Family safari holiday in Tanzania; Safari & Spice
| country: | Tanzania |
| location: | Zanzibar |
| departures: | 2009: 19 Dec, 26 Dec 2010: 17 Jul, 31 Jul, 14 Aug, 28 Aug, 19 Dec, 22 Dec 2011: 16 Jul, 23 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 18 Dec, 23 Dec |
| price: | From £1729 - £2759 (10 days) per adult and from £1599 - £2499 per child including flights from the UK. From £1149 - £1869 per adult and from £1149 - £1869 per child excluding flights. Local payment $250 USD. |
| late availability: | Late availability on 19th & 26th December departures |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Tanzania is a superb destination to discover with your children and this trip offers a great mix of real African adventure with magnificent wildlife, exotic locations and comfortable accommodation. The sheer variety of wildlife will delight all the family and Zanzibar extension makes for a great finale
Uluguru Mountains
Discover the colour and life of an African market in Morogoro, at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains
Mikumi National Park
From your comfortable lodge in Mikumi National Park you take a game drive searching for elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, impala and other antelopes. Keep your eyes peeled for predators - lions and leopards will not be far away.
Saadani Game Reserve
Stay at peaceful Saadani, where the national park backs right up to the Indian Ocean - a perfect combination of beach and wildlife. Your unique beach camp, in a region barely touched by tourism, has lovely thatched tented bungalows. It will be hard to beat the excitement of the walking safari here. With your heart in your mouth you'll spot eland, zebra, giraffe, oryx and perhaps the rare Roosevelt sable. A relaxing river boat trip will allow a glimpse of hippo, crocodile and many bird species. You will also have the chance to visit a local school, meet the children and maybe strike up a friendly game of football in Sadaani, before returning to Tanzania's lively capital Dar Es Salaam.
Children's safari guide course
During 2009, the Safari and Spice tour will include a special training course for children in how to be a safari guide. From a beautiful base at ‘A Tent with a View’ lodge in Saadani National Park, young adventurers get the chance to explore the bush with experienced guides, and learn to identify animals, their footprints and dung, birds and trees. There will also be a perfect chance to test the new found knowledge, and show off to mum and dad the following day when everyone heads out on a full day game drive with boat safari. All participating young guides will be handed official uniforms on completion of their big day in the bush.
Uluguru Mountains
Discover the colour and life of an African market in Morogoro, at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains
Mikumi National Park
From your comfortable lodge in Mikumi National Park you take a game drive searching for elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, impala and other antelopes. Keep your eyes peeled for predators - lions and leopards will not be far away.
Saadani Game Reserve
Stay at peaceful Saadani, where the national park backs right up to the Indian Ocean - a perfect combination of beach and wildlife. Your unique beach camp, in a region barely touched by tourism, has lovely thatched tented bungalows. It will be hard to beat the excitement of the walking safari here. With your heart in your mouth you'll spot eland, zebra, giraffe, oryx and perhaps the rare Roosevelt sable. A relaxing river boat trip will allow a glimpse of hippo, crocodile and many bird species. You will also have the chance to visit a local school, meet the children and maybe strike up a friendly game of football in Sadaani, before returning to Tanzania's lively capital Dar Es Salaam.
Children's safari guide course
During 2009, the Safari and Spice tour will include a special training course for children in how to be a safari guide. From a beautiful base at ‘A Tent with a View’ lodge in Saadani National Park, young adventurers get the chance to explore the bush with experienced guides, and learn to identify animals, their footprints and dung, birds and trees. There will also be a perfect chance to test the new found knowledge, and show off to mum and dad the following day when everyone heads out on a full day game drive with boat safari. All participating young guides will be handed official uniforms on completion of their big day in the bush.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London Flight from London to Dar es Salaam |
| Day 2: | Morogoro Arriving in Dar Es Salaam you transfer straight to your first night’s accommodation (approx 180 km / 3 hrs driving). Your destination is Morogoro, a neat, well laid-out town standing in lush, fertile country at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains, which loom some 2,000 metres above it. Hotel - 1 night (B) |
| Day 3: | Mikumi National Park Morogoro is a major agricultural centre (producing fruit, vegetables and sisal) with a large, bustling and highly photogenic market. After a leisurely breakfast, you set off to explore the market and get the feel of a typical Tanzanian townLate this morning you leave for Mikumi National Park, approx 1.5 hours drive away. Established in 1964, the park lies in a horseshoe of Mountains, which rise to 2,750m. A number of routes can be taken within the park. You may visit the floodplains of the Mkata River where hippo, elephant, buffalo and other animals are often found. There are also some interesting trees in the area. Mikumi takes its name from the local Kiswahili language for a type of palm tree found in the area. You can also keep a lookout for sausage trees! There is much to keep both young and old alert today – from wallowing hippos to colourful birds. Banda’s (Stone-built thatched lodges with en suite facilities) -2 nights (Swimming pool) (B) |
| Day 4: | Mikumi National Park You’ll spend a full day in and around the park. It is home to elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra and many sorts of antelope. You’ll drive to some different parts of the park, maybe seeing herds of elephant as you pass. (B) |
