Best Tanzania Safari and Holiday Destinations
Best Tanzania Safari and Holiday Destinations : Tanzania is a truly magnificent country with its vast game reserves, majestic mountains and tropical islands ranging from the Serengeti national park, Mount Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar Islands which are three of Tanzania’s best safari and beach holiday destinations. These are just three of the must-see destinations for travellers visiting this classical East African destination. Tanzania is truly rich in natural wealth and traditional culture making it one of the most rewarding African countries to visit. Tanzania’s safari destinations are some of the best in the whole of Africa and they are the iconic African safari destinations for nature lovers and African safari enthusiasts who dream to travel. The best Tanzania safari and holidays destinations include the following below;
Serengeti national park
This is ranged as Tanzania’s best safari destination and also received international recognition by CNN as Africa’s second best national park after Kruger national park in South Africa. The Serengeti national park covers an area of about 14,763 square kilometres with plains, kopjes, rivers, forests and woodlands in northern Tanzania. The Serengeti National Park is best known for the Great Migration when around 1.5 million wildebeest, over 200 000 zebra and 300 000 Thomson’s gazelle stampede across this beautiful wilderness area in search of grazing. Visiting the vast plains of the Serengeti it is easy to see why the Masai people called this spectacular area “Siringitu” which means a “the place where the land moves on forever”.
Tanzania has two distinct game viewing areas, known as safari circuits that are;
The Northern Circuit which includes the Serengeti National Park, the most famous game reserve in Tanzania and Africa at large. The Serengeti is home to one of nature’s most spectacular displays of the Wildebeest Migration also known as the Great Migration. This wildlife spectacle takes place annually from about June to August in northern Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Conservation area also forms part of the Northern Circuit. Serengeti national park offers superb game viewing and excellent photographic opportunities, with healthy populations of Africa’s Big Five species as well as cheetah, giraffe and African Wild Dog among others. Other activities enjoyed in the Serengeti include the Hot Air Balloon experience, Cultural tours, birdwatching and nature walks.
The Southern Circuit which includes; Selous Game Reserve which is the best alternative for travellers wanting to get off the beaten track and experience a more remote Tanzania safari. The pace is often slower in the south and the game reserves are more secluded.
Mount Kilimanjaro – Tanzania’s best hiking destination
Tanzania is also home to Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro with the highest peak of about 5,895 meters tall. It is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and therefore it should be your bucket-list destination for hiking and climbing fans world-wide. For hikers, a trek up Kilimanjaro is a must-do because of the views from the top of this majestic mountain which are spectacular and also filled with snow. There are several hiking routes up Kilimanjaro that apply to both beginners and experienced hikers alike for example the Marangu hiking route being most popular with trekkers. One of the Seven Summits, snow-capped Kilimanjaro lies in north Eastern part of Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border. Visitors will need about 5-7 days to reach the summit and return from the hike.
Zanzibar Islands
Zanzibar islands are among the best beach holiday destinations in Africa. There is no better way to end your Tanzania safari with a 2-3 days trip to Zanzibar Islands. Zanzibar is rated as one of the best beach holiday destinations in Africa and for good reasons of its warm, tropical waters and idyllic sandy beaches plus, it boasts a rich history, unique culture and enchanting capital called the Stone town. Zanzibar is also known as “The Spice Islands” for its exotic spices experiencing the vibrant colours and zesty flavours of its aromatic spices as part of the allure of Zanzibar. You can do spice tours and sample the spices in the markets and the local cuisine. Zanzibar has more to offer than spices and beaches though. It is also famous for its snorkelling and diving water experiences too. There is plenty to do in Zanzibar when it comes to water sports. Activities include snorkelling, swimming, fishing or sailing, as well as scuba diving. You can take island-hopping boat trips to go diving or head out to the offshore reefs. Other things to do range from swimming with dolphins and exploring Stone Town’s old quarter to hiking and setting off on dhow sailing cruises.
Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro conservation area is a game reserve with a large concentration of game located inside the rim of an extinct volcano covering an area of about 8,292 square kilometres of forests, savannah plains, wetlands and lake habitats on the eastern side of the Serengeti in northern Tanzania. The sheer numbers of game found in the crater is just mind-blowing. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcanic caldera with an area size of about 260 square kilometres and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as “Africa’s Garden of Eden”. Thus Ngorongoro crater is the home to the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa hosting about 25,000 large animals. Descending 2000 feet to the floor of the crater, an abundance of African wildlife species can be seen, including lion, elephant, wildebeest, Zebra, Rhino, Eland, Thomson’s gazelle and buffalo..
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge, commonly known as “The Cradle of Mankind” is a famous archaeological site where we find the Laetoli hominid footprints, Oldupai Museum and numerous hominids, animal and plant fossils are located. The 48 km long steep-sided gorge lies in the great Rift Valley and is most famous for ancient archaeological findings made by Louis and Mary Leakey, including some of the earliest hominid fossil remains.
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara is a freshwater lake that lies within the diverse and lush Lake Manyara national park offering superb bird watching, stunning scenery and excellent game viewing. This compact game park is best known for its tree-climbing lions, healthy elephant population and thousands of flamingos. The 325 square kilometres Lake Manyara is also home to a variety of wildlife species, such as Hippo, Baboon, Buffalo, Cheetah, Masai giraffe and Impala.
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire national park boasts the highest density of Elephants in Tanzania in a wild and remote wilderness area of spectacular beauty. Tarangire national park lies South East of Lake Manyara, a less crowded gem on Tanzania’s popular northern game-viewing circuit. This seasonal park dotted with baobab and acacia trees is flanked by volcanic mountains in the distance and covers around 2800 square Kilometres of grassland, woodlands and floodplains. Tarangire national park is also home to some of the highest concentrations of game in Tanzania and is famous for its close encounters with large elephant herds, numbering 300 strong. The park is best visited in the dry season when animals congregate at the permanent waters of the Tarangire River. Tarangire wildlife includes migrating Wildebeest, Zebra, Buffalo, Eland, Impala, Hartebeest and a variety of predators, as well as African Pythons. A wide variety of bird species inhabit this scenic park, which is also the only wilderness area in Tanzania where certain antelope species of oryx and gerenuk can frequently be sighted.
Selous Game Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve is a Tanzania’s best-kept secret recognised as the UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its unspoiled wilderness and the diversity of its wildlife. Selous Game reserve is Africa’s biggest game park with an area size of about 54,600 square kilometres, it covers an area of southern Tanzania larger than Switzerland. This pristine protected area teeming with wildlife is home to Tanzania’s largest elephant population, vast numbers of giraffes and the highest concentration of African Wild Dogs on the continent. This untamed wildlife haven is home to huge numbers of Hippo, Crocodile, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Zebra and Impala as well as numerous Lions and 350 bird species. The wild and vast Selous Reserve incorporates a wide range of habitats, from forests, dense bush and open woodlands to lakes and lagoons.
Weather condition in Tanzania
Tanzania enjoys great weather while experiencing warm and mild conditions during the peak travel season in Tanzania (June – October). This is a good time to visit Tanzania when the weather is best for game viewing and for beach activities. From December to March, the days are hot and sunny. There are two rainy seasons in Tanzania. The first heavy rains fall between mid-March to the end of May and the second lighter rains fall throughout November and parts of December.
