Tanzania – Leading Safari Destination 2025 in Africa
At the 2025 World Travel Awards (WTA) & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony held on June 28 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, clinched the title of Africa’s Leading Destination 2025. This fabulous nation, apart from being a haven for safari-goers, it’s a paradise for beach holidays. And there are a thousand reasons for such an incredible performance, not just tourist numbers.
As Graham Cooke, the president and founder of World Travel Awards, said, “Our winners represent the very best in our industry…” Of course, Tanzania is the best African destination in 2025. Mr. Cooke had something that the country would once again be the host for the 2026 WTA Awards.
So, why does Tanzania win big?
This accolade is no luck, but a mix of Tanzania’s rich wildlife, warmth, diverse cultures, and pristine beaches. As your caring guides, we are here to walk you through the milestones that made Tanzania emerge as the top tourist destination in Africa in 2025. Let’s explore.
Rich and diverse wildlife.
With a plethora of game, such as lions, elephants, wildebeests, cheetahs, and leopards, Tanzania brings to life a perfect mix of raw nature in its vast, untouched parks and reserves. And there’s so much evidence for that:
In the Serengeti, Mother Nature stages her own grandest show – the Great Migration. Over 2 million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle participate in a never-ending movement from the south to the north of the park. And surprisingly, these mammals manage to detect rainfall miles away. This world-famous and probably the most documented one has its hilarious scene – the Mara River crossings. Here, brave wildebeest leap into the river while strong, fierce Nile crocodiles have their ‘last card’ to get a meal. It’s a dramatic scene every nature lover would love to see.
The African Big Five National Park – Serengeti National Park – wasn’t lucky either. It earned this title. So, you can trust Tanzania for your Big Five safari because not just the Serengeti but the Ngorongoro Crater, a world-famous caldera, hosts these five animals named after the five most prized trophies for old-school hunters.
Should you want a faceoff with the last remaining chimpanzees in Jane Goodall’s Gombe or Mahale Mountains National Park in the far west corner of the country, it’s all yours. Here, you enjoy a bush walk through the pristine tropical rainforest to find chimpanzee troops in their natural habitats, then spend an hour watching them just a few meters away.
The serene, virgin wildlife in the Nyerere National Park (previously Selous Game Reserve) is unmatched. It’s here that hippos and crocodiles thrive in the majestic Rufiji River. It’s in this park where wild dogs, a rare predator species, roam in a hundred-strong pack.
The elephant paradise, Tarangire National Park, and of course the winner of the Africa’s Leading Elephant Paradise National Park 2025 award, welcomes visitors to witness massive elephant herds as they stay intact for decades under the leadership of a matriarch. This park also hosts the unknown and probably the most underrated migration, as animals move close to the life-giving Tarangire River to find water during the dry season.
Far in the south is Ruaha National Park, the holder of Africa’s Leading Cultural National Park 2025 award has much to offer – from massive elephant herds, baobabs, and lions to cultural and historical sites.
Zanzibar
Tanzania is so proud to welcome honeymooners to Zanzibar, an idyllic island off the east coast of East Africa. It’s, of course, Africa’s Leading Beach Destination 2025. The turquoise waters of Nungwi and Kendwa, Zanzibar’s famous beaches, welcome avid divers and beachside holidaymakers. The vibrant nightlife of Kendwa Rock Hotel or fairs, and festivals held in Zanzibar make it culturally attractive.
Stone Town is living evidence of how spectacular the ancient world was. It’s a vibrant, medieval town displaying a mix of architecture and art, from the Portuguese fort style to Swahili’s coral stone buildings. In the streets of this town, you’ll find unique designs of doors – some showing Indian style while others depicting Persian style.
Each door has a deeper meaning and definition of the early occupant of the house. A good example is a door with spikes. Back then, there were wars in India. And they used elephants to kick in the door when raiding. In response to that, doormakers put spikes to prevent elephants from kicking in the door. This door style shows the existence of Indians in Zanzibar, though there were elephants there. And there’s much to discover in this historical town. We leave that to your local guide. Maybe you should taste local cuisines at the Forodhani Market.
Pemba is another pristine island of the Zanzibar archipelago. Unexplored and secluded, this island offers privacy and seclusion for honeymooners. Here, there’s unmatched experience for couples or solo travelers – yes, the Underwater Room Experience by the Manta Resort. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sleep beneath the seas, enjoy privacy, and marine life.
Zanzibar has so much to offer. The spices, beaches, vibrant local life, marine parks, and Jozani Forest all reveal natural beauty and diversity in Zanzibar. And it’s not by luck that the archipelago is the leading beach destination in Africa.
