Safaris in Tanzania are exciting and can be done at any time of the year across the north, south, west, central and coastal areas of the country.
Below is some information about safaris in Tanzania to know before going for a safari;
Destinations to visit in Tanzania
There are many places to visit when on a safari in Tanzania and these include national parks and reserves, lakes and rivers, forests, mountain and hills, craters, swamps and so much more.
National parks and reserves are popular destinations during tours in Tanzania and they are found in different parts of the country including the north, south, central and western parts of the country.
The national parks and reserves which can be visited during safaris around Tanzania include Serengeti national park, the Ngorongoro crater, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park, Arusha national park, Ruaha national park, Nyerere national park, Mikumi national park, Katavi national park, Gombe national park, Mahale mountains national park, Mkomazi national park, Kitulo national park and many others.
Mountains which can be visited around Tanzania during safaris include Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Meru, Mount Hanang, Udzungwa mountains, Uluguru mountain among others.
Lakes and rivers around Tanzania include Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Natron, Lake Manyara, Lake Chala, Lake Eyasi and Lake Jipe among others. There are also many rivers which are found around Tanzania.
Activities to do on safari in Tanzania
Tanzania offers many activities to do during a safari around the country and these activities include wildlife viewing which is very popular during safaris. Wildlife viewing during tours in Tanzania involves game drives which can be done in the morning, afternoon or night, guided nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, horse riding among others.
In the western part of Tanzania, you can also engage in chimpanzee trekking and enjoy a primate tour in destinations like Gombe national park which is found on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
During wildlife viewing in Tanzania, you can also enjoy the wildebeest migration which is the largest animal migration in the world. The wildebeest migration takes place in Serengeti national park and over 2 million wildebeests can be seen in the savannah plains during the migration and some of the highlights include the river crossings along the Mara river and also the calving season in the Ndutu area.
You can also engage in hikes when visiting Tanzania and other activities to do when visiting the country include cultural tours which involve interactions with the locals such as the Hadzabe, Maasai, Datoga among others.
When in Tanzania you can also relax at the beach during a tour to the coastal area of the country and the famous part of the country which is good for beach tours is Zanzibar island which has white sand beaches on different parts of the island. Boat rides or canoeing is also done in Zanzibar and you can also snorkel, dive, swim, visit Stone town and Prison island and visit the Spice plantations.
Some of the activities which are carried out around Tanzania can be done at different times of the year and the best time for tours is the dry season from June to October.
Best time for a safari in Tanzania
Safaris in Tanzania can be done at any time of the year and throughout the year there is a lot you can do depending on the season or time of the year when you go to the destination.
The best time for a safari in Tanzania is during the months from June, July, August, September and October and also from January to March. The dry season is considered a good time for safaris and especially for wildlife viewing when wildlife species can be spotted around water sources.
For bird watching during tours in Tanzania, the best time to see these birds is during the months from November to April when migratory bird species can be spotted. December to March is also a good time to see the calving season in Tanzania which takes place in the southern part of Serengeti national park.
The best time for a wildebeest migration in Tanzania is during the months from June to August when the wildebeests can be seen in the northern part of Serengeti national park where the river crossings take place along the Mara river.
Cost of a safari in Tanzania
Safaris in Tanzania costs vary depending on different factors such as the duration of the safari, the number of people, the activities which are carried out during the tour, season of travel, the type of safari among others.
When it comes to the duration of a safari and the cost of the tour, the safaris which take many days tend to cost a lot as compared to short safaris in Tanzania. A private safari can cost about 300 USD per person on a daily.
Another factor which can influence the coast of a safari in Tanzania is the number of people going for the safari. The more the people going for the safari; the less the costs of the tour as a result of shared costs such as transport and accommodation costs during the safari.
The activities you engage in during the safari in Tanzania also determines how much you will spend on the tour and these activities can range from 5 USD to 500 USD or more depending on the activity.
There are different seasons of travel in Tanzania and they include the high or peak season and also the low season or green season. Going to Tanzania for a safari in the high season is more costly as compared to a safari in the low season which is a time when the prices are discounted.
The type of safari which you book when going to Tanzania also determines how much the safari will cost. Group safaris to Tanzania are less costly as compared to private safaris carried out around the country.
Transport used during safaris in Tanzania
Tanzania can be accessed by different means of transport used during safaris and they include flight, drives, ferry and also train.
The commonest mean of transport used during safaris in Tanzania is cars and you can rent a vehicle for a safari for about 180 USD to 250 USD depending on the type of vehicle. Different companies offer these services during tours in Tanzania.
Flights can also be used to access different places around Tanzania during safaris and these flights can be domestic flights and also international flights. Airports around Tanzania include Kilimanjaro international airport, Julius Nyerere international airport, Abeid Amani Karume international airport, Arusha airport, Bukoma airport, Mwanza airport among others.
There is a lot to know and experience when visiting Tanzania and going to different destinations around the country.
