Top 5 Best Tanzania Family Safaris and Tours.
Tanzania has no equal as the family safari destination of Africa. The country has the right mix of safe, easily spotted wildlife and engaging experiences, making it the ideal country for travelers with children of any age. The key to a successful family safari is found in Tanzania’s world-famous Northern Safari Circuit, which includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park.
These parks and reserves offer some of the highest concentrations of wildlife, which ensures that we can have encounters that keep children excited and engaged, sort of like a family safari magic carpet ride. And timing is everything for family trips. There are five best family safari experiences and destinations that should be on your itinerary for Tanzania.
1. Ngorongoro Crater Experience: The Cardiovascular “Wow” Moment.
The Ngorongoro Crater is the single most impactful destination any family safari will make together and typically provides the reaction needed to create an immediate “wow” moment on each family trip. The Ngorongoro Crater is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera that acts as a natural bowl that contains approximately 25,000 large animals, including a very dense population of the Big Five.
What attracts families to Ngorongoro is the likelihood of seeing many forms of wildlife in a single day, which dramatically reduces the amount of long driving for young children. Ngorongoro is compact and being a contained environment also allows you to see animals almost all the time, from the huge populations of zebra and wildebeests to lions, hippos and flamingos in the wetlands. In addition, this area is higher in elevation and is therefore a little cooler year-round, which helps everyone be more comfortable during game drives.
2. Tarangire National Park: The Gentle Introduction.
Tarangire National Park is a great place to begin your safari, as it is typically a gentle initiation into the African bush. The park is famous for its enormous herds of elephants and for its unique, beautiful scenery with ancient, towering baobab trees. Tarangire is usually considerably quieter than the Serengeti, so families can start their adventure in a more tranquil and relaxed manner, which helps children acclimatize to the new space and the rhythm of the game drives.
In addition to the wildlife, the proximity of the park to local communities makes it an ideal opportunity to take part in cultural experiences while on safari. Families will find many lodges offer visits to nearby Maasai villages where children can learn traditional skills like how to safely start a fire with sticks, throw a spear, or participate in traditional dancing and singing, thus providing a perfect and wonderful cultural complement to the wildlife experience.
3. Southern Serengeti and The Great Migration: The Ultimate Wildlife Adventure
The Serengeti National Park will be your ultimate dream safari in Africa, with sweeping open plains and the exciting spectacle of the Great Migration. This park is best suited for older children and teenagers (age 12 years and older) who have the energy and maturity to enjoy the breathtaking scale of the wildebeest herds, the drama of predator-prey interactions, and the patience required for longer game drives.
A big question for families is always: do we drive in or fly in? As much as the park is large, we always recommend flying in to help avoid the long (7-8 hour) drive to the park (2-3 hours is a lot for young kids!) so you can maximize the time spent on great game viewing. One of the most memorable experiences for kids over age seven is the breathtaking hot air balloon safari at sunrise over the plains. This is a thrilling one-of-a-kind experience and is a magnificent way to see the Serengeti awaken.
4. Lake Manyara National Park: The Soft Adventure Break.
Although the Lake Manyara National Park may not be the most sensational of the parks featured here, it serves a very important purpose as a “break park” in regard to the Northern Circuit, offering unique activities that allow a break from all of the driving. The park is special for the beautiful wetlands and wealth of birds, in addition to the chance of seeing tree-climbing lions.
But the main reason Lake Manyara is one of the top parks is for the best opportunity to do canoe safaris with families, which allows families to view wildlife from the water, which is a soft adventure activity with lower age limits than walking safaris, which are best for children who are on the rigorous 12+ adventure activities. This transition ensures the middle age group remains involved (8-11). Adding a different perspective and opportunity to witness wildlife in Lake Manyara with a sizable population of hippos and monkeys makes it a great stop and something different before returning to the light game driving to get back.
5. Zanzibar Beach Extension: The Relaxation.
After extended early starts, extended game drives and intense tracking for wildlife, a family safari may be exhausting. Last but possibly most important piece of a complete family tour is the Zanzibar Beach Extension.
Zanzibar is easily accessible by a short flight from the Northern Circuit and it is an entire transition from the dusty plains to white sand beaches and turquoise waters. Zanzibar provides a necessary decompression post-safari where the family can relax, swim, and enjoy other marine activities. In addition to relaxation, Zanzibar also offers cultural and historical interludes, such as exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Stone Town.
