Family guide
Our family travel guide conjures up what we rate & what we don’t as well as an awesome section entitled out of the mouths of babes which gives you a family holidays travel guide from the mind set of eight to fifteen year olds.
Best time to go on a family wildlife holiday
African safaris in the summer hols, exploring Costa Rica at Christmas – there is plenty of wildlife for families to see during the school holidays.
Obviously, if your children are school age, the best time to go on a family wildlife holiday is during the school holidays. 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.
Our Family wildlife Holidays
Family safari in Namibia
Climb the highest sand dunes in the world
From
£2899 to £3549
15 days
inc UK flights
Uganda wildlife holiday
This you cannot miss while in Uganda -The wild and beautiful!
From
US $2550
8 days
ex flights
Madagascar family adventure holiday
Unique family adventures in Madagascar
From
£2495 to £2795
14 days
ex flights
Botswana family adventure
A true African adventure for all the family!
From
US $4940
11 days
ex flights
Borneo holiday, Land of the Orang Utan
Discover Borneo's magical combination of unique wildlife
From
£2415 to £2799
12 days
inc UK flights
Family Kenya safari & beach holiday, tailormade
Luxury tailormade safari and beach holidays in Kenya
From
£2845 to £3510
13 days
ex flights
Family holiday to Sri Lanka
Explore Sri Lanka with the family
From
£2049 to £3029
14 days
inc UK flights
South African safaris for families with teenagers
Visit the famous Kruger National Park and Zulu villages
From
£1080 to £1310
12 days
ex flights
Exciting family holiday in Tanzania
A family holiday for all ages including the best of Tanzania
From
£2395 to £2785
13 days
ex flights
Galapagos family holiday
Follow in the footsteps of Darwin on this family holiday
From
£1705 to £2034
8 days
ex flights
Kenya and Tanzania family safari, small group
Take a walk on the wild side in Kenya and Tanzania
From
£1088 to £1325
8 days
ex flights
Kenya and Tanzania safaris
Follow the amazing wildebeest migration tracks in Serengeti
From
US $2297 to US $4706
10 days
ex flights
Family wildlife and activity holiday in Scotland
Tailor-made wildlife and active holiday in Perthshire
From
£399
7 days
ex flights
Family holiday to South Africa & Swaziland
Kruger, Swaziland and Durban with the family
From
£2230 to £3199
14 days
inc UK 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
Tiger watching holiday in India
A chance to see the majestic tiger in the wild
From
£725 to £950
9 days
ex flights
Blue whale Azores family holiday
Best time to see the Blue, Humpback and Fin Whales
From
£655 to £695
7 days
ex flights
Family swimming with dolphins in the Azores
A family focused adventure and experience of a lifetime.
From
£675
7 days
ex flights
Family whale & dolphin watching holiday, Azores
A family educational adventure and experience of a lifetime.
From
£750 to £825
7 days
ex flights
Botswana family Safari with teenagers holiday
See some of the world’s greatest waterfalls and wildlife
From
£863 to £1115
10 days
ex flights
Borneo family holiday to see Orangutans
Come face to face with orangutans
From
£1232 to £1500
11 days
ex flights
India family holiday, Taj, Tigers and Temples
Discover the highlights of Northern India
From
£1699 to £2049
11 days
inc UK flights
Costa Rica family adventure holiday
See all the highlights of Costa Rica
From
£1211 to £1455
9 days
ex flights
Family wildlife holiday in China
Experience China's beautiful and diverse wildlife
From
£2345 to £2695
18 days
ex flights
Zambia family safari holiday
Wildlife-watching, national parks & Victoria Falls
From
£20200
15 days
ex flights
Zimbabwe tailor made holidays
A journey through Zimbabwe's most iconic wildlife habitats
From
£5145
13 days
inc UK 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
Borneo family holiday, tailor made
13 day Family Holiday - Wildlife, Apes & beaches of Borneo
From
£1950
13 days
ex flights
South Africa family adventure holiday, tailor made
Family self-drive holiday, featuring whales & wildlife
From
£1400
11 days
ex flights
Sarawak family holiday
An action-packed holiday got the whole family to enjoy!
From
£898
9 days
ex flights
Christmas holidays
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 holiday coincides with the country’s driest, sunniest weather.
You can visit Tanzania for wildlife in the Christmas holidays. 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 holiday coincides with the country’s driest, sunniest weather.
You can visit Tanzania for wildlife in the Christmas holidays. 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 holiday 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 holidays
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 holidays 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 holidays 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 Family wildlife Holiday
Family safari in Namibia
Climb the highest sand dunes in the world
From
£2899 to £3549
15 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2019: 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 17 Aug, 14 Dec
2020: 9 Apr, 11 Apr, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 13 Aug, 15 Aug, 12 Dec
2019: 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 17 Aug, 14 Dec
2020: 9 Apr, 11 Apr, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 13 Aug, 15 Aug, 12 Dec
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Family wildlife or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Summer holidays
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 holiday 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 holiday 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 holiday.More about Family wildlife
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 holiday that will have every member giddy with excitement.
Introducing the kids to the world’s wildlife is easy on a specialist family holiday 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 holiday 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 holidays 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 holidays advice, straight from our expert suppliers and tour operators.
More relevant guides
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Nadezhda1906] [Intro: IIP Photo Archive]
[Christmas holidays: Simon Matzinger]
[Easter holidays: Bernie Catterall]
[Summer holidays: Chen Hu]
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