| Day 5: | Saadani Reserve Today is mostly a travelling day (approx. 360 km / 6 hours). You transfer to Saadani Game Reserve and your beach safari camp. The camp is on the edge of the reserve, which is situated to the north of the historic town of Bagamoyo (where slaves were once brought from the interior to be shipped to Zanzibar). Despite its proximity to Zanzibar (15 minutes flying time) and Dar es Salaam, Saadani has remained almost totally undeveloped for tourism. Bordering the park, your fixed tents are beautifully situated on the beach, with a bar and restaurant. Nearby there's the small local village of Mkwaja as well as the historical ruins of an early mosque. Fixed banda's (Thatched huts on stilts with en suite facilities) - 3 nights (BD) |
| Day 6: | Saadani Reserve Today you head out by open-topped Land Rover (the all-purpose workhorse of these parts), to seek out a wider variety of game - including the elusive oryx, sable and kudu. Wildebeest, hartebeest, eland, reedbuck, warthog and zebra also occur in numbers and some of the largest herds of giraffe found in Africa. This afternoon there may be an opportunity to visit the nearby local school – Mkwaja Primary School. The teacher is used to our visits and an impromptu football match often takes place. It’s a great place to interact with the local villagers and to see their way of life. You may also have time for a walking safari which might reveal a stunning array of bird life, including coucal, lovebird, rollers and sunbird, as well as offering close encounters with big game. (BLD) |
| Day 7: | Saadani Reserve Your most relaxing safari outing is a boat safari on the Wami River. You motor slowly up-river past a wonderful array of kingfishers, bee-eaters and other river birds, with hippopotamus and crocodile basking in the warm, shallow waters. Many primates are also visible - especially black and white colobus monkey. You can then anchor or simply drift down-river in silence for a while before returning by vehicle through the reserve to camp. (BLD) NB: The day by day activities described for the Saadani game reserve may vary due to weather conditions and also the location of wildlife in the reserve |
| Day 8: | Dar Es Salaam A short flight via Zanzibar takes you to Dar es Salaam. The city is centred on the large harbour where traditionally rigged dhows compete with modern cargo ships. The city itself is an eclectic mix of Swahili, German, Asian and British architecture, reflecting its colonial past and more recent history. It is a relatively new city – Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar saw the potential of Dar as a deepwater port because of its strategic position at the centre of the East African coast. In 1866, he began work on his palace, built of coral blocks hewn on Changuu Island off Zanzibar. He died before its completion and the palace fell into ruin – he gave the tiny port its name – “Haven of Peace”. Hotel (Comfortable hotel with en suite facilities)– 1 night (B) |
| Day 9: | Fly To London The trip ends for Land Only clients. Those on group flights to the UK transfer from your hotel to the airport for your overnight flight to London. (B) |
| Day 10: | Arrive London Arrive in London |
| Day 11-15: | Optional Zanzibar Island Extension Day 1-7: As per itinerary above Day 8: Today you say farewell to the rest of the group who depart for Dar es Salaam. You will board your light aircraft for a short flight to Zanzibar Island. You transfer to your hotel on arrival (15 minutes). As a result of its trade in slaves and spices, Zanzibar was for many years the most important town on the East African coast. The Sultans of Oman, who introduced the clove tree to its fertile soil at the start of the last century, moved their court here from Muscat in the Gulf and ruled until independence in the early 1960s. As a major trading centre, the 'Spice Island' is also reputed to be the birthplace of Swahili, the simple lingua franca that developed to allow trade between people of different languages. In the heart of the original merchant city the baleful cry of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer resonates though the narrow stone streets. Hotel– 2 nights (Swimming pool) (B) Day 9: You have the day to explore the atmospheric, faded splendour of Stone Town. It's fun to wander unhurriedly through the narrow, whitewashed streets and make chance discoveries, such as the bustle of the old fish market, the vibrant colours of the stalls in the fruit market, the curious mix of black Africa and Islam - veiled women, men with white pillar-box hats, and traces of Arabic origins in the faces of merchants. In the afternoon you can take a half-day ‘spice tour’ (optional), which brings to life the story of the island by visiting its many ruins, and the extensive plantations which produce cloves, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and cardamom as well as fruit and herbs. (B) Day 10-13: This morning you transfer to your beach resort (approx. 1½ hrs). Most of Zanzibar's beaches are protected by coral reefs and are made of white coral-sand. Here you can relax on the balmy, tropical shores of the Indian Ocean or snorkel in its crystal clear water. Alternatively you may choose to rent bicycles, walk to a nearby village or enjoy optional excursions to other parts of the island. Hotel - 4 nights (Bx4,Dx4) Day 14: You will be transferred to the airport in Zanzibar Town (approx 1½ hrs) to fly back to Dar es Salaam. The trip ends for Land Only clients in Dar es Salaam. Those on group flights to the UK connect with your overnight flight to London. (B) Day 15: Arrive London |
travellers' tales
The most memorable was the whole safari aspect of the holiday - seeing the animals and visiting the Masai village, meeting new people and seeing new cultures. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: We support the Mkwaja Primary School, which you will have the opportunityto visit. You will see for yourselves how the children are progressing and perhaps have the chance to help them try out and improve their English. If you would like to offer your support by taking a gift, they would be delighted to receive any books or learning equipment, they have very little resources here at all but you will see a strong determination and great joy for life!
These enthusiastic students would welcome pens, pencils, coloured pens, rules, slates, chalks, books, footballs or netballs. The school have told us general resources will be pooled whilst they will use any individual gifts as rewards for performance or effort to encourage the students. Balls etc will be made available to all that are interested to participate. The camp at Saadani has been built using local materials and craftsmen. Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |