Luxury safaris for families with babies and young children
The right lodge and guide for your child's age, chosen from years spent inside Africa's finest safari camps.
From six months old. Travelling with a baby or toddler? Start here.
Designed by a mum who travels to these lodges with her own daughter.
Some of my favourite moments in Africa have happened with my daughter on my lap. A sleepy head against my shoulder at sundowners, and the whole bush suddenly seen through her eyes.
I'd love for you to have that too. I plan from six months, though around one is my favourite first safari, and I'll hold your hand from the very first question to the last game drive.
Yes, you can take a baby or toddler on safari.
-
The right lodge for their age
What works at six months can be wrong at two years.
-
Your own vehicle and guide
Drives that fit around naps, snacks and short attention spans.
-
Fewer, easier transfers
Less time in transit, more time actually on safari.
-
Low-risk areas
Chosen for your child's age and the month you travel.
Older brothers and sisters? Easy game. A lodge that looks after a baby properly can look after anyone.
There's no perfect age to start. Just start.
A safari day with little ones
Slower than you'd expect, and far more relaxed. Every day bends around naps, meals and whatever caught their eye that morning. Here's how a day unfolds:
-
![]()
The early drive
Out while it's cool, back before anyone gets restless.
-
![]()
Small discoveries
Sometimes the best sighting is a paw print next to theirs.
-
![]()
Midday, slowed right down
Naps, pool time and long lunches while the bush rests too.
-
![]()
Time just for them
Kids' programmes or a trusted babysitter, so you get an afternoon to yourselves.
-
![]()
The afternoon drive
The heat drops, the animals start moving, and the big sightings tend to come.
-
![]()
An early supper, out in the bush
Flexible mealtimes mean little ones eat when they're hungry, not when the dining room opens.
-
![]()
Sundowners
The best part of the day. Golden light, big giggles, and nowhere else you'd rather be.
-
![]()
Bath, bed and a quiet drink for you
The evening is yours once they're down.
THE HOUSE OF WILD STANDARD
I only recommend what I'd book for my own daughter
Before I place a family anywhere, I want to know what really happens when a toddler walks in. Can drives move around naps? Does the team light up, or quietly tense up? How does the room work at 2am with a waking baby?
The answers change with your child's age, so it's never a checklist. It's the part you'll never find on a lodge's website, and the part I love most.
From the families I've planned for
A few words from parents who've trusted me with their family's safari.
"We never felt like we had to apologize for having energetic children. Instead, we felt genuinely welcomed. We've travelled extensively with our children and stayed at some of the world's best luxury properties, so our expectations were exceptionally high. Our boys were captivated from beginning to end, and so were we. Every recommendation reflected a deep understanding of what families actually need."
Sara, Texas, USA | 10 days across Zimbabwe & South Africa · three boys, ages 3, 6 and 8
"Your explanations are fantastic. I fully trust you and your experience, but for you to speak with [our guide] for her view is just above and beyond. We cannot wait for our first safari with our baby and family."
Catherine, UK family travelling in 2027 | 6 Adults & 11 month old
"I was incredibly impressed by the speed you replied and also the questions that you asked. I can absolutely see that you would get the perfect holiday as you are thinking about all the correct things!"
Lucinda, UK family | Mother and daughter (14 months old)
Sara’s boys in Zimbabwe.
Questions before you book
The things every parent asks me first, answered properly.
-
Yes. I plan from six months, in lodges that genuinely want little ones there and with your own vehicle so drives fit around naps. Read the full guide →
-
My favourite age is from around one years old. It's when I've truly loved safari with my own daughter. I plan from six months all the way to 13 years old though, and every age brings something special.
-
For first-time safari parents, I'll almost always say South Africa. It's the easiest place to start, with low-risk and malaria-free areas and some wonderful family lodges. Zimbabwe, Kenya and Namibia each have their own magic too, and I'll shape your route around you as parents and your budget.
-
Four nights at one camp is the sweet spot. For a full first safari, I'd aim for seven: four nights at your first lodge to settle into the rhythm, then three somewhere new.
-
The drier winter months are best for game viewing and give the most peace of mind in low-risk malaria areas. Shoulder seasons are underrated, though. I love the end of summer and the end of winter, when you can enjoy the pool and don't need as many layers on drives.
-
It depends on your budget and what you want from the trip. I often suggest a mix of the two. Either way, I always include a private vehicle so your days stay completely flexible.
-
Most of the family safaris I plan sit between USD 3,500 and 7,000 per night for a family of three or four, including a private vehicle. At the very top end, private family suites can reach USD 15,000 a night. Every trip is built around your family, so this is a starting point rather than a quote.
To begin planning, I ask for a USD 1,000 planning and research fee. It covers the real groundwork: matching lodges to your child's age, speaking to guides and lodge teams, checking room setups and availability, and designing a route that works for your family. When you book your safari with me, the full amount is credited against your booking, so it's never an extra cost. If you decide not to go ahead, the fee isn't refundable, as the planning work will already have been done.
-
Ideally four to six months ahead. Family suites and villas are always the first to go.
-
Some reserves have no malaria risk at all, others are low-risk depending on the season. I plan around your child's age and your travel month, and always recommend checking with a travel clinic. Read more →
-
The short version: warm layers for early drives, proper sun protection, and fewer toys than you'd think. My full list →
-
"Accepts children" can mean anything from age limits on drives to a camp that truly welcomes them. I'll tell you which is which. Read more →
-
Flights, visas, timing and more. See all FAQs →
I know how it feels to stand in a lodge reception with a nappy bag on my shoulder, wondering whether the next four days are going to work.
Before my daughter, I spent seven years photographing Africa's most exceptional lodges from the inside, sitting with owners and guides, and learning that what makes a safari extraordinary is rarely what's in the photographs. Since then, I've travelled with her across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and I know what it's like to be the only one in the vehicle worrying about a nap.
It's the perspective I would have wanted from someone else. Now it's the one I bring to every family I plan for.
Read our story here.
Begin your journey
Every House of Wild journey starts with a conversation. Tell me a little about your family, when you're thinking of travelling, and what you're hoping to feel, and I'll take it from there.
We typically respond within 24 hours. There's no obligation until you're ready to begin.
Follow our family's journey on Instagram here: @houseofwild.africa
