Tanzania Safari Destinations

Read about the many possibilities for safari destinations and adventures!

Northern Circuit

• Destinations in the northern circuit include Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha, Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Usambara Forest Reserve, Mikomazi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Natron.

• Arusha National Park
  • Arusha National Park is 328.4 square kilometers and is located 62 km from the popular tourist town of Arusha. This national park has three impressive geological features: Ngurdoto Crater, Momella Lakes, and Mount Meru.  Wildlife is abundant, and if you are lucky you may spot a leopard chilling in the big tree’s branches of the wild palm! 

Special attractions of Arusha National Park include walking safaris, canoeing, and climbing to Socialist Peak, the summit of Mt. Meru.  Mt. Meru takes 3-4 days to climb and is a great acclimatization climb for those heading to Kilimanjaro. See Trekking for more details.

• Kilimanjaro National Park
  • Kilimanjaro National Park has an area of 1668 square km. It is world-famous for the scenery of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.   Day hikes are possible within the park, as well as 5-10 day climbing excursions to reach its Uhuru peak.  Read our Kilimanjaro page for more information.
• Lake Manyara National Park
  • Lake Manyara is 330 square kilometers and includes groundwater forest, plains, and the alkaline lake, all of which host a massive variety of wildlife. Primates are common in the jungle-like forest, while hippopotamus bathes in the shallow pools. This park is famous for tree-climbing lions, hot springs, and adventures such as canoeing and biking.
• Tarangire National Park
  • Tarangire, just 2 hours from Arusha is a convenient starting point for safari and makes an ideal day trip. Its 2850 square km has a strong resemblance to the Serengeti plains.  Famous for herds of elephants hundreds of strong, and gigantic baobab trees, Tarangire has a permanent water source that draws animals from far and wide in the dry season.  When you see the sausage fruits hanging from their trees, check twice, be sure it’s not a leopard’s tail!
• Serengeti National Park
  • World-famous and indescribable, the plains of Serengeti offer the classic picture of African wildlife. Here is where you are likely to see lions on the hunt for zebra, or the colossal migration of a million wildebeest.  Serengeti is a designated world heritage site, as one the largest wildlife refuges worldwide, covering 14763 square km.
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area
  • Though it stretches well beyond the rim, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is known for its stunning caldera. An extinct volcano, the crater floor has permanent water and rich pasture, making it an ideal habitat for wildlife.  Some of Tanzania’s last black rhinoceros live within the crater, though they can be difficult to spot.  This conservation area is also a World Heritage Site, acknowledged for the harmonious relationship between its Maasai habitats and wildlife.
  • Check our Trekking page for information about trekking the Highlands of Ngorongoro.
• Usambara Forest Reserve
  • A beautiful forest with rich botanical diversity. This is a trekking destination and is most ideal for admiring flora and birding. See our Trekking page for more information.
• Mikomazi National Park
  • A perfect midway point between the Northern and Coastal Circuits, Mikomazi National Park is by-passed by many, but should not be missed. Features of this park are the successful re-introduction of wild dogs and the endemic black rhinoceros.  This is the only park in Tanzania that has massive rhinos within a fenced sanctuary.  At 3245 square km, Mikomazi borders Kenya’s Tsavo National Park and has recently been converted to a National Park rather than a Game Reserve.
• Lake Victoria + Mwanza
  • Mwanza is a major Tanzanian port connecting to Uganda and Kenya via Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake. This fishing and agricultural community is the gateway to the Islands of Lake Victoria, the Western Serengeti, Rubondo National Park, and Sukuma culture.
• Lake Natron
  • Spending four hours on an uneven and dusty road will bring you to the shores of Lake Natron, the foot of Oldoinyo Lengai, and genuine Maasai-land at the village of Engaresero. Here bird watching on the lake, deep Maasai culture excursions, and climbing the active volcano Lengai are experiences that will endure in your memory for a lifetime. See our Trekking page for information about Oldoinyo Lengai.

