Our family thrives on outdoor adventures, so it’s no surprise that going on a family safari trip to Africa has been a dream of ours for years. While there are many incredible safari destinations across the continent, our trip to Tanzania with kids offered an unforgettable blend of wildlife, culture, and natural beauty that exceeded all our expectations.
Our 7-day family safari adventure in Tanzania began in the Serengeti, and it was nothing short of magical. Although the bulk of the Great Migration had already moved on to Kenya (which we were lucky enough to see in Maasai Mara!), we still got to see an enormous amount of exciting African wildlife.
This was followed by another exciting game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater, a massive volcano crater teeming with wildlife! The sheer density of animals in such a compact area made for an incredible safari experience!
We tried something new in Lake Manyara National Park – a night game drive, which introduced us to Tanzania’s nocturnal creatures, including lions and bush babies, adding an exciting twist to our adventure.
We finished our family trip to Tanzania in Moshi, where we enjoyed a cultural bike ride through the countryside villages and a day hike through the rainforest on the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
As you’ll see, our 7-day family safari trip to Tanzania primarily focused on incredible game drive experiences, but also mixed in some culture, adventure, education, and relaxation.
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If you are planning a family trip to Tanzania, your kids will love our Tanzania Activity Book For Kids. With fun facts, puzzles, animal encounter logs and a travel journal, it’ll help keep your kids happy and engaged on long travel days!
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Planning a Tanzania Family Vacation
When to Visit Tanzania with Kids
Tanzania offers unforgettable wildlife and cultural experiences throughout the year, but choosing the right time to visit can make a big difference. The dry seasons, from June to October and late December to February, are the ideal time for wildlife viewing, as animals gather around shrinking water sources. These months also line up nicely with school holidays, making it easier for families to plan and find the time for a big trip to Africa.
The Great Migration passes through the Serengeti from around June to September, offering an extraordinary wildlife spectacle that’s sure to impress kids and adults alike.
High Season in Tanzania
Tanzania’s high season generally runs from June to October, especially during the Great Migration in the Serengeti. Wildlife viewing is outstanding, and the weather is mostly dry and sunny. But with peak conditions come higher prices and more tourists, especially in popular parks like Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. For families, booking early ensures better rates and access to family-friendly safari lodges and camps.
Our family traveled to Tanzania in early August. The weather was perfect, and we saw everything from lions to elephants on our very first day. It was definitely a splurge, in fact our 3-week trip to Kenya & Tanzania was the most expensive family trip we’ve ever taken (worth it!). Take my advice: book well in advance for the best choices in family tours and places to stay.
Shoulder Season in Tanzania
The months of January to March and November to mid-December are considered shoulder seasons in Tanzania. The weather is still good for safaris, but there are fewer visitors and better deals on accommodation. Wildlife viewing remains excellent, especially in the southern parks, and the lighter crowds create a more relaxed, less rushed family travel experience.
How Long to Visit Tanzania with Kids
Tanzania is full of natural wonders and world-class safari destinations. While you could easily spend a few weeks exploring, a 7 to 14-day Tanzania itinerary is ideal for families. This gives you enough time to experience different regions, Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater and even a few days finding adventure around Moshi & Mt. Kilimanjaro or visiting a Maasai village.
We spent 7 days on our family adventure in Tanzania. As you’ll see in our itinerary below, we balanced wildlife safaris with cultural experiences along with a bit of downtime. We find mixing things up works really well for our kids.
Getting Around Tanzania
Tanzania is a large country, and traveling between destinations can take time. Domestic flights are an option for longer routes, but realistically most families hire a private driver for their entire trip. This gives you flexibility, safery and peace of mind, especially when traveling around Tanzania with children.
If you’re booking a private safari, you may be given the choice between a safari van or a 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser. While the van might be cheaper, it’s worth upgrading to a Landcruiser, it handles the rugged terrain of national parks much better and makes the entire safari experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
In Tanzania’s game parks, almost every safari vehicle is a Landcruiser for good reason, they’re reliable, sturdy, and perfect for off-road adventures.
Where to Stay in Tanzania with Kids
Tanzania offers excellent accommodation options for families, from rustic bush camps to upscale lodges. Whether you want to sleep under canvas or enjoy resort-style comforts, there’s something for everyone.
