Tanzania Untouched - Arusha, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

At the foot of Mount Meru lies one of Tanzania’s oldest coffee plantations and Arusha Coffee Lodge. The laborers’ cottages have been beautifully reconverted into 18 private chalets, each complete with a lounge and balcony overlooking the coffee fields. While here, wrap your hands around a premium brew or take a dip in the swimming pool. Family outings can include trips to the Museum of Natural History or the Masai market to shop for wooden curios and fabrics.

Kaskaz Mara Camp, nestled in the far northern reaches of the Serengeti National Park, is the ideal base from which to witness the annual Great Migration. From July to October, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and other animals traverse the golden plains in search of grazing lands. During the Migration season, guides at Kaskaz Mara will get you into a prime position to watch this wildlife spectacle, which might include a dramatic Mara River crossing. The superb quality of guiding at Kaskaz Mara elevates all camp activities, especially with children. Explore this unspoilt terrain walking with an armed guide, allowing you to appreciate the beauty of smaller fauna and flora, and stealthily track big game on foot. At an extra cost, your family can soar into the clouds in a hot-air balloon to get a bird’s-eye perspective of the sprawling Serengeti plains. Evenings are reserved for sundowners, candlelit dinners and swapping bush stories around a crackling fire.

Namiri Plains Camp is an extraordinary wildlife haven offering superior comfort and service in the remote Eastern Serengeti. Boasting some of East Africa’s most reliable sightings of cheetah and other big cats, low-traffic game viewing is a big attraction here with very few other vehicles around. The camp features 10 elegant suites, including a family unit which sleeps four. All suites open onto a private deck equipped with an outdoor bathtub affording stunning views of the captivating Serengeti plains. While exploring the grasslands of Namiri Plains on foot or 4x4, you might encounter buffalo, zebra and giraffe among other exquisite Serengeti wildlife. While not stalking predators or migrating wildebeest and zebra herds, spend downtime lounging around the pool or ask the accommodating lodge staff to entertain the kids while you enjoy a massage at the spa. Also, don’t pass up the opportunity for an unforgettable bush breakfast with the family and to learn about the Serengeti Cheetah Project in the information centre.

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge couldn’t occupy a more enviable position right on the edge of a 3-million-year-old caldera – the world’s largest of its kind. The architecture borrows from the Masai homesteads and features European-style interiors. Wooden decks extend out toward the crater's edge, providing 360-degree views that words cannot describe. Each room is assigned a butler to ensure the highest level of personalized service throughout your stay. Game-viewing opportunities in this prized conservation area are unparalleled with guided 4x4 and walking safaris on the menu. The sweet grasslands of the crater floor are a life source for plenty of wildlife, including the critically-endangered black rhino and Africa’s densest lion population. Outside of wildlife encounters, some family activities that can be arranged include a cultural excursion to meet the local Hadzabe people or a visit to the Olduvai Gorge.