Tanzania Wildlife Safaris

Top Tanzania Safari Destinations

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Serengeti is the leading tourist attraction in Africa for three consecutive years (2019, 2020 * 2021). With an area that spans over 12,000sq miles, it supports the largest number of wildlife than anywhere else on earth.

The wildebeest great migration takes place annually at the Serengeti with over 2 million wildebeest and thousands of zebras on the move. Witness the spectacular river crossings, predator-prey gameplay that sees wildebeest and zebras challenge death at the jaws of the largest Nile crocodiles. The best place to see the big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo).

Being one of the 7 wonders of the world, the park has unique species of birds, animals, and plant life. The landscapes are stunning ranging from woodlands to grasslands. The endless plains are so vast that the park was nicknamed a sea of grass. Read More,,,,,,,

NGORONGORO CRATER

Being the world’s largest intact caldera, Ngorongoro is a true African natural wonder with over 30,000 animals roaming on the crater floor. With a depth of over 600 Meters and a surface area of over 20sqkm,

The crater is the best place to spot the big 5 and other endangered species including the Northern black Rhinoceros. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Ngorongoro also harbors over 30,000 Maasais, a perfect place where man and nature interact.

The crater floor being unflooded supports swamps and soda lakes that are a breeding site to flamingos and other waterbirds making it a paradise for any bird lovers.  At the crater rim, the majestic stellar views of the crater and surrounding landscapes are spectacular. Read More…..

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Tarangire is best known for its huge elephant herds population and large baobab trees. It is Located in the Northern part of Tanzania, With an area of over 2,500 sq km, the park is home to lions, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, and over 600 bird species.

The plant life here is exquisite and the vegetation is covered in trees, grass, swamps, and lakes. The main water source is the Tarangire River which flows all year round. Read More…..

ACTIVITIES ON A TANZANIA SAFARI

1. Game Drives

Day Game Drives

With its massive large size, long and rough roads, most of the Tanzanian parks and attractions can’t all be explored in a few days. You should decide what you want to see before going on a game drive.

Morning game drives are the most rewarding game drives since most animals are active during the morning especially during the dry season. Birds are plenty in the morning and other animals can be spotted enjoying the morning sun.

Afternoon game drives are usually not as rewarding as morning drives since most animals seek shelter during this time.

Night Game Drives

Although there is no Night game drives permitted inside most Parks, certain national parks have permission to do night drives on parks permitted by the authorities. For best Night game drives head to Tarangire National Park.

Though they come with an extra fee, see endless adventures can arrange night game drives but they have to be planned ahead so booking early to reserve your spot is recommended especially one month before arrival.

A night game drive allows you the unique opportunity to spot a number of nocturnal animals, such as civets, bush babies, nightjars, and aardvarks, and possibly even predators on the hunt.

Seeing new animals is definitely a highlight of these evening game drives, but these drives also give you the unique chance to see your surroundings from a very different perspective

2. Birding/Bird Watching

For bird lovers, can discover more than 400 species of birds, including few endemic species that are permanent residents. Be on the lookout for the African Ostrich, vultures, Herons, gigantic marshal eagle, grey-breasted spurfowl, Fischer’s lovebird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Kori bustard, secretary bird, usambiro barbet, yellow-throated sandgrouse, grey-crested helmet shrike, Hildebrandt starling, and so forth.

The best time to view birds is from November to April since it is the breeding season for most birds. Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, Lake Ndutu, and Lake Natron are some of the few best places to see birds that will make any bird lover aroused.

3. Horse Riding

Some National Parks offer an adventurous horseback safari, an incredible opportunity to indulge your sense of adventure off the beaten track. Here you can witness the natural phenomenon of riding with millions of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle in their natural environment. At the beginning of the year, ride out to witness the magic and drama unfold during the calving season with thousands of wobbly calves and incredible big cat sightings in the Serengeti National Park.

Other parks like Arusha National Park and Kilimanjaro National park offer horse riding but riders have to be already trained horse riders and must book 3 months before to secure their spot and avoid any inconveniences.

4. Walking Safaris

Walking safaris are available in most of the parks and can be short day walks involving going back to the same camp or can be mobile with movable camps involving sleeping in a different location every night.

