• Active Safari for Families with Teens

T raveling in custom four-wheel drive Land Rover safari vehicles, we navigate back roads and dusty tracks to encounter a new surprise every day. Your family will discover vast, ruggedly beautiful landscapes, stretching from the volcanic cone of Mount Meru to the Great Rift Valley, from the dramatic, tree-strewn landscape of Tarangire to the endless plains of the Serengeti. You'll meet our long-time friends – villagers, school children, artisans, the Maasai and your Tanzanian guides – who share their thoughts, traditions, language and everyday lives with us.

You never know what we might see: a lion stalking a herd of zebra; a hundred Thomson gazelle springing across a dirt road; a tiny dik-dik antelope hidden in the tall grass; elephant leading their babies to a watering hole; hippo wallowing in a pool; or a family of cheetah patiently hunting its prey

Our family goes back to Tanzania every year to experience the land anew. And each time we feel – as your family will – the thrill of untamed nature and the warmth of some of the kindest, most hospitable people in the world.

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Days 1 and 2 – Depart U.S. / Arrive Tanzania

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your lodge, where your Thomson Family Safari begins.

Day 3 – Arusha National Park

The wonders of Arusha National Park often draw comparison to Mount Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro Crater, its larger counterparts in northern Tanzania. Mount Meru has been called Mount Kilimanjaro’s little cousin, and Ngurdoto Crater, which teems with wildlife, has the nickname “Little Ngorongoro.” Arusha National Park, however, has offerings found nowhere else in the region, including lush mountain forests that are home to the exquisite colobus monkey, and some 575 bird species. The park is truly a hidden gem.

Wildlife safari View the wildlife and diverse landscapes of Arusha National Park from your family’s four-wheel drive Land Rover safari vehicles. Between exploring the open grasslands and the Ngurdoto Crater, you and the kids will likely see buffalo, elephant, giraffe, bushbuck and even rhino. Hike to Mount Meru Waterfall This mountain is an ancient extinct volcano, and at 14,980 feet it is Tanzania’s second tallest mountain. Your family will hike through the lush foothills of Mount Meru and wind your way through the forest to a magnificent waterfall. Picnic lunch beside Momella Lakes Have lunch near the scenic Momella Lakes, a chain of seven shallow alkaline lakes, whose shades sometimes turn emerald and turquoise.

Days 4 and 5 – Tarangire National Park

This is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park. Spend two full days with your family in Tarangire, exploring its rugged landscapes by safari vehicle and staying in a luxury camp. This park, often overlooked, astonishes many with its massive herds of elephant and distinctive winding riverine landscapes and swampy floodplains. It is also known for its large numbers of bizarre baobab trees, famous for their enormous trunks and root-like branches.

Wildlife safari Game drives in Tarangire weave back and forth over the Tarangire River and around its banks and shores, where it is possible to see lion, leopard, giraffe, gerenuk, reedbuck and even the rare fringe-eared oryx. This river is a major water source for the wildlife of northern Tanzania, especially in the drier months of July through November, when it attracts large concentrations of elephant and zebra. If anyone in your family is a birder, get those binoculars ready: avian species number over 550 here, from lilac-breasted roller and bee-eater to kori bustard and raptor. Swimming After being out on the dusty park trails, take a dip in the pool at a nearby lodge.

Day 6 – Ngorongoro Highlands

As you travel to the Ngorongoro Highlands en route to the Crater, you and your kids will head up a steep, winding road near the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Make sure to keep your cameras ready on the drive – you will be rewarded with expansive vistas of Lake Manyara and the exquisite surrounding plains. At the top of this slope lie the lush Ngorongoro Highlands, where the region's rich volcanic soil makes for some of the most fertile land in Tanzania.

