Safaris in Tanzania / Tanzania Safaris
Safaris in Tanzania / Tanzania safaris are among the popular activities which tourists engage in during their visits to this country as they explore different attractions, have wildlife viewing adventures, and interact with various people. The northern part of Tanzania is known for having some of the best wildlife viewing destinations in the country such as the Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation area, Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park as well as Arusha national park which tourists can visit on their safaris.
During Tanzania tours, the tourists access the northern part of Tanzania through airports such as Kilimanjaro international airport which serves tourists going to locations such as Arusha and Moshi.
The different airlines which are used in Kilimanjaro international airport include Airkenya express, Air Tanzania, Coastal Aviation, Ethiopian airlines, fly Dubai, Kenya airways, KLM, Precision air, Qatar airways among others.
Mountain Kilimanjaro
Most of the Tanzania safaris in the northern part of the country start from Arusha town and Kilimanjaro international airport where tourists can also enjoy views of Mount Kilimanjaro which is Africa’s highest peak (5895 meters).
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania also consists of peaks with the highest peak being the Kibo peak and also Mawenzi at 5149 meters and finally Shira at 4005 meters. These peaks are also described as volcanic cones although the Mawenzi and Shira are extinct and Kibo is dormant.
This snowcapped mountain is also another major attraction site during Tanzania tours where a number of activities take place such as hiking to the summit following different routes such as Marangu route, Machame route, Lemosho route, Rongai route, Shira route and Umbwe route.
During hiking of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania while on safari, the popular route used by tourists as they enjoy climbing the mountain is the Machame route which approaches the mountain from the southern side.
From the northern side, hikers on a Tanzania tour experience in Tanzania can access Mount Kilimanjaro from Rongai route. This route is closer to the Kenyan side and is the only route in the north.
In the western part of Mount Kilimanjaro is Shira route and it is a least used route during hiking on the mountain during a tour in Tanzania. This route is also among the older hiking routes on this mountain.
For a more challenging hiking experience on Mount Kilimanjaro, hikers can opt to use the Umbwe route which is shortest and steepest and also hardest route while on tour on this mountain.
During Tanzania tours, there are also various activities which tourists can expect to engage in as they visit the different national parks like Serengeti national park and these activities include;
Game drives
Game drives in Tanzania are among the activities which tourists engage in during their safaris as they explore different destinations in the country. There are different wildlife species which can be seen during these safaris.
The various wildlife species which can be seen during safaris in national parks in Tanzania such as Serengeti national park include elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, antelopes, gazelles, impalas, hyenas, cheetahs among others.
These game drives in Tanzania take place at different times of day such as in the morning when the wildlife species are very active and can easily be seen. In the afternoon, in the evening as well as night game drives and full day game drives.
Different types of cars are used during game drives while on safari in Tanzania and sometimes the cars are for tour operators while some tourists also prefer self-drives as they drive around the national parks such as Serengeti national park, Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park and Ngorongoro conservation area.
Nature walks
Tourists on Tanzania safaris can also engage in nature walks during their visits to the different national parks such as Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation area, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park.
This activity gives the tourists a closer experience with nature as they move on foot following different trails in the national park. An example of this activity is a nature walk along the treetop walkway which is a suspended bridge of about a 370 air walk at a height of 18 meters off the ground.
Hot air balloon safaris
An exciting way to experience the wilderness of Tanzania while on safari or during a tour is the hot air balloon activity which takes place in Serengeti national park. This activity gives the tourists an aerial view of their surroundings in the national park.
Hot air balloon safaris start in the morning with a briefing as the sun is setting over the open savannah plains of Serengeti national park. The hot air balloons are of different carrying capacities and are also known to fly high to about treetop height and low enough for the tourists to get a good view of the different attractions in the national park.
Maasai village visits
Which other more exciting way to experience the beautiful culture of Tanzania while on safari to this country apart from a community visit or a cultural visit. During Tanzania safaris, tourists can also interact with the local community during visits to the villages which are located near the different national parks.
The Maasai are among the people who the tourists interact with during Tanzania safaris and these interactions also involve activities such as watching traditional dance performances, visiting the local market, craft shops, traditional homesteads among others.
The Maasai can be seen in different locations in Tanzania such as in Karatu and also in Mto wa mbu town which is also home to people of many other cultures. Mto wa mbu town is located on the way to Lake Manyara national park.
Hiking
Hiking in Tanzania is among the adventurous activities which tourists can engage in during their Tanzania safaris. This activity takes place at different locations with Mount Kilimanjaro being an all-time favorite for the different hikers.
