SENIOR & ELDERLY SAFARI IN TANZANIA:
SENIOR & ELDERLY SAFARI IN TANZANIA:
Tanzania is a large country, with a big diversity of geographical areas, landscapes, people and cultures, places of interest, wildlife, cities and town, and more. So the focus always is to capture this variety on offer, at the right time of the year to maximize the guest’s enjoyment of the trip. Tours are planned to ensure guests not only see but also experience Tanzania. This is achieved by having less travelling time, short distances per day, no travelling at night, avoiding travelling along the same route twice, many convenience and sightseeing stops, doing interesting excursions and activities, choosing the right places to stay and eat, and allowing for flexible itineraries
Our focus is still on variety, with some new trips, some shorter trips, some popular trips and special requests. The new season’s trips have been designed with you, the traveller in mind.
CHOOSING A TANZANIA HOLIDAY AS AN ELDERLY
PERSON; is no different to deciding on a where to go for any other age; it is all about your unique prefer‐ ences, priorities and selecting experiences which are close to your heart. Of course though, what is import‐ ant to our more senior clients can be slightly different to our young honeymoon couples, for instance. The most important thing in our view is focusing slightly
more on the relaxation and luxury side of things, rather than an especially hectic, action packed and busy holiday. We know that older safari goers love to focus on getting off the beaten track to the privacy of their own little slices of wilderness, and that relaxation and the little things are what transforms their memorable holiday into an adventure of a lifetime. We would recommend looking at the southern parks of Selous and Ruaha for a seriously relaxing yet wild and authentic Tanzania safari experience.
… And where better to relax into your adventure than in the total seclusion of the African wilderness? Many think of Africa and in particular African safaris as the height of holiday adventure, but we can let you
in on a little secret…. Safaris are a fantastic option for those who love adventurous experiences, whilst avoiding all or any physically strenuous adventure in the process – in fact, we would say that 95% of
the trips we love to organise are suitable for all ages; whether you are 6, 60 or 100 years old, an African, and specifically, Tanzania safari is an experience which should be ticked off everyone’s bucket list.
Your average day on safari in both northern and south‐ ern Tanzania consists of an early morning game drive, brunch/lunch, and (usually) a little siesta before an afternoon game drive, before dinner and falling asleep again to the sounds of the bush… Although early starts can be tiring for any aged traveller, if you can sit in a vehicle for a few hours, you can certainly go on safari. Some elderly people will be less inclined to look as far afield as the ‘wild and adventurous’ African safari as a holiday possibility, but we want to challenge this misconception & prove that the grey pound in the safari world is a huge industry – here’s why;
• 1. A safari is a once in a lifetime experience, and is often on people’s bucket list… With a little inspiration and guidance from the experts it is probably the easiest holiday you will ever organise both in the planning stages, and on the ground.
• 2. As soon as you land from your international flight, you basically get chauffeured from A-B and
all the way back again. No stressful airport waits for hire cars, last-minute panics or looking through tour guides for the best experiences… Ensuring you have world class experiences is covered by us here at Tanzania, and on the ground your activities and amazing wildlife opportunities are all waiting.
• 3. We tailor make all your trips to suit you entirely. Our experts have travelled and/or lived extensively throughout Africa and to all the places which we re‐ commend. Let us know of any physical limitations and we will be sure to find something for every kind of traveller. We have an excellent relationship with all the lodges and camps we work with and as such, we can request little things to make your stay
more comfortable and enjoyable. As an example, we know the rooms which are close to the main areas for easy access to the dining areas.
• 4. A safari game drive is suitable for absolutely anyone… It is one of the most adventurous, exciting yet relaxed holidays you can have. On the edge of being in the harsh and unruly African wilderness but in the comfort of your vehicle or room, there is no one who can’t enjoy the unrivalled wildlife opportunities a Tanzania safari has to offer.
• 5. On safari, you will be extremely well taken care of by the intimate and personalised lodges you stay at
– and honestly, on safari, nothing is to big of an ask for the staff there. The levels of hospitality exceed
anywhere else in the world.
We can’t stress enough that pretty much every itinerary we love to recommend is suitable for any aged traveller. However, there are only a handful of experiences which you should probably avoid if you are physically fit, but not as physically fit as a physically fit 25-year-old!Hiking Kilimanjaro, although some senior citizens may thrive on this kind of adventure, wouldn’t be advisable unless you are extremely fit and well trained. Of course though, you know yourself better than we do– some 25 year olds as much as some 85 year olds won’t be fully equipped to climb Kilimanjaro, so it is entirely dependent on you.
All in all, we can’t stress enough that elderly or not, age really doesn’t matter when deciding where to go for your Tanzania adventure. Safaris are extremely personalised and intimate holidays and as such are probably some of the most flexible; the managers at each lodge and camp will adapt to suit the unique and individual needs of every single guest. We know the little things matter…
• A word about distance in Africa One thing to remember with an African safari is distance. Africa is huge and the distances travelled, often on dirt roads, are long and dusty. Knowing that your safari camp will be ready on the other side, or that your reputable lodge has a hot shower and a fully stocked bar, makes all the long distances travelled worthwhile.
• Mobility on African safaris For the 55 to 65 age bracket, health and well-being are a major priority. The long distances really are the biggest hurdle for senior travellers in Africa.