School visit / Friends Across Borders meeting (pen pals) School visits and pen pal meetings often end up being some of this trip’s greatest highlights. Meet with teachers and students at a school near the town of Karatu and learn more about education in Tanzania. Children traveling with us can choose to exchange letters with a local child of similar age before leaving on their adventure, and meet face to face! It’s amazing how such interaction can be a real eye-opener for everyone involved. Lunch at Gibb’s Farm Have lunch at historic Gibb’s Farm in the Ngorongoro Highlands. A working coffee estate and organic farm, Gibb’s has a history that stretches back to the 1920s, and you’ll enjoy its lovely gardens and hillside setting as you have a delicious lunch. Forest hike Go for a hike with a naturalist through the hills and forests around Gibb’s Farm. While you take in the lush scenery, your family will learn about local herbal medicine and the cultures of the people of this region.

Day 7 – Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area

Drive a short distance from the rural highlands to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a wildlife and cultural preserve that covers 3,200 square miles, of which a mere 102 square miles represent the Ngorongoro Crater. Only members of the Maasai tribe are permitted to live within its boundaries, and they are seen throughout the Highlands and Conservation Area wearing bright red and royal blue cloths and tending to their herds of goats and cattle.

Wildlife safari The Crater floor is reserved only for wildlife. At some ten miles in diameter, this Crater is the largest caldera, or ancient sunken volcano, in the world, and it abounds with one of the highest concentrations of diverse animals imaginable. Adults and children alike find this self-contained environment fascinating, especially because here you will have the opportunity to spot Africa’s renowned Big Five here – buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black-maned lion and the endangered, rare black rhinoceros.

Days 8 and 9 – Serengeti National Park

Protected since 1921, the Serengeti became Tanzania’s first National Park thirty years later. It comprises some 14% of Tanzania’s total land, and features grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. You will see wooded knolls around the official entrance called Naabi Hill Gate, which then drops into the park’s signature wide-open expansive plains. Like no other, this stretch embodies the meaning of the word “Serengeti,” which derives from the Maasai word Siringet, and has been translated as “the land that flows on forever.” Serengeti National Park covers 6,000 square miles of pristine land, and offers not only sprawling landscapes but the largest migration of mammals on earth, including 1.5 million wildebeest (December to March).

Picnic lunch The Naabi Hill Gate offers a pleasant setting for a picnic lunch, with birds and animals hanging out around the entrance. After lunch, take a short walk up Naabi Hill for a view of the surrounding plains. Wildlife safari in the Serengeti Morning and afternoon game drives take your family into the heart of the golden Serengeti. You may spot numerous prides of lions, zebra, hyena, leopards, cheetah, elephant, hippo, buffalo, jackal, gazelle and various primates.

Day 10 – Serengeti National Park / Arusha / Depart

This park is just one example of how Tanzania has been a magnificent inspiration for the world in terms of wildlife and environmental conservation. We’ll have time for one last game viewing drive before we return to Arusha. Rest, repack, and shower before your departing KLM flight.

Wildlife safari in the Serengeti Morning and afternoon game drives take your family into the heart of the golden Serengeti. You may spot numerous prides of lions, zebra, hyena, leopards, cheetah, elephant, hippo, buffalo, jackal, gazelle and various primates.

Day 11 – Depart Amsterdam / Arrive U.S.

Days 10 to 13 (Optional Extension) – Zanzibar

One of the famed Spice Islands, Zanzibar has limitless wonders for traveling families, from its pristine beaches with vibrant coral reefs to its cultural and historic tours. For over a millennium, Zanzibar has been known as a powerful Indian Ocean trading hub, with rich cross-cultural history whose influences, whether African, Persian, Portuguese, Arab, Indian or Asian, still continue to thrive today.

Walking tour of Stone Town Explore this historic seaside city center, with its labyrinth of narrow streets, whitewashed Arabesque buildings and mosques, sprawling markets and palm tree-shaded courtyards. Your guided tour will give your family an in-depth and fascinating look at Zanzibar’s history. Beach time Spend the day taking in the local culture of the coast, swimming and relaxing on Zanzibar’s white sand beaches. Along the shore, you might even see Zanzibari fishermen and sea merchants carving or readying their dhows, old Arab-African sailing vessels that have been used to navigate between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for centuries. Snorkeling or diving (at extra cost) Vibrant aquatic life make their home along the shores of Zanzibar, including butterfly fish, emperor angel fish, dolphin, lion fish, green turtles and manta rays – just to name a few. If you or the kids are looking to see some exceptional marine wildlife up close, this is your chance. Sunset cruise by dhow Relax and enjoy stunning views from the turquoise waters as we cruise in a traditional dhow at sunset.

