Tanzania is home to some of the largest and most famous protected areas In Africa. Add to this Africa's highest point atop Mt Kilimanjaro, it's largest lake in Lake Victoria, nearly 900 miles of Indian Ocean coastline and exotic spice islands and you have a serious bucket-list destination!
All 16 national parks are diverse and fascinating in their own right. No doubt the star attractions are the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater and the great wildebeest migration of the Serengeti and rightly so. Constructing a safari involves finding the right space in these popular areas and then mixing it with options from the chimpanzees in Mahale to cruising the Rufiji River in Selous or tracking elusive lions on the beach in Saadani. Some choose the challenge of the multi-day hikes up Mt Kilimanjaro or Mt Meru whilst others pack in as much safari as possible. With options to visit forests, arid zones, lakes and classic savanna there is alot to consider. Tourism infrastructure is well developed in some areas and still rustic in others so options to camp or stay 5 star are readily found. Distances can be great on rough roads, so use of easy flying safari routes should definitely be considered.
Whichever of these incredible holidays you choose, you will undoubtedly be welcomed by the fabulously friendly and peaceful Tanzanian people. 120 different ethnic groups make up this 'Swahili nation' and you will be enthralled by the language, culture and diverse food experience on offer. The most difficult part of creating your Tanzanian vacation is likely to be deciding where to go and for how long you can afford to stay!
Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding area which includes majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from the safari circuit as it features a temperate climate and lush surrounds. Visitors can look forward to exploring the wildlife-abundant Serengeti National Park; the magnificent Arusha National Park; and taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.
The Serengeti together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park form Africa’s most famous wildlife region. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet today – with many more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few.
Most of the Southern Serengeti is vast open short-grass plains which typically makes for easier spotting of the animals! Small lakes like Ndutu and Masek are surrounded by woodland that provides a refuge for many animals. Typically the wildebeest migration is in this part of Serengeti between December and March.
STAR ATTRACTIONS:
Mammals include: Wildebeest and Zebra, big cats, Bat-eared Fox,
Birds include: Yellow-necked & Grey-breasted Spurfowl, Black-winged Pratincole, Usambiro Barbet, Fischer's Lovebird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Ruppel's Griffon, Red-throated Tit, Kori Bustard, Beautiful Sunbird, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Silverbird, Taita Fiscal, Caspian Plover, Athi Short-toed Lark
Located between the Central Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve to the north, the Northern Serengeti is a remote African wildlife wonderland. The vast, rolling savannah of the Northern Serengeti, is known as the hub of the great migration. The landscape is characterised by vast stretches of open savannah with rocky ridges and riverine woodlands. Wildlife can be seen along the banks of the Mara River and lucky visitors can view the annual spectacle of the million or more migrating wildebeest. Commonly spotted wildlife include: a multitude of plains game such as buffalo, zebra, gazelles, impala, giraffe as well as lion and leopard. Visitors can look forward to bird watching, hot air ballooning, game safaris and guided bush walks. Access is via the Kogatende airstrip close to the border.