Safari Lodges
Safari lodges are fixed buildings offering modern conveniences in a wild setting. Most have ensuite bathrooms, full-service restaurants, pools, and sometimes extras like kids’ activities or massage rooms.
They’re ideal for families who want a secure, comfortable place to unwind after a day on safari. Many lodges have family-sized rooms or adjoining units that work well for parents traveling with kids.
Tented Safari Camps
Tented safari camps bring you closer to nature without sacrificing comfort. These large canvas tents often include proper beds, private bathrooms, and even hot showers. It’s an adventurous yet safe way to experience the African bush.
Many camps also offer family tents or adjacent tents with walkways, making it easy for parents to stay close to their kids. Communal dining and evening campfires add to the memorable experience.
We stayed in both lodges and tented camps during our trip to Tanzania. The tented camps near the game parks were thrilling for our kids, while the lodges gave us a welcome chance to recharge between big travel days.
How to Book Your Own Family Safari Trip to Tanzania
If you explore our family travel blog, you’ll see we have traveled to all corners of the world with our kids. We typically book our own travel, but Tanzania can be an intimidating place to book a family trip. As it was such a big investment, we decided to have a professional plan our trip for us, and we are so glad that we did!
Want peace of mind while exploring the wild in Tanzania? Safari.com is known for prioritizing safety, supporting ethical safaris, and delivering unforgettable experiences, as recognized by the World Travel Awards.
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Thinking about a safari with your kids? Don’t miss our top 15 tips for going on safari with kids – everything you need to know to plan a safe, fun, and unforgettable family adventure.
Our Tanzania Family Safari Itinerary
To help you plan your family trip, we share our 1-week itinerary for Tanzania with kids.
It’s important to find balance with family travel. Although we planned our family trip to Tanzania around amazing safari experiences, we also planned many other kid-friendly activities in Tanzania for the kids.
In addition, we included added activities we love to do (like hiking on Mt. Kilimanjaro) to our itinerary. You’ll see our family-friendly Tanzania itinerary tried to achieve a good balance, hopefully making both parents and kids happy and satisfied.
Tanzania 1-Week Itinerary Overview
After spending 2 weeks in Kenya with kids, we finished our family trip to Africa with 1 week in Tanzania. Within our 7 days, we achieved a good blend of wildlife, culture, and adventure. Here’s how we broke it down:
- Days 1 – 2: Serengeti National Park
- Days 3 – 4: Ngoronogro Conservation Area
- Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park
- Days 6 – 7: Moshi
Days 1 – 2: Serengeti National Park – Big Cats and Family Thrills
After finishing our family trip to Kenya in the neighboring Maasai Mara National Park, we hopped on a plane to begin our family adventure in Tanzania! Our first stop in Tanzania was Serengeti National Park, one of the most iconic wildlife destinations in Tanzania, and perhaps the entire world.
One benefit of arranging a private driver for our family trip to Tanzania, was that our guide picked us up at the airport, and we began our first Serengeti game drive immediately.
Serengeti Game Drives
The entirety of our 2-day visit to Serengeti with kids was devoted to going on safari. This is one of the best game parks in Africa, so we didn’t want to miss a single moment!
Over our two days in the Serengeti, we saw a staggering assortment of African animals, but the big cats stole the show. In addition to our multiple lion sightings, we saw 2 leopards! I can’t overstate how lucky this is – most visitors to Africa never see a single leopard, and our expert guide found two! Seeing a leopard was at the top of our 8-year old’s African animals bucket list, so he was beyond excited!
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If you are considering visiting the Serengeti with your family, don’t miss our post on 2 days in the Serengeti with kids. While there, keep your kids active and engaged on safari with our Serengeti scavenger hunts!
Days 3 – 4: Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Wildlife Encounters and Human History
Our next stop was the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tanzania. The drive from the Serengeti was dusty and bumpy, but the anticipation of a game drive inside the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera kept our spirits high.
Olduvai Gorge – A Journey into Prehistoric Times
Before reaching the Ngorongoro Crater, we visited the Olduvai Gorge, one of the most significant human history sites in the world. Several species of pre-humans have been discovered in the gorge, which are showcased in the on-site museum, which offered a fascinating glimpse into human evolution.
