Tanzania

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Tanzania

Tanzania is the largest country in east Africa. Like its northern neighbor Kenya, it is an ideal place to experience the bush and the beach. The country is incredibly diverse in both habitat and wildlife.

In the north lie the vast plains of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area – a Unesco World Heritage Site which includes the famous Crater of the same name. Mount Kilimanjaro is also found in this area. It’s snowcapped peak on the equator beckons visitors creating amazing views and challenging climbers. Lesser known but equally exciting areas in the north are Tarangire National Park with its large elephant population and Lake Manyara national Park which has developed a reputation as the place where the lions climb trees.

In the south of the country lies one of the oldest and largest game reserves in Africa – Selous Game Reserve. The park takes its name from the 19th century explorer, hunter and conservationist Frederick Courtney Selous who died in this area in 1917 while fighting the Germans in World War I. Selous and its smaller neighbor Ruaha provide an excellent opportunity to see a side of Tanzania that most visitors miss. The area is wild and uncrowded with abundant wildlife and a serene beauty.

Another highlight of southern Tanzania is the area around the Mahale mountains on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The forested slopes of the mountains are home to families of chimpanzees. A visit to one of the habituated groups of these chimps will not soon be forgotten. Camps in the area allow you to visit the chimps in the morning and spend the afternoon doing water activities or just relaxing on the beautiful beaches.

Tanzania’s coast is an area full of history and vitality. The most famous area along its Indian Ocean shore is the island of Zanzibar. Steeped in history and blessed with long beautiful beaches, Zanzibar is a wonderful place to recharge after a safari or indeed to spend a Honeymoon.

Northern Tanzania

Definitely the most popular area of Tanzania, the north is home to the vast Serengeti wilderness. This area is best known for the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra that rolls through the park each year. The Serengeti has one of the highest lion densities of any park in Africa and is also one of the best places for seeing the elusive Cheetah.

The north is also home to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This includes the famous Crater. While this area can become very crowded during the peak months, the Crater is always worth visiting for it’s uniqueness and for the variety of wildlife that can be found there.

Lesser known parks in the north include the parks around Lakes Manyara and Natron. Each of these parks provides unique experiences. Lake Manyara has good lion and large mammal populations while Lake Natron – a soda lake – hosts huge populations of flamingos at certain times of the year.

Tarangire National Park offers a wonderful contrast to the Serengeti and the Crater in that it is more densely wooded than it’s better known neighbors. The park sits on an ancient elephant migration route attracting large numbers of the great beasts year round. This area also allows you to see other species that you will not find elsewhere such as greater Kudus and gerenuks.

Selous Game Reserve

At 21,100 square miles Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest on the African Continent. It is also a designated Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Reserve has good populations of all the large mammals and is a good area for viewing wild dog. The Rufiji River which flows through the park attracts large populations of wildlife year round and has a healthy population of hippo and crocodile. In addition to game drives the Reserve allows a number of activities including fly camping, catch and release fishing, boating and walking.

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha is the third largest wildlife reserve in Tanzania. This area is known for the diversity of its wildlife. Large numbers of elephant and giraffe are often seen. As well as the usual antelope species Ruaha has good populations of Eland, Roan and Sable antelope.

The Ruaha River is the heart of the Park. After leaving the park it flows on to the Selous where it joins the Rufiji River. The presence of so many herbivores has resulted in large populations of predators. Large prides of lions are common and the area also supports good populations of leopard. Wild dog also occur in the area.

Lake Tanganyika

The Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. This area is rugged and mountainous and dominated by the lake and the Mahale mountains.

Camps in this region are some of the most remote in Africa. The reason to visit is to spend time with the habituated Chimpanzee troupes and to enjoy the water activities offered by the lake. A visit to the shores of Lake Tanganyika is truly a trip to an Africa of a time gone by.

Wet Season - November to May
  • The vegetation is green and thriving.
  • There is an excellent chance to see predators in action due to the birth of calves.


Dry Season - June to October
  • Considered one of the best times to go due to the wildebeast migration.
  • Animals are easier to spot because they are concentrated around waterholes and rivers.
  • There are less mosquitoes because of little to no rainfall.