Southern Circuit

• Parks in the southern circuit include Udzungwa, Selous, Mikumi, Ruaha, Kitulo, and
• Udzungwa Mountains National Park
  • This Trekking destination feels like a true African jungle. Home to species of primates and birds found nowhere else in the world, the Udzungwa Mountains offer panoramic views, stunning waterfalls 170 meters high, and are home to ongoing ecological research. Stopping for a day or two at Udzungwa during your safari offers a nice variation from game driving without increasing distance, as it is only 40 km from Mikumi, and is en route to Ruaha.
• Selous Game Reserve
  • Africa’s largest game reserve! At 50 000 square km, Selous is renowned for its abundant population of large animals but is frequented far less than the famous Serengeti in the North. Walking safaris and traditional game drives are possible.  There are also incredible boat rides on the Rufiji River; where you pass by hippopotamuses and crocodiles; observing their tough hides and enormous teeth at close range!
• Ruaha National Park
  • This is Tanzania’s second-largest park and is deemed also the second wildest park in Tanzania. Game routes follow the Ruaha River, where wildlife of all kinds migrates to catch a drink of life-nourishing water.  Leopards and lions wait in the grasses while antelope shyly make their way to the water’s edge, quickly sipping before escaping to safety!  Ruaha has the distinction of housing a great diversity of antelope, affecting this park’s ecosystem to be unique, abundant, and magnificent.
• Katavi National Park
  • Africa’s wildest park, the long journey will lead you to the true untouched landscape of Katavi National Park. With 4471 square km of untamed wilderness, the long drive or charter flight is worth the effort. Katavi is Tanzania’s third largest park, and is seldom visited.  Lake Rukwa and the Katuma river support Tanzania’s densest population of hippopotamus and crocodiles while attracting other wildlife such as the rare honey-colored puku antelope, lion pride, herds of buffalo, and more.
• Kitulo National Park
  • In the Southern Highlands, this recently established National Park consists of alpine grassland and forest, and is known as the “Garden of God” and the “Serengeti of Flowers”. Its 412 square kilometers were established mainly to protect the flora, such as irises, balsams, orchids, bellflowers, honey-peas, and lilies.
• Mikumi National Park

Western Circuit

• The Western Circuit includes Gombe Stream, Mahale Mountains, and Rubundo Island National Park
• Gombe Stream National Park
  • This is Tanzania’s smallest park, only 52 square km, but it is distinguishing as it is home to man’s closest genetic relative, the chimpanzee. On the shores of Tanganyika, this park offers beachside camping, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, and of course Chimpanzee trekking.  World-renowned for Jane Goodall’s research with chimps, Gombe Stream is rich in primates, and has few carnivores, making it a great hiking and swimming destination.  Gombe Stream is usually accessed by flight and boat ride.
• Mahale Mountains National Park
  • Dominated mostly by the Mahale Mountain chain, this park also borders Lake Tanganyika. Hiking and swimming are astonishing here, however, the most common reason for visitors to Mahale is Chimpanzee Trekking.   Your guide will lead you on a trek through the wilderness, looking for signs of recent chimp activity, such as nests and discarded fruit.  The Mahale Mountains is accessed by aircraft or watercraft, and its 1613 square km need at least 2 full days of exploration!
• Rubondo Island National Park
  • This exclusive park is on an island in Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake. Among others, habitats include giraffe, crocodile, parrot, bushbuck, as well as an astounding plethora of flowers.  Some of the few visitors to this park are fishermen hoping to snag the biggest catch.  Rubondo is home to protected breeding waters for many species of fish and is the only park where you can spot playful otters.

