Short Family Safari
from $5,490 adult
from $5,190 teen
from $4,490 child
11 daysdoor-to-door
Please call us to add international flights from most major U.S. cities.
Business class flights available.
Photo credit: Aravind Krishnaswamy / www.akimagery.com
Photo credit: John Slay
Trip Highlights
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Areas Visited
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Days 1-2
Depart North America / Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Your Thomson Guide will welcome you at the airport and escort you to tonight’s lodge. Enjoy a good night's rest before heading out into the wilderness tomorrow morning.
Overnight: Mount Meru Game Lodge
Days 3-4
Tarangire National Park
Your destination for the next two days: Tarangire National Park. Here, you and your family will catch your first thrilling glimpses of African wildlife. See lions bask in the sun, zebra lap up water from a pond, and leopard dash across the savannah. Kids will love our stop at a nearby lodge for a dip in the pool, where elephants have been spotted taking a drink.
Overnights: Thomson Tarangire Nyumbas
Days 5-6
Ngorongoro Crater
On a morning drive to Ngorongoro Crater, you’ll stop at a local school so your kids can meet their Tanzanian pen pals. Enjoy a hearty lunch at Gibb’s Farm before your journey continues. Once at tonight’s camp—which sits on the crater’s rim—you’ll have a chance to settle in and listen to your guide talk more about the history of this volcanic caldera.
The next morning, you’ll descend 2,000 feet below camp to the crater’s floor. Your day here will be full of excitement as this 10-mile wide crater is home to the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa. Make a game of who can spot the greatest variety of animals.
Overnights: Thomson Ngorongoro Nyumba
Days 7-9
Serengeti National Park
Next stop: Serengeti National Park. Along the way, you’ll stop at Olduvai Gorge, also known as “the Cradle of Mankind.” Your three days in the Serengeti are rich with wildlife viewing. Spot lions, cheetah, crocodiles, and warthogs using the tracking skills your expert guide taught you. In the evenings, return to camp, and enjoy playing traditional Tanzanian games, sitting around the campfire, and sharing stories with fellow travelers.
Join an optional hot air balloon ride to take in sweeping views of the Serengeti from above. (Minimum height and age: four feet and seven years. Advanced reservations and additional fees apply).
Overnights: Thomson Serengeti Nyumba
Days 10-11
Serengeti National Park to Arusha / Return to North America
Wave goodbye to the vast plains of the Serengeti on your flight back to Arusha. Enjoy shopping for some final souvenirs, and relax in a day room before your evening flight home.
Day room: Mount Meru Hotel
Extend your discoveries with one of our optional trip extensions. Stroll the colorful streets on the island of Zanzibar … catch intimate glimpses of gorillas in the Virunga Mountains … search for wildlife across uncharted plains in Ruaha National Park … and more.
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Mount Meru Game LodgeSee monkeys leap through the treetops, or hear them scamper across the roof during your stay at Mount Meru Game Lodge. Originally a private home, the lodge consists of several cottage-style rooms, each with a different architectural style and decorative theme. This comfortable lodge includes a small park that is a refuge and rehabilitation center for stork, zebra, gazelle, warthogs, and even elephants recovering from various traumas. |
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Thomson Tarangire NyumbaAn authentic experience awaits you at this private camp in Tarangire. Conveniences like solar lighting and ensuite bathrooms with hot showers add a comforting touch to this safari retreat. In the evenings, enjoy dinner prepared from local ingredients, and chat with friendly staff and fellow travelers as you watch the sun set behind towering baobab trees. |
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Thomson Ngorongoro NyumbaThe Ngorongoro camp is set on the eastern edge of the Ngorongoro Crater’s rim and offers the best possible access in and out of the crater, as well as a more private, remote experience. In the morning, you have the eastern floor of the crater almost completely to yourself. In the evenings, when you return to camp, you'll be greeted with the hospitality that is a hallmark of all our camps. Settle in to your spacious tent, enjoy a hot safari-shower in your ensuite facilities, head to the campfire for a drink before dinner, and enjoy a traditional Tanzanian meal -- a specialty of the camp chefs here. Don't forget to bundle up at this camp, as temperatures can be as low as 40 degrees from May to October. |
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Thomson Serengeti NyumbasThese semi-permanent, seasonal camps are strategically plotted across the Serengeti according to wildlife migration patterns. Each location offers comfort in the heart of the wilderness. With spacious tents, cozy bedding, and ensuite bathrooms, you’ll have to take a look outside to be reminded that you’re deep in the bush. And no need to worry—with eco-friendly features like solar lighting, we’re not harming the landscape. |
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Mount Meru HotelThe Mount Meru Hotel has been a mainstay of Arusha accommodations since it opened in the 1960's, when Tanzania tourism was still in its infancy. It was recently renovated top to bottom, and the finished product is even better than the original. With reliable modern conveniences, a variety of dining options, a beautiful pool, and a central location, it is one of the best places to start or end your safari or trek. |
| Depart US | Return US | Adult | Teen | Child | Notes | |
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| 2013 | ||||||
| June 20 | June 30 | $5,290 | $4,990 | $4,990 | Sold Out | |
| July 05 | July 15 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Reserve Now | |
| July 21 | July 31 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Limited Availability | Reserve Now |
| August 05 | August 15 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Sold Out | |
| November 21 | December 01 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Reserve Now | |
| December 19 | December 29 | $5,790 | $5,490 | $4,790 | Reserve Now | |
| December 26 | January 05 | $5,790 | $5,490 | $4,790 | Limited Availability | Reserve Now |
| 2014 | ||||||
| February 14 | February 24 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Reserve Now | |
| March 21 | March 31 | $5,490 | $5,190 | $4,490 | Reserve Now | |
"I've been to over 55 countries and on all 7 continents – no one else does it better than Thomson! The fact that I brought my entire family along is the highest compliment I could give...I have no doubt we will return to Tanzania with Thomson Safaris."
- Dick B., Short Family Safari
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Video HighlightYour Safari AccommodationsThe Nyumba is our signature accommodation - and our favorite! Nyumba means "home" in Swahili. These are camps exclusive to Thomson Safaris, designed by us, for you. |
Recommended ExtensionRuaha National ParkFly to the remote southern wilderness of Ruaha National Park, the largest and one of the least explored parks in East Africa. Explore uncharted territory and learn wildlife tracking tips from expert guides. Here, tracking is as much an artform as a practical pursuit; this is a different style of wildlife viewing than in northern Tanzania, where wildlife is more densely concentrated. Spot leopard, cheetah, and African wild dog in comfortable open-sided vehicles. In the afternoon, relax on your private veranda with a drink and at the end of the day, savor torch-lit dinners on the banks of Mwagusi Sand River.
Recommended length of stay: Minimum 4 days
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