Safari Overview
The 9-Day Grand Serengeti Family Safari is designed for families traveling long-haul who want more time, more space, and a slower rhythm - without adding complexity.
Rather than fitting everything in, this safari focuses on lingering longer in the Serengeti, enjoying repeated wildlife encounters, and allowing days to unfold naturally. With fewer transitions and more flexibility, families can settle into safari life, follow wildlife movements more deeply, and enjoy moments that shorter itineraries often miss.
This is the safari for families who know this may be their one opportunity to experience Tanzania - and want to do it properly
Why Families Choose the 9-Day Grand Safari
-
Extended time in the Serengeti
-
More than a highlight - the Serengeti becomes home for several days.
-
-
Unrushed pacing throughout
-
Extra nights reduce fatigue and allow flexibility around children’s energy levels.
-
-
Deeper wildlife immersion
-
Time to observe behavior, follow big cats, and revisit favorite sightings.
-
-
Fewer transitions, more presence
-
Less packing, fewer long drives, more meaningful safari moments.
-
-
Private guide & vehicle throughout
-
Every day adapts to your family’s interests, not a fixed schedule.
-
This itinerary isn’t about seeing more places — it’s about experiencing them more fully.
-
Longer stays in key wildlife areas
-
Greater flexibility for rest days or slower mornings
-
Space to add special moments such as a hot air balloon safari, longer game drives, or quiet afternoons at camp
The result is a safari that feels calm, confident, and deeply rewarding.
What Makes This Safari Different
Who This Safari Is Best For
-
Families traveling from the USA, UK, or Europe
-
Those who value quality time over ticking boxes
-
Families with older children or teens who enjoy deeper exploration
-
Travelers seeking a luxury, slow-paced safari experience
This safari is fully customizable.
Speak with a safari specialist to shape this 9-day journey around your travel dates, children’s ages, and preferred comfort level.
This safari is designed to feel unhurried, comfortable, and flexible, allowing your family to settle into safari life rather than rush through it.
You can expect:
-
Private guiding throughout, so game drives adapt to your children’s energy levels
-
Balanced days, with time for wildlife viewing, rest, and unstructured moments
-
Comfortable lodges and camps chosen for space, safety, and family-friendly service
-
Shorter drive days, avoiding unnecessary backtracking or fatigue
-
A calm rhythm, where each day builds naturally on the last
Rather than chasing sightings, your guide focuses on reading the landscape — adjusting routes and timing to create rewarding wildlife encounters while keeping the experience relaxed.
For many families, this approach turns a safari from an exciting trip into a shared journey — one that feels immersive, meaningful, and surprisingly easy.
What to Expect from This Family Safari
Is This The Right Safari for Your Family?
This safari is a great fit if:
-
You’re traveling with children aged 5 years and above
-
You want a private, flexible safari rather than a group tour
-
You value unrushed pacing and time to settle into each location
-
You’re interested in combining wildlife, culture, and learning
-
This may be your family’s one opportunity to experience Tanzania deeply
This safari may not be the best fit if:
-
You’re looking for budget group travel
-
You prefer fast-paced itineraries focused only on ticking off parks
-
You’re interested exclusively in wildlife viewing with no cultural elements
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Relaxed Welcome to Tanzania
Highlights:
-
Airport meet & greet
-
Short private transfer
-
Time to rest and recover after international travel
After arriving in Tanzania, your family is warmly welcomed by your private driver-guide and transferred to a comfortable lodge near Arusha. The afternoon is intentionally unstructured — allowing children to rest, explore the gardens, or enjoy the pool while parents unwind.
This gentle start helps everyone adjust after travel and sets the tone for a relaxed, family-friendly safari.
Accommodation Options:
-
Standard: Shamba Lodge
-
Mid-Range: Rivertrees Country Inn
-
Luxury: Arusha Coffee Lodge
-
Ultra-Luxury: Legendary Lodge
Meal Plan:
Dinner | Breakfast
Ultra-luxury accommodation options are all-inclusive.
Day 2: First Safari Experience in Tarangire National Park
Highlights:
-
Scenic drive through Maasai countryside
-
First game drive in a wildlife-rich park
-
Relaxed pacing with frequent stops
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Large elephant herds near the Tarangire River
-
Giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest
-
Lions resting in shaded areas
-
Buffalo and antelope
-
Colorful birdlife including hornbills and ostriches
After breakfast, your family travels from Arusha to Tarangire National Park — an ideal introduction to safari life. Wildlife sightings are frequent and close, making this first game drive exciting without being overwhelming.
Game drive timing is adapted to your children’s energy levels, keeping the experience engaging and comfortable.
Accommodation Options:
-
Standard: Tarangire Simba Lodge
-
Mid-Range: Tarangire Safari Lodge
-
Luxury: Tarangire Treetops
-
Ultra-Luxury: Chem Chem Lodge
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 3: From Tarangire to the Plains of Serengeti National Park
Highlights:
-
Journey from woodland to open plains
-
First extended Serengeti game drive
-
Expansive landscapes and big-sky views
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Lions and cheetahs on open plains
-
Zebra and wildebeest herds
-
Elephants transitioning between ecosystems
-
Hyenas and jackals
-
Raptors and large savannah birds
After breakfast, you depart Tarangire and journey toward the Serengeti. As the landscape opens, anticipation builds — this is the Africa many families dream of seeing.
Upon entering the Serengeti, wildlife sightings often begin quickly. Your guide introduces a relaxed game drive en route to camp, allowing time to observe animals naturally and stop whenever something captures your family’s interest.
