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.
Where to go on a family wildlife vacation
The world’s most exciting wildlife, guaranteed to have children of all ages gripped, doesn’t tend to live on our doorstep, so be prepared for a chunky flight to reach it. While some wildlife hotspots are compact (Costa Rica springs to mind), many lie in out of the way corners of remote and often huge countries, so you may also need to take internal flights or sit through lengthy drives to reach the birds and beasties. Where possible, family wildlife vacations incorporate fun ways to travel, too, with river cruises, canopy walks and snorkelling all giving a new perspective on wildlife.
Our Family wildlife Vacations
Madagascar family adventure vacation
Unique family adventures in Madagascar
From
US $3300
14 days
ex flights
Family Kenya safari & beach vacation, tailormade
Luxury tailormade safari and beach vacations in Kenya
From
£3155
14 days
ex flights
Family safari in Namibia
Climb the highest sand dunes in the world
From
US $2799 to US $2879
13 days
ex flights
Uganda wildlife vacation
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
£2650
8 days
ex flights
Tanzania family Safari
Family-friendly luxury safari into Tanzania's wilderness
From
£5095
8 days
ex flights
Family vacation to Sri Lanka
Explore Sri Lanka with the family
From
US $2179 to US $2479
13 days
ex flights
Zimbabwe family safari, tailor made
Discover magnificent Matopos and Hwange National Park
From
US $3435 to US $3790
9 days
ex flights
Galapagos family vacation
Follow in the footsteps of Darwin on this family vacation
From
US $2212 to US $2905
8 days
ex flights
Exciting family vacation in Tanzania
A family vacation for all ages including the best of Tanzania
From
US $3750 to US $5650
13 days
ex flights
Flexible Galapagos Islands tailor made tour
Your choice of four to eight-day land-based adventure
From
US $2125 to US $4385
5 days
ex flights
South Africa luxury family safari
Luxury five star vacation visiting two Wonders of the World
From
R 80925 to R 94715
10 days
ex flights
Botswana family safari vacation
An unforgettable Botswana experience for all ages
From
US $4945 to US $7395
8 days
ex flights
South African safaris for families with teenagers
Visit the famous Kruger National Park and Zulu villages
From
US $1272 to US $1620
12 days
ex flights
Botswana wildlife vacation for families
Discover the diverse wilderness of Botswana
From
R 50476 to R 75780
7 days
ex flights
Botswana family adventure
A true African adventure for all the family!
From
US $4940
11 days
ex flights
Family whale watching vacation, South Africa
A unique marine safari in Cape Town and Hermanus
From
R 41750 to R 69525
7 days
ex flights
Costa Rica family vacation
Discover Costa Rica's famous national parks
From
US $3499 to US $3749
15 days
ex flights
Family luxury safari & beach vacation, South Africa & Mozambique
Combine a wildlife safari in South Africa with beach time.
From
£3880
12 days
ex flights
Botswana family vacation, green season safari
The perfect family safari vacation in Botswana
From
US $3155
7 days
ex flights
Luxury safari in Botswana and South Africa
A family friendly safari in iconic wildlife locations
From
R 65800 to R 86520
8 days
ex flights
South Africa family vacation, Cape Town and safari
Bucketlist Trip in South Africa
From
R 32903 to R 47185
8 days
ex flights
Family garden route vacation with safari, South Africa
Family vacation to discover the Cape
From
US $2190
14 days
ex flights
Tanzania family safari and Zanzibar vacation
Famous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti combined with beach
From
US $5699 to US $6924
10 days
ex flights
Family wildlife vacation in China
Experience China's beautiful and diverse wildlife
From
US $2860.9 to US $3287.9
18 days
ex flights
Blue whale Azores family vacation
Best time to see the Blue, Humpback and Fin Whales
From
£695
7 days
ex flights
Tiger safari in India, Bandhavgarh & Kanha
Ultimate wilderness experience in two of the best parks!
From
US $1320 to US $2250
7 days
ex flights
Borneo family vacation, tailor made
13 day Family Vacation - Wildlife, Apes & beaches of Borneo
From
£1950
13 days
ex flights
Borneo family vacation to see Orangutans
Come face to face with orangutans
From
US $1464 to US $1920
11 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka Family vacations
A superb 2-week family adventure to Sri Lanka
From
US $1735 to US $1855
14 days
ex flights
Sarawak family vacation
An action-packed vacation got the whole family to enjoy!
From
£1088
9 days
ex flights
1.
Azores
2. Borneo
3. Botswana
4. Brazil
5. Costa Rica
6. Galapagos Islands
7. India
8. Namibia
9. South Africa
10. Tanzania
2. Borneo
3. Botswana
4. Brazil
5. Costa Rica
6. Galapagos Islands
7. India
8. Namibia
9. South Africa
10. Tanzania
Azores
1. Azores
This scattering of islands in the mid Atlantic, belonging to Portugal, is one of the best places in the world to see whales and dolphins, with a third of all species recorded in these waters, including sperm whales and enormous blue whales. Family trips are carefully designed to suit children, combining amazing sightings with the chance to learn about marine conservation and explore on land, too.
