Planning a Masai Mara safari with a baby or toddler? Here’s everything you need to know — including which camps offer babysitting so you don’t have to choose between the game drive and the nursery.
Taking Young Children on a Masai Mara Safari
The Masai Mara is one of the world’s great wildlife destinations — and one of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Chalo Africa is: can I bring my infant or toddler?
The short answer is yes, but with meticulous planning. The longer answer is that the Mara’s game drive culture is primarily set up for older children. Most camps in both the Main Reserve and the surrounding conservancies do not permit children under five years of age on shared game drives. Those that make exceptions almost always require you to book a private vehicle — which means your own guide, your own vehicle, and complete flexibility over your timing and pace. This does work out to be quite expensive, generally costing between US $500 – $600 per day as additional fees.
This is not just a formality. Game drives in the Mara begin before dawn and can last four to six hours. The terrain is rough, the hours are long, and wild animals — particularly during the Great Migration — can behave unpredictably. It is genuinely not the right environment for a very young child.
What this means in practice is that families traveling with babies or toddlers face a choice: keep one adult back at camp while the other goes on safari, or find a camp that offers in-camp babysitting, so both adults can head out together.
Several camps across the Mara and its conservancies offer babysitting or child-minding services, usually at a nominal additional hourly or daily cost. At the better properties, a dedicated child carer will look after your little one in or near your family tent — ensuring meals, naps, and playtime are taken care of while you are out on the plains.
Below, we’ve listed the camps that currently offer child-minding services, organized by cost across both the Main Reserve and the private conservancies.
Masai Mara Main Reserve & Triangle — Camps with Babysitting
These camps sit within or immediately adjacent to the reserve boundaries.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Mid-Range (under US $1,000 per person per night)
- Mara Serena Safari Lodge: Mara Serena is one of the larger, more established properties, perched high on a hill in the Mara Triangle. They reliably offer in-room babysitting with prior notice. We tend to recommend Mara Serena primarily for families who are traveling with their own private vehicle and guide to maximize flexibility. Thus, a road safari (and not a fly-in safari) is recommended for guests wanting to stay at Mara Serena.
Classic Safari (US $1,000–$1,500 per person per night)
- &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp: Kichwa Tembo is one of the most family-friendly classic safari camps in the region. &Beyond is famous for its “WILDchild” program, and their staff is highly accommodating to tiny travelers. The camp sits on a private concession on the edge of the Oloololo Escarpment, offering excellent access to the northern Mara. Babysitting is available at an additional cost and should be requested at the time of booking.
- Governors’ Camp: One of the oldest and most storied camps in the Mara, Governors’ has been hosting safari families since 1972. Nestled in a riverine forest along the winding banks of the Mara River, they have the infrastructure and long-standing staff experience to handle babies and toddlers exceptionally well.
Luxury (US $1,500+ per person per night)
- &Beyond Bateleur Camp: Bateleur is &Beyond’s more exclusive, intimate Mara property. It shares the same exceptional location and guiding standards as Kichwa Tembo but features a quieter, more luxurious feel. Professional babysitting can easily be arranged here with their highly trained team.
- A&K Sanctuary Olonana: Olonana sits on a dramatic, private stretch of the Mara River where hippos wallow right below the decks. It features magnificent, modern glass-and-canvas architectural suites and offers robust babysitting services, making it an incredible luxury escape for young families.
Mara Conservancies — Camps with Babysitting
The private conservancies surrounding the Main Reserve — like Mara North and Naboisho — offer a far more exclusive game-viewing experience with strict vehicle limits.
Mara North Conservancy
- Ngare Serian Camp (Luxury — US $1,500+): Ngare Serian is an ultra-exclusive, beautifully run tented property on the banks of the Mara River, accessed via a narrow rope bridge. With only four tents, it is perfectly sized for an intimate family retreat and offers dedicated, highly attentive child-minding services.
Mara Naboisho Conservancy
- Basecamp Wilderness (Classic Safari — US $1,000–$1,500): A deeply peaceful property with exceptional community conservation credentials, set tucked away in the predator-rich Naboisho Conservancy. Operating under the Saruni Basecamp umbrella, this camp can easily accommodate babysitting requests and is ideal for families seeking a grounded, low-impact safari experience.
- Basecamp Masai Mara (Mid-Range — under US $1,000): Situated just across the Talek River boundary, this is the historic flagship eco-camp of the Saruni Basecamp group. It offers reliable babysitting services and features an interactive, welcoming environment that works wonderfully for a multi-camp family itinerary.
Practical Notes for Families Traveling with Infants
- Book babysitting well in advance: While these properties have staff capable of child-minding, it is always subject to personnel availability. Confirm your childcare requirements at the time of booking, never upon arrival.
- Private vehicles are non-negotiable: Even if a camp technically allows a toddler on a shared vehicle, save yourself the stress. A private vehicle allows you to head back to camp early if a meltdown happens, manage feeding schedules, and move entirely at your child’s pace.
- Pack for the elements: The Mara is dusty, incredibly sunny at midday, and surprisingly freezing during early morning game drives. Bring baby-safe high-SPF sunscreen, plenty of warm layers, a high-quality baby carrier for walking around camp, and a white-noise machine to mask the sounds of the bush during nap times.
Planning a Mara Safari with Young Children?
At Chalo Africa, we specialize in tailoring our East Africa safaris, including custom family itineraries for guests traveling with infants and toddlers. We know exactly which camps take their babysitting arrangements seriously, which guides have the most patience with young families, and how to pace your trip so everyone has a magical time.
Get in touch to start planning your family Mara safari.
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