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7-Day Private Family Safari
A private 7-day safari built around children: family-friendly lodges with pools, a guide who turns game drives into games, and a pace that bends to your children's energy.
Package overview
This private family safari gives your group its own vehicle, its own guide and its own schedule.
You start in Arusha National Park, where children canoe past hippos on the Momella Lakes and walk beside giraffes with an armed ranger.
Tarangire follows, with its ancient baobabs and elephant herds that gather at the river.
The Serengeti comes next, where the plains open out and the predators are close. The week ends in the Ngorongoro Crater, where you descend 600 metres onto the crater floor and see black rhino and abundant lion.
Every lodge is chosen for families: room layouts that fit children, pools for the late afternoon, and meal times that flex.
Why a private family safari? No strangers in the vehicle, no fixed departure time, no waiting for other guests. Your guide adjusts each day to your children's energy: a longer rest after lunch, an earlier start for the cats, a shorter drive when someone is tired. Children are given a guide's attention, with the option of spotter cards, animal tracking games and a junior ranger badge on request.
- Duration
- 7 Days • 6 Nights
- Ideal for
- Families with Kids, Multigenerational Trips, First-Time Safaris, Private Groups, Big Five Viewing
Day-by-day itinerary
Your guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfers you to your Arusha lodge (about 45 minutes).
Dinner together and a short briefing on the week ahead, with time for children to ask questions.
Stay: Arusha Coffee Lodge (Ultra Luxury, Burka Coffee Estate) or similar accommodation | Meals: Dinner
Morning canoe trip on the Momella Lakes, where hippos and waterbirds share the water.
Guided walk with an armed ranger among giraffes at the foot of Mount Meru.
Look for black-and-white colobus monkeys in the forest canopy. Picnic lunch at the lakeside.
Return to lodge in the afternoon for a rest and pool time.
Stay: Arusha Coffee Lodge | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive of about 2.5 hours to Tarangire, with a stop for a late breakfast if the children need one.
Afternoon game drive among baobab trees. Elephant herds, often several hundred strong, gather at the Tarangire River in the dry season.
Lion, leopard and a wide range of birdlife are common here. Your guide will pick routes based on what the children want to see.
Stay: Tarangire Safari Lodge (Luxury, between Tarangire and Lake Manyara) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning drive across the highlands, past Olduvai Gorge, where the early human fossil record was found. A short stop with a guide explains the site.
The woodland opens onto the Serengeti plains. Game drive en route to camp in the afternoon.
Sunset from the lodge terrace, dinner and an early night.
Stay: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge (Upper Mid-range, central Serengeti) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Family tip: Long drives are split into two shorter sessions with a midday rest on request.
Full day in the Seronera Valley, where resident lion prides, leopards in the sausage trees and cheetahs on termite mounds are common.
Picnic lunch in the park. Afternoon drive along the Seronera River.
Sundowners on the plains as the grass turns gold.
Stay: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning game drive, then transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (about 5 hours with game stops).
Afternoon arrival at the crater rim. Sunset view over the caldera.
Stay: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (Luxury, crater rim) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early descent into the crater for a full game drive. Expect lion, elephant, buffalo, zebra and black rhino. Picnic lunch beside the hippo pool.
Afternoon drive out of the crater, then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight (about 3.5 hours).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Family tip: Flights departing after 6 PM give the most time for the crater. Tell us your flight time when you book.
What's included
Included
- All national park entry and concession fees
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All accommodation as per itinerary (6 nights)
- Full board meals and unlimited drinking water
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Travel and medical insurance
- Optional activities such as the balloon safari
- Drinks other than water, unless stated
- Personal items and souvenirs
Pricing and booking terms
Starting Price: $2,700 per person (4 travelers, low season)
Deposit Required: 30% of the total booking confirms your dates and lodges
Balance Due: 70%, 45 days before departure
Minimum Group: 2 travelers. Single travelers pay a solo supplement.
Cancellation: 60+ days, full refund minus a $150 fee. 30–59 days, 30% forfeited. Under 30 days, 100% forfeited. Travel insurance is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Children of all ages are welcome. Long drives are the main challenge for under-fives, so we split the longest transfers and build in rest time. Ask us for a custom plan if you have a baby or a toddler.
The Arusha, Serengeti and Ngorongoro lodges on this itinerary have swimming pools. Tented lodges in Tarangire are quieter and suit families who want a bush feel. Tell us your preference and we will match the lodge to your children's ages.
Most days include a morning and an afternoon session of 3 to 4 hours each. On drive days, the journey itself is also a game drive. Children can nap in the vehicle, and we can stop for rests on request.
Lodge menus include pasta, rice, chicken, potatoes and fresh fruit alongside local dishes. Tell us about allergies and preferences when you book, and we will brief the lodge chefs and the picnic team.
