Travelling with children needn’t mean choosing less-adventurous and culturally blander destinations. We’ve analysed data from Tripadvisor to reveal which countries offer the most immersive cultural holidays for families to inspire bolder decisions for your next big adventure. Below, our specialists explain why these locations are so popular with culture-seeking families, and how you can get the most from your visit.
Best destination for cultural family holidays: India
By India specialist Carol
India is a melting pot of cultures, religions, tastes, sights, and sounds. But, far from being overwhelmed by sensorial overload, I find children seem to revel in the colourful sights — it tends to keep them engaged in their surroundings. They’re also treated like royalty wherever they go. And, with plenty of things to do for all ages along with expert driver-guides leading you seamlessly from place to place, visiting India with your family is often far easier than you might think.
Experiences I like to recommend for families include tracking tigers in the national parks, sleeping on a houseboat on Kerala’s backwaters, riding tuk-tuks through the heart of Jaipur, and experiencing the different street foods of Old Delhi with a guide.
Because India has so many religions, it also gives you an opportunity to learn more about each one and celebrate their traditions. You can help prepare community food in a Sikh gurdwara, marvel at intricately carved Hindu temples, or listen out for the Muslim call to prayer.
Younger children might appreciate riding the Shimla Toy Train through the Himalayan foothills, or winding through the Chandni Chowk Bazaar in Old Delhi on a cycle rickshaw. Older teens, meanwhile, often love wandering Calcutta with a professional photographer, in search of the ultimate influencer shot.
Wildlife safaris leave cultural snapshots in everyone’s minds, as open-topped vehicles wind you through traditional villages where you might see women carrying water pots on their heads, their saris blowing in the warm wind, and dhoti-clad men herding goats. Then, you’ll explore Jungle Book-worthy national park settings — think abandoned forts, chattering monkeys, and elusive big cats.
Best destination for family food and drink activities: Japan
By Japan specialist James
Japan has a distinct culinary culture and is among the most family-friendly holiday destinations, in my eyes. From snacking on onigiri, okonomiyaki, and ramen to joining expertly guided Tokyo street-food tours, creative cooking classes, and traditional ceremonies, food plays a major part of any family trip to Japan no matter the age of your children.
As a start-point, I could arrange for one of Tokyo’s leading sushi chefs to give you a tour of their kitchens and a private introduction to the traditional skills of suki preparation. Younger children can design their own bento lunch boxes adorned with animation characters, while older teenagers can gain a profound insight into the timeless traditions of a green tea ceremony at Kyoto’s golden tearooms, dressing in a traditional kimono and experiencing the slow, revered movements that epitomise the experience.
In Asakusa, meanwhile, you can join a cooking class focused on washoku (Japanese cuisine), learning to make classic ramen and your own gyoza — you even get a souvenir cooking knife as parting gift.
Alongside these epicurean experiences, Japan is an ideal destination for a cultural family holiday, offering a wealth of immersive experiences in everything from calligraphy to taiko drumming, sumo wrestling to samurai ceremonies, manga drawing classes to a tour of the trailblazing Ghibli Studios Museum.
Best destination for family wildlife activities: Kenya
By safari specialist Scott
Logistically, Kenya is one of the easiest places for first-time safari goers thanks to direct flights, and I find its variety of child-focused camps and lodges make it an ideal family-friendly holiday choice. Children from the age of six upwards are welcome on safari drives here and the sheer abundance of wildlife makes it easier for children to spot the big five. Plus, in many reserves you’ll get the chance to go off-roading — there’s nothing quite like the thrill you get as you follow fresh animal tracks to try and pinpoint their whereabouts.
I love how much variety there is between the national parks in Kenya, too. From the wild open plains of the Masai Mara — the big cat capital of the world where the Great Migration of huge wildebeest herds takes place — to the acacia forests and open grasslands of Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where rhinos are flourishing under a pioneering conservation project. You could also visit Amboseli National Park in the south of the country, where the vast herds of elephants are a huge draw.
Kenya has a deep cultural commitment to its conservation efforts, which makes it an educational destination for children. You can visit the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage that works to rehabilitate its residents, where children can watch the keepers bottle-feed elephant calves and learn about the threats to their survival. Or, at Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre, get the chance to observe endangered Rothschild giraffes up close before they’re eventually released into the wild.
Best destination for family-friendly historical tours: Egypt
By Egypt specialist Anastacia
From a private tour of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (including highlights such as the death mask of King Tutankhamun) to camel riding around the pyramids, delving into ancient tombs, or drifting along the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, it’s easy to find something for every age group in Egypt. With the help of expert guides, ancient Egypt — long a stalwart of the school curriculum — is brought to life on a cultural family holiday.
I’ve found that a family trip here can foster a deep fascination with the ancient world. For children, Valley of the Kings is usually top of the list — your private Egyptologist guide will help interpret the 4,000 year old hieroglyphics along the temple walls, (they can adapt the tour so younger children can understand what they’re seeing, too). They’ll bring to life stories of pharaohs as young as eight years old, whose epic battles and daring escapes provoke wide-eyed awe in 21st-century children of the same age.
Teenagers, meanwhile, might enjoy wandering the backstreets of Old Cairo, scouring the age-old souqs of Khan el-Khalili for Egyptian treasures, from gold to perfume. And, the whole family can enjoy time together as you drift along the Nile at sunset on a traditional felucca, soaking in the time-worn culture of the riverbank.