UncategorizedThe first time I slept in a family safari tent, the thing that surprised me was not the canvas. It was how normal the night felt after the lamps went down. You hear the mess tent staff packing the last metal cups away. A genet walks across the guy ropes above you. Your kids are in the next room, not in a tent on the other side of camp.
So how do family tents work on a real Kenya trip? A family tent is not one standard room. In most Kenyan camps, it works in one of two ways. It is either an open plan suite under canvas or two separate en-suite tents joined by a covered walkway, a shared lounge, or a zippered connecting door. The second version is the one parents ask about most.
What a Family Tent Is
A family tent is bigger than a standard safari tent. It usually has a sleeping area, a small sitting area, and a bathroom. The walls are canvas. The floor can be wood, sisal matting, or raised decking. The roof has mesh windows that roll up for air. The front opens onto a veranda.
When a camp says family tent, it does not always mean the same layout. Some are one long room with three beds in a row. Others have a solid wall between the parents’ bed and the children’s beds. The best ones for a family of four or five give parents a real door and a private bathroom. Ask the camp to send a floor plan before you book.
Family Tent Layouts and Connecting Rooms
In the Masai Mara, many family tents are two standard tents joined by a short corridor. At a camp in Mara North or Naboisho, the parents’ tent might have a double bed and a small desk. The children’s tent might have two twin beds and a second bathroom. The corridor between them is zippered on both ends. This means the family shares one canvas roof but each part has its own exit.
In Amboseli and Laikipia, you see more open plan family suites. These have a master bed at one end and twin beds or bunks at the other. A low wall or privacy screen often separates the two sleep zones. Porini Amboseli Camp uses this style in its family tents. Lewa Wilderness and Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages also use connected rooms, though some of those are built of stone and canvas rather than pure tent.
The connecting door matters at night. If your six year old wakes up, you do not want to walk across a dark camp path. A zippered door inside the canvas lets you check on children without putting on shoes.
Sleeping Arrangements and Maximum Occupancy
Most safari family tents sleep four people comfortably. Some sleep five if the camp adds a camp bed or daybed. Two adults and two children is the standard layout. Two adults and three children often works in a larger open plan suite, but it is not automatic.
Bed types vary. Parents usually get a double or king bed. Children get twin beds, bunk beds, or a double that they share. Some camps can switch bedding before you arrive. If you need two doubles, say so early.
Maximum occupancy is not just about bed count. It is also about bathroom access and safety. A tent with three children may be crowded at 5:30 am when everyone is looking for socks. Some camps set a maximum of five people in a family tent. Others cap it at four. Always confirm the exact occupancy for your family size.
En-Suite Bathrooms, Hot Water, and Electricity
Most permanent family tents have an en-suite bathroom. The bathroom usually sits at the back of the tent. It has a flush toilet, a basin, and a shower. In some camps the shower is a bucket shower. A staff member fills a canvas bucket outside, and you pull a chain to release the water. In other camps, the shower runs from a solar tank.
Hot water is often available all day. Some camps ask you to tell them when you want a shower. They heat water with a wood boiler or solar panel. At 6 am before a game drive, hot water is usually ready. The pressure is lower than a hotel, but it is enough to wash off dust.
Electricity may be 24 hours from solar or generator. Many camps turn the generator off from around 10 pm to 5 am. You charge phones, cameras, and tablets in the main mess tent or in your tent during those hours. Some family tents have a charging strip on the desk. Others only charge devices in the lounge area. Bring a power bank for children’s devices.
The night toilet question is real. If children share the family tent bathroom, they do not need to go outside. If the family tent has a separate children’s bathroom, check which door leads to it. Some camps give a flashlight or lantern for midnight bathroom trips.
Space, Verandas, Lounges, and Family Privacy
Family tents often have a front veranda. It may have two canvas chairs and a small table. Some have a daybed large enough for an afternoon nap. The veranda is useful. Kids can play card games while parents read. You are still inside the tent’s line of sight.
A lounge inside the tent is less common. In open plan suites, one corner may hold a sofa or two chairs. In connected tents, the corridor sometimes doubles as a small sitting nook. Do not expect a separate living room. Space is measured in steps, not square metres.
Privacy varies by layout. A connected two-tent setup gives parents more acoustic privacy than an open plan suite. But it still shares canvas walls. If your child shouts from the bunk at midnight, you will hear it. Two separate standard tents are quieter. But they require walking outside after dark.
Child Age Policies and Safety in Unfenced Camps
Many Kenya safari camps accept children aged five and up. Some accept younger children in family tents. Others set a minimum age of eight or twelve, especially in walking or horseback areas. This is one reason to check whether children can join safari camps in Kenya before choosing a route.
Most safari camps in the Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Laikipia are unfenced. Buffalo, elephants, hyenas, and other animals can walk through camp at night. That is part of the safari. But it means family tents come with a safety briefing. An askari or camp guide escorts you after dark. Children do not walk alone to the bathroom or dining tent.
The briefing also covers tent zippers. Tents have double doors. The inner door is mesh. The outer door is canvas. Parents close both doors at night. Food is not kept in tents. No child walks barefoot in the grass before sunrise.
For more on the overall risk level, read this honest guide on how safe a Kenya safari is for families. The short answer is that camps manage risk well. But parents need to know the rules before arrival.
