4 AMAZING Places To Go On A Tanzania Safari
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Ray Rui
Tanzania Is One Of The Most Breathtaking Countries To Visit In Africa. This Vibrant Country Offers Exceptional African National Parks, Reserves, Safaris, Beaches, And Mountains.
Tanzania is the perfect country in Africa to start checking off your global bucket list. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro, witness the Great Migration, or experience the pure white sands of the Tanzania coastline.
Tanzania isn't just a landscape of safari parks and open plains. Tanzania is blessed with extraordinary mountains, rich culture, and lush forests waiting to be explored. Tanzania safari tours are an excellent way to explore the region because they are rich in diversity and offer an array of options to fit your schedule and interests.
The Tanzanian region is extensive (nearly 1.5 times the size of Texas) and has many different landscapes and areas to explore. Seeing Tanzania's beaches and open plains transports you to other worlds- all in the same country.
Tanzania is one of the top places in Africa to book a safari tour. BornWild's African lion safari takes you through the most exciting, beautiful, and breathtaking areas of Tanzania. If you're looking for unique experiences on your trip, include these four amazing places to visit on a Tanzania safari.
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Mariola Grobels
1.Go on a Tanzania Safari
There's a reason Tanzania is one of the most sought-after safari destinations. It's a go-to pick for experiencing Africa's fantastic wildlife and open plains. On BornWild's African lion safari in Tanzania, guests see an abundance of wild animals like tropical birds, rhinos, and African elephants, just to name a few!
Tanzania is also home to two of the biggest safari attractions on the continent: The Great Migration and the Serengeti. The Serengeti region in northern Tanzania is one of the best places to view the "Big 5" of Africa. Visiting from July to October is the best time to catch a glimpse of the African lion, rhino, leopard, and African buffalo. Due to its vastness, the Serengeti also has some of the best luxury camps, lodges, and year-round wildlife sightings, allowing you to have the best safari experience.
Sustainable travel is important to many travelers. Ecotourism aims to improve sustainability and help combat the impacts of global warming. Africa values its environment, so choosing an environmentally responsible safari tour should be essential to any Tanzania tourist itinerary.
Ecotourism in Tanzania and Africa goes beyond solar power and reducing plastic waste. It has grown to include community development too. Surrounding communities benefit from employment, infrastructure, and education as a result.
If you want to travel with purpose, we recommend opting for eco-lodging or camping. For example, we stay in luxury camps on our African Lion Safari that support the local community and surrounding wildlife.
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Ramon Sanchez
There are over 120 ethnic groups indigenous to Tanzania. Tanzania is the only African nation whose tribes represent all four of the continent's major ethnolinguistic groups—Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic, and Khoisan. Many native cultures in Tanzania weave traditional with modern and rural with urban into everyday life.
Some indigenous community members contribute hugely to Tanzania safari tours. Learning about the heritage and culture of indigenous people in the area is a highlight of any Tanzania safari. Many people who are native to the region are very knowledgeable of local wild animals, and some residents have even come face-to-face with a lion or buffalo! It's worth learning all about their unique history and culture.
Many tourists focus on the bigger, more well-known national parks in Tanzania. However, other great African national parks and attractions like Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Selous Game reserve are often overlooked. These less popular destinations are gems that are worth checking out. There's a reason Tanzania is a Safari Superstar!
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Harshill Gudka
2. See The Great Migration
The Great Migration is an absolute must-see on any Tanzania Safari. The sheer volume of the annual wildebeest migration is nothing short of breathtaking. Seeing the region come to life in its full strength is a sight to behold.
The numbers alone are hard to believe. A staggering 2 million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles follow the rains on their death-defying 1900-mile journey across the Serengeti plains. Tourists often ask these common questions about the Great Migration when planning their Tanzania safari tour:
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Himanshu Saraf
When is the Great Migration in Africa?
The Great Migration occurs as a year-round event, with different stages of the wildebeest's migration happening during certain months. From July to November, you are more likely to see the breathtaking views of migrating animals, but nature gives no guarantees.
Specifically, over a million wildebeests cross the Tanzanian Mara River between July and August into Kenya's Maasai Mara region. The river crossings are some of the most sought-after moments of the migration, and witnessing them is a truly spectacular experience.
Why does migration happen in Africa?
Herds migrate in search of fresh grazing lands and water. The smell of rain and the sound of thunder spur the migration forward. However, sometimes it can propel herds in different directions.
In addition to wildebeests, vast numbers of zebras, Grant Gazelles, Thomson's gazelles, elands, and impalas also migrate. Unfortunately, along their death-defying journey, many of these animals become prey to predators like lions, cheetahs, crocodiles, and hyenas.
Where does the Great Migration start and end?
The Great Migration begins in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park and heads north into Kenya's Maasai Game Reserve. The Great Migration actually runs clockwise in a circle of around 2,900 kilometers. The journey goes from the southeast grassland region to the northwest woodlands and back again.