Day 14 – Zanzibar / Depart

Spice tour Zanzibar and its neighbors became known as the Spice Islands over 200 years ago, with the rise of trade in cloves and other spices, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper. En route to Stone Town, take a tour of one of Zanzibar’s historic spice farms. Shopping and dinner at the Slipway In Dar es Salaam, the fastest growing city in Africa with its booming Indian Ocean port, you will have dinner on your own and a chance to do some last-minute shopping at the Slipway bazaar of restaurants and boutique shops before boarding your flight to Amsterdam.

Day 15 – Depart Amsterdam / Arrive U.S.

Please Note:   Thomson Family Adventures will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or availability) may necessitate changes in the accommodations.

Why Tanzania?

Unbelievable wildlife viewing There is no greater wildlife experience in the world than Tanzania — a nation that devotes 33% of its land to conservation and boasts the highest concentration of animals anywhere on the planet. From the vast Serengeti to the lust rain forests of the Mahale Mountains, Tanzania is home to wildebeest, chimpanzee, zebra, hippopotamus, giraffe, hyena and cheetah — just to name of few! Imagine seeing a hundred Thomson gazelle springing across a dirt road or majestic elephants leading their babies to a watering hole. Tanzania is the only place on earth where the “big five” — buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black-maned lion and the endangered, rare black rhinoceros — all live in one place. Peaceful, safe and stable Tanzania is a peaceful, safe country. A democracy since gaining independence 1961, Tanzania is led by a president and national assembly elected by popular vote. While not a wealthy country, Tanzania is quite stable, and its people are committed to preserving its natural and cultural resources. Tanzania is referred to as the “Switzerland of Africa,” peacefully sustaining more than 120 different ethnic groups and free of the political upheaval present in some other African countries. Serengeti National Park Protected since 1921, the Serengeti became Tanzania’s first National Park 30 years later. The Serengeti comprises some 14% of Tanzania’s total land, and features grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. Wooded knolls mark the official entrance, called Naabi Hill Gate, which then drops into the park’s signature wide-open expansive plains. Like no other, this stretch embodies the meaning of the word “Serengeti,” which derives from the Maasai word Siringet, and has been translated as “the land that flows on forever.” Covering over 6,000 square miles of pristine land, the Serengeti offers not only sprawling landscapes but the largest migration of mammals on earth, including 1.5 million wildebeest. Ngorongoro Conservation Area Designated a World Heritage Site in 1979, Ngorongoro Crater is part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a wildlife and cultural preserve covering 3,200 square miles. Ten miles in diameter, the crater is the largest unbroken caldera, or ancient colapsed volcano, in the world. Some of the world’s most unusual animals – buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black-maned lion and the endangered, rare black rhinoceros; Africa’s renowned “big five” – live inside this fascinating self-contained environment. Members of the Maasai tribe, the only people permitted to live within the preserve’s boundaries, are quite visible in their bright red and royal blue cloths as they tend to their goat and cattle herds. Mahale Mountains National Park Rising from the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest and least-explored lake, the misty mountain forests of Mahale are home to the largest group of free-living chimpanzees in the world. A visit to this lush, remote rainforest is like traveling back in time. With a little luck, your family will have the opportunity to observe the chimpanzees as they feed, groom, play and wrestle across the forest floor. A trip to Mahale is a rare privilege few people get to experience. Mount Kilimanjaro To adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, few names are as evocative as that of Kilimanjaro. Africa's highest mountain stands alone at 19,340 feet, and as Hemingway wrote, "is as wide as the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun." You and your kids will traverse a road less traveled —your rugged, scenic nine-day Western Approach trek is inspired by the route followed by David Breashears and the IMAX crew while filming “Kilimanjaro: To the Roof of Africa.” Maasai You’ll be warmly welcomed by the Maasai, a semi-nomadic people who live in northern Tanzania. The Maasai, who speak Maa, originated from the lower Nile valley and began migrating south around the fifteenth century, arriving in central Tanzania between the seventeenth and late eighteenth century. Your family will visit a Maasai boma (traditional village), where you will gain a glimpse into traditional Maasai culture and arts.

