Tanzania is one of Africa’s best safari destinations, with the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire bringing incredible wildlife and very different landscapes. You can follow the Great Migration across the plains, watch elephants beneath huge baobab trees and look for lions, cheetahs, leopards and rhinos.
But Tanzania is about more than safari. You can spend time with Maasai communities, discover the archaeological importance of Olduvai Gorge, climb Kilimanjaro or explore the Rufiji River by boat. Then there’s the Indian Ocean, with Zanzibar and Mafia Island bringing beaches, coral reefs, snorkelling and diving.
Read about the best places to visit in Tanzania, what you can experience in each and why we’d consider including them in your holiday.
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Serengeti National Park
Big cats, vast plains and the Great Migration
The Serengeti is Tanzania’s most famous safari destination, and its sheer scale is part of what makes it so impressive. Open grasslands stretch towards the horizon, kopjes rise from the plains and huge numbers of zebra, wildebeest and antelope support healthy populations of lion, cheetah and leopard.
The Great Migration moves through different areas of the Serengeti throughout the year. From the calving grounds in the south early in the year to the dramatic river crossings further north, where you stay matters if the migration is a priority. Wildlife doesn’t follow an exact calendar, so we’d always choose your area and safari lodges in Tanzania according to your travel dates and what you most want to see.
Game drives aren’t the only way to experience the Serengeti. An early morning Floating Above the Serengeti in a Hot Air Balloon experience gives you a completely different perspective, watching the plains and wildlife below as the sun comes up.
Ngorongoro Crater
Wildlife and one of Tanzania's most dramatic landscape
Olduvai Gorge
Early human history between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti
Between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti lies Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most important archaeological sites for understanding human evolution. Fossils and early stone tools discovered here have helped researchers piece together millions of years of human history.
You can visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum, learn about the discoveries made by Louis and Mary Leakey and look out across the gorge itself.
If you’re travelling overland between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, we’d consider stopping here along the way. It adds a completely different dimension to the northern circuit, taking you from millions of years of human history back into the wildlife and landscapes of the Serengeti.
Tarangire National Park
Elephants, baobabs and excellent dry-season wildlife
Drive into Tarangire National Park and the huge baobab trees immediately make the landscape feel different from the Serengeti. Elephants are a major highlight here, and you’ll often see family groups moving through the woodland or gathering around the Tarangire River.
During the dry season, the river becomes an increasingly important water source, drawing wildlife from across the surrounding ecosystem. Zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and buffalo gather here, with lion and other predators following close behind.
There are also opportunities for walking safaris and night drives in certain areas and concessions, letting you experience Tarangire beyond the traditional daytime game drive. Our Best Time to Visit Tanzania guide explains how the seasons affect wildlife and conditions here and across Tanzania’s other safari areas.
Lake Manyara National Park
Rift Valley scenery, forests and birdlife
Lake Manyara National Park sits beneath the steep escarpment of the Great Rift Valley and brings several very different habitats together within a relatively small area. You can drive through groundwater forest before reaching open grassland, acacia woodland and the shores of the lake.
Elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebra and large troops of baboons can all be encountered, while the lake and surrounding wetlands attract an impressive variety of birdlife. The park has also become associated with tree-climbing lions, although we’d treat seeing one as a bonus rather than an expectation.
Manyara’s location between Arusha, Tarangire and Ngorongoro makes it easy to incorporate into the northern circuit. Have a look at our Tanzania Holiday Ideas to see how the different parks, landscapes and experiences can be combined.
Nyerere National Park (Selous)
Boat safaris, walking and a different side of Tanzania
Head south and the safari experience changes considerably. Nyerere National Park, formerly part of the Selous Game Reserve, covers an enormous area of woodland, grassland, lakes and channels shaped by the Rufiji River.
One of the biggest reasons to come here is the variety of ways you can explore. Alongside game drives, you can take a boat safari on the Rufiji River, watching hippos and crocodiles in the water and elephants, giraffes and other wildlife along the banks. You can also head out on foot with an experienced guide, slowing things down to look at tracks, plants, insects and some of the smaller details you’d easily miss from a vehicle.
