Skip to main content

Places of Africa Safaris

PAS-06 · Tanzania

The Family Safari

Shorter drives, a private vehicle, family tents and a beach at the end.

See the packages
Big game
Serengeti
Zanzibar
Family camps
Big game
8–10Duration days
5+Ages on game drives
PrivateVehicle essential
$2,980From per person

What a Family Safari is

A family safari is the classic northern circuit with the pace taken out of it: shorter drives, fewer parks, more nights in each, a pool in the middle of the day and a beach at the end.

The mechanics matter more than the marketing. The Serengeti sets a minimum age of five for game drives and most camps set six; a private vehicle is what makes younger children workable, because you set the departure time and can turn back when someone has had enough.

We will tell you honestly what each age can and cannot do — balloons from seven, walking safaris and night drives generally from sixteen — rather than discovering it at the camp.

Family Safari

Why it works

Four things that decide whether it works

Four things that decide whether a family safari works or falls apart.

A private vehicle, always
01

A private vehicle, always

You set the departure time, cut a drive short, and stop when somebody needs the loo. With children it is not an upgrade.

Fewer places, longer stays
02

Fewer places, longer stays

Three nights in two places beats one night in six. Less packing, less driving, and a pool in the middle of the day.

Camps that actually want children
03

Camps that actually want children

Family tents, early suppers, junior-ranger programmes. Several luxury camps set a minimum age of twelve — we book the ones that do not.

Honest age limits, in advance
04

Honest age limits, in advance

Balloons from seven; walking safaris and night drives generally sixteen. Better known now than at the camp.

Big game
Serengeti
Zanzibar
Family camps
Safari

Four shapes, by the age of the children

Discover our Family Safari packages

First Safari, Short
ArushaTarangire × 2Ngorongoro × 2Arusha
YOUNGER CHILDREN

First Safari, Short7 days / 6 nights · PAS-06A

ArushaTanzania
NgorongoroTanzania
6 Nights
FAMILY FARE
  • Lodge-based, pools throughout
  • Drives never longer than three hours
  • Private vehicle essential and included
  • Suits ages 5–8

Per guest, from:

$2,980

$496 per night

Details
Safari & Beach for Families
ArushaTarangireNgorongoroSerengeti × 3fly Zanzibar × 4
THE FAMILY SIGNATURE

Safari & Beach for Families11 days / 10 nights · PAS-06B

ArushaTanzania
ZanzibarTanzania
10 Nights
EARLY BOOKING
  • Junior ranger programme in the Serengeti
  • Family tents and interconnecting rooms
  • Four beach nights on the north coast
  • Balloon option for ages 7+

Per guest, from:

$4,120 $4,600

$412 per night

Details
For Teenagers
ArushaTarangireNgorongoroSerengeti × 4fly Arusha
TEENAGERS

For Teenagers10 days / 9 nights · PAS-06C

ArushaTanzania
SerengetiTanzania
9 Nights
TEEN ACTIVITIES
  • Walking safari on concession, 16+
  • Night drive where licensed
  • Photography tuition with the guide
  • Longer drives, remoter camps

Per guest, from:

$3,740

$415 per night

Details
The Family House

Sole-use house · own chef, guide and vehicle · beach villa finish

WHOLE-HOUSE

The Family House10 days / 9 nights · PAS-06D

ArushaTanzania
ZanzibarTanzania
9 Nights
SOLE USE
  • Whole house, nobody else
  • Own chef — fussy eaters catered for
  • Two vehicles for larger families
  • No minimum age at all

Per guest, from:

$5,300

$588 per night

Details

Shorter drives · two nights minimum · beach finish

The trip, in four passages

Arushaarrive Tarangire2 nights Ngorongoro2 nights Serengeti3 nights Zanzibarfly, 4 nights Departhome

Elephants on day two

Days 1–2 · 2 nights

A short first drive and then the easiest big-game day of the trip. Elephant herds of several hundred hold children's attention in a way that a distant antelope does not, which is why we put Tarangire early.

Elephants on day two

Four tiers, every one child-friendly

Where you’ll stay

What matters is family rooms, a pool, and a camp that genuinely welcomes children — not the tier label.

Lodges
Lodges

Serena, Sopa, Tarangire Safari Lodge

Solid walls, pools, family rooms, 24-hour power. The safest choice under eight.

$380–580 pp / day
Family camps
Family camps

Tented camps with family units

A second sleeping area behind a divider, or two tents on one deck.

$490–680 pp / day
Luxury, 12+
Luxury, 12+

Small camps that accept twelve and over

Better guiding and position, but many decline younger children.

$1,350–1,580 pp / day
Private house
Private house

Sole-use houses with staff

No minimum age, own chef, two vehicles. Best answer for mixed ages.

On request

Family units are limited at small camps and book out far earlier than standard rooms — for school holidays we book them first and build the route afterwards.

24%  CONSERVATION FEES

Family itineraries carry the same fixed government fees as any other — roughly a quarter of the total — though children aged 5 to 15 pay reduced park entry, which is already reflected in the prices here.