Borneo
2. Borneo
Orangutans are always the star of a family wildlife vacation to Borneo, and rehabilitation centers in Sabah and Sarawak make the viewing easy. Sumatran rhinos, pygmy elephants, monitor lizards and proboscis monkeys, looking like someone’s alcoholic ginger uncle, also wait to be spotted, on jungle hikes and river cruises. Add in traditional tribes, beaches, canopy walks and bubbling hot springs and you have a true family adventure.
Botswana
3. Botswana
Home to a range of habitats, from the channels and islands of the Okavango Delta to the dry plains of Savuti, Botswana is a dream family wildlife destination, simply because there’s so much wildlife to see. In Chobe National Park alone you’ll find vast herds of elephants, often 80-strong, as well as hundreds of zebra and buffalo – for even the most unimpressible teen or tot, that’s a lot of ‘wow’.
Brazil
4. Brazil
Any family with naturalist notions should make for the Pantanal in Brazil, a wetland region the size of France. This is the best place on the planet to spot jaguars, plus a supporting cast of curious creatures, including jabiru storks, giant otters, comical capybaras, anteaters, armadillos and even tapirs. Kids will also love the chance to stay on a working ranch, learning from the resident cowboys.
Costa Rica
5. Costa Rica
Costa Rica is small, but packs a punch when it comes to wildlife. Amazingly biodiverse, there’s everything from rainforest and cloud forest, to mangroves and reefs, supporting a huge range of wildlife. Kids can see nesting turtles, exotic quetzal birds, sloths, monkeys, crocs and toucans, often up close, and enjoy ziplines, canopy walks, hikes, rafting and kayaking – an exhilarating blend of nature and adventure.
Galapagos Islands
6. Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos are overflowing with wildlife, and it’s all harmless and unafraid of humans, making this a perfect place for kids. Punky marine iguanas that snort sea water are just the start; there are giant tortoises, sharks and the chance to snorkel with sea lions. A land based trip makes it easy to explore and avoids the potential seasickness or cabin fever of a cruise.
India
7. India
When it comes to wildlife in India, we’re all thinking the same thing: tigers. Multiple game drives in a handful of parks produce the best chance of a sighting, with lots of chital, sambar, monkeys and peacocks to enjoy, plus sloth bears and Indian bison if you’re lucky. There’s usually no age restriction on tiger safaris, but be sure little ones can handle chilly morning game drives, and understand that sightings are not guaranteed.
Namibia
8. Namibia
If you family prefers its big game complemented by adventure sports and startling desert landscapes, pick Namibia. Game viewing is fabulous here. Animals cluster around the water holes in Etosha National Park and elsewhere you’ll come across everything from gemsbok to seals and flamingos. Visit the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre to see cheetahs, and in between, scale giant sand dunes and camp in the desert.
South Africa
9. South Africa
South Africa has everything families could wish for. Amazing game – including the Big Five and rare wild dogs and white rhino – and numerous parks, many of which are malaria free. There are adventure sports to keep active teens chipper, too, from treetop canopy tours to rafting. You can also team a safari here with a beach break in Mozambique or Mauritius.
Tanzania
10. Tanzania
Flamingos and tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara, the Big Five ‘trapped’ within the Ngorongoro Crater, and the vast Serengeti plains where huge herds of wildebeest migrate – Tanzania delivers some of East Africa’s iconic wildlife sights. Lovely lodges with pools and the chance to learn about wildlife, conservation, land pressures, climate and local life completes the trip for young explorers.
Our top Family wildlife Vacation
Uganda wildlife vacation
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
£2650
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 14 Dec, 28 Dec
2021: 11 Jan, 25 Jan, 8 Feb, 22 Feb, 8 Mar, 22 Mar, 5 Apr, 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 Jun, 28 Jun, 12 Jul, 26 Jul, 9 Aug, 23 Aug, 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 15 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec, 27 Dec
2022: 10 Jan, 24 Jan, 7 Feb, 21 Feb, 7 Mar, 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 2 May, 16 May, 30 May, 13 Jun, 27 Jun
2020: 14 Dec, 28 Dec
2021: 11 Jan, 25 Jan, 8 Feb, 22 Feb, 8 Mar, 22 Mar, 5 Apr, 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 Jun, 28 Jun, 12 Jul, 26 Jul, 9 Aug, 23 Aug, 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 15 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec, 27 Dec
2022: 10 Jan, 24 Jan, 7 Feb, 21 Feb, 7 Mar, 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 2 May, 16 May, 30 May, 13 Jun, 27 Jun
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Family wildlife or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
More about Family wildlife
The best time to go on a family wildlife vacation is, obviously, during the school vacations.
At Responsible Travel, we don’t support zoos; we believe spotting wildlife in the wild is the best way to see it.
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.
More relevant guides
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Nadezhda1906] [Azores: Angela Compagnone]
[Borneo: JP Bennett]
[Botswana: Wynand Uys]
[Brazil: Marinelson Almeida - Traveling through Brazil]
[Costa Rica: travelmag.com]
[Galapagos Islands: Paul Krawczuk]
[India: Bernie Catterall]
[Namibia: Alan James Hendry]
[South Africa: Matthias Mullie]
[Tanzania: Martin Olsen]
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