Family guide
Our family travel guide conjures up what we rate and what we don’t as well as an awesome section entitled 'out of the mouths of babes' which gives you a family vacations travel guide from the mind set of eight to fifteen year olds.
Best time to go on a family wildlife vacation
African safaris in the summer hols, exploring Costa Rica at Christmas – there is plenty of wildlife for families to see during the school vacations.![]()
Obviously, if your children are school age, the best time to go on a family wildlife vacation is during the school vacations. Fortunately, being tied to the academic calendar won’t put the brakes on seeing the world’s most exciting wildlife. Summer is the best time for an African safari, while seeing tigers in India is best over the Christmas break. Easter brings numerous wildlife options, from orangutans in Borneo to marine iguanas in the Galapagos. Half terms are trickier, as a week isn’t really long enough to reach long haul wildlife destinations (and most are long haul) but you can spot whales in the Azores in May and October.
Madagascar family adventure vacation, canoes & camping
Exciting family adventure combining activities and nature
From
US $2450 to US $2595
13 days
ex flights
Family safari in Tanzania
A family friendly tour of the highlights of Tanzania
From
US $5010
8 days
ex flights
South African safaris for families with teenagers
Visit the famous Kruger National Park and Zulu villages
From
US $2285 to US $2755
12 days
ex flights
Madagascar family adventure vacation
Unique family adventures in Madagascar
From
US $3300
14 days
ex flights
Costa Rica family vacation
Discover Costa Rica's famous national parks
From
US $4200 to US $5100
15 days
ex flights
Borneo family vacation to see Orangutans
Come face to face with orangutans
From
US $1680 to US $1960
9 days
ex flights
Christmas vacations
This is a good time to see tigers in India – not too hot, although be prepared for really cold mornings.
Costa Rica is a great Christmas option, as this festive vacation coincides with the country’s driest, sunniest weather.
You can visit Tanzania for wildlife in the Christmas vacations. November and December bring the short rains, but this shouldn’t disrupt travel – although may bring a few more mosquitoes – and will freshen up the landscape. December can also be an excellent time to visit Kenya, with lush green scenery the ideal habitat for migratory birds and lots of cute new born animals.
Christmas is a great time to visit the Galapagos. It’s the warm, wet season here, with seas pleasantly warm and underwater visibility good.
Costa Rica is a great Christmas option, as this festive vacation coincides with the country’s driest, sunniest weather.
You can visit Tanzania for wildlife in the Christmas vacations. November and December bring the short rains, but this shouldn’t disrupt travel – although may bring a few more mosquitoes – and will freshen up the landscape. December can also be an excellent time to visit Kenya, with lush green scenery the ideal habitat for migratory birds and lots of cute new born animals.
Christmas is a great time to visit the Galapagos. It’s the warm, wet season here, with seas pleasantly warm and underwater visibility good.
February half term
A tricky vacation for seeing wildlife. Most of the exciting wildlife watching is taking place in long haul destinations and organised tours that fit within a single half term week just don’t run. If you’re prepared to let your kids miss a week of school though, or you have two-week half terms, the world is your oyster now.Easter vacations
March to May is the rainy season in Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana, so an Easter safari isn’t ideal.
October to April is the wet season in Brazil’s wildlife rich Pantanal, so Easter vacations aren’t the best time to come all this way.
April to May, when vegetation is dry and sparse and wildlife congregates at the few waterholes, is a superb time to see tigers in India. Before you head off with your family, though, do remember that temperatures soar into the 40°Cs now, which can feel unbearably hot, for adults and kids.
April to May is excellent in Namibia, with the landscape refreshed after the rains.
April, May and June are the optimum time to see the blue, humpback and fin whales migrating past the Azores, so if Easter falls during April, this is a great option.
The Galapagos’ warm, wet season runs from December to June, when seas are warm and underwater visibility good, with just the odd sharp shower – a great Easter option.
October to April is the wet season in Brazil’s wildlife rich Pantanal, so Easter vacations aren’t the best time to come all this way.
April to May, when vegetation is dry and sparse and wildlife congregates at the few waterholes, is a superb time to see tigers in India. Before you head off with your family, though, do remember that temperatures soar into the 40°Cs now, which can feel unbearably hot, for adults and kids.
April to May is excellent in Namibia, with the landscape refreshed after the rains.
April, May and June are the optimum time to see the blue, humpback and fin whales migrating past the Azores, so if Easter falls during April, this is a great option.
The Galapagos’ warm, wet season runs from December to June, when seas are warm and underwater visibility good, with just the odd sharp shower – a great Easter option.
May half term
You can still see the annual spring migration north of blue, humpback and fin whales in the Azores during May.Our top trip
Madagascar family adventure vacation, canoes & camping
Exciting family adventure combining activities and nature
From
US $2450 to US $2595
13 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
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Summer vacations
July and August are the best times to go to Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. It’s dry then, with warm days, but expect very chilly nights. In Kenya, you can catch the Great Migration as it crosses the Mara River into the Masai Mara.
In India, most national parks are closed during July, August and September for the monsoon, so tiger safaris are not a summer vacation option.
Costa Rica can be showery in July and August, but sudden downpours don’t stop play and will refresh the landscape. August is the month for baby turtles to hatch, so volunteering with turtles now is ideal.
Wildlife is visible all year round in the Galapagos, and the weather is cool and dry during the northern hemisphere’s summer.
July and August are superb times to see wildlife in Brazil’s Pantanal region, as this is the dry, sunny season, when animals gravitate towards waterholes. Expect cool nights and warm days, with temperatures hitting the high 20°Cs now.
In India, most national parks are closed during July, August and September for the monsoon, so tiger safaris are not a summer vacation option.
Costa Rica can be showery in July and August, but sudden downpours don’t stop play and will refresh the landscape. August is the month for baby turtles to hatch, so volunteering with turtles now is ideal.
Wildlife is visible all year round in the Galapagos, and the weather is cool and dry during the northern hemisphere’s summer.
July and August are superb times to see wildlife in Brazil’s Pantanal region, as this is the dry, sunny season, when animals gravitate towards waterholes. Expect cool nights and warm days, with temperatures hitting the high 20°Cs now.
October half term
You can see whales in the Azores now, with weeklong tours fitting neatly into the half term vacation.More Family wildlife articles
At Responsible Travel, we don’t support zoos; we believe spotting wildlife in the wild is the best way to see it.
Whatever the age or stage of your family, there’s a wildlife vacation that will have every member giddy with excitement.
Introducing the kids to the world’s wildlife is easy on a specialist family vacation that teams animal spotting with exciting activities and plenty of downtime.
African safaris bring you close to extraordinary wildlife, from elusive leopards to huge herds of wildebeest.
Tiger safaris with children are not only possible, usually from about five years upwards, but also potentially one of the most exciting family vacation you can hope for.
Seeing orangutans is a surprisingly family friendly option, but only if you do your research and read up on the best places for watching orangutans with kids, especially if the children are young.
Family wildlife vacations that take in a range of habitats can deliver the biggest mix of sightings, while keeping the itinerary varied and active enough to amuse children.
From seeing orangutans in Borneo to packing for an African safari or keeping teens happy in Costa Rica, we have lots of family wildlife vacations advice, straight from our expert suppliers and tour operators.
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