Tanzania

Tanzania family safari

Tanzania is one of the greatest wildlife destinations on Earth. The majesty of the Serengeti and the splendour of the Ngorongoro Crater would be tremendous even without the extraordinary concentration of animals. But the combination of wildlife and spectacular natural beauty makes a Tanzania family safari a winner with all age groups, including grandparents.

Nothing can prepare you and the children for your first glimpse of a lion as it hunts its prey, or a herd of elephants as they drink from a watering hole. Solitary acacia trees provide a backdrop to graceful giraffes as they feed on the top branches and lumbering rhinos munch their way through low shrubs.

Child on a Tanzania family safari - Christmas breaks itinerary

Tanzania is ideal for a family safari experience

Leopard, zebra, buffalo and wildebeest are all found here, together with a huge variety of species of antelope, birds and smaller mammals. The landscape rises into the rocky escarpment of the Great Rift Valley and then to the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. There are also game-rich rainforests in the south of the country with both the Selous and Ruaha national parks offering families a true wilderness experience.

Lastly, there is Zanzibar with its gorgeous white-sand beaches and a melting pot of Arab, African, European and Indian cultures. It provides the perfect place to round off a Tanzania family safari and is guaranteed to delight the kids.

Learning bush survival skills with the Hadza on a Tanzania family safari

Why take the kids to Tanzania?

Some of our reasons for choosing a family safari holiday in Tanzania include:

World-class game viewing amidst glorious landscapes
The chance to get up close and personal with (safe!) animals on walking safaris
Cookery lessons, bike and tuk-tuk rides, waterfall walks and village visits
An array of appealing child-friendly lodges and tented camps
The opportunity to track rhinos or follow elephant spoor
The time spent swapping stories around the campfire at night, under the stars
The palm-fringed Indian Ocean beaches, perfect for some post-safari R&R
Zanzibar, the ‘Spice Island ‘of legend

Kids on Tanzania holiday, cycling through banana plantations

Spend a morning cycling along quiet tracks near the Rift Valley Escarpment

Will all children enjoy a Tanzania family safari?

Children will love everything about a Tanzania family safari. You will never see your children as quiet as when the ranger tells them they need to be silent to approach a pride of lions. They will quickly become adept at identifying all the different species and particularly at catching glimpses of the magical Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, elephant). Adult vision quickly seems second-rate compared to the eagle eyes of your children!

However, the reason that Tanzania works so well for families is that there are masses of activities that you can do in addition to ‘regular’ vehicle-based safari viewing. You can spend one day bouncing around in a jeep glued to the binoculars, but the next you will be riding bikes through a banana plantation, stopping to paint with local artists. In Arusha National Park, you won’t be sitting in a jeep but will be in amongst the giraffe and zebra on foot as there are no predators. And near Lake Eyasi you can spend the day with the Bushmen, learning about their way of life and perhaps even watching a hunt in progress!

See our Tanzania with Kids blog for more ideas on what to do in addition to your game drives and for an in-depth comparison of Tanzania compared to other safari destinations, check out our family safari holidays section.

Boy on fabulous beach on Tanzania family holiday with safari

Zanzibar’s beaches are superb and the perfect place to recharge the batteries

Tanzania family holiday itineraries

All of our itineraries are bespoke which means that they are tailor-made for your own specific family, taking into account the ages of your children, your interests, your budget and so on.

However, to give you an idea of what you could do on a family safari in Tanzania, have a look at our example itinerary, Tanzania Safari & Beach. For those seeking a challenge we can also arrange for you to conquer Africa’s highest peak on our Kilimanjaro Family Climb itinerary.

Also check out some of the other places that you might like to visit on your trip and if you need further inspiration have a look at our Tanzania photo gallery.

Lastly, don’t forget to check what the weather will be like at the time that you want to travel. Or simply give us a ring and we’ll be delighted to advise you on the best Tanzania holiday for your family.