Why Tanzania with Thomson?

School visits and pen pal meetings School visits and pen pal meetings are two of this trip’s greatest highlights. You and your kids will meet teachers and students at a school near the town of Karatu and learn more about education in Tanzania. Children who have signed up for our Friends without Borders Pen Pal program will enjoy meeting their pen pal and sharing with one another. Tanzania-based for over 27 years Thomson is first US tour company licensed to operate safaris in Tanzania. We know and love this country, and through our 27 years of experience, have created a one-of-kind experience for families. We employ nearly 70 staff in our Arusha operation, own and maintain our own safari vehicles, and employ our Tanzanian-born guides year-round. Our personal attention to detail and first-hand knowledge of Tanzania’s culture and natural resources ensure your family will have an unforgettable adventure.
Your family will encounter new surprises ever y day traveling the back roads in custom four-wheel drive Land Rover safari vehicles. You’ll discover vast, ruggedly beautiful landscapes, stretching from the volcanic cone of Mount Meru to the Great Rift Valley, from the dramatic, tree-strewn landscape of Tarangire to the endless plains of the Serengeti. You'll meet our long-time friends — villagers, school children, artisans, the Maasai and your Tanzanian guides – who share their thoughts, traditions, language and everyday lives with you. Private, custom-designed accommodations Swahili for “home,” our Nyumbas are the culmination of 27 years of safari expertise and are Thomson Family Adventures’ signature style of accommodation. Nyumbas are canvas structures luxuriously appointed with handcrafted furnishings, sisal rugs, Maasai beading, fine linens and antique textiles. The spacious layout offers plenty of room and each Thomson Nyumba includes a spacious private verandah with comfortable seating and a writing table. Oversized, fine-mesh windows look out over beautiful African vistas while allowing the fresh breeze in off the savannah. Private and comfortable en-suite bathrooms feature flush toilets and safari showers with plenty of hot water day or night.
While at our Thomson Nyumbas, your family will enjoy unparalleled yet unobtrusive access to the wildlife. Unlike conventional lodges, our Nyumbas put you in the wild, up close to the animals. Imagine unhindered views of the star-filled night sky, gourmet meals prepared from fresh local ingredients in coal-fired ovens, and a sincere welcome from friendly, reliable staff at each camp. In short, it is the perfect balance of luxury, sustainability and immersion, a world away from civilization. Tanzanian-born Guides The guide is the key to a great safari! A guide's knowledge, sensitivity, and good humor are some of the most essential elements of a great safari. And quite simply, Thomson guides are the best. We don't say so. Our guests do! They rave about every one of them, from Abraham to Charles to Willie to Nasibu. Our guides were born and raised in Tanzania, and love to introduce visitors to the natural beauty and wildlife of their country. Most of them have been with us for years, often starting as drivers or mechanics, and working their way up to senior safari guide.
Our guides all take naturalist courses or have degrees in natural history and wildlife. They maintain mental maps of Tanzania's back roads and hiding places and keep up-to-date on animal migrations — and they have super-sharp wildlife spotting abilities! The bottom line is, our guides are happy with their jobs, love to interact with people from different cultures, and work hard to make sure each guest is satisfied. You’ll appreciate their passion and enthusiasm as you experience Tanzania through their insightful eyes. Small groups and personal attention Our small group size gives us the ability to respond to each of our guests as individuals, with unique needs, wants and desires. When you call, any member of our staff will answer your questions with authority and patience. After you book a trip, we'll stay in contact, providing you with thorough information about your trip. This level of personal interaction continues in Tanzania, where our staff is as curious about you as you are about them. To thank our Tanzanian staff, we bring each employee who has been with us five years or more (mechanics, cooks, drivers, guides) to the US to enjoy a cultural adventure of their own. Unlimited exploration Most safari operators restrict the number of miles their drivers can drive per day. We want you to have the most rewarding wildlife experience so we do not have a mileage restriction for our guides and drivers.