Nyerere receives fewer visitors than the main northern parks and combines particularly well with Ruaha. If you want to mix traditional game drives with time on the river and walking, it gives you a very different safari from the northern circuit.
Ruaha National Park
Remote landscapes, predators and elephants
Ruaha National Park feels wonderfully wild. Its landscapes combine baobab-covered hills, open plains, woodland and the Great Ruaha River, with long stretches where you may see very few other safari vehicles.
Elephants are a major part of Ruaha, but the predator sightings can be equally exciting. Lion are particularly important here, alongside leopard, cheetah and African wild dog. The park also sits where eastern and southern African ecosystems overlap, giving it an unusually varied mix of wildlife.
Ruaha takes more effort to reach than the northern circuit, but that’s also part of its appeal. We’d consider it if safari is the main focus of your holiday and you want longer game drives, fewer vehicles and plenty of time exploring a much less-visited part of Tanzania.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Climb Africa's highest mountain
At 5,895 metres, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and one of Tanzania’s biggest challenges. You don’t need technical mountaineering skills for the standard trekking routes, but reaching the summit requires preparation, a good level of fitness and enough time to acclimatise properly.
Several routes lead towards Uhuru Peak, each differing in scenery, difficulty and length. Choosing the right one is important, and we’d always favour an itinerary that gives you sufficient time to acclimatise rather than choosing a route simply because it reaches the summit more quickly.
Kilimanjaro can be the main reason for travelling to Tanzania or combined with a safari afterwards, when swapping walking boots for a game-drive vehicle will probably feel very welcome.
Arusha & Mount Meru
Walking, mountain scenery and the start of the northern circuit
Most northern Tanzania safaris pass through Arusha, but the surrounding area deserves more than simply an overnight stop if you have the time. Mount Meru rises above the region, with coffee estates, forest and the landscapes of Arusha National Park close by.
Inside Arusha National Park, you can walk with a ranger, take a canoe onto the Momella Lakes and look for giraffe, buffalo, zebra, colobus monkeys and an impressive variety of birds. When conditions are clear, there are views towards both Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro.
It’s a good place to stretch your legs before several days of game drives and gives you the chance to experience some of Tanzania’s landscapes and wildlife on foot rather than always from a vehicle.
Zanzibar
Beaches, Stone Town, reefs and Swahili culture
After early starts and days out on safari, Zanzibar gives you a complete change of scenery. White-sand beaches and the warm Indian Ocean are a big part of its appeal, with plenty of opportunities for swimming, snorkelling, diving and getting out on the water.
In Stone Town, you can walk through narrow streets lined with old merchant houses, carved wooden doors, markets and historic buildings that reflect the island’s African, Arab, Indian and European influences. Elsewhere, you can visit spice farms, sail on a traditional dhow or head out to explore the coral reefs.
Different parts of Zanzibar’s coastline offer very different beach experiences, and the tides have a noticeable effect in some areas. For Honeymoons in Tanzania, we’d pay particular attention to where you stay and the type of beach experience you want rather than choosing a hotel in isolation.
Mafia Island
Whale sharks, reefs and quieter beaches
South of Zanzibar, Mafia Island is much quieter and particularly rewarding if you’re interested in what lies beneath the water. Much of the coastline and surrounding sea forms part of Mafia Island Marine Park, with coral reefs providing excellent snorkelling and diving.
Whale sharks visit the waters around Mafia seasonally, giving you the chance to get into the water and snorkel alongside the world’s largest fish. As with any wild wildlife encounter, sightings can never be guaranteed.
Mafia has fewer large resorts and considerably less development than Zanzibar. We’d consider it if marine life, snorkelling and diving are high on your list and you don’t need the wider choice of hotels, restaurants and activities you’ll find on Zanzibar.
Planning Your Tanzania Holiday
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