O ur new itinerary is an active family’s dream come true! Begin your adventure at Arusha National Park, with a trek up Mount Meru and one night of camping in a mountain hut. Continue on to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park, where each day wildlife viewing drives open up remarkable landscapes, and the diversity of wildlife will astound you. Enjoy three nights at Gibb's Farm, a beautiful old coffee farm, as you explore the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area. Finish your exploration free from park regulations in an exclusive private nature refuge, part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Here you have the special opportunity to explore the wilderness on night wildlife drives and by foot, and discover the African wilderness at its most untouched. Throughout your trip there will be opportunities to meet local Tanzanians – including Maasai – as well as the chance to do an activity with the community in a local town. With only two departures a year, space is sure to disappear fast!

2012 Dates

Alumni Discount: if you are a returning Thomson guest, please subtract $500 per family from these prices

Price includes: All entrance and game park fees, accommodations based on two to a room, sleeping bag on Mt. Meru; land transportation; private bi-lingual guide throughout, area specialists, all meals, bottled water & snacks in the vehicle, Comprehensive Travel Insurance.

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

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your lodge.

Days 3 and 4 – Arusha

Arusha’s beginnings as a “city” stretch back to the 1880s, when German colonists established a settlement, later to be replaced by the British. As Tanzania’s tourism capital, Arusha abounds today with practically every culture in the country and many more from around the world. Historically, the Meru and Il Larusa have lived and farmed within the fertile rainforests and highlands surrounding Mount Meru. A now dormant volcano, Mount Meru stands as a striking backdrop beside downtown Arusha. Dense villages and farms cover Meru’s verdant foothills, whose volcanic soil provides fertile grounds for scores of banana trees, coffee fields, flower plantations, vegetable gardens, and other farms. At 14,980 feet, Meru also happens to be Tanzania’s second tallest mountain and the fifth tallest in all of Africa.

Trek Mount Meru On your family’s visit to the park, you’ll head off on a half day trek up Mount Meru, passing Itikoni clearing, crossing a large stream above the Maio waterfalls, and heading up a path along the crater rim wall to Miriakamba (8,400 feet). Village visit to Ilkinding’a  This extraordinarily scenic village affords you and your family some of the best views in Arusha as you meander through fertile farmland that stretches all the way to the uppermost forest-line of Mount Meru. On your walk, stop at various homes to get a glimpse into Tanzanian culture.

Days 5 to 7 – Ngorongoro Highlands, Crater, and Conservation Area

Head from Arusha to the Ngorongoro Highlands, where the rich volcanic soil makes for some of the most fertile land in Tanzania. For families, the highlands have it all; culture, nature, wonderful people, natural beauty and pleasantly cool climate, and plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and be active. Established in the late 1950s, Ngorongoro Conservation Area balances wildlife preservation alongside human settlements. Resident wildlife populations in the crater and seasonal migratory populations around the Serengeti make this an integral part of Tanzania's ecology.  In addition, the abundance of Maasai settlements makes it a cultural epicenter within northern Tanzania.

Gibb's Farm Guided Mountain Biking Go on a guided mountain bike tour through a village or an adventurous day trip through a nearby valley. Visit to the floor of Ngorongoro Crater  Visit the Ngorongoro Crater, where you are likely to find an abundance of wildlife. With luck, you might even see rhinoceros and big cats, such as lion and cheetah. The diversity of species often inspires awe, from baboons and elephants in the Lerai Forest to wildebeest and mountain reedbuck over the crater’s grassy floor. Only members of the Maasai tribe are permitted to live within the Conservation Area's boundaries, and they can be seen wearing bright red and royal blue cloths and tending to their herds; although they can't actually live on the crater floor itself, they often bring their cattle here to drink the mineral-rich water. Cultural exchange for teens at Ganako Visit Ganako Secondary School in the scenic Ngorongoro Highlands, where North American teens can meet their Tanzanian peers. Currently supported by Focus on Tanzanian Communities, Ganako is becoming a model school with a focus on the sciences. You will meet with teachers and students and learn more about education in Tanzania.  Teens can play music for their new Tanzanian friends, share favorite magazines or books, talk about interesting things that are happening in their lives, or play a lively game of soccer.  A favorite for families, this is an unscripted and casual cultural exchange that can unfold in any number of interesting ways, and it makes your family trip so much more than just a vacation! Gibb’s Farm tour Take a guided tour of Gibb’s garden, a sloping 10 acres of vegetables and fruit gardens, growing everything from artichoke to zucchini and providing most of the ingredients for the delicious organic meals enjoyed by guests. Learn about other sustainable practices at Gibb’s as your tour passes through a pig and dairy farm where you can even try your hand at milking a cow. You can also walk through the famed coffee bean fields that gave the farm its start over 80 years ago. Gibb’s Farm optional afternoon activities   You may choose to spend the afternoon with your family relaxing on the verandah and sipping tea, or taking advantage of innumerable optional activities: a farm or garden tour, mountain biking, bird watching, coffee roasting, and more.

Days 8 and 9 – Serengeti National Park 

Depart the Ngorongoro Highlands and head to the great Serengeti plains for a different, but just as spectacular wildlife viewing experience. The Serengeti, Tanzania's second largest national park, covers nearly 6,000 square miles of grassland plains, savannah, kopjes, hills, woodlands, and riverine forests, all excellent sites for wildlife viewing. Beyond the heralded migration of wildebeest and zebra, the Serengeti is best known for its big predators, including cheetah and leopard, as well as large prides of lions and clans of hyenas.

