Our Africa family holiday: Tanzania for kids

First up is the planning, which is an essential part of Africa family holidays. We opted for February half-term (plus an extra week) to escape our winter and ensure good weather for the Zanzibar leg. We always knew this trip would be a financial stretch, but with a sense that life is just too short in recent years, we skipped a big holiday the previous year and decided to go for it.  

Why Tanzania works well for families

Tanzania is a great choice for families as there’s no yellow fever vaccination required. On the other hand, like much of Africa, malaria exists so you’ll need to take appropriate preventative tablets. We opted for ‘Malarone’ tablets as we’ve had them before with no side effects whatsoever. They’re a little more expensive but well worth it. The major supermarkets sell them for half the price of the usual chemists and the kids took their tablets daily without any fuss. 

Kilimanjaro

Our first stop was Kilimanjaro. We flew with Kenya Airways via Nairobi (8.5 hours) on their amazing Dreamliner, followed by a short hop (1 hour) into Kilimanjaro with Precision Air. A little tip here is to sit on the left of the plane for a majestic view of Africa’s highest mountain.

On arrival, we felt pretty fresh as there’s no big-time difference between Tanzania and the UK. We were met at the airport by our driver and guide who drove us 1.5 hours in our 4WD Landcruiser to our hotel, the incredible Amini Maasai Lodge project. 

Amini Maasai Lodge

The lodge has 14 bungalows and is run by the most welcoming local Maasai, with income from the lodge supporting the local community. It’s remote but much better for it and everybody was so friendly. Everyone made a fuss of the kids and we all felt safe and settled immediately. We flopped into the pool and relaxed for the afternoon with uninterrupted views across the savannah – a dream start to our dream trip!

At the lodge, we stayed in a traditional thatched and solar-powered family earth house. They were beautiful inside with en-suite, hot shower and fresh drinking water in re-usable flasks. With a lovely double bed, two singles for the kids and mozzie nets which they thoughtfully prepared for us each night. At night the Maasai guards keep watch around the bungalows for peace of mind.

During your stay, all home-grown meals are included and they’re cooked by the local Maasai chef – they’re delicious and our kids ate everything!

Sunrise views over Kilimanjaro

An early morning wake up at the lodge is highly recommended. On our first morning, they brought a tray of fresh muffins, coffee and hot chocolate to our hut, then opened our doors to the most incredible clear view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Watching sunrise behind the mountain was just bliss, and we knew these were special family memories which we’ll forever cherish. After a wonderful send-off (and yes there were tears – lots of them!) we set off for Karatu, our safari base for the Ngorongoro Crater.

Mto Wa Mbu village visit

On the way, we passed through Arusha and stopped at Mto Wa Mbu village, the gateway to Lake Manyara National Park. I highly recommend a walking tour through Mto Wa Mbu, so you can meet locals going about their daily lives and you’ll be welcomed into their homes.

Rhotia Valley ‘glamping’

In Karatu we stayed at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, a charming lodge which again does so much good locally. Profits support the neighbouring children’s home and two local schools. This time we were staying in a safari tent (definitely glamping standard) with comfy beds and en-suite home comforts. Again the food here is all included and home-grown with freshly baked bread that everyone loved.

Ngorongoro Crater safari

We included just one day at Ngorongoro Crater as the National Park fees are fairly steep (almost $500 per day for the family including the driver and vehicle). This was another bucket list experience for all of us so it had to be done. Described by some as the best place in East Africa for safari, this World Heritage Site has a stunning backdrop and the density of wildlife you can experience here is second to none.

We got up well before sunrise and set off for the crater. Our excellent guide opened up the roof in our Landcruiser once we descended from the crater rim and off we went on safari.

What an experience of nature in action! We saw pretty much everything, from a Zebra giving birth, to gazelles rutting and lions mating. Under the lifted roof in our vehicle, it stayed pretty cool and the kids were able to stand on the seats with us and see elephants, rhinos, zebras, hyenas, wildebeests, flamingos, buffalo and hippos. For a thrilling half-hour, we witnessed lions on the prowl with wildlife fleeing in all directions.

