Skip to content
Serengeti Safari -
A herd of wildebeest cross a river during the Great Migration in Tanzania
Wildebeest from the great migration running across endless plains at Alex Walker's Serengeti Camps
Thundering Herds

Tanzania

Iconic East Africa

Discovering Tanzania | In Summary

  • Tanzania’s ecological range is extraordinary even by African standards — Kilimanjaro alone passes through five distinct vegetation zones, from equatorial rainforest at 1,800m to permanent ice fields at the summit, making it one of the few destinations where a single itinerary can begin at a glacial alpine peak and end on an Indian Ocean coral reef.
  • With more than 1,100 recorded bird species, Tanzania ranks among Africa’s premier birding destinations; the alkaline shallows of Lake Manyara host lesser flamingo flocks numbering in the hundreds of thousands, while Ruaha and Nyerere support some of the continent’s most significant breeding populations of African fish eagle and martial eagle.
  • Tanzania is home to several of Africa’s most remarkable living cultures: the Hadzabe of the Lake Eyasi basin are among the last remaining hunter-gatherer societies on the continent, speaking one of the world’s oldest click languages, while the Datoga — who consider themselves Tanzania’s oldest tribe — maintain traditions of metalwork, leather craft and ceremonial song that predate recorded Tanzanian history.

With National Parks and game reserves covering 28% of the country, Tanzania has more land devoted to wildlife than anywhere else in the world and the game viewing in Tanzania is unparalleled. The high point of the year is the spectacular wildebeest migration when great herds cross the northern plains and plunge through the rivers of the Serengeti. Observing the herds at the end of their migration, when they rest to feed on lush grasses and give birth is a lesser known but equally rewarding experience.

Combine the Serengeti with game viewing in the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater and the smaller parks of Lake Manyara and Tarangire, or head south to the remote parks of Nyerere National Park (formerly The Selous), Ruaha and Katavi where you can swap your vehicle for bush walks through raw, uncharted territory. Challenge yourself to climb Kilimanjaro, trek to see wild chimpanzees among the wild jasmine and butterflies of the Mahale Mountains, then head to Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia, otherwise known as the Spice Isles, for a pure barefoot luxury in paradise!

You Will Love

• The wildebeest migration
• Wild chimpanzees
• Vast areas of untouched wilderness
• Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
• Paradise on Zanzibar and the spice islands

Let us design your perfect itinerary.

Tanzania’s diverse regions
from Zanzibar to the Serengeti

Icon

Unforgettable experiences in Tanzania

Icon

A selection of our favourite places to stay in Tanzania

Icon

A collection of safaris in Tanzania

Tanzania: Frequently Asked Questions

Tanzania rewards visitors year-round, but timing shapes the experience profoundly. The dry season from June to October delivers exceptional game viewing across the northern parks, as thinning vegetation concentrates wildlife around permanent water. This is also the period of the famous Mara River crossings in the far north of the Serengeti. From January to March, the southern Serengeti becomes a calving ground, where vast numbers of wildebeest give birth — drawing lion, cheetah and hyena in force and producing some of the most dramatic predator encounters of the year. Zanzibar is most reliably dry between June and October, and again in January and February.

Northern Tanzania — the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire — is Tanzania’s classic circuit: accessible, superbly serviced and reliably rewarding. Southern Tanzania is an altogether different proposition. Nyerere National Park and Ruaha are vast, far less visited and rarely traversed by vehicle. Walking safaris and boating safaris on the Rufiji River replace the open-vehicle game drive, encounters feel genuinely remote, and wildlife — particularly lion, elephant, wild dog and greater kudu — exists in remarkable densities with almost no tourist pressure. The south suits safari enthusiasts seeking depth over spectacle.

Absolutely. Tanzania is one of the most welcoming safari destinations for first-timers, combining reliable infrastructure in the northern parks with some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife experiences. The Serengeti–Ngorongoro circuit is well-established and served by lodges of an exceptionally high standard. Fly-in itineraries minimise long road transfers and maximise time on game. For those wanting a natural transition out of the bush, a few nights on Zanzibar at the end of the itinerary provides exactly that — white-sand beaches and turquoise water after the dust and drama of the plains.

