Big Five game drive inside the Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro & Tarangire — 5-Day Family Safari Adventure
Experience Overview
Designed for families who want real wildlife without long days in the vehicle, this five-day safari is an ideal first taste of Tanzania for travellers of all ages. Drives between parks are short, the days include time to swim and play, and your guide is experienced in making safari exciting for children.
Three parks, one easy loop
Start at Lake Manyara, a compact park where children can spot baboon troops, blue monkeys, hippos and giraffes within minutes of the gate. Spend the next day with Tarangire's elephant herds — calves splashing at the river while their mothers keep watch beneath giant baobab trees. Then descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a natural arena of around 260 square kilometres where lions, elephants, buffalo, zebra, hippos and black rhino live side by side.
Made for young explorers
Every child receives a Junior Ranger kit with binoculars and a wildlife journal to record their sightings. Your family lodge has interconnecting rooms and a pool, guided nature walks are arranged for young explorers, and the safari ends with a visit to a Maasai boma, where children can share songs and games with Maasai families.
Journey Map
Route Overview
Follow the itinerary as it moves through each destination, with grouped day ranges for consecutive stays.
5 Destinations: Arusha Town, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Karatu
Highlights
The moments families love most on this safari.
Tarangire's elephant herds and giant baobab trees
Family lodge with interconnecting rooms and a pool
Junior Ranger kit with binoculars and a wildlife journal
Stargazing on the Ngorongoro highlands
Short driving distances — ideal for younger travellers
Guided nature walk and a visit to a Maasai boma
Itinerary
An editorial journey through each day of the safari, with destinations, imagery, and places you will stay.
Arrival in Arusha
Your guide welcomes the whole family at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to your family-friendly lodge near Arusha, about an hour away.
Children receive their Junior Ranger kit — binoculars and a wildlife journal for recording every animal they spot — and your guide gives a short, fun safari briefing: which animals to look for, how to stay safe in the vehicle and how the pop-up roof works.
The rest of the day is free to swim, rest and enjoy dinner together.
Overnight: family lodge in Arusha (Full Board)
Lake Manyara — Monkeys, Hippos and Flamingos
After breakfast, drive about two hours to Lake Manyara National Park, one of the best parks for children because wildlife appears quickly and distances are short.
In the green groundwater forest near the gate, look for large troops of olive baboons and shy blue monkeys. Further on, the floodplain opens up with giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and buffalo, and a hippo pool where you can watch these huge animals snort and splash. Depending on water levels, flamingos and pelicans gather on the lake, and the park's lions are sometimes seen resting in trees.
After a picnic lunch, continue to your lodge in time for a swim before dinner.
Overnight: family lodge in the Karatu area (Full Board)
Tarangire — Giants of Africa
Spend the day in Tarangire National Park, home to some of the largest elephant herds in Tanzania. Children love watching the families of elephants — from tiny calves to huge matriarchs — come down to drink and splash in the Tarangire River.
The park's ancient baobab trees, some many hundreds of years old, are an attraction in themselves, and the birdlife is colourful and varied. Your guide also looks out for lions, giraffes, zebras and warthogs.
In the afternoon, join a short guided nature walk with an armed ranger, learning to read tracks and droppings and discovering the smaller creatures of the bush.
Overnight: family lodge in the Karatu area (Full Board)
Ngorongoro Crater — Big Five Day
Today is the highlight of the safari. Drive up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and descend 600 metres to the crater floor, where an extraordinary number of animals live in one enclosed volcanic bowl.
Search for lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas and the rare black rhino, and tick them off in the Junior Ranger journals. Lunch is a family picnic at one of the crater's picnic sites.
After climbing back out in the afternoon, relax at the lodge. On clear nights, your guide points out the stars and constellations of the African sky — the Southern Cross and the band of the Milky Way.
Overnight: family lodge in the Karatu area (Full Board)
Maasai Boma Visit and Return to Arusha
After breakfast, visit a Maasai boma near the Ngorongoro highlands. Families welcome you into their homestead, show you how they build their houses and care for their cattle, and invite children to join in songs, dances and beadwork.