From Ngorongoro, we headed back to our lodge. Another popular option is to continue from here on safari via the Serengeti (a more traditional and quieter safari experience). As this was our first Africa family holiday, on this trip we decided to make our way to Arusha and fly on to Zanzibar for some beach time to round off our trip.  I've spent time in Serengeti and Tarangire National Park on other trips and there are some further tips on planning a Tanzania family safari here.

Zanzibar beach break

The mere mention of Zanzibar conjures images of paradise, white sands and exotic palm-fringed beaches. We settled on a 10-night stay on the island, with plenty of time to explore on a self-drive in a 4WD jeep.

The most striking thing upon leaving the airport (apart from no road signs) around the outskirts of Stone Town was it was far less touristy than I’d imagined. On our drive to Matemwe (North East), we saw only locals, with faded buildings rubbing shoulders with locals markets, donkeys and chickens! We loved it.

East Coast (Matemwe, Pongwe, Paje)

We spent five nights at the new Zanzibar Magic Boutique Hotel, a superb small hotel in sleepy Matemwe with an amazing beachfront bar, restaurant and lovely pool. Again we were warmly welcomed and the staff made efforts to learn the kids’ names, so they felt at home straight away. They even taught us how to play local board game ‘Bao’, which was a lot of fun. The beach here is lovely, but the water is shallow so better for paddling than swimming. 

Further down the coast at Pongwe the beach is better in my view, so if the budget can stretch the 5* Tulia Zanzibar Unique Beach Resort is my personal favourite on all of Zanzibar, with the neighbouring (and more affordable) Pongwe Beach Hotel also a good choice. Further south Kisiwa at the Beach at Paje is a good mid-range choices (lots of kite surfers here), or the villas at Qambani in Michamvi are fantastic for families. 

North (Kendwa and Nungwe)

Next, we had a five nights treat up north in Kendwa and Nungwe where we stayed at the gorgeous Zuri Zanzibar, it's located on a perfect spot of beach with incredible sunsets and interconnecting bungalows for families.  Zuri is not cheap, but it's exceptional with beautiful gardens and a large infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean.  The beach here is the best on Zanzibar, the sand slopes more steeply meaning you can actually swim right from the shore.  As a result this area is much more lively with some bigger hotels along the beach, it's great for a stroll with our oasis at Zuri always nearby.

I've also spent time on neighbouring Pemba Island on other trips.  This is a much quieter and less developed island, it's absolutely beautiful and just a 30 minute flight from Zanzibar or a bit longer from the mainland if going direct from safari.  For me the ultimate place to stay is Manta Resort, it's a more rustic experience with a core focus on conservation and community.  The beach location, turquoise waters and marine life at Manta Resort are just magical.

Having a jeep in Zanzibar was handy though it was parked during most days. It gave us freedom to venture out to eat, plus take a trip to Stone Town’s quirky narrow streets one afternoon. It’s worth noting that there were no working ATM’s outside of Stone Town, so take plenty of cash if you fancy eating locally. Our favourite meal was in a locally-run place called ‘Badolinas’ in Nungwe (if only for the local cows poking their heads in the window), which offers superb fresh fish and salads.

Mnemba Island boat tour

The highlight of our Zanzibar stay was a private boat trip to Mnemba Island. We saw wild dolphins along the way, then jumped in the water to find dolphins swimming all around us. Then we went reef snorkelling in turquoise waters off a pristine white sandbank – the idyllic paradise I’d always imagined Zanzibar would be!

On our final night, we headed back to Magic Zanzibar in Matemwe for dinner as we’d love it there so much. An enormous red moon rose across the Indian Ocean as we enjoyed a lovely meal before flying home, a magical finish to a truly amazing and unforgettable family holiday.

Looking for ideas to do Tanzania with kids?

If you’re interested in Africa family holidays or in Tanzania for kids, we'll help you create an itinerary that’s perfectly suited for all the family.  With personal experience of the accommodation, tours, safaris and beach stays we recommend, we'll tailor-make your Tanzania safari and beach holiday with the minimum of fuss. Have a look at our Tanzania travel guide and tailor-made Tanzania holidays for ideas, then call us on 1273 320 580, request a quote by email or you can also contact Jonny who wrote this article directly.