Destinations in Africa & Arabia

Africa & Arabia family holidays

The African continent, combined with the Arabian Peninsula, offers a scale of adventure that is hard to match. Africa’s greatest drawcards are its breathtaking diversity and vibrant cultures, alongside the legendary wildlife of the east and south. This vast region stretches further still, encompassing the golden desert dunes of the Arabian Peninsula and the ancient wonders of Jordan.

Most famous for its souqs and mosques, Atlas Mountains and vast tracts of the Saharan Desert, Morocco is a fascinating and mesmerising country to explore. Exotic, colourful and welcoming, it’s also a surprise how close this North African country is to Europe, with coastlines on the Mediterranean and Atlantic!

Moving east, another hugely popular holiday destination for families is Egypt. Most come to bring the history books to life and see the Great Pyramids, Sphinx and other archaeological wonders such as the Valley of the Kings or Karnak Temple for themselves. There are abundant other adventures too, such as hot-air ballooning and desert camel trekking.

The Middle Eastern kingdom of Jordan has been a cultural magnet for millennia. Most who visit here do so to see the magnificent monument of Petra, and the desert scenery of Wadi Rum, floating in the Dead Sea or staying overnight with the Bedouin nomads are all just as fascinating for families.

Dubai might be Oman’s more visited and glitzier neighbour, but for desert adventure, safe country travel and phenomenal mountain scenery, our money’s on Oman. The coastline is pristine, the desert starkly beautiful, and the welcome unrivalled.

At one time, mainstream African travel meant these two East African big-hitters, Kenya and Tanzania. Both are very much world-class safari destinations still, offering phenomenal wildlife spotting, Out of Africa-style desert camps and the opportunity for paradise beach R&R.

For those wanting a different kind of wildlife, landscapes and cultural experience, head to the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, where there’s far more than lemurs (cute though they are) on an every-day-is-different travel itinerary.

Further south in sub-Saharan Africa find safari country and more. In Botswana, you’ll explore Chobe with its huge elephant herds and the pristine wildlife-rich Okavango Delta, which can be experienced from traditional dug-out canoes. In Namibia, there’s Etosha National Park for wildlife spotting and exhilarating dune activities around Sossusvlei, as well as self-drive discovery along the Skeleton Coast.

And at the tip of the continent, South Africa, is a fabulous safari option too (think Kruger and KwaZulu-Natal), but far from its only draw. As well, enjoy a jetlag-free smorgasbord of family-friendly adventure, from Cape Town, along the Garden Route and beyond. Zimbabwe, too, after many years off the travel map, is once again gaining popularity as a top safari destination, and a visit to Victoria Falls is not to be missed.

For gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the equatorial African islands of São Tomé and Principe, Zambia, Ghana and Ethiopia, see our more off-the-beaten-track options in our Other Destinations section.

And for a more in-depth summary of some of our Africa family holidays, check out our Guide to Family Travel in Africa – Where & Why. We’d be delighted to help plan the right family holiday in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula or the Middle East for you and your family. Do get in touch.