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
During our full-day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater, we encountered an amazing selection of African wildlife, including a rare serval cat, a pod of hippos, flamingos, and elephants and more. The highlight of the day was watching a pride of lions (unsuccessfully) hunt a waterbuck in some wetlands near the lake. What a thrill to watch one of Earth’s greatest predators in action!
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The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most dramatic locations for a family safari anywhere in the world. Don’t miss our post on visiting Ngorongoro with kids. Likewise, we have also created an animal scavenger hunt just for Ngorongoro game drives!
Day 5: Lake Manyara – Night Safari and Cultural Discovery
After 4 days of incredible family safaris in Tanzania, our next stop was Lake Manyara National Park, a scenic and compact park nestled between the Great Rift Valley escarpment and its namesake lake. Although Lake Manyara is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors, we thought it was a unique and enriching experience, especially for our kids.
Mto wa Mbu Cultural Walking Tour
As with our stay at the Maji Moto Cultural Camp in Kenya, we wanted to find another authentic cultural experience for our kids in Tanzania. We found a good one with a cultural walking tour of the nearby Mto wa Mbu village.
This authentic village experience allowed us to interact with locals, observe daily life, and learn about various crafts and traditions. Our children enjoyed engaging with local kids, visiting rice fields and banana plantations, and even trying their hand at wood carving.
Lake Manyara Night Game Drive
The highlight of our visit was the night game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Equipped with a private guide in a Toyota Landcruiser, a spotter perched on the hood, and a park ranger at the back, we ventured into the dense forest after dark.
The experience was thrilling as we spotted nocturnal animals like a porcupine, bush baby, and a pride of lions resting on the road. This amazing night safari allowed us to see nocturnal animals that we hadn’t previously seen on our daytime game drives in Tanzania.
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Lake Manyara isn’t at the top of most people’s list for Tanzania, but it can help break up long travel days between Moshi and Ngorongoro and Serengeti. If your family trip includes a stop here, make the most of it with our post on visiting Lake Manyara with kids.
Days 6 – 7: Moshi – Mt. Kilimanjaro Hiking and Village Cycling
Our final stop on our family trip to Tanzania was Moshi, a vibrant town nestled at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. While in Moshi, we embraced the outdoors with a memorable day hike on Kilimanjaro and an engaging village bike tour.
Mount Kilimanjaro Day Hike
We’ve long dreamed of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our kids are still a little too young to make the expedition to the summit, but we made the most of our current capabilities with an amazing day hike on the lower slopes.
Our incredible day hike ventured into the lush rainforest, where towering trees draped in moss created a mystical atmosphere. Along the way, we enjoyed discovering the unique flora and fauna on the mountain, including monkeys, giant snails and even a chameleon!
Moshi Village Bike Tour
On the morning of our final day in Tanzania, we embarked on a guided bike tour through the villages just outside Moshi. Riding through the scenic countryside and charming villages, we gained insight into the daily lives of the Chagga people.
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As the gateway to Mt. Kilimanjaro, there are tons of fun things to do with kids in Moshi. Learn all about it in our post on visiting Moshi with kids.
Tanzania with Kids – Final Thoughts
As you can see, a family safari trip to Tanzania will be an adventure your family will not soon forget. Home to two of the most iconic game parks in the world, your chances of seeing the African animals of your dreams are sky high. We loved our family adventure in Tanzania, and we are confident you will too!
Kid-Friendly Tanzania Activities
Before you venture to Tanzania for your incredible family safari trip, take a peek at some of the kid-friendly Tanzania activities we’ve created. Game drives can be exhilarating, but they are long and can be a little boring for kids at times. Keep them excited and engaged with our Tanzania Activity book for kids or our Tanzania safari scavenger hunts!
Dan Brewer is an intrepid family travel blogger with a passion for exploring the world's most captivating destinations. With 58 countries under his belt and a sense of wanderlust that knows no bounds, he has made it his life's mission to share his travel experiences and insights with fellow families who love to travel.
When Dan isn't traveling with his wife and kids, he's either out enjoying the Canadian Rockies he calls home or working on one of his three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Travel Banff Canada and Ultimate Sports Road Trip).