Going on a safari with a child: my advice for enjoying your trip to Tanzania

Let’s start by packing your luggage for a safari with a child

Tanzania is situated in a humid area so even if during the dry season the grass appears burnt, it quickly turns green again as soon as it rains. And rain, at certain times of the year, you can have it several times during a day (typically in July/August).

On the other hand, as is often the case in Africa, it can be hot during the day but cold at night. So if you’re leaving at 5 a.m. or 7 p.m. for a game drive, equip yourself. (As a reminder, the closer you get to the equator, the earlier night falls. The sun often shines between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. So by “night”, I mean from 7 p.m.)

Now that you have these information, you will easily understand that you need to bring pants and sweaters for your trip. This is all the more true in higher regions (such as Ngorongoro Park). I would like to point out that pants are a must-have in Africa because they also prevent mosquito bites (some of which carry malaria).

Back to clothes: pants, shorts, sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, t-shirts must be part of your trip. Honestly, the dress or skirt is not necessary if you are not going to the seaside. Remember that in Tanzania, apart from the coast where there is sand, the rest is dirt roads. ocher color very often. So plan for all-purpose colors. I will add that bright colors attract mosquitoes, so avoid them.

Also take sneakers or hiking shoes (no open-shoes). This is less the case in the reserves that I am going to talk about but sometimes game drives in the car are replaced by hiking outings. A good pair of shoes is therefore essential. Finally, don’t forget your rain jacket.

Credit Photo : Tanzania Specialists

Visit Serengeti, Manyara, Ngorongoro or Tarangire national parks

These 4 parks are located in the northwest of the country near the Kenyan border. Some like Ngorongoro (hidden in the crater of an ancient collapsed volcano) are steep and rise in altitude so cover up. But if we start at the beginning, rent a car with a driver. It may seem like a luxury but you don’t know how to drive on African roads and paths and even less in rainy weather. And beyond the road, the drivers have eagle eyes and they know the places where you are most likely to see animals. Because yes, if you come to Tanzanian national parks, it is to see animals. And there is no shortage of them: buffalo, lions, giraffes, leopards, gazelles, rhinoceroses, zebras, hippos, elephants, wildebeest, baboons, antelopes, birds of many species, hyenas…

But to see them, you sometimes have to open your eyes:

• The hunters (lionesses, leopards, etc.) are hidden in the tall grass or slipping in a tree during their nap;
• The giraffes blend in with the trunks of acacias;
• Elephants advance silently and charge if frightened;
• Troops of buffalo or wildebeest rest on the ground protected by scouts;
• Antelopes and gazelles are slender and similar in color to vegetation;
• Hippos only stick their nostrils out of the water;
• The birds fly away at breakneck speed;
• ….

All this joyful wildlife will delight your children. But be careful with younger children who could be shocked by the violence of certain hunting scenes of a lioness or a leopard. Without overprotecting them or hiding from them what wildlife is, be attentive to their reaction to this type of situation.

Credit photo : Kiwoito Africa Safaris

How to behave in an animal park during a safari with a child ?

Children will have to learn to remain silent. Because when we go on a game drive, it’s to find and observe animals in the savannah. Even if these animals are used to seeing cars, they can be disturbed by noises other than those of engines (which remain fairly neutral despite everything).

Besides the noise, watch your attitude because animals see from afar. And as a reminder, you are on 4 wheels, raised and open to the four winds. Friendly advice: never get out of the vehicle when animals approach (even an arm). By not following this advice, you expose everyone in the vehicle to attack. In fact, the hunting animal (lioness, leopard, etc.) sees a mass larger than itself with the car. If an element (an arm for example) comes out of this mass, the hunter sees a weakness in his prey and can choose to attack.

To put it simply, in general, listen to your driver/guide and do what they say. No psychosis to be had though. Besides, even sitting and silent, you can see very well. Remember to equip yourself with binoculars to participate in the research if you want to see even better. It’s a great game for kids, by the way.

Credit photo : Safari Photo.org

Waterholes in parks

You don’t always have to go on safari to see animals. Indeed, some establishments (hotels, camps, etc.) have dug water holes near the rooms. So while remaining safe (or even near the swimming pool) you can see, at daybreak and nightfall, a crowd of animals coming to drink from an incessant broom.

So explain to your children the importance of remaining silent. Otherwise, the animals leave immediately because they are frightened. Note that if the game drives take place in the morning and evening, it is because the day can be boring for the animals which remain in the shade of the trees or hidden in the tall grass (because of sun and heat). You also find this lethargy around waterholes. Conclusion: go to the waterholes in the morning or after sunset if you want more entertainment.

Credit photo : Luxury Safari Company

How to get around your accommodation?

The answer depends on the type of accommodation you have booked. Indeed, the hotels are discreet to blend into nature. They are often demarcated by protective fences that animals will not pass through (for those larger than a gazelle).

Conversely, tented camps are made up of tents installed on stilts and spaced from each other. In these cases, there is no demarcation to prevent animals from passing through. It is therefore up to you to be careful if a hippo, an elephant or a lion comes for a stroll.

I would like to point out that I found myself face to face with these 3 animals in tented camps in Africa, so I’m serious about that. However, I am not trying to scare you. If you are face to face with:
An elephant or a hippopotamus, don’t run but hide behind a tree while they pass.
A lion, back away slowly without showing your back and head towards a building or another tent then hide in it.

Noises at night in the savannah

Again, depending on the type of accommodation you have chosen, you will have noise or no noise. Typically, in a hotel with windows, you won’t hear anything. Unless the windows have left room for mosquito nets to let the air circulate.

On the other hand, in tented camps, you hear everything. More than once, I was awakened by the roars of a lion or the broken branches because of elephants. You have nothing to fear! So just explain to your children that it can happen but that they should not make any noise or leave their tent.

Credit photo : More of Africa

Time management on safari with a child

To connect one park to another, you must take a road or path. In either case, you drive slower than on a French departmental road. So remember to keep your children busy. It’s the same and even worse in wildlife parks because you sometimes have to drive at less than 30 km/h.

As I said above, using binoculars to look for animals is a really effective activity, but not for 3 hours… So use your imagination to keep your children occupied in silence.

Please note, there are sometimes parking areas in the parks which are demarcated and where you can get out of the car to stretch your legs. It’s useful for dispelling excess energy from younger people. That being said, during all the game drives I have done, I have rarely seen screaming children. Even the most turbulent ones were attentive, fascinated or just having a nap.

I could continue to share advice and anecdotes with you, but here are the most useful ones. The bottom line is that you must:
Prepare yourself for more than just a trip to France or Europe;
Explain more things to your children because the environment is different.
But overall, Tanzanians are adorable and super patient with children. I still remember my trip to Tanzania very well and I have great memories of it. That’s why it’s one of my son’s next destinations. So organize yourself beforehand, equip yourself with the advice of the locals during and take advantage of these unique encounters which will remain in the memory of your children for the rest of their lives.