Coastal Destinations

• Coastal destinations include Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia, Pangani, Kilwa, Bagamoyo, Tanga, Jozani Forest, and Saadani National Park.
• Zanzibar & Stonetown
  • Sultry and mysterious, the island of Zanzibar is the biggest of the “Spice Islands”. Tourists flock to Zanzibar for the beautiful beaches, snorkeling, spice tours, centuries-old Arabic architecture, and the ambiance that isn’t replicated anywhere in the world.  It is a perfect paradise for indulging after climbing Kilimanjaro or a bone-jarring safari on rough roads.  Stonetown was awarded status as a World Heritage Site in 2000 and is accessed by a short flight from Arusha or a two hour ferry ride from Dar es Salaam.
• Pemba Island
  • Part of the archipelago of Zanzibar, Pemba is an unspoilt utopia with few visitors. Situated in the warm blue waters of the Indian Ocean, this tropical paradise has little tourist infrastructure, providing a genuine island experience of culture and landscape. Attractions in Pemba include swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing, forest trekking, historical ruins, and bull fights- though the bulls are not killed, but decorated and praised with flowers!
• Mafia Island
  • Mafia Island has less than 1000 visitors per year, and is absolutely unblemished; a picture-perfect Swahili coastal destination. Having been described as the best place for diving in all of East Africa, Mafia Island has been elected a Marine Park by the World Wide Fund for Nature, as it is surrounded by a dense coral reef.  You can enjoy visiting a population of pygmy hippopotamus in a discreet lagoon, the excavated ruins of Kua, as well as cycling and hiking.
• Pangani
  • Set upon the Pangani River, this was once home to historic Arab slave traders. This coastal destination is on the Tanzanian mainland, a perfect stop point between the Northern and Southern Circuits.  Untouched beaches, coconut tours, and dinosaur fossils are some of the attractions in this beachside village.
• Tanga
  • One of the largest cities of Tanzania, Tanga, lies between the North and South Circuits. Here you can enjoy the beaches, bike riding, and visiting the imaginative Amboni Caves. A major attraction close to the port is the ruins of a large mosque from the trading era, containing over 40 tombs.
• Kilwa Island
  • Approximately four kilometers from the coast of the mainland, Kilwa Island is considered one of the most important Swahili historical sites in East Africa. The ruins here have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are the main attraction on the island.  Mahdali, the main city, was once the most powerful and prosperous city of the Asian-African trade in gold, iron, ivory, textiles, jewelry, and spices.
• Bagamoyo
  • A quaint coastal town of the mainland, Bagamoyo was once the center of slave and ivory trading. History’s presence is strong here, with 19th-century architecture, and an original slaving building still standing.  Here attractions include the Kaole ruins, sailboat building, lovely beaches, and Bagamoyo College of the Arts, a famous school of visual arts.
• Jozani Forest
  • Just outside of Stonetown, Jozani Forest was established to preserve some of the last indigenous forests on the island of Zanzibar. This National Park is home to the rare and unique Kirk’s Red Colobus monkey and there is a beautiful boardwalk that snakes deep through the mangrove forest.
• Saadani National Park
  • This is a coastal national park on the mainland of Tanzania. This is the only park that embraces the Indian Ocean and is the genuine “bush to beach” adventure.  Saadani’s 1100 square km is home to countless species of animals and affords game drives and bush walks to rival the other more-frequented parks, with the added benefit of tranquility and the ocean.

Culture Excursions

• Culture excursions are offered for Maasai, Hadzabe, Chagga, Swahili culture, and more.
• Maasai
  • The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoralist tribe, living in windowless smoky mud huts. A visit to their Boma reveals their everlasting traditional lifestyle, large polygamous families living and raising cattle for the sustenance of life.  Scattered throughout Kenya and Tanzania, the Maasai are known for their rites of circumcision, warrior status, and resonating chanting.  Including a stopover to a Boma on your safari will be an evocative and unforgettable experience.

• Hadzabe and Bushman at Lake Eyasi
  • The Hadzabe and Bushman are one of the last nomadic hunter-gatherer societies that traditionally subsist on roots and fruits gathered by the women, and the meat hunted by the men.  Their most common prey is a baboon, and the second, zebra!  Visiting the Hadzabe at the shores of Lake Eyasi gives you the opportunity to glance into their lifestyle, by seeing their grass huts and communities or by participating in hunting, gathering, jewelry making, and more.
• Chagga of Kilimanjaro
  • The Chagga people live in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, practicing mixed agriculture in the fertile lands of the extinct volcano. Chagga culture is strongly Christian though traditional beliefs still play a strong role for the people.  Visits to the Chagga include friendly smiles, tasting local banana beer, and cultural food.  Another delight is hiking through the picturesque slopes of waterfalls, lush green landscape, and farms of bananas, coffee, yams, and more.
• Swahili of the Coast
  • Swahili people live along the coast of East Africa, though the language of Swahili has been adopted as the official language of the countries of the East African Union. Swahili culture has evolved with the influences of Indian, Arabic, and European colonialists.  Strongly Muslim, the Swahili people are also strong in arts and crafts and wear brightly patterned fabrics called Kanga.

Safari Adventures

• Canoeing
• Mountain and Town Biking
• Trekking and Hiking
• Hot air balloon safari
• Equestrian Safari
• Boat Safari
• Deep-sea and Island Fishing
• Scuba diving and Snorkelling
• Golfing
• Horse and Camel riding
• Spa treatments
• Festivals and arts
• Cultural Tours
• Swimming
• Triathlon Tour
• Kilimanjaro Marathon
• Volunteering
• Homestay accommodation
• Walking safari
• Camping
• White water Rafting
• Bungee Jumping
• ZipLine