Planning a safari. Updated November 2026. 3 min read.
Teenagers are often the most rewarding safari travelers. They notice everything, ask the questions adults are too polite to ask and remember it for life. The trick is variety: a week of five-hour game drives will lose them; a trip where they walk, cycle, meet Kenyans their age and finish on a beach will not.
Things teenagers love
- Cycling among zebra and giraffe in Hell's Gate National Park
- A walking safari with a Maasai or Samburu guide, where the camp allows their age
- Rhinos, and the sanctuary for chimpanzees, at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- The Sheldrick elephant orphanage and the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi
- A balloon flight over the Mara
- A school visit or a run with athletes in Iten
- Snorkelling, kitesurfing or dhow sailing on the coast
Pacing
- Arrive slowly: two nights in Nairobi to get over jet lag
- Mix long drives with flights; an hour's flight to the Mara saves a day
- Plan a rest afternoon every two or three days
- Book a private vehicle so you set the pace
A sample 12 days
- Days 1 and 2: Nairobi, elephants, giraffes, the national park
- Days 3 and 4: Naivasha and Hell's Gate by bike
- Days 5 to 7: Ol Pejeta for rhinos, or the Maasai Mara
- Days 8 to 11: Diani or Watamu
- Day 12: Home
When they want to go on their own
From 16, young people can join KESCA: three weeks across Kenya with Kenyan peers, service, Swahili and supervision. Families often use a family safari as the first trip and KESCA as the second.
