Straight answers
Family safaris, answered plainly
Including the times we would tell you to wait a year.
The children
Ages, boredom and safety
Is three too young?
For the trip most people picture, usually yes. A three-year-old will love the pool and a giraffe at close range and will not enjoy two hours in a vehicle or remember much of it. If your dates are fixed we will plan it well — a house, one park, short drives. If you are choosing freely, six is where it starts being fun and eight is where it becomes wonderful.
Will a camp turn us away for being under the minimum age?
It happens, and it is grim. We check every camp’s policy against your children’s ages at the time of travel rather than at booking, because birthdays intervene. A private vehicle usually removes the restriction.
What do children actually do on a game drive?
Spot. Give them their own binoculars — not shared — and a job: official spotter, list-keeper, photographer. Ask for a guide who is good with children; the difference between a guide who engages them and one who does not is the difference between a great week and a long one.
Can the children and adults do different things?
In a private house or with a private vehicle, yes — and it is one of the best reasons to book one. Some out at dawn, some asleep, everyone happier.
Practical
Health, money and logistics
Do we have to take antimalarials?
Most Kenyan safari areas are malarial and prophylaxis is the norm, including for children — dosing is by weight. Laikipia’s altitude lowers the risk relative to the low parks, which is a legitimate reason to shape an itinerary. Take your route to a travel clinic six to eight weeks ahead.
Are there child rates?
At most camps, yes, usually for children sharing with parents and typically up to eleven or twelve. Family units are often cheaper than two rooms. Park and conservancy fees are lower for children too. We itemise all of it.
How long can the drives be?
With under-eights, we would not go beyond about three or four hours on tarmac, and we would fly anything longer. Nairobi to the Mara by road is five to six hours with a rough final stretch — fly it.
Is a Kenya safari safe?
The safari areas themselves are well run, and camps take guest safety seriously. The practical risks are ordinary travel risks: road transfers, sun, stomach upsets and not listening to your guide around animals.
Check your own government’s current travel advice for Kenya before you book and again before you fly, and take out insurance that covers medical evacuation. We will not tell you an area is fine if the advice says otherwise.
Do you charge for planning?
No. Sending your dates, getting an itinerary and getting a costed quote is free and carries no obligation. Money only changes hands when you decide to hold space at a camp.
More from our Kenya guides
Specialist guides across our Kenya network
Each of these is a focused guide we publish. Same Kenya specialist behind every enquiry.
Still deciding whether to go this year?
Send us their ages and your dates. We will give you a straight answer, even when the straight answer is "wait".