Other mountains which are hiked by tourists during their Tanzania tours include Mount Meru, Ol Donyo lengai, Udzungwa mountains among others.
City tours
Tourists on Tanzania tours can also engage in city tours during which they explore different places around the city and interact with the local people. These tours take place in destinations such as Arusha, Dar es salaam, Moshi, Mwanza Kigoma among others.
Wildebeest migration
Another spectacular event to look forward to during a visit to Tanzania is the wildebeest migration which takes place in Serengeti national park as well as in Masai Mara national reserve in the south western part of Kenya.
The wildebeest migration is an amazing experience especially during the river crossings when the thousands of wildebeests cross over to Masai Mara national reserve from Serengeti national park in search of better pastures.
The rivers which these wildebeests cross during their migration in Serengeti national park and in Masai Mara national reserve include the Mara river and Grumeti river. As the wildebeests cross these rivers, there are many predators which lie in wait to attack the unknowing wildebeests especially the young ones and the rivers are also infested with crocodiles which also feed on the wildebeests.
The movement of the wildebeests across the open savannah plains of Serengeti national park in Tanzania varies at different months of the year as the wildebeests move to different parts of the national park.
All throughout the year the wildebeests move to different locations and different tour operators also organize Tanzania safaris with the intention of tourists catching the wildebeest migration. The months for the movements of wildebeests are as seen below;
In January, the wildebeests are in the calving season which is that time of the year when the wildebeests give birth to their young ones. This is an exciting sight to watch during a safari in the Serengeti national park.
February and March is a time when the wildebeests can be seen around Ndutu and is also the time when the wildebeests are giving birth to their young ones.
Around June, the wildebeest proceeds to the Grumeti river which is one of the crossing points during the wildebeest migration. This is also the time of the year when wildlife viewing experiences are highly recommended since it’s the dry season.
In July, the Mara river crossings take place and it is also a dry season and the wildebeests also be mating at this time of the year.
During the month of October, the wildebeests can be seen in Masai Mara national reserve and the migration is in the southern direction.
The wildebeests during the months of November to December move back to Serengeti national park and can be seen around the Lobo area.
Tanzania national parks
There are many national parks which tourists can visit during their Tanzania tours such as the destinations found in the northern tourist circuit which consists of Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation area (Ngorongoro crater), Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park as well as Arusha national park.
Serengeti national park
Serengeti national park is among the top wildlife viewing destinations which are visited by tourists while on Tanzania safaris. This national park is popular for sightings of the big five which can be seen in the savannah plains.
With over 500 bird species, Serengeti national park is also home to different wildlife species such as wildebeests, elephants, buffalos, rhinos, leopards, lions, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs, impalas among others.
Over 1.5 million wildebeests can be seen while on a Tanzania safari in Serengeti national park especially during the months of May or June as they move across the open savannah plains in search of greener pastures.
Ngorongoro conservation area
Ngorongoro conservation area is another wildlife viewing destination which tourists can engage in during their Tanzania safaris. This destination is known for the Ngorongoro crater which is a caldera.
The Ngorongoro conservation area is also known for having a high concentration of wildlife species such as elephants, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, lions, buffalos, gazelles, hippos among others. A big number of flamingos can also be seen during a visit to this destination along the lake shores of Lake Magadi.
Tarangire national park
Another must visit destination while on a Tanzania safari is Tarangire national park which is also part of the northern tourist circuit. This national park is known for having a big number of bird species which are about 500 in number such as the ashy starling.
With a spectacular landscape, Tarangire national park in Tanzania is also home to a variety of wildlife species such as wildebeests, zebras, cape buffalos, waterbucks, giraffes, dik dik, impalas, gazelles, elands among others.
Lake Manyara national park
Lake Manyara national park is also another place to visit during Tanzania tours. Situated in the Great Rift Valley, this national park is famous for its tree climbing lions and for also having many elephants,
A big part of the national park is covered by a shallow alkaline lake (Lake Manyara). Along the shores of the lake, different bird species can be seen as well as hippos in the northern part of the lake.
Best time to go for a Tanzania safari
The dry season during the months such as June to October have been recommended for Tanzania safaris since this is the time of the year when tourists can enjoy seeing different wildlife species which gather around water points making it easy to see.
However, the different destinations around Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park, Ngorongoro conservation area as well as Arusha national park can be visited all year round.
Visit Tanzania and experience amazing wildlife viewing adventures as you explore various destinations while on tour.
