Big 5 safari in Tanzania : Safaris in Tanzania involve wildlife viewing experiences and many other activities across different national parks and reserves around the country.
The big five during safaris in Tanzania are among the wildlife species that most tourists hope to see during their tours around the national parks. These big five include elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffalos.
The popular destinations around Tanzania where the big five can be seen during safaris include Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro conservation area in the northern part of Tanzania, Selous game reserve or Nyerere national park and Ruaha national park in the southern parts of Tanzania.
For a chance to see the big five during your safari in Tanzania, don’t forget to mention it to your safari guide during the tour or the tour operator organising the safari so that you are taken to the parts of the national park where the big five can be seen.
During a safari in Tanzania, some tourists get to see all the big five in the national parks while others see some of the big five and this all depends on your luck and also the time of the year when you engage in a safari.
The best time of the year to see wildlife species when visiting Tanzania is the dry season from the month of June, July, August, September and October when the weather is favourable for safari and a number of wildlife species can easily be spotted during a game viewing activity around the national parks.
Among the big five during a safari in Tanzania, it is easier to spot the buffalos around the national parks like Serengeti national park or Ruaha national park and these buffalos can be seen as they graze around the plains. The types of buffalos which can be seen during safaris around Tanzania are the African buffalos.
When it comes to lions during a safari in Tanzania, they can also be seen in big numbers if you visit at the right time of the year. In parks like Serengeti national park which has over 4000 lions, your chances of seeing lions during a safari are high and you can even spot the lions as they hunt their prey in the endless savannah plains. Serengeti national park covers over 14,750 square kilometres and is among the oldest national parks of Tanzania. Lions in Tanzania are also known for the tree climbing and you can also see this behaviour among the lions during a safari.
For a chance to see rhinos during a tour in Tanzania, the Ngorongoro crater would be a good location to see them. Ngorongoro conservation area is home to the rare black rhinos and during a safari you can also enjoy the beautiful views around the crater which is also home to many other wildlife species. When visiting Ngorongoro, the Maasai can also be interacted with since they coexist in the conservation area with the wildlife of Ngorongoro.
Elephants among the big five are also a favourite for tourists during their safaris in Tanzania and they can be spotted as they move in their herds. When visiting Tanzania in destinations like Tarangire national park which is also found in the northern part of Tanzania many elephants can also be seen during safaris. You can see elephants even during the rainy season as they roam around the grass plains in their herds.
The stealthy leopards are another animal to look out for during a big five safari around Tanzania. Leopards tend to camouflage in their surroundings and are usually lone hunters. Leopards are also very active at night and the beauty of Tanzania is that you can also engage in a game drive at night which is done in destinations like Lake Manyara national park in Tanzania. You can also spot leopards during the day in the trees where they are also know to drag their prey or you can see them simply resting in the tree branches.
Other wildlife species which can be seen during safaris around Tanzania include waterbucks, wildebeests, giraffes, hyenas, warthogs, zebras, impalas, gazelles, dik dik, kudu among others, Big 5 safari in Tanzania.
Duration of a big five safaris in Tanzania
Safaris to Tanzania for a chance to see the big five can be short safaris or long safaris of up to 3 weeks or more.
You will need a minimum of 3 days for a tour to the destinations where the big five can be seen and in this period of time you will be able to engage in game drives at different times of the day such as in the morning, afternoon or evening and in some destinations at night.
The type of safari you engage in during a tour of Tanzania will also determine the duration of your safari. For private tours or tailor made tours, you can choose the number of days for the safari which may not be the case for those taking part in group tours which have scheduled dates, Big 5 safari in Tanzania.
How to visit Tanzania for a big five safari
There are different ways to access destinations around Tanzania during a big five safari and this includes flight, driving and also boat.
The airport to use when visiting the northern part of Tanzania is Arusha airport and you can also fly to Kilimanjaro international airport. Tours around the northern part of Tanzania where tourists opt for driving start from Arusha town and some tours can begin from Moshi town.
For tours in the southern part of Tanzania, you can book flights to Julius Nyerere international airport. From Dar es Salaam, you can also get domestic flights which are chartered r scheduled to the destinations around the southern parks of Tanzania.
Cost of a big five safari
A big five safari in Tanzania can cost about 200 USD per individual per day depending on the location of the tour and the number of people. The time when the safari is done also has an impact on the cost of the safari.