What Family Tents Include During a Safari
A family tent rate usually includes accommodation, meals, and safari activities. In private conservancies like Mara North, Naboisho, Selenkay, Lewa, or Ol Pejeta, the conservancy fee is often bundled into the lodge rate. Expect roughly USD 80 to 150 per person per night in those conservancy fees. In national parks, the entry fee is separate.
Current non-resident park fees matter. Masai Mara National Reserve is run by Narok County, not KWS. Its fee is USD 100 per adult per day from January to June. It rises to USD 200 per adult per day from July to December. Amboseli National Park, run by KWS, charges USD 90 per adult per day. Children often pay a lower fee or nothing, but confirm with the camp.
A family tent also includes meals. Breakfast is usually served after the early game drive or before if you skip it. Lunch is at camp. Dinner is in the mess tent or under the stars. Some mobile camps include a bush breakfast on longer game drives. If you want to understand what those mobile camp rates cover, look at what Kenya mobile camp rates include.
Examples of Family Tents in Kenya
| Camp | Area | Family tent layout | Indicative family rate per night, full board | Nearest airstrip or drive time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porini Amboseli Camp | Selenkay Conservancy, next to Amboseli | Open plan family tent or two connected tents | USD 700 to 1,200 for four | Amboseli airstrip, 45 min flight from Nairobi, 10 min drive |
| Lewa Wilderness | Lewa Conservancy | Two-bedroom family suite with one bathroom | USD 900 to 1,500 for four | Lewa Downs airstrip, 45 min flight from Nairobi |
| Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages | Ol Pejeta Conservancy | Family cottage with master room and twin room | USD 450 to 800 for four | Nanyuki airstrip, 1 hour flight from Nairobi, 30 min drive |
| A Mara North camp | Mara North Conservancy | Two en-suite tents joined by a covered corridor | USD 800 to 1,600 for four | Mara North airstrip, 50 min flight from Nairobi, 15 min drive |
These are indicative ranges. Rates change by season and child age. A family tent is often priced as a package for the whole tent, not per adult. Sometimes children aged under 12 get a reduced rate. Always ask whether park plus conservancy fees are in the total or billed separately.
Family Tent Versus Two Standard Tents
| Factor | Family tent | Two standard tents |
|---|---|---|
| Night cost for four | Often one tent rate, e.g. USD 700 to 1,200 in Amboseli or Mara North conservancies | Two double or twin tents at adult rates, often USD 1,000 to 1,600 combined |
| Bathroom | One or two en-suite bathrooms within the same canvas | Each tent has its own en-suite |
| Night access | Parents and children under one roof or one zippered corridor | Children are 5 to 15 m away across camp |
| Privacy | Shared lounge or veranda, less sound separation | More sound separation, more walking at night |
| Current park fees | Same per adult. Masai Mara USD 100 Jan-Jun, USD 200 Jul-Dec. Amboseli USD 90. | Same per adult |
A family tent is almost never cheaper than two basic standard tents. It is about connection and convenience. If your children are young, the connected tent wins. If you have older teenagers, two separate tents can work well. The math changes if the camp offers a child rate in the family tent.
What to Expect at Night in a Safari Tent
The first hour after dinner is the loudest. Staff walk past with torches. The generator may still be on. By 10 pm, the camp goes quiet. You hear insects, an owl, sometimes a lion far off.
Canvas moves in the wind. It can sound louder than a brick wall. Kids often sleep deeply after a day of dust and game drives. Bring a small white noise machine if your child is a light sleeper.
At 5 am, a staff member may call your name outside the tent for the wake up. Coffee, tea, and biscuits arrive on the veranda or in the lounge. You get dressed by lamplight. The bathroom light may be solar powered and dim. Lay out shoes and sun hats the night before.
How Do Family Tents Work During Game Drives and Camp Routines
Most family safaris use a private vehicle. That means your game drive leaves when your children are ready. It also means you can return to the tent if a child melts down. In a shared vehicle, the schedule is fixed. Ask about private vehicle rates when you book.
Morning game drives usually start at 6:15 or 6:30. You get back around 9:30 for breakfast. The middle of the day is hot. Children rest in the family tent, read on the veranda, or swim if the camp has a pool. Then you go out again at 4 pm and return at dusk.
Lunch is served in camp. Some camps pack a picnic if you stay out all day. If you have a baby or toddler, confirm that the family tent is close enough to the mess tent for a midday nap. A tent far from the dining area can feel like a hike at noon.
Questions to Ask Before Booking
Ask for a floor plan and a photo of the bathroom. Ask whether the tent has two bathrooms or one. Ask the maximum occupancy. Ask if children can use a camp bed in the parents’ room. Ask if the tent is fenced from the mess tent walkway. Ask who walks you back after dark. Ask if the shower has a hot water schedule. Ask if food is allowed in the tent for a child’s bedtime snack.
These questions are not fussy. They are the difference between a peaceful night and a long one. A good camp answers all of them in one email.
The BestCamp Safaris Difference
We choose camps where the family tent is not an afterthought. We send you the exact bed layout and bathroom plan before you book. We ask about ages, night toilets, food fussiness, and what time your youngest wakes up. We set a pace that works for a five year old, not a fifteen year old. We also tell you which camps have family tents close to the mess tent and which ones sit far down an unlit path.
That camp level detail matters more than a checklist of animals. It is the part parents remember most.
Plan the trip with BestCamp Safaris. Tell us the ages of your children and how many beds you need. We will match you with a camp where the family tent actually works for your crew. Contact BestCamp Safaris.