Accommodation Options:
-
Standard: Tukaone Serengeti Camps
-
Mid-Range: Serengeti Sounds of Nature
-
Luxury: Kubu Kubu Luxury Tented Lodge
-
Ultra-Luxury: Melia Serengeti Lodge
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 4: Full Day Serengeti Safari
Highlights:
-
Full day exploring the Serengeti
-
Flexible game drives at your family’s pace
-
Time to slow down and observe wildlife behavior
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Lions with cubs
-
Cheetahs scanning the plains
-
Leopards in riverine areas
-
Elephants and giraffes
-
Seasonal Great Migration herds
With a full day in the Serengeti, your guide shapes the experience around wildlife movement and your family’s rhythm. You may choose morning and afternoon drives with downtime in between, or a longer drive with a picnic lunch.
This flexibility allows children to stay engaged while giving parents time to relax and enjoy unrushed moments.
Accommodation Options:
(same as Day 3)
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 5: Deeper Serengeti Exploration
Highlights:
-
Second full Serengeti safari day
-
Focus on predator tracking and behavior
-
Optional special experiences
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Big cats during peak activity hours
-
Elephant families moving across the plains
-
Hyenas at kills or dens
-
Rich birdlife throughout the ecosystem
An extra Serengeti day is what sets this safari apart. With no pressure to move on, your family can revisit favorite areas, follow wildlife over time, or simply enjoy slower moments in nature.
Optional experiences such as a hot air balloon safari can be added depending on ages and interests.
Accommodation Options:
(same as Day 3)
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 6: From the Serengeti to the Highlands - Wildlife & Culture
Highlights:
-
Morning Serengeti game drive
-
Scenic drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
-
Maasai cultural experience
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Lions and cheetahs in cooler morning hours
-
Zebra and wildebeest herds
-
Giraffes and elephants
-
Raptors and scavengers
After a final morning game drive in the Serengeti, you travel toward the Ngorongoro Highlands. In the afternoon, your family enjoys a respectful Maasai cultural visit, offering children insight into local traditions and daily life.
The day balances wildlife, travel, and cultural learning without feeling rushed.
Accommodation Options:
-
Standard: Farm of Dreams Lodge
-
Mid-Range: Ngorongoro Farm House
-
Luxury: The Manor at Ngorongoro
-
Ultra-Luxury: Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 7: Into the Ngorongoro Crater
Highlights:
-
Full-day crater floor game drives
-
Exceptional wildlife density
-
Picnic lunch inside the crater
Possible wildlife encounters:
-
Lions and buffalo
-
Large hippo pods
-
Black rhinoceros (with luck)
-
Flamingos and water birds
Descending into the Ngorongoro Crater reveals one of Africa’s most concentrated wildlife areas. Short distances mean more viewing and less driving — ideal for families.
A picnic lunch allows time to rest before continuing the afternoon game drive.
Accommodation Options:
(same as Day 6)
Meal Plan:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 8: Lake Eyasi - Culture, Learning & Perspective
Highlights:
-
Visit to Lake Eyasi and surrounding communities
-
Cultural interaction with the Hadzabe and Datoga people
-
A slower, reflective day after wildlife-heavy safari days
Possible experiences:
-
Meeting the Hadzabe, one of Tanzania’s last hunter-gatherer communities
-
Learning traditional skills, storytelling, and daily life practices
-
Observing Datoga blacksmiths and their craftsmanship
-
Exploring the landscapes surrounding Lake Eyasi
After breakfast, your family travels to Lake Eyasi, an area known not for wildlife density, but for its deep cultural significance and human history.
Today’s experience offers children and parents a chance to step away from game drives and gain a different perspective on Tanzania. Through respectful, guided interactions with the Hadzabe and Datoga communities, children learn about traditional lifestyles, survival skills, and the importance of cultural preservation.
The pace is intentionally slow and conversational, allowing time for questions, reflection, and meaningful engagement — making this day one of the most memorable and educational parts of the journey.
Accommodation Options:
-
Standard: Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
-
Mi-range: Kisima Ngeda Camp
-
Luxury: Ziwani Lodge
Meal Plan:
-
Breakfast
-
Lunch
-
Dinner
Luxury accommodation options may be all-inclusive.
Day 9: Departure or Zanzibar Extension
Highlights:
-
Smooth transfer to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport
-
Optional continuation to Zanzibar
After breakfast, your family transfers to the airport for your onward journey or continues to Zanzibar for a beach extension.
The safari concludes calmly, without rushing the final moments.
Meal Plan:
Breakfast
Wildlife cannot be scheduled, it reveals itself through patience and presence. With extended time in each region and an experienced private guide attuned to daily conditions and movement, this safari invites your family to observe, learn, and connect with nature in a way that feels unrushed, intuitive, and deeply rewarding.
Inclusions & Exclusions – 6 Days Tanzania Family Safari
✅ What’s Included:
-
Professional, English-speaking safari guide experienced in family and teen safaris
-
All park fees (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara)
-
Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof for optimal wildlife viewing
-
All transfers from/to Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha
-
Accommodation throughout the safari
-
Drinking water in the safari vehicle
-
Wildlife spotting and educational talks tailored for teens
-
Emergency communication and safety support throughout the safari
❌ What’s Not Included:
-
International flights to/from Tanzania
-
Visa fees for Tanzania
-
Travel insurance (strongly recommended for family safaris)
-
Optional activities (hot air balloon safari, night drives, guided walking safaris)
-
Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages
-
Personal shopping, tips, and souvenirs
-
Zanzibar extension (if applicable)