You know the old saying that you can pick your friends but not your family? We get that. But we also get that it's really important to spend quality time with them every once in a while in an effort to like them better and love them more! Where better to do this than in the African wilderness on a family safari, where if someone gets really irritating you can just strap a leg of lamb to them and send them off into the wide, wild yonder... No? Ok then, we'll play nice and give you some better options for a multi-generational family safari extraordinaire. So grab grandma and gramps, aunty Ethel, uncle Bob and the kids and let's go wild!



Joking aside, "we" time is important, especially when it comes to the people closest to you who you tend to spend the least amount of it with. Stuck in the daily routine with just weekends to juggle much-needed downtime with activities (especially if you have younger kids) it's often impossible to get everyone you love together in one place at one time.

Enter the African safari and us clever clogs safari geniuses who can put together amazing itineraries that enable families to have fun together in far off places where hair can be let down, the kids can be let loose and there's enough space for everyone to just let go. And have fun. 

Homes from home...

We use a network of private safari villas and small intimate camps that are booked out on an exclusive-use basis, giving your family the complete run of the place without having to worry about offending anyone that isn't related to them. Fully inclusive so that all you have to do is choose what to wear (or not), these often sumptuous homes-from-home in wonderfully wild locations come with their own team of staff, private safari vehicles, chefs and all-round fixers dedicated to making your family vacay the best it can be. 

So let's look at some of the options (and our personal family faves!)...

Stay together, play together (nicely)

As an intro here, family safaris no longer mean mum, dad and the kids. These days they mean extended families with lots of generations, from grandparents, aunts and uncles to cousins and grandkids. We're peppering our selections with options for small family groups and whopping great families with older, more wrinkly members and pesky rugrats as well. 

So here goes...

South Africa

In South Africa we just LOVE Morukuru with its fabulous family safari houses based in Madikwe Game Reserve in North West Province and salivatingly gorgeous beach houses in De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape. 

Offering specialised, bespoke activities for children of all ages (and adults too) at both destinations, Morukuru gets a big fat thumbs up from us for creating truly special family focussed safari options. Choose from Morukuru Owner's House, Morukuru River House and Morukuru Farm House on Madikwe or Morukuru Ocean House and Morukuru Beach House on De Hoop.

Then there's the simply stunning Tarkuni Homestead at Tswalu Kalahari in South Africa's breathtaking Northern Cape. Sleeping up to 10 people in five dribble-inducing, knockout suites under one, massive roof, this is one of the best family safari houses in the business. 

With its own boma, loads of space to spread out and find your family zen and a full team dedicated to making your every wish come true (and a snack pantry filled with home-fresh goodies - so don't be dieting when you're in residence!) safari heaven looks pretty much like this.

Zambia

Up in Zambia's phenomenal Lower Zambezi valley sits a safari house with its own unique style - the inimitable Chongwe House. We think of it as the termite house because of its unusual, free-flow architecture that doesn't feature a single straight line and makes it look like it just grew out of the surrounding wilderness! 

Located on the banks of the Chongwe River opposite the Lower Zambezi National Park, the house has four huge en-suite bedrooms (two up, two down) with their own private verandah areas and a completely open living room-cum-dining room overlooking a sweeping pool deck under towering riparian trees. 

It comes with a team of dedicated staff, a chef and private guide and its own open safari vehicle, boat and kayaks for forays out onto the mighty Zambezi or just pootling along the Chongwe. There's so much to do, from fishing for tilapia along the Chongwe or battling tiger fish out on the Zambezi to bush walks, game drives and even fly-camping at Chongwe's special overnight camp high in the foothills of the Lower Zambezi escarpment. It's summed up in one word - superlative. Look it up if you're not convinced! 

Also in the Lower Zambezi is Amanzi - a small camp with just four gorgeous tents on the Zambezi's Ngwenya Channel. It's perfect for extended families who want to take over their own intimate safari camp and have the place to themselves for a few days.

Zimbabwe

In neighbouring Zimbabwe, just a stone's throw from the glorious Victoria Falls, there's Matestsi River House - a four-bedroom safari palace on the banks of the Zambezi in the 55,000ha Matesti Private Game Reserve which has just over 14km of riverfront all to itself. 

This stunning riverside home has enough space for everyone and can easily be combined with Matetsi's gorgeous family suites for groups larger than eight. It has its own chef, butler, private safari guide and vehicle for forays into the surrounding wilderness and offers privately guided tours of the falls to boot. 

Mozambique

Next up is the drop-dead gorgeous Villa da Praia at Santorini in Mozambique... With its views of the impossibly turquoise Bazaruto Archipelago and accessed via the quaint town of Villanculos, this private beach villa is perfect for families in need of some serious beach action.

With three suites on different levels, each with whopping great beds, gorgeous décor and super-duper bathrooms, if you don't go all barefoot, windswept, suntanned and interesting while staying here there's absolutely something wrong somewhere...

Providing more shades of blue than your eye can imagine, Villa da Praia is relaxation in beach villa form with a dedicated host to take care of your every whim and make sure the whole fandamily has a first-class dose of sun, sea and sand. 

Get the lowdown and get in touch...

Want to drag your family to Africa on the adventure of a lifetime? Kicking and screaming if you have to? We're waiting for your call! We'll leave you with a taster and this amazing itinerary!