Tanzania’s resident wildlife is extraordinary in its own right. The Ngorongoro Crater supports some of the highest predator densities in Africa — black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are all present — alongside over 400 bird species. Tarangire holds exceptional elephant numbers during the dry season, when herds can reach into the hundreds. Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s best destinations for wild dog and greater kudu. In Mahale Mountains, wild chimpanzees — our closest living relatives — can be trekked through forested slopes above Lake Tanganyika. Off the southern coast, Mafia Island offers the world’s longest whale shark season, with sightings near-guaranteed between October and March.

A focused northern circuit covering the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and either Lake Manyara or Tarangire works well across 8 to 10 days, allowing meaningful time in each area. Extending south to Ruaha or Nyerere adds another 4 to 5 days. Those climbing Kilimanjaro should budget 7 to 9 days for the ascent alone depending on the chosen route — acclimatisation days are essential, not optional. Adding Zanzibar for post-safari recovery requires a minimum of 3 nights to do it justice. A comprehensive itinerary combining the northern parks, southern Tanzania, Kilimanjaro and the islands comfortably spans 18 to 21 days.

Combining a Tanzanian safari with Zanzibar is one of East Africa’s most satisfying travel pairings and is logistically straightforward. Short domestic flights connect Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro International and the Serengeti airstrips directly to Zanzibar, keeping transit times minimal. Most travellers position Zanzibar at the close of their itinerary — the contrast between the red dust of the Serengeti and the calm of Mnemba Island or Matemwe Beach is one of Tanzania’s great pleasures. Stone Town, Zanzibar’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic quarter, is worth a day or two for its carved merchant doors, spice bazaars and Arab-influenced waterfront architecture.

Tanzania: A Glossary of Terms

  • Serengeti — Derived from the Maasai word Siringet, meaning “endless plains”; Tanzania’s most celebrated national park, spanning 14,763 km² and forming the Tanzanian half of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem through which the annual migration circuits.
  • Great Migration — The annual, roughly clockwise movement of approximately 1.5 to 2 million wildebeest and 500,000 zebra as they follow seasonal rainfall and fresh grazing between the southern Serengeti, the western corridor and the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
  • Calving Season — The period between January and March when the majority of wildebeest give birth on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti; an extraordinary wildlife spectacle in its own right, drawing dense concentrations of lion, cheetah and hyena.
  • River Crossing — The dramatic moment when wildebeest and zebra plunge through the crocodile-patrolled Mara River during the northern leg of the migration; timing and location are critical, and crossings are unpredictable — patience is essential.
  • Kopje — Isolated outcrops of ancient granite that break the flat expanse of the Serengeti plains; serving as elevated vantage points and resting sites for lions and leopards, and among the most photographically distinctive features of the Tanzanian landscape.
  • Ngorongoro Caldera — The world’s largest intact and unflooded volcanic caldera, formed approximately 2 million years ago when a giant volcano collapsed inward; its enclosed ecosystem supports some of the highest predator densities in Africa.
  • Rufiji River — Tanzania’s largest river by volume, flowing through Nyerere National Park; its banks and seasonal floodplains concentrate hippo, crocodile, elephant and plains game, and are the setting for Nyerere’s distinctive boating safari experience.
  • Uhuru Peak — The highest point on the crater rim of Kibo, one of Kilimanjaro’s three volcanic cones, and at 5,895 metres the highest point on the African continent. Uhuru is Swahili for “freedom.”
  • Stone Town — The historic heart of Zanzibar City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; a dense quarter of coral-stone buildings, ornately carved wooden doors, Arab merchant houses and spice markets reflecting Zanzibar’s centuries as a hub of Indian Ocean trade.
  • Fly Camp — A minimalist overnight camp set in open bush away from the main lodge, typically comprising simple bedrolls, a campfire and a guide sleeping alongside guests; designed to deliver an unmediated, immersive experience of the African wilderness with no barriers between traveller and environment.
Icon

Begin your journey now

Take advantage of our highly personalised advice, inspiration and experience