Then drive back through the Rift Valley to Arusha for lunch before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport, or to your hotel if you are extending your stay.
End of safari.
Where You Will Stay
A curated look at the camps and lodges stitched into this itinerary.
What's Included & Excluded
A clear view of what is covered and what to plan for separately.
Included
Excluded
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Guest Reviews
See What Travellers Are Saying
5.0
Excellent
(6)
elisa s
Super Safari, inoubliable avec un super guide nommé Bonaventura qui a su nous faire découvrir la faune et la flore de son pays avec générosité et passion. Nous avons pu voir les big Five. Nous le recommandons fortement! Ce fut une expérience riche en couleurs, aussi, bien d'un point de vue humain, que d'un point de vue découverte des animaux et des paysages. Elisa, Regis, Livio et Vasco dit Monsieur oiseau
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written November 1, 2025
Luc D
Nous avons vécu un moment inoubliable en famille lors de notre safari ! Nos guides ont rendu ce voyage exceptionnel du début à la fin grâce a leur générosité de partage et nous faire découvrir leur terre et nature ! D'u e grande connaissance de la faune et de la nature, toujours gentils et attentifs, Euge se missionnait pour trouver tous les animaux que nous désirions voir et Erick nous commentait toutes les lois de la nature ! Ce sont eux qui ont donné un véritable sens à ces jeux avec les animaux ! Avec grand respect ! Chaque moment était remplis d'émotions et les big five tous cochés ! Un immense merci pour cette expérience magique que nous n'oublierons jamais. Nous recommandons à 100 % cette agence et surtout nos guides Euge et Erick
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written October 27, 2025
Katty S
Flemalle, Belgium
Nous avons été ma fille et moi prisent en charge par Hussein et Francis. Ce guide était juste parfait, il nous a donné des explications très intéressantes et surtout les deux ont fait découvrir la vraie nature. Le parc TARANGIRE et tous ces éléphants. Le parc du lac MANYARA et ses singes, et la visite du village MTO WA MBU. Et le dernier parc, le NGORONGORO où il y avait des animaux à voir de tous les côtés. Nous avons grâce à valider 4 animaux du big five : lions, éléphants, rhinocéros et les buffles. Nous avons vu des troupeaux d'éléphants, de gnous, de zèbres, de lionnes, de buffles, de gazelles et bien d'autres animaux. C'était magnifique, magique, incroyable, époustouflant. Merci à vous deux
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written October 27, 2025
Enri000
We were fortunate to be accompanied for 7 days by Jones, our French-speaking guide, on safari through Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Tarangire. Traveling as a family spanning three generations, we were all amazed by his exceptional knowledge of wildlife, perseverance, and infectious enthusiasm. Thanks to him, we were able to observe all the iconic animals in perfect conditions, often feeling as if we were alone in spectacular landscapes. A special thank you also to Georges, who accompanied us in another vehicle for the luggage and brought good humor and positivity every day. Thanks to Jones and Georges, this safari will remain a magical, authentic, and emotional experience. We highly recommend them to anyone dreaming of an unforgettable safari in Tanzania. Hakuna Matata!
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written October 24, 2025
Mylene P
Super. David est à l écoute de nos demandes. Il connaît son métier par coeur. Il est dévoué. Et surtout il est au top. Il prépare les pic nique et non des box et il est même équipé de une nappe. Il est attachant, on a pas envie de le quitter.
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written October 20, 2025
Traveled Couples
Camille M
Incroyable safari en compagnie de notre super guide Boni qui parle français ! Merci pour ses explications détaillées. Au-delà d'avoir été notre guide, Boni est une très bonne personne ! Au programme du safari : Parc de Manyara, Ngorongoro et Tarangire et rencontre avec les tribus Datoga et Hadzabes avec de très bons plats à chaque pique-nique du midi. Merci à Boni, Lomo Tanzania Safari et Terra Africa pour l'organisation. Asante sana
Review of: Lomo Tanzania Safaris
Written October 17, 2025
Traveled Couples
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