The essence of walking is to explore the wilder areas on foot and away from the crowds hence a chance to witness animals up close, access to remote areas, learning of tracks and signs, and experiencing sights, sounds, and scents.

Walking is available all year round in Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area however is best done during the dry season when the animals are easily spotted and observed on foot.

Walking Safaris are tightly regulated and always conducted by experienced and knowledgeable armed guides.

They have a full backup of support vehicles and crew who go ahead and set up camp in private areas.

5. Hot Air Balloon Safaris

Balloon Safaris are restricted to some parks including Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, and Serengeti National Park.

The early mornings are the best time for taking off in a hot air balloon. Also, the winds have to be stable otherwise you will end up feeling giddy in a balloon swaying to and fro like a pendulum.

Hot air ballooning is the best way to view the amazing landscape, plains, and wildlife of the Serengeti, Tarangire, And Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Balloons accommodate a total of 16 people and fly from different parts of the parks for example in Serengeti, central Seronera flies throughout the whole year,

North Kogatende from July to October, South Ndutu from late December to March, and West Kirawira from June to October.

During your flight, you will often be able to see the famous migration, access the remote areas, witness the spectacular sunrise, amazing photographic moments, uninterrupted game viewing, and a glance at the vast size of the park.

Upon landing, you are rewarded with a glass of refreshing champagne breakfast and a certificate, a long-standing ballooning tradition. The breakfast site is set up at a different location every day depending on your landing point.

Balloon company will pick you up at your hotel, so there’s no need to worry about getting to the take-off site while you’re half asleep.

6. Canoeing/Kayaking

Tanzania is home to the largest African water bodies ranging from the largest Lakes, rivers ocean bays, and beaches that are ideal for canoeing with more than 1000 miles/1600km of coastline.  canoeing is the best way to experience stunning wild nature and thrilling landscapes.

Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Momella, Lake Duluti, and Lake Chala are the best places for canoeing in Northern Tanzania, other places are Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika & Lake Nyasa

HOW TO GET IN TANZANIA FOR A SAFARI

Tanzania is well served by international airlines. The most important hub for international flights is Dar es Salaam’s (DSM) Julius Nyerere International Airport, but there are also some international flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport, which lies about halfway between the towns of Arusha and Moshi, and Zanzibar International Airport on the island.

From Europe

Coming from Europe, airlines offering connections to Tanzania include KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (with daily flights to DSM and Kilimanjaro) Turkish Airlines and Swiss (from Zurich).

However, if you’re flying into Dar es Salaam before Kilimanjaro Airport, then alternatively you can connect through Cairo with Egypt Air; via Dubai with Emirates; via Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways; via Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines; via Muscat with Oman Air; or via Doha with Qatar Airways. Some of these airlines also have routes into Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.

Alternatively, one may opt to fly to Nairobi then to Kilimanjaro/Dar Es Salaam. Options to Nairobi include British Airways from London Heathrow; Air France from Paris; Swiss Air from Zurich; Brussels Airlines from Brussels; Lufthansa from Frankfurt; and Kenya Airways from London Heathrow or Amsterdam.

From North America and Australia

There are no direct flights from North America or Australia. Coming from North America, it is most common to fly via London, Istanbul or Amsterdam in Europe, though it is also possible to route via South Africa from New York (JFK), Atlanta or Washington with Ethiopian Airlines, South Africa Airways or Kenya Airways or via the Middle East using Emirates, Etihad Airways or Qatar Airways.

From South America

The most direct route from South America to Tanzania uses South African Airways direct flight from São Paulo to Johannesburg, before connecting onto Dar es Salaam from there. This whole journey typically takes about 15 hours. Other alternatives are often less convenient, using hubs in Europe or the Middle East: key airlines include Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, KLM, and Turkish Airlines.

From Asia

Kenya Airways has three direct flight links with Asia: with Bangkok, Hanoi, and Mumbai – and then onward connections to all of Tanzania’s gateway airports. Alternatively, travelers from Asia will usually fly via a hub in the Middle East, probably using Emirates, Etihad Airways, Oman Air, or Qatar Airways.

Airport taxes, where applicable, are now included in the ticket fare as a matter of course