Why Kenya is the Ideal First Safari Destination for Families

Deciding on which country to go on your family’s safari? Here’s why Kenya should be first on your list.

The decision to take your family for his or her first safari is a big one. It’s an investment of time, money, and trust – trust that the experience will be everything you hope it will be for your children. The continent has dozens of safari destinations in a dozen countries and the options can be overwhelming. Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Rwanda – they’re all exceptional in their own right. But for a first family safari, Kenya has a combination of advantages hard to beat.

Here’s why we’re unique in Kenya – and why so many families return year after year for the perfect Kenya family safari holiday.

Reliable, Stellar Wildlife

The single most important thing in a family’s first safari experience is seeing animals – lots of animals, up close. This is delivered to Kenya consistently. The Masai Mara has one of the highest densities of predators in Africa, which means big cat sightings are a near guarantee as opposed to a lucky break. Elephants, giraffe, zebra, hippo and buffalo abound. Children who come in wondering if they’d see a lion normally leave arguing about which one of the seven lions, they saw was their favourite.

This consistency is of huge importance to families. Adult travellers may enjoy the meditative beauty of the quiet morning in the bush. A seven-year-old that has not seen an animal in three hours is going to want to go back to the pool. Kenya’s density of wildlife means that nearly every game drive brings something exciting to see which keeps kids engaged and makes the early starts worthwhile.

One more dimension is added during the Great Migration, which occurs between July and October. Watching hundreds of thousands of wildebeest cross the Mara River is one of the greatest spectacles in nature, and the kind of shared experience that makes up a defining family memory.

English Is Widely Spoken

Kenya is a bilingual country – English and Swahili are official languages. For families travelling from English speaking countries, this is a considerable practical benefit. Your safari guide will provide an explanation of animal behaviour and bush ecology as well as cultural context, all in fluent English. Camp staff will be clear communicators with your children. The medical professionals, they speak English. Signs, menus and information boards are in English.

This is especially important for first time safari families, where there’s enough that’s new and unknown. Removing the language barrier means children can interact directly with the guides, ask questions and get more out of the experience than they may in a destination where English is not as widely spoken.

Excellent Family Infrastructure

Kenya has been receiving family travellers for decades and the infrastructure bears witness to this. The country has one of the widest arrays of family friendly safari accommodation in Africa ranging from luxury lodges with dedicated kids clubs and swimming pools to intimate tented camps with junior ranger programmes and bush skills training.

Many of the camps in the Mara, Laikipia and Amboseli areas have specific family tents or suites, flexible dining arrangements for children and supervised activities programmes for different age groups. This level of family-focused infrastructure isn’t available everywhere – some excellent safari destinations in Southern Africa, for example, have age restrictions preventing younger children from being allowed on many properties.

The availability of private vehicles is also important for the families. Most of the operators in Kenya are able to arrange a private safari vehicle and guide – meaning that you are not sharing with other guests. This gives you full freedom with timing, pace and stops – crucial when travelling with children who may require a toilet stop or an early return to camp.

Easy Logistics

Kenya’s major safari areas are easily reached by domestic flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. A charter flight to the Mara takes about 45 minutes – which is a real boon for families with young children as compared to a five-to-six-hour drive on rough roads. Amboseli, Samburu, Laikipia, Lamu and the coast are all visited by regular domestic flights.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is a major international airport with links from Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australasia. For the family arriving from long international flights, the possibility of transferring quickly to a domestic flight and being into the bush by lunchtime is a huge benefit.

Beyond Safari – The Beach Factor

Here’s where Kenya has a trump card that few other safari destinations have: a world-class coastline. After four or five days on safari, all families – especially the younger kids – benefit from a change of pace. Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast has exactly the same. Diani Beach, Watamu and the Lamu Archipelago offer white sand, warm water, snorkelling on the coral reefs and a relaxing atmosphere in which everyone can unwind.

The traditional ‘bush and beach’ itinerary – safari then a few days on the coast – is one of the most popular forms of the family holiday in East Africa, and it is there for a reason. The safari offers the adventure and the wildlife; the coast offers the relaxing and the swimming. Together they make a holiday that is two in one and therefore suits every member of the family.

Conservation and Education

Kenya takes conservation seriously and this leads to some powerful educational opportunities for children. Visiting the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi where orphaned baby elephants are rehabilitated teaches children about wildlife rescue and the effects that man is having on habitats. Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, the home of the last two northern white rhinos left on Earth, gives the possibility of species extinction a very real face.

Many conservancies have community-based programmes which children can be involved in from tree planting to anti-poaching education. The Kenya Wildlife Service has education resources directed at young visitors and several camps have conservation themed activities as part of their kids’ programmes.

For many families, the conservation dimension turns a safari from a holiday into a learning experience that changes the way that children view the natural world. It’s the kind of education that doesn’t feel like education – and that’s the best kind of education.

Value for Money

Kenya has family safari experiences accessible over a truly wide range of price. While the best private conservancy camps are a big investment, there are also excellent mid-range options in the country that offer excellent wildlife experiences as well as comfortable accommodation at more accessible price points. National Park lodges, community conservancy stays, and group safaris are all highlighting quality at lower cost.

The green season (April to June and November) offers significant discounts at many properties, often up to 30-40% off peak season. If your family is able to travel outside of school holidays this is a time of the year with great value with fewer crowds and lush photogenic landscapes.

A Warm Welcome

Kenyans are, by nature, warm and welcoming people – and that includes being very generous with children. Your kids will get greeted with some genuine smiles as they get introduced to Swahili words by the camp staffers and be treated with such a level of kindness that would make the whole family feel comfortable. The Swahili phrase “Hakuna Matata” (no worries) is not just a reference from the film, it is a real cultural philosophy where travelling with kids in Kenya means more joy than stress.

For a first family safari, Kenya provides the rare combination of world-class wildlife, great infrastructure, easy logistics, beautiful beaches, meaningful conservation experiences, and the genuine culture of being family-friendly. It’s the destination that turns first-time safari families into the life-long fans of Africa. Start the conversation with Majestic Kenya Safaris and find out how your family’s first safari may look.