It wasn’t a group tour except for our four member family. We were shuttled between locations by local drivers and some of our activities were with larger groups (like a whale watching trip and a mangrove tour), but two stops ended up being just our group of four.
I will be going on a Tauck family safari in Tanzania this holiday period with my parents, wife, and kids ages 8, 11c and 14. I’m super excited and if anyone has any recommendations about what to bring and what to leave at home as well as clothing recommendations and any other tips, it would be greatly appreciated!
Luckily our Tauck tour only had 12 people on it but that’s not the norm. The A&K and Micato smaller tours are reflected in the price they charge. During game drives you’ll be in your own vehicle of no more than six others so group size is irrelevant, but I can also see where a smaller group would be preferred.
I mentioned earlier blow up seat cushions were invaluable for the bumpy roads. Any cameras or iPhones should have a strap so no chance of losing them while moving. I wore long pants and sleeves mostly to protect sun and insects but also bring sunscreen and repellent. You don’t need hiking shoes, sneakers are fine, some people like to stand on the seats to take photos and you shouldn’t in shoes so maybe something easily to slip on and off. Your family will have an incredible time, how wonderful you can share this experience with all the generations! We were so pleased with our experience that we booked a tour to Peru and Galapagos with them and also looking to book a trip to Antarctic with our Africa tour director.
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This is a terrible thread, because it’s making me want to go back!! I should start saving my pennies now that Dad is not financing trips. 
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The ones I am looking at (admittedly we want to do it up right) are $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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wonder if I could use my inflatable neck pillow and only inflate it a bit?
Compared to the cost of this trip, an inflatable seat cushion should be manageable🙄
A lot depends on the type of vehicle you will be riding in. We were in a Toyota Land Cruiser that was mighty comfortable. An open Jeep type like we saw a lot of…might not be so comfy.
If the inflatable neck pillow works, it will take care of two issues at once. There is a very limited amount we will be permitted to bring with us (size and weight) so every bit matters.
eta: trying the pillow out now. If I inflate is ever so slightly, it should be fine, if needed.
One of my favorite photos. Our friend, an experienced guide, got a little nervous so we didn’t stick around.
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We have used many different travels companies when planning our Safaris. Micato and Abercrombie and Kent are good but are overpriced, along with Bushtracks. I am very familiar with both of these. My favorite safaris are private and planned by Expert Africa out of the UK and Timbuktu Travel. Both have extremely knowledgeable agents who really listen and come up with great trips tailored to you. They take care of everything after listening to what you want. Some people enjoy group trips ( our 1st Safari was one with A&K), but we quickly figured out we could get a custom trip for similar cost. It also affords you the opportunity to travel to smaller intimate tented properties, and arrange special experiences unique to your interests. You do get to meet other travelers at each of these camps instead of being with the same people for 2 weeks, following a set program. Private travel is a great way to experience Africa - in my opinion.
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Two follow up safari questions before going on a Tauck safari to Tanzania. Did you get a local cell phone or just use yours? Also what did you do about cash? You can’t get Tanzania currency ahead of time- did you change some money for local currency, or were US dollars accepted, or did you find you needed lots of cash, hardly any cash? Thanks!
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Good questions! Would love to know the answer too. I also just read that Kenya will no longer require visas. How about Tanzania?
Has anyone had experience with any of the Belmond properties or tours in Africa? They have some cool options and typically provide excellent service, but at that price point, I’d love to hear some personal recommendations.
We ended up deciding to spend the $$$$ and go with Micato. Given it is our first safari we decided to not want to make a lot if individual decisions, and chose to just go with the group.
We just came back from our second Tanzania safari, this one followed by gorilla trekking in Rwanda. American money is widely accepted, but large bills are preferred. The camps/lodges typically have a tip box with the money being shared between all staff. We used $20s in those. We tipped our guide using $50s. Your tour operator should be able to advise you on the amounts you are expected to tip. Even the vendors at the Maasai Market in Arusha accept American money. We didn’t worry about cell service as this was a family trip and there was no one back home we expected to need to contact. Our guide said cell service is spotty in the Serengeti. We just used the WiFi where we stayed. The one time we need to make a call we used WhatsApp to call over WiFi.
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Yes, WhatsApp is the best option.
I rented a roaming WiFi device to make sure I would always have coverage.
We went on a Micato tour to Kenya years ago with our kids and LOVED IT. They did a fabulous job. We had great people on the small tour with us which added to the fun (we still exchange holiday cards a decade later). Hope you have the same experience.
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We are going to Tanzania on Wednesday through Tauck. Doing the family safari tour. I will update our experience once we get back. I’m excited and nervous…the flying part.
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Hope it goes well for you. I’ve had better experiences flying internationally than domestically the last few years!!