Life Overseas

Days on safari in Tanzania are filled with such a rich tapestry of events – large and small – that they seem somehow longer. Long enough to be able to have a full morning’s game viewing, a substantial lunch and still steal a good couple of hours after lunch to sleep, before heading out again in the afternoon.

For children, Tanzania can be intoxicating and profoundly liberating. As parents, adventures aside, one of the immeasurably valuable things you’ll find here is that thing which is in such short supply at home – time. Time in this African region is an exotic and slow-moving beast.

There are few deadlines that you or the children have to meet. No “hurry up, we’ll be late” no “what do you mean you can’t find your other shoe?” Nobody’s even slightly bothered if you choose to wear no shoes and life just works to a different rhythm, dictated by the rising and setting of the sun.

Most countries in Africa are great for family safaris but Tanzania is a particularly good example; huge quantities of big wild animals, lots of different things to do, very diverse areas within relatively easy reach and good options for small private camps. 

Northern Tanzania is a great place to start; it’s so diverse and relatively easy to plug together all your favourite elements. It can be visited in a safari of around 5 nights and with a good guide and a private vehicle in this time you can be fairly certain of seeing most of the major species of mammal. 

Most of the best camps encourage all but the youngest children but some do place age restrictions and if not within the camp itself, these restrictions can apply to participation in some of the key activities. A good safari tour operator will plan the best possible options for you and your family according to specific ages of the children. 

If you are a family that prefers being out there on your own, or perhaps are planning to travel with another family, then the best possible safari you can have is a private wilderness mobile camp. This is a small highly authentic safari camp, a perfect mix of comfort and excitement - the sort of thing Hemingway would have used – and you can arrange pretty much every aspect of the safari entirely to suit yourselves, whether that be different activities every day, particular meal schedules, the occasional picnic or sundowner, football matches with the camp crew or whatever takes your fancy.

Alternatively if you want to limit the amount of comfort you bestow on your kids, choose one of the popular light mobile camping safaris. Small tents, bedrolls or sleeping bags, shared bush facilities and relatively simple food – these camps will move every night or two, being quickly collapsed and packed into the back of the land rover or trailer. There will be a cook along to help with most camp chores but you may be asked to muck in at times, perhaps helping establish camp in the evening or keeping the hot water on tap for ’bucket shower’ duty!

Southern Tanzania is also well worth visiting with children, and the increased flexibility in areas of the Selous can make it a positively electrifying experience for children. Combining game drives with some boating, fishing and walking safaris, along with the chance to sleep out under the stars in simple fly camps surrounded by the sounds, sights and smells of the African night makes for memories that will not fade quickly. 

A family safari in Tanzania might include the Serengeti Wilderness Mobile exploring Loliondo and surrounding areas; Kiba Point or Beho Beho in the Selous North; or perhaps adventure camping off the beaten track in Northern Tanzania. Whatever you choose, you and your family are sure to have a safari experience you’ll never forget.