnessing the Great Wildebeest Migration. Great in both name and nature, the annual pilgrimage sees over a million wildebeest, as well as thousands of zebras and gazelles, voyaging from the Serengeti in Tanzania to Kenya’s Masai Mara, offering one of the most iconic wildlife viewing experiences in the world.

The lesser-known (but no less wonderful) Lewa Conservancy in Laikipia is home to the ‘Northern Five’, a rarer variation of the much-loved ‘Big Five’, which includes gerenuks, beisa oryx, reticulated giraffes, Somali ostriches and Grevy's zebras. Your adventure-filled days can be rounded off with a traditional sundowner cocktail (or tasty mocktail) and a mouth-watering dinner beneath the stars.

Once you’ve mastered the bush, it’s time to head to the beach; Lamu on the Kenyan coast is the epitome of an idyllic beach retreat and the perfect conclusion to our Kenya family safaris. The historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the original Swahili settlements in East Africa, with its white-washed facades, red-tiled roofs and palm-fringed streets. Your relaxation can begin as soon as you land, in the form of beachfront strolls, hammock dozing and seafood feasts, while water-skiing and windsurfing are also on hand if your youngsters are still in search of adventure. For some final wildlife viewing, head to the dry scrubland, where you’ll find intriguing species both overhead and on land, including mongooses and porcupines.