Tips for Planning a Safari in Kenya with Kids

“Give your kids experiences, not things.” Truer words have never been uttered. We want all our kids to have life experiences that have real meaning, that will impact them (and you) for a lifetime. Nothing does that better than a family safari. The cultural, educational, and just plain fun factors are all off the charts!

With Micato, you won’t need to worry about picking where to travel or what places to book. If you aren’t sure how to go about formulating your next great family vacation, our Safari Specialists at Micato are here to help with every little detail so you will have nothing to worry about. We’ll cover a few important aspects to consider so your Kenya safari with kids becomes a trip your whole family will remember for life.

First, Think About How You Want to Safari

We’re not a one size fits all outfit. From Classic to Private to Custom, we’ve got a luxury African safari solution for every family. The question is, which one is best suited for your family? Let’s run through the options together, shall we?

Classic Safaris

The ultimate original, our Classic Safari collection provides unparalleled experiences for you and your family. Five of our classic safaris explore Kenya, in addition to other regions, so the choice of which one to embark on ultimately lies with you. The Micato Grand Safari will provide your kids with a classic, yet lavish, safari experience, while The Hemingway Wing Safari will have them exploring old Africa in style. Keep in mind, any safari in our Classic Safari collection can be made private for your group. If you elect to not go the private route, there will be other safari guests joining in on the experience with you.

The great thing about safari is that you never know who might be along for the adventure, meaning both you and your children stand the chance to meet some new friends along the way. Choosing one of our Classic Safari offerings will introduce you to new things in more ways than one.

Private Classic Safaris

Privacy can be fairly important for family vacations, which is where our Private Classic safari collection comes in. Take any Classic Safari option and make it Private Classic for your family. This way, you’ll be able to travel with your family at your own pace, with your own vehicles, Driver/Guides, and Safari Director all to yourselves. These private safaris are perfect for families big or small.

Custom Safaris

Our Custom Safaris are all about personalization. Opting for a Custom Safari gives you the chance to handcraft a unique experience from top to bottom. In short, all of Micato’s Africa is your oyster when it comes to putting together your custom adventure.

Plus, going custom allows you the opportunity to involve your kids in the planning process as well. What better way to get them pumped up for the journey than by letting them have a say in what they’ll do when they actually get there? Count on us to help you put together a trip featuring the best spots Kenya has to offer. Being in the safari industry for over 50 years allows us to provide insider access like no other.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot to see and do when visiting Kenya, so we understand it might be difficult to narrow down which adventure is the right fit for your family. Thankfully, that’s what we’re here for so don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation to speak with a Micato Safari Specialist. Simply let us know what you’d like to see and do during your trip, and we’ll help you put everything together.

Prepare Your Kids for an Experience Like No Other

After finalizing the plans for your vacation, your family will likely be buzzing with safari excitement. In the time leading up to your departure, make efforts to prepare your kids for an extraordinary experience. After all, embarking on an African safari with Micato is different than other safaris. For one, you won’t have to be “unplugged” during your stay in Kenya, unless, of course, you want to! With us, you’re always connected. Not only do we offer free wi-fi at all camps but our safari vehicles have complimentary wi-fi as well. This means the stellar photographs you capture while out in the bush can be shared right away, with both your friends and social media, as opposed to having to wait until you find a decent wi-fi signal to flaunt your time with us.

Prep your kids for an educational experience too. When you pitch a vacation as educational, you might see your kids’ excitement levels go from 100 to zero. With Micato Safaris, though, education is thrilling. When you’re out exploring with your Safari Director, the drives are delightful. There is so much to observe and learn while out on safari, and our Safari Directors will keep your kids engaged throughout the entire experience. Whether it’s a fun game to pass the time or meeting members of a Maasai tribe, safaris with Micato are never dull. Imagine their excitement when they spot their first lion? And, who knows, perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to have a cheetah perch on the roof of your safari vehicle for a better view. The list of incredible experiences that await is truly endless.

As you’ve likely surmised, going on a Micato Safari isn’t typical. From soaring in a hot air balloon for an aerial safari to joining Micato founders, Felix and Jane Pinto, at their home in Nairobi for a welcome meal, there is so much to see and do in Kenya.

In addition to that, venturing to Kenya with Micato is a great time to show your kids what a difference they can make in the lives of other children. For every safari booked with us, our Micato-AmericaShare programmes send a child in need to school. When you safari with Micato you will see the difference you’re making in the lives of Kenyan children. It will instill a sense of pride in your kids that their vacation means a child can fulfill their potential.

Pack Smart

If you’re looking for expert counsel, follow the packing advice of Joy Phelan-Pinto, Micato’s Executive Director and member of the founding Pinto family. After all, packing for a trip to Kenya isn’t exactly the same as packing for a quick weekend getaway. In fact, you’ll probably want to make a list of all the essential items you’ll need to bring along just to ensure you don’t miss anything vital.

We recommend comfortable and casual clothing for your time spent with us in Africa. You should throw in some layers too, light jackets and sweaters for instance, as the early mornings and nights can be rather cool. Choose your items wisely, however, as the weight limit for the internal flights in Africa is 33 pounds and overpacking will do you zero favours. Keep in mind that when travelling with Micato, we include laundry service every day on safari, unlike other operators who only include laundry in some locations on certain days.

Remember, you won’t have to bring along or pack your own snacks for safari rides either. Micato Safaris’ vehicles are always stocked with cold drinks, snacks, binoculars, and field guides to occupy all travellers and deepen their safari experience. We’ll provide you with some quality luggage too, as we’ve teamed up with Marmot to create a stylish safari duffel designed specifically for bush planes. We have a lot of your bases covered when you choose to vacation with us, but what you put in your bag is your choice to make. Pack smartly and we promise you’ll be good to go.

In Conclusion

When booking a family safari with Micato, we cover all your bases. After all, we’re the experts! The only thing we can’t claim responsibility for is what you decide to put in your suitcase. Just promise to leave all the difficult stuff to us and simply focus on having a phenomenal time with your kids and family.

Like we said before, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions regarding your trip. We vow to put together a luxury African safari in Kenya that’ll blow your kids’ minds. We look forward to seeing you soon!