What is better: Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Both the Masai Mara and Serengeti are equally fantastic destinations. If you are just going on a Tanzania Safari, then the Serengeti is the place to opt for. However, the Masai Mara is a little more concentrated, whereas the Serengeti has more mind-blowing vastness.
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Crispin Jones
3. Visit Zanzibar Island
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Patrick Mueller
Zanzibar Island, officially known as Unguja, is an ideal place to go and unwind after your Tanzania safari. This archipelago of four islands offers a unique, unexpected wildlife experience.
Although Zanzibar is in Tanzania, you will feel transported to a different world. Zanzibar Island offers pristine turquoise waters, white powdered sandy beaches, a tropical palm-tree paradise, and cultural experiences in a tranquil, relaxing setting.
Wildlife is rife in Zanzibar, making it an excellent place for sightseeing. It's home to various wild animals such as the red colobus monkey, the Zanzibar leopard, the endangered Pemba flying fox, tortoises, Mozambique cobras, mangrove kingfishers, and red-eyed doves.
The coral reefs of Zanzibar Island provide an excellent opportunity for snorkeling and diving. There's also a plethora of sea mammals to encounter. Keep an eye out for commonly spotted dolphins like the bottlenose, humpback dolphin, and spinner dolphin. Whale watching is outstanding here too!
Changuu Island, known as "Prison Island," is a 30-minute boat ride from Zanzibar's Stone Town. It's an area that has a diverse and vital history. Today, Changuu is home to the endangered Aldabra giant tortoises. The British Governor of Seychelles gifted the tortoises to the island in 1919. Supposedly, some of the original tortoises are still alive on the island today.
Changuu Island's nickname of "Prison Island" has a dark history. In the 1860s, the tiny island was used as a prison for enslaved people before they were forcibly shipped abroad. After the island was transferred to British rule, a prison complex was completed. Although it was completed in 1893, it was never used to house prisoners. They used the island to quarantine yellow fever patients instead.
Changuu Island is a worthwhile stop on the tail-end of any Tanzania Safari tour, especially if you're a history buff. The best month to visit Zanzibar is during the dry season, from July to September. Because of the ideal weather, it's usually the peak of the tourist season during these months. Still, traveling most of the year is worthwhile since temperatures range from 28°C to 34°C, which is the norm.
Tanzania Safari Tours / Image: Sergey Pesterev
4. Climb Tanzania’s Best Mountains
Tanzania is known worldwide for having some of Africa's most famous mountains. If you're looking for amazing views to spot wildlife on foot, look no further than a mountain hike in Tanzania.
Hiking the mountains of Tanzania is an ideal way to spot wildlife on a foot safari. There are breathtaking sights at every corner of a Tanzania safari. We've put together three of the best mountains in Tanzania to see on a Tanzania Safari:
Mount Kilimanjaro
It will definitely test your endurance if you're daring enough to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The Kilimanjaro trek has become one of the most famous mountain challenges. We highly recommend including a trip in any Tanzania Safari tours, although it's essential to be prepared. Altitude sickness is a common challenge for hikers who try to summit Kilimanjaro.
What's great about the Kilimanjaro hike is that you encounter wildlife during your trek up and down the mountain. It's also easy to incorporate into any African safari schedule because of its location. Mount Kilimanjaro is north of Tanzania, next to some top Tanzania safari destinations like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Mayara.
The best time of year to plan your Kilimanjaro trek is between July and October. During this time of year, the weather is at its best, and you get amazing views from the highest point of Africa.
Tanzania Safari Tours / Mount Kilimanjaro Trek
Image: Matt Cramblett
Mount Meru
Mount Meru is the mountain for you if you're looking for a time-intensive challenge. Mount Meru is an active volcano that takes 6 days to reach the summit and return. It's ideal for a standalone trip or adding on to any Tanzania Safari. Mount Meru is more challenging than the Kilimanjaro trek and much less populated by tourists.
As a result, there is much more wildlife to see than in neighboring mountains. Species of birds, monkeys, and leopards are in high numbers here, which makes for a stunning walking safari.
This mountain is a centerpiece of Arusha National Park and includes several streams, grasslands, tropical rainforest, alpine meadows, and deserts. The views are well worth it from the summit and have views of the Ash Cone lying several hundred feet below the crater. We recommend beginning your hike early, around 1:00 am, to catch a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime sunrise view. That way, you will most likely reach the summit right when the sun rises.
Ol Doinyo Lengai
Ol Doinyo Lengai is a tourist attraction and active volcano in Tanzania and the third highest peak in the country.
Also known as the "Mountain of God," hiking this summit takes about 6-10 hours. Many climb the mountain in the middle of the night to reach the volcano's peak at sunrise. Ol Doinyo Lengai is located near Lake Natron, which is ideal for spotting wild animals on your Tanzania safari trip.
The mountain is a popular hiking destination for those seeking a unique challenge. It's a steep hike with 1600m elevation in just 5km. However, the views are unbeatable when you arrive at the summit.
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