The best part of a safari vacation is that there’s something for everyone – adrenaline-packed activities, spectacular wildlife, once-in-a-lifetime selfies, and endless sunny days.

Here’s a fun round-up of the top safari trips that our YPA clients are booking with their families this year. Take inspiration and start dreaming up what your family safari is going to look like.

­­­­Desert, Delta & Falls

If the desert, Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls are on your bucket list, but you’re not sure how to connect the dots and how the kids will keep themselves busy, we’ve got an itinerary that will give your family a holiday to remember.

Start off in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans where kids of all ages will have various unique desert experiences. When they’re not joining you on day and nighttime game drives, they’ll be quad biking, on bushman walks, meerkat interactions (a must do!) and horse rides. 

Next stop is a family-friendly camp in the well-known Okavango Delta and this will not disappoint if your kids are excited to see the Big Five. 

When it comes to Victoria Falls accommodation that the whole family will enjoy, a hidden gem on the banks of the Zambezi River fits the bill. Game drives, bush walks, afternoon swims and bird watching are all part of the agenda, and for those kids with more of an adventurous spirit, there’s always white river rafting.

End up in South Africa in the Sabi Sand Reserve where exclusive family safaris are taken to another level. Solitude and luxury will ensure that you spend quality time together and if your kids are dying to see the big cats, then this is the place for them. 

Kenya is calling

When it comes to Kenya, we love how so many family-owned properties have an easy-going approach to multigenerational travel. So many are ready and equipped to offer personalized experiences to suit family members of all ages, and they’ve put a lot of thought into their kids’ activities and facilities.

We suggest starting off at an iconic spot in Nairobi where your kids will relish the chance to take countless selfies with the hotel’s very obliging giraffes.

Then on to Samburuland in northern Kenya, where the youngsters will be occupied with learning Samburu warrior bush survival techniques, riding quad bikes and cooling off in various plunge pools dotted around the reserves.

Staying in a camp in the Masai Mara, on the other hand, offers kids the chance to hunt for animal tracks in the sandy riverbeds and a hot air balloon ride over the African plains is always a must.

And lastly, Laikipia is a place for experiencing the great outdoors in a saddle (horse or mountain bike). 

Soak up these southern Africa highlights

Some of our YPA families are traveling south this year to share a few of our favorite southern African spots for family safaris…

We’d recommend starting a safari adventure in beautiful Cape Town, where you and the kids can rent bikes and ride around the V&A Waterfront, visit penguins at Boulders Beach, and stay in the heart of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. 

A safari lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve fits in perfectly here for some epic big five and big cat viewing plus it has the added advantage of being a malaria-free area.

Tswalu, South Africa’s largest privately owned game reserve, is most certainly a destination worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime. You’ll stay in one of their three safari camps situated in the Kalahari where there will be plenty of rare and endangered wildlife to encounter, including meerkats, black rhinos, brown hyenas, sable, roan and much more.

End with something totally different and stay at a camp situated on an island in the heart of Botswana’s northern Okavango Delta floodplains. The fact that the camp is only accessible by a gum pole bridge will win over any adventurous kid’s heart, and that’s before your water babies learn that they can explore the surrounding water channels (created by hippos and elephants) using traditional canoes (or ‘mekoro’).

Specific camps in each location will be chosen based on your desired price point and personal preferences.

If you’re inspired to make your next family vacation an African safari, get in touch. We’ll connect the dots and plan a holiday that allows you to unwind and relax.