Diverse cultures
A cultural explorer will just say “wow!” after visiting Tanzania. Over 120 tribes call this country home, each with its unique charm. With over 130 languages, the country’s language of common understanding, uniting all these tribes, is Kiswahili.
The Maasai, who for centuries have coexisted with the wildlife of the Serengeti ecosystem, are now top leaders in conserving and protecting not only wildlife but also their culture. If interested, they can walk you through their traditional huts or even perform their signature Maasai dance for you.
The Hadzabe still know nothing about farming and pastoralism. Their life still depends on hunting and gathering. Visit the forested shores of Lake Eyasi and join these welcoming communities as they go for a hunt. Alongside them are the Datoga, who keep livestock and do a little farming.
Also, you can have a good time with the Sukuma, the largest tribe of the country. These polite, charming people have unique traditions and warmth when it comes to welcoming visitors. They live in five regions of the country – Mwanza, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Geita, and Tabora – and you can also find them in other places where pastoralism thrives.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Crowned as Africa’s Leading Mountain National Park 2025, Mount Kilimanjaro stands tall at 5,895 meters (19,314 ft) above sea level. No other mountain in Africa can stand Kilimanjaro’s way, and it beats all of the freestanding mountains in the world.
Wondrously, this majestic mountain welcomes every dreamer, from first-time hikers to seasoned climbers, because it’s a non-technical climb. You don’t need ropes or special mountaineering skills to summit it. And of course, the world’s oldest person to climb Kilimanjaro – Anne Lorimor at 89 and 37 days – wasn’t a professional climber. She did so on July 18, 2019, to reclaim what she won back in 2015, which Angela Vorobeva, at 86 years took in 2016.
How is this possible? Well, Mount Kilimanjaro has seven routes, each with unique scenery, difficulty, and success rates. Beginner-friendly routes include Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, and Rongai, while expert hikers can follow the steep Umbwe route, Shira route, or the longest of all, the Northern Circuit route. Please note that the longer you stay on the mountain, the higher the success rate. So, the Northern Circuit, though longer, is the most successful route.
Not only that, Tanzania is home to the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano – the only active volcano producing carbonatite lava. This volcano and other springs feed the deadliest lake in the world, Lake Natron – a lake that can turn animals into stone.
There are so many peaks for climbers. Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth-highest peak, offers a challenging hike for those looking forward to climbing Kilimanjaro. This hike is an adventure in itself as you will view the Kilimanjaro from a distance, or Momella Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and the city of Arusha.
Kitulo National Park
It might have been a surprise to hear the host speaker announce Kitulo National Park as Africa’s Leading Honeymoon Destination 2025. But to some who have been in this remote park, they appreciate and say, “Kitulo deserved that win…” because it’s more than a park.
Kitulo represents the very best destinations Southern Tanzania has to offer. It has earned the nicknames “Serengeti of Flowers” and “Garden of God” because it’s home to over 40 species of orchids and other beautiful flowers. Flowers are at the heart of honeymooners and couples.
Because fewer visitors happen to be there, honeymooners usually enjoy romance and natural beauty on their own. The park is also home to some of the rarest primates, like kipunji monkeys and birds. You can still find antelopes and small mammals.
Kitulo is quiet and less famous, but the level of comfort it offers to couples is unmatched. Come and see it by yourself. To enjoy the beautiful flowers, November to May is the best time. It never gets as crowded as northern parks, thus offering a perfect escape from the crowd during the dry season (June-October).
Tanzania – Leading Safari Destination 2025 in Africa : Accessibility
Tanzania also claimed the title of Africa’s Leading Airport. The Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam took the country to the top of the African aviation industry. That only shows how accessible this East African country is.
On top of this award-winning airport, Tanzania is home to the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) – the gateway to Northern Circuit destinations like Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Mount Kilimanjaro. And Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, the gateway to Zanzibar.
There’s no need to worry about how you’ll get to Tanzania. Many international flights to its three flagship international airports are available daily. And you’ve got better options like Addis Ababa International Airport in Ethiopia and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Each of these airports has direct flights to Tanzania.
It’s much easier to get through Tanzania via road or fly-in safaris. The Serengeti, for example, is home to airstrips like Seronera (central), Kogatende (north), Grumeti (west), and Ndutu (south) with direct flights from Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Mwanza.
Tanzania – Leading Safari Destination 2025 in Africa : A worthy winner?
Yes, Tanzania deserved this win. It did so in 2021 and 2024, and it has done it again. We bet you’re asking yourself how you should start planning a visit to this award-winning country. We got you covered. At Focus East Africa Tours, we design and curate tours tailored to your budget and timeline. For years, of guiding visitors through Tanzanian destinations, and we are confident that we’ll satisfy your burning desire to discover Tanzania’s finest attractions. Start planning with us today!
