3 Generations, 1 African safari: A family adventure to remember

When I first stepped off the plane with my mom and nan beside me, I knew it was going to be a trip to remember. It was the start of my African safari, a week spent breathing the Tanzanian air while being immersed in landscapes and wildlife I had only ever dreamed of seeing.  

As we climbed into the jeep, excited for our first game drive, I knew it was going to be the perfect trip for all three of us. What I didn’t realize was how unforgettable those moments would become once we were living them together.  

A bucket list experience 

Going on safari felt like the ultimate bucket list experience at 23, and sharing it with my mom and nan made it even more unforgettable.   

I’d travelled before, but nothing compared to seeing elephants, lions, giraffes and countless other creatures in their natural habitat. I’d seen them at the zoo or in The Lion King, but up close in the wild, no screen could do it justice.  

An African safari isn’t about racing from sight to sight.  

One of the first phrases we learned was “polepole” in Swahili, meaning slowly, slowly or take it easy. Getting into that mindset allowed me to disconnect from the fast-paced rhythm of everyday life and fully absorb the sights, sounds and rhythms of the African wilderness.  

That gentle pace let all three of us experience the magic in our own way. When something caught my eye, I would jump up on the jeep seat to take a photo. My nan would point and ask about each animal, and my mom would pull out her binoculars for a closer look or record videos to capture the moment.   

Moments like that showed me why a safari belongs on every travel bucket list.  

Close encounters on safari

Our first game drive set the tone for the trip. As we entered Tarangire National Park, we were in awe, surrounded within minutes by zebras and wildebeests.  

A little further down the road, we spotted our first elephant, digging in a dry riverbed in search of clean water. As we watched, something caught my mom's eye; she gasped, and she pointed past the elephant. I looked in the direction she was pointing and saw four giraffes walking in a line. And that was just the start.   

As we ventured into Serengeti National Park, the wildlife seemed endless. We watched lions lounging in the sun and were thrilled to spot several baby lions. A leopard perched gracefully, climbing through a tree, and caught our attention; its spotted coat blended perfectly with the branches.

A cheetah mother lounged and groomed her cubs, offering us a rare window into family life in the wild. 

We saw so much more as well: buffalo grazing calmly, antelope leaping through the grasses, birds swooping overhead, elephants with their babies and groups of hippos cooling in the water.  

One of the trip's highlights was seeing a rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater, which is notoriously difficult during the dry season when they retreat to lush areas. The three of us crowded around each other, passing binoculars back and forth to catch a glimpse of the endangered animal.   

Every drive brought discoveries, and when we pulled into our camp at the end of the day, we were treated to a breathtaking African sunset, the perfect end to an extraordinary day.  

Beyond the wildlife

While seeing the animals was an unforgettable experience, some of the best moments came from meeting the people who call Tanzania home.   

Everywhere we went, we were welcomed with smiles and greetings of “Jambo,” the Swahili greeting for hello. No matter where we went, people greeted my nan as Bibi, grandmother, which always made her beam with joy.  

The people we met were endlessly friendly, happy and always willing. They patiently answered our questions, taught us words in Swahili and seemed just as interested in learning about Canada as we were about their way of life, making every exchange feel like a genuine connection.  

An adventure worth sharing  

Looking back, the safari was more than a wildlife adventure; it was a journey that connected three generations of my family.   

Every moment was magnified by having my mom and nan beside me. We laughed together, pointed out animals to each other and marvelled at moments that no photograph could truly capture.  

By the end of our African safari, we had seen the Big Five, met incredible people and experienced incredible sunrises and sunsets in the parks. Travelling together as a family reminded me that the most important memories are shared with the people we love.  

Book an appointment with a CAA Travel Consultant to start planning your African safari with African Travel.