Visit Olduvai Gorge  Make a short stop at Olduvai Gorge, a deep ravine and site of fossilized remains of animals and hominids that date as far back as two million years. A brief lecture and small museum tour are included. Wildlife safari in the Serengeti While on wildlife viewing drives, your family will see new landscapes and seek out leopard, lion, cheetah, zebra, gazelle, impala, antelope, giraffe, warthog, ostrich, and more than 500 species of bird. Balloon safari You'll have the option to float high over the vast plains of the Serengeti in a hot air balloon, taking in a bird's eye view of nature in action. Relax at the Nyumba campsite   Swahili for “home,” Thomson Nyumbas are eco-friendly canvas structures set on private campsites ideally located for the best wildlife viewing in northern Tanzania. The Nyumba tents offer comfortable accommodations combined with direct access to the remotest wilds, all without noisy generators or light pollution. Our green and responsible luxury is comfortable but not extravagant. It is simple, but it offers a wilderness experience like no other. It is responsible not only to the environment but to wildlife and local communities. You won’t find chandeliers or air conditioning or even fixed plumbing at our Nyumbas. You will find soft, cozy bedding, privacy, hand-crafted Tanzanian-made décor, excellent service from an attentive staff, exclusive locations and delicious meals.

Days 10 and 11 – Private Nature Refuge 

Head east from the Serengeti to the peaceful wilderness of a private nature refuge. The terrain will get more rugged as you depart the park and head across scrubland covered in candelabra trees and whistling acacias. The scenic 12,000 acre refuge spans the wide-open plains between two prominent ridge lines.

Morning hike in the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem Enjoy a light breakfast before heading out on a morning hike.   The terrain will be fairly mild, but make sure that you've got comfortable shoes with good traction. Being out on the plains on foot at this time of day is magical for family travelers of all ages. Enyuata Women’s Group visit The Enyuata Women’s Group was formed when a number of Maasai women, who traditionally have few economic opportunities outside of the home, decided they wanted to start making some changes and planning for the future. The word “Enyuata” itself means “efforts” in the Maasai language. Many of the group’s 80-plus members reside in the village of Sukenya, which borders the refuge. Nekaaki, one of the group's most outspoken and respected members, always wears many examples of the superb jewelry the women make for sale: such as rainbow-colored headbands, shiny anklets, an array of beaded bracelets, and stunning necklaces. The women have much to teach Thomson family travelers, and hope the benefits they receive from engaging in cultural tourism and selling their jewelry will help them better plan for their children’s futures. Maasai storyteller Maasai elder Nekaaki Kioki is a feisty grandmother and fantastic storyteller. She knows hundreds of Maasai folktales and tells them in a truly dramatic fashion. Families usually gather around the campfire to listen to her tell folktales, which are translated into English. Night wildlife viewing drive The lodge's convenient location just outside the park boundary allows guests the rare privilege of a night wildlife viewing drive.  Gain a unique perspective on wildlife behavior by joining this late evening safari excursion.

Days 12 and 13 – Depart Arusha / Arrive U.S.

Leave the nature refuge for Arusha, where you will eventually catch your departing flight. As you bid farewell to Tanzania, think of all the fabulous stories from and photos of your adventure, which you will share with friends and family for years to come.

Flight from the Eastern Serengeti to Arusha    Day room in Arusha  Enjoy a day room in Arusha, resting up and readying yourself for your departure.

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 is almost as large as the US state of Connecticut, 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. All of the Big Five can be found here: buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and the endangered, rare black rhinoceros. 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?

Friends Across Borders 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 Across Borders Pen Pal program will enjoy meeting their pen pal and sharing with one another. Teen trips feature age-appropriate cultural immersion experiences in place of pen pals. Tanzania-based for over 30 years Thomson is the first US tour company licensed to operate safaris in Tanzania. Through 30+ years of experience, Thomson has created a one-of-kind experience for families. Nearly 70 staff are employed in Thomson's Arusha operation year-round, driving and maintaining safari vehicles, cooking, serving as expert guides, etc. Thomson's 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 local 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,” the Nyumbas are the culmination of over 30 years of safari expertise and are Thomson’s 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 Thomson's Nyumbas, your family will enjoy unparalleled yet unobtrusive access to the wildlife. Unlike conventional lodges, the 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. Thomson's guests do! They rave about every one of them, from Abraham to Charles to Willie. Thomson's 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 Thomson for years, often starting as drivers or mechanics, and working their way up to senior safari guide. The 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, Thomson's 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 Small group size gives Thomson the ability to respond to each guest as an individual, 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 Thomson's staff is as curious about you as you are about them. To thank the 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. Thomson wants you to have the most rewarding wildlife experience so there is no mileage restriction for guides and drivers. There is something for everyone Since our knowledge of Tanzania is so intimate and thorough, we really know how to cater to every type of traveler. We get it – not everyone has the same time availability, the same budget, or the same interests. Some people have more physical limitations than others, and some people like to live on the edge for a full-fledged family adventure. Whether you’re looking to spot lions and wildebeest in the Serengeti, leave the tropical temperatures behind on a trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, learn from members of the Maasai tribe and connect with local Tanzanians, or unwind on the beach in Zanzibar, Thomson has something for you.