Written by the Paramount Gorilla Expeditions team, based in Uganda, on choosing family safari camps in Kenya and Tanzania with real kids' programs.
A camp that merely tolerates children is very different from one built for families. The difference shows up in the details, and it is worth asking about them before you book.
What to look for in family safari camps
- Family suites or connecting rooms, not adults and children squeezed into one room.
- A fenced or supervised pool and safe areas around camp.
- Junior ranger programmes that teach tracking and bush skills, not just entertainment.
- Flexible meal times, not one fixed formal sitting.
- Shorter family game drives, paced to a child's attention span, ideally in a separate vehicle.
- Kid-sized binoculars and identification books.
Where to find family safari camps
Kenya's private conservancies bordering the Masai Mara and Tanzania's northern circuit both have good family properties. They can cost more than standard adult-focused camps, but the difference to a child's experience is often well worth it.
Ask before you book
Marketing language is often identical between camps that run real children's programmes and camps that simply allow children. We flag which properties in your itinerary offer real programmes. Check the minimum ages in best age for a family safari.
Questions to ask each camp
- What is the minimum age for game drives, walks and boat trips?
- Is there a family room or two connecting rooms, and is the pool fenced?
- Do children have their own activities, run by trained staff?
- Can we have a private vehicle, so we can stop when the children need a break?
- Are early dinners or a children's menu available?
We check these for every camp in a family itinerary and flag which ones run real children's programmes.
More ideas
See Kenya family safaris, multigenerational safaris and first-time safari planning.
See also: Kenya & Tanzania Luxury Private-Guide Safari.
See also: the family safari from the gorillas to Zanzibar.
Choose family safari camps with us
Keep planning with our Kenya safari destination guide. National park fees are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service, and Magical Kenya, the Kenya Tourism Board, publishes official visitor information. Park fees are set by Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and, for the crater, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. We confirm the current fees for your dates in every quote.
Camps with sandy banks and old trees are good for the Little Five animals; see our guide for what to look for.
For Bwindi in particular, our best lodges in Bwindi covers families and older travellers.
For a family route in Uganda, see our Uganda family safari guide.
For routes and age rules in Tanzania, see our Tanzania family safari guide.