Destinations

Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding area which includes majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from the safari circuit as it features a temperate climate and lush surrounds. Visitors can look forward to exploring the wildlife-abundant Serengeti National Park; the magnificent Arusha National Park; and taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.

Travellers heading for the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater will pass through the town of Karatu in the green hills of Tanzania’s northern highlands. Presided over by the towering Ol Deani Volcano, this small, colourful town serves as a popular overnight stop for visitors exploring the area’s many game parks. The town offers a variety of activities including browsing the bustling marketplace, sampling beer at a local brewery, visiting a traditional homestead, or taking a guided walk through the Ngorongoro Forest in search of waterfalls and caves. Whether you are looking for cultural tours, hiking and biking opportunities, a chance to enjoy an authentic rural Tanzania experience, or simply a break between safari game drives, this underrated town has plenty to offer.

Within Tanzania’s breathtaking Manyara Region, Tarangire National Park is a breath-taking national park with granite mountains, river basins, diversified vegetal landscapes, and wandering wildlife. The Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife during the yearly dry season. Predators naturally follow large herds of elephants, migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland. Since lions are among the most often sighted animals, it is uncommon for a tourist to fail to see this majestic animal munching or prowling. Additionally, Tarangire is the only location in Tanzania where dry-country antelope like oryx and gerenuk are frequently sighted. In addition, this vast region is renowned for its magnificent baobab trees, breath-taking views of the Masaai Steppe, and the magnificent mountains to the south.

Bordering the Lake Manyara National Park in the Arusha Region of Tanzania, the village of Mto wa Mbu lies the East African Rift Valley. It serves as a convenient stopover for tourists visiting the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park. Visitors can look forward to an authentic cultural experience which could include visiting a traditional home, sampling banana beer, enjoying a delicious Tanzanian meal, and browsing the weekly Maasai Market. The village is set within two wildlife corridors and a variety of animals can be spotted in the area. Look out for giraffe, elephant, hippo, wildebeest, baboon, zebra, and monkey. Other popular activities include walking, hiking, and biking tours.

The Central Serengeti, located in the centre of Tanzania, includes the renowned Seronera Valley, which is renowned for offering the best chances to see wildlife. This idyllic terrain is made up of infinite lengths of open grasslands covered in savannah, broken up by rugged granite outcrops, dotted with acacia woods, and drenched in a network of rivers and streams. A wide range of species, including giraffes, impalas, waterbucks, hippos, elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals, servals, and many more, can be found in the Central Serengeti, which is a part of the big wildebeest and zebra migration. Game viewing, cultural tours, horseback riding safaris, and hot air ballooning over the breathtakingly beautiful landscape are all popular pastimes.

The Serengeti, together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park, constitute Africa’s most famous wildlife park, spread over the enthralling landscapes of northern Tanzania. This is a precious ecosystem, supporting the annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. The largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet involves more than a million animals following the rains, including more than 1.5 million white-bearded wildebeest and 250 000 zebras. Prides of lions, as well as groups of elephants, giraffes, gazelles, and eland, roam among the photogenic vast grass plains between weird-and-wonderful-looking acacia trees. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti plains and horse riding safaris are on offer.

The Seronera district in the centre of the Serengeti is situated right on the path of the Great Migration and provides superb sight of this amazing yearly phenomena, when numerous wildebeest flood the area and migrate over the plains. Seronera is remains a wildlife hotspot at other times of the year, protecting the Big Five in addition to many other species, even if migratory game numbers vary seasonally. Numerous little campsites offer lodging, and guests can partake in guided game drives, walking safaris, and hot air balloon excursions.

Not to be confused with the Kenyan lake of the same name set only a hundred kilomtres away, the Tanzanian Lake Magadi is an exquisite soda lake in the Ngororongo crater, named the Swahili word for salt. This is a wonderful destination for nature photographers, a scene that changes exquisitely through the seasons, moving through lush greens into striking oranges and bright pinks. Along with the changes come captivating, changing groups of animals including rhino, eland and lion, as well as golden jackals who come to hunt the flamingos. Spread over 11.2 square kilometres, the lake cultivates a unique ecosystem with its blue-green algae, which nourishes the plants and small creatures here. The surrounding crater is filled with incredible other natural attractions and a much wider variety of wildlife.

The rich acacia-dotted plains of the Eastern Serengeti are home to abundant wildlife. Visitors flock here to view the world-renowned wildebeest migration. Some of the best game-viewing can be enjoyed from Lobo on the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park along the Grumeti River. Popular activities include: taking a guided walk through the spectacularly scenic terrain of the wild Serengeti, jumping on a hot air balloon safari, picnics in the bush, and learning about Maasai culture and history. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the world famous Gol Kopjes for the best cheetah viewing in Africa.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, located in Northern Tanzania’s Crater Highlands, is renowned for its archaeological and geological significance, as well as its abundance of species and picturesque surroundings. The iconic Crater, the well-known Olduvai Gorge, and wide plains of grasslands, woods, and mountains that continue to the Serengeti are all included in the conservation area. This 8000 square kilometre protected area has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its natural splendour. Visitors swarm here to take in the breathtaking vistas of the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders and a popular destination for animal enthusiasts. Mountain biking, hiking, game drives, bush walks, and visiting a nearby Maasai village are among the most popular pursuits.

The Ngorongoro Crater, which lies in Northern Tanzania, is one of the most well-liked safari locations in Africa due to its richness of unique animals and natural beauty. This UNESCO-listed crater is believed to be the largest complete volcanic caldera in the entire globe and is surrounded by Tanzania’s highlands. The iconic Big Five can be seen by visitors, along with a variety of other wildlife species, including sizable herds of zebra and wildebeest. One of Tanzania’s top tourist destinations, it is renowned for offering guests a variety of amazing activities, including as excellent bird watching, trekking, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, and visiting a nearby Maasai village. Don’t pass up the chance to take a trip to the spectacular Olduvai Gorge.