Kenya Family Safari | Panoramas & Oasis | 6 Nights Luxury Kenya Safari Safari

Our family of four quickly settled into our beautiful family villa at Saruni Samburu – overlooking a pristine private conservancy bordering the Samburu National Reserve – with my youngest already clamouring to try out the Warriors Academy. Although it was tempting to let the kids go on their own, we also wanted to become Samburu warriors for the day! My teenage daughter started off too cool to participate, but it wasn’t long before our moran – or warrior – drew everyone in, and we were all throwing spears and firing arrows, scrambling to be the first to find edible and medicinal plants. After a lazy morning in – the kids went swimming under the watchful eyes of staff – we enjoyed brunch served on our deck. An afternoon game drive through Kenya’s arid north, scheduled just for us, allowed us to practice our newfound warrior skills as a family. We tracked some of the Samburu Special Five (and had to promise the kids that we’d find them all before the end of our Samburu safari just so we could return for another delicious dinner at our villa!), spotted several elephant and even saw a leopard draped over a tree branch! We woke at dawn on our third day, although the kids rose only on the promise of tea, biscuits and a camel trekking adventure to experience the Samburu – Lawrence of Arabia style. Surprisingly, although my partner was hesitant, my teenage daughter was first ‘aboard’, tossing her hair as if it was no big deal. Then we sloped off, swaying awkwardly with our hairy mounts, while my son chattered non-stop until he grew dozy with the tinkling of camel bells. We saw elephant in the semi-desert, all kinds of birdlife, and ticked off the remaining Samburu Special Five, ending off our special day with a gourmet picnic.

A short transfer from Saruni Samburu took us to open plains of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Sirikoi House, our family’s home away from home for the next three days. We relaxed and pottered around our master cottage, while the kids – already settled into their two-bedroomed suite – helped collect eggs and fresh vegetables from the garden for a wholesome meal prepared by our private chef. We enjoyed lunch in the open-air dining cottage, with the jagged peaks of Mount Kenya a picturesque backdrop, laughing as both children made friends with a tame giraffe. While my daughter spent the afternoon horseriding with the private guide, my son enjoyed the children’s swimming pool, giving us some valuable couple’s time before we all reconvened for bush sundowners. In high spirits (even after a dawn breakfast!), our family boarded the chopper that flew us over Kenya’s north. We soared over the treetops, spotting elephant at a waterhole, and up and over the Rift Valley Escarpment. Agog with excitement, my son told us that he was going to be a helicopter pilot! Meanwhile, my daughter was most impressed with the soda lake covered in pink flamingo, after all pink is her favourite colour! After flying over the jade waters of Lake Turkana, we stopped to picnic before the last leg of our helicopter safari and the awe-inspiring sight of Mount Kenya. Our third day at Sirikoi House was spent exploring Kenya’s untamed wilderness with the help of our knowledgeable guide, Legei, who patiently answered our endless questions on our morning game drive – leaving us thankful that we had our own vehicle and nobody else to disturb. While we enjoyed a romantic couple’s spa treatment, Legei spent hours teaching the kids how to make a bow and arrow and to hone their tracking skills. The air was abuzz with chatter when we all met again, thrilled to share our adventures over another tasty dinner created by our chef. For our final morning at Sirikoi House, we opted for a forest walk. We were pleased to count an incredible 25 different types of birds flitting between the trees before it was our turn to fly, all the way back home.

Our family safari gave our family ample opportunity to explore Kenya’s arid, remote and wild north. With the incredible flexibility and first-rate service provided at both luxury family villas we’d chosen, we really were able to slow down and appreciate all that this wonderful country has to offer. Knowing that this safari visited only low-risk malaria areas gave us peace of mind, as did the full complement of friendly staff at both villas, who ensured that everything was seamless, enjoyable and worry-free, even taking our children on special activities so that we could have some time on our own. We really could do as much, or as little, as we wished, staying at our villa to soak in the breathtaking views, to laze around the pool or to indulge in spa treatments. Of course, we loved the family-friendly activities too, and the Warriors Academy, private game drives, walking safaris and helicopter excursions offered just the right amount of drama and excitement to keep all ages entertained. Our safari was also educational – we returned home with a much greater understanding of Kenya’s conservation challenges, and how they’re being addressed. Knowing how critically endangered rhino is, it meant a great deal to us that our children were able to witness this majestic creature roaming freely when other generations may not – a fact that had my daughter in tears. We went on cultural visits – where the whole family was thrilled to discover Samburu and Turkana culture – and saw first-hand how each of the establishments we stayed at cooperates with local communities to conserve the environment and wildlife, while also preserving the rich local heritage of local tribes.