Park & conservation fees  24%Accommodation & meals  34%Guide & vehicle  18%Transfers & flights  15%Operations & our fee  9%

Honest fit

Who it’s for

We would rather tell you your children are too young than sell you a difficult trip.

  • Children aged 6–11
  • Teenagers 12–15
  • Teenagers 16+
  • Multi-generational groups
  • Children aged 5
  • Under 5
  • Wanting walking safaris for under-16s
  • Six parks in eight days

Choose the Family if

  • Your children are six or older
  • You would rather have a pool in the middle of the day than a sixth park
  • You want a private vehicle so the day runs at your pace
  • You want to finish on a beach rather than in a vehicle
  • You are travelling as a multi-generational group

Choose something else if

  • Your children are under five — the Serengeti will not permit game drives
  • You want walking safaris or night drives for under-16s
  • You want to cover six parks in eight days
  • You are unwilling to book a private vehicle
  • You are travelling in the long rains, mid-March to May

All seven, side by side

How it compares

Rates are indicative, per person per day sharing, and include park fees. Every one of these is a real page — read the one that fits you rather than the one we happen to be showing.

Safari type
Length
Where
Vehicle
Per person, per day
Best for
7–9 days
Northern circuit
Max 6 / vehicle
$250–450
First safari, best value
8–12 days
Northern + fly-in
Max 4 / vehicle
$700–1,500
Comfort and small camps
7–10 days
Serengeti, seasonal
Max 6 / vehicle
$400–1,200
Herds and river crossings
10–14 days
Circuit + Zanzibar
Max 6 / vehicle
$350–900
Safari then the Indian Ocean
Any length
Anywhere
Your party only
$600–2,000
Total control of the day
Family Safari you are here
8–10 days
Circuit + beach
Private vehicle
$400–1,100
Travelling with children
5–8 days
Northern circuit
Up to 7 shared
$180–260
Lowest cost, fixed dates

Private · any date on request

Upcoming departures

12 Jul 2027
School holidays · lodge-based
from $2,980
3 places
07 Aug 2027
Peak family season · books first
from $4,120
2 places
20 Dec 2027
Festive · whole-house only
from $5,300
On request
04 Apr 2028
Easter · teens itinerary
from $3,740
Open
14 Feb 2028
Half term · calving season
from $3,450
Open
01 Jun 2028
Half term · dry season opens
from $3,200
Open

Good to know

Your questions, answered

What is the minimum age for a family safari?+
The Serengeti sets a minimum of five for game drives and most operators apply six in practice. Camps set their own policy on top: many accept six and over, while a good number of luxury camps require twelve. Under-sixes are possible at family-friendly lodges with a private vehicle, which is how nearly all under-six safaris are built.
What is the best age to bring children?+
Between six and ten. Old enough to sit through a full game drive and remember it afterwards, young enough to be genuinely astonished. Younger is possible and older is easier, but that is the band where it lands hardest.
Do we really need a private vehicle?+
With children under about ten, yes — treat it as essential rather than an upgrade. It lets you set the departure time, cut a drive short without affecting other guests, and stop when somebody needs the loo. It also unlocks camps that would otherwise decline younger children.
Can children do a balloon flight?+
Serengeti balloon operators generally set a minimum age of seven, and children need to be tall enough to be secure in the basket for landing. Confirm at booking rather than on the morning — flights are paid in advance and operators do not make exceptions.
What about walking safaris and night drives?+
Both are typically restricted to sixteen and over, on safety and insurance grounds rather than camp preference. Walking involves an armed guide and unpredictable animal encounters; night drives run after dark in open vehicles. Neither is negotiable at most operators.
Is malaria a problem for children?+
Every safari area in Tanzania is a malaria zone, and this is the conversation to have with your doctor first, not last. Some prophylaxis licensed for adults is not licensed for young children, and that alone sometimes decides the timing of a family trip. Start six to eight weeks before travel.
Do camps have family rooms?+
Many do — a family tent with a second sleeping area behind a divider, or two tents sharing an interconnecting deck. Lodges more often have adjoining rooms. Family units are limited in number and book out far earlier than standard rooms, particularly over school holidays.
How long should a family safari be?+
Six to eight days on safari, then three or four on the beach. Longer in a vehicle and most children are finished. Combining the northern circuit with Zanzibar is the standard family shape for exactly that reason — the safari is the adventure, the beach is the recovery.

Tell us their ages. Everything else follows.

We will tell you plainly what each age can and cannot do, then build the days around the youngest traveller.

Plan this safari WhatsApp us
From $2,980 pp Enquire
Tailor-made safari
100% Tailor-Made
Response within 24h
Expert Local Guides
"Every journey we craft is as unique as the traveller who takes it." — Places of Africa Safaris

Plan Your Safari

Design Your Family Safari

Tell us your dream — we'll craft it into reality, step by step.

1Safari Type
2Destinations
3Dates & Group
4Budget
5Contact

What kind of safari are you dreaming of?

Which destinations excite you most?

Select all that apply — we'll build a perfect circuit.

When are you planning to travel?

days

Who is travelling with you?

What is your approximate budget?

Per person, excluding international flights. This helps us match the right camps.

Almost there — how do we reach you?

Step 1 of 5
Loading itinerary…
Saved Trips