Family Safari in Tanzania
Exploring landscapes and wildlife is an adventure-filled journey every tourist wishes to embark on. While it’s possible to do it alone, having your family in companionship is the perfect safari experience. Families with young children, adults, and even grandparents alike can explore Tanzania’s wildlife-rich destinations or pristine beaches off the Indian Ocean coast. We explore family safaris in this article. Let’s dive in.
Where to go for a family safari?
Truly speaking, it’s always challenging to pick one general locale perfect for every type of family. For this reason, we will require a few details about your group, including their age and preferences. With this information, we can match you with the best destination for wildlife viewing or a beach holiday.
1. Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti is a single wildlife sanctuary in Africa, where wildlife thrives and roam freely. Named after the Maasai word “Siringit,” meaning “endless plains,” this park features wide, stretched plains. These plains are home to a large concentration of herbivores – wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, and impalas – and predators, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas.
There are countless wildlife encounters during game drives, keeping your kids busy. Imagine answering your children’s questions about the Great Migration or a lion pride resting on a granite kopje. Serengeti also has the best family-friendly lodges and camps.
You can stay at the female-led Dunia Camp in the central Serengeti or the mobile Serengeti Safari Camp. Other properties include Grumeti River Lodge, Sayari Camp, Serengeti Under Canvas, and Nomad Lamai Camp. If you’re looking for a more intimate, exclusive-use camp, stay in private concessions surrounding the Serengeti. These include Mwiba Lodge, Klein’s Camp, and Singita properties like Sasakwa, Sabora, and Faru Faru.
2. Ngorongoro Crater.
The Ngorongoro Crater, a masterpiece of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is another of the best places to view wildlife. It has an incredible concentration of animals – that’s 25,000 in just 264 square kilometers. Searching for the Big Five animals is a wonderful safari experience sought after by most people on family trips. Here, kids can watch animals seamlessly as you drive slowly through the zig-zag trails inside this enormous crater.
There are many of the best places to stay while on your trip in the Ngorongoro Crater. One or two nights at the Kirurumu Ngorongoro Camp or Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is more than a safari. You can chill at the Entamanu Camp, Highlands, or Lemala Ngorongoro. Don’t forget to take your family to the nearest Maasai village.
3. Zanzibar.
Opting for a Tanzania family holiday doesn’t mean you’re searching for animals, but also thriving beach vacations. Zanzibar boasts some of the tranquil, white sandy beaches worth a stay. You can take your family to the island’s finest beaches: Nungwi and Kendwa. People often come here to swim and dive into the healthy corals. In your free time, take a family walk through the busy alleys and streets of the historic Stone Town or take a boat excursion to the remote Changuu Island. Pemba and Mafia islands are remarkably perfect spots if seclusion is important.
Regarding family-friendly places to stay, Zanzibar has many lodges and resorts catering to every budget. Kilindi Zanzibar, Melia Zanzibar, the Z Zanzibar, Riu Palace, and Residence Zanzibar are the best for luxury. Pongwe Hotel is perfect for budget-friendly lodges and camps.
4. Ruaha National Park.
Nestled in the South, Ruaha is the best alternative to the crowded northern parks. Here you will find large elephant herds, large prides, and towering baobabs. It’s also a place where you will encounter rare animals, including the African hunting dog, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, roan, and sable antelopes.
Another thing that makes Ruaha different is that you can do a lot of safari activities. You can keep short drives short to make them rewarding for your youngest kids. In addition to drives, you can do boat cruises through the mighty Ruaha River, night game drives, and fly camping.
Camps in Ruaha are small, with at least one or two family suites. However, due to the park’s remoteness and for safety, most of them accept children from the age of 5 years. You can stay at the Jabali Ridge, Jongomero Camp, Kigelia Ruaha, Kichaka Camp, Ikuka Safari Camp, and Usangu Expedition Camp.
5. Nyerere National Park.
The Nyerere spans 30,893 km2, mostly made up of groundwater forests, rivers, open grasslands, and acacia-dotted plains. There’s an interesting wildlife population in the vast wilderness of this park. Here, you may enjoy fantastic opportunities since this park has the perfect backdrop sought after by seasoned photographers.
In addition to game drives, Nyerere offers boat rides along the Rufiji River, night safaris, and guided nature walks. So, you can leave your kids at the camps inside Nyerere National Park. Best camps for families include Beho Beho Camp, Lake Manze Tented Camp, Siwandu Camp, and Roho ya Selous.
The bottom line.
We’ve guided Tanzania family safaris for over 15 years. With this experience, we dare to say that every trip is epic and quite different. Let’s start planning your adventure.
