Safaris can be life-changing trips, but there are few experiences for kids that are more powerful. Imagine seeing the majesty of the Big 5 as a little one: that’s an eye-opening glimpse of nature’s beauty at its most awe-inspiring and profound. Just ask Nicole and Erica Wineland-Thomson, our founders’ daughters.

Nicole and Erica in on safari in 2003 and 2022 with Judi

Imagine spending much of your childhood in the back seat of a Land Rover, traversing the Serengeti plains. Or spending countless nights camping in Nyumbas, doing your homework under the shade of acacia trees, the sounds of the animals humming in the air. There’s been plenty of fictional stories told, like the Swiss Family Robinson or The Wild Thornberrys, but Nicole and Erica really lived it.

Wineland-Thomson family canoeing on Lake Manyara in 2001

This experience sprouted a life-long love of safaris and of Tanzania for the two of them. Nicole and Erica, now adults with families of their own, take joy in sharing this special part of the world with their children. Recently, the whole family (10 people in total!) gathered in Tanzania for an unforgettable safari. It’s through these decades of experience – both professionally and personally – that we’ve gained the skill and knowledge to ensure that every member of your household will walk away from your safari astonished, no matter how big or small they may be.

We do not hesitate to say that a safari will be the perfect trip for your family! Here are our top reasons why:

1. Easy Planning

Trying to plan a vacation, much less a safari, can seem like an insurmountable challenge. There’s transportation to chart, accommodations to book, activities to schedule, and hundreds of other little headaches that can create a full-blown migraine. With a Thomson safari, we take care of all the hard logistical work so that you can spend more time with your loved ones. All you have to do is book the flight that’s most convenient for you, and our prep team will guide you through the rest. We’ll even ensure that your picky eater, should you have one, will be able to chow down on something you’ll know they’ll love.

2. Pen Pals

Safaris are a chance for your family to experience a new environment and culture together, but horizon-expanding enrichment for your kids will begin before you even set off to Tanzania. Thomson’s pen pals program, which takes place during the local school year, pairs up your child with child from the community, so they can get to know a little more about each other’s cultures. During your journey, your kids may have the chance to meet their pen pals in person at their school to seal the deal on a newfound friendship. It’s a chance for your children to engage in a cross-cultural exchange with other kids, and form friendships that may last a lifetime.

3. Fantastic Guides

Thomson guides have spent decades out in the wild, learning everything there is to know about the land and the animals that live on it. Their expertise, however, is fully accessible, even to the youngest member of your group – they’re teachers above all else, helping to enhance the magic of each stop on your safari with valuable knowledge. As ambassadors for both Thomson and Tanzania itself, the guides want you to walk away loving their country as much as they (and we) do.

“What resonates with me, and hopefully with our grandsons,” says our co-founder Judi Wineland, “is the relationship they had with the Thomson staff. The amount of kindness and generosity between them, staff to kids, kids to staff, will mark their lives forever.”

4. The Wildlife

The places you’ll visit in Tanzania are home to the densest population of wildlife in all of Africa, with astounding biodiversity of all sizes roaming the plains. It’s home to the Big 5 – a term given to the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino – in enough numbers that you’ll be able to get astounding views of them alongside the massive herds of wildebeest and dazzles of zebras tramping their way across the plain.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, a hot-air balloon ride can let you see all of those hungry hippos in the rivers, and our walking safaris in the Eastern Serengeti Nature Refuge will let you see just how long a giraffe’s neck really is – from right nearby!

5. Fostering Global Citizenship

Safaris are more than just wildlife tour – after all, if it were just that, the local zoo would most likely be your final destination. What a safari is, above all else, is a chance for you and your family to expand your horizons. Between your interactions with the guides and camp staff, the local Maasai, and the environment, this vacation can become something much more than just an aesthetic delight. From gaining a deeper understanding of the majesty and value of nature, to crossing cultural barriers and experiencing entirely different ways of life, there are so many aspects of your trip that will stay with you even when you return home. It can be as large as a passion for conservation or even as small as a new game for family night.

“This is a culture that values children and children’s curiosity in a way that we don’t do here,” says Thomson staffer and family safari traveler Ali Riley. “The warmth of the people you meet is unlike anywhere else. The camp staff, for instance, became instant friends with my daughter, which was so nice when there weren’t other guests her age there. A smile and a friendly invitation to play a game was all it took for camp staffer Ramah to connect with my daughter Chelsea as he taught her how to play the Tanzanian game Bao. Chelsea subsequently became obsessed, and she was a Bao shark at the next camps!”

6. The Perfect Itinerary

Does your child love birds? Or maybe they’re looking forward to seeing some lions roaming the Serengeti? Perhaps, after an exciting day, everyone wants the day’s schedule to be a little more relaxed. All you have to do is tell our team what your specific needs are, and we’ll do our best to ensure that everyone gets to do and see what they want. And if you really want a special trip, consider a private or custom safari – that way, it can be everything you’d want it to be, all the time. We’re able to make accommodations for all ages, just like we did for this multi-generational family trip, so everyone’s interests will be well-represented.

7. Memories

A trip like a safari will always be a novel and memorable experience – how could it not be, coming face to face with an elephant or a lion – but you’ll make with your family will be what you remember most over the years to come. It’s a rare chance to have quality time outside of the confines of the day-to-day, where life moves a little less fast and you can appreciate each other’s company in one of the Earth’s most gorgeous locations.

“Under the red and pink African skies is when you realize the small stuff is actually the significant stuff,” says Ali. “Nature, family, love. There’s so much to celebrate when you slow down and take the time to do it. Asante sana, Tanzania for putting all of that into perspective for me and my family.”