TZ
Tanzania
Serengeti savanna and Kilimanjaro summit
Serengeti savanna and Kilimanjaro summit
The Serengeti’s 14,763km² of savannah: the Great Migration’s wildebeest river crossings (May-July in the Serengeti), lion prides, leopards in acacia trees and cheetah sprinting across the plain.
Africa’s highest peak (5,895m): the Marangu route (5-6 days, hut accommodation) and the Machame route (6-7 days, tented, more scenic) are the two most popular approaches.
A 264km² caldera with 25,000 large mammals permanently inside: black rhino, lion, leopard, elephant, hippo, flamingo and the densest predator concentration in Africa.
The UNESCO Stone Town of 16th-century Swahili-Arabic-Indian architecture, the Nungwi and Kendwa beaches at the north tip and the spice tours of the island’s clove and vanilla plantations.
The world’s largest game reserve (54,600km²): boat safaris on the Rufiji River past hippos and crocodiles, the highest density of African wild dogs in East Africa.
Massive elephant herds (500+) among ancient baobab trees in a dry season park: the second-highest elephant density in Tanzania.
The lesser-visited Zanzibar island: the world’s finest clove production, remote dive sites (some of East Africa’s finest wall diving) and a population that sees fewer than 10,000 tourists per year.
Chimpanzee trekking in a forest on the shores of Lake Tanganyika (accessible only by boat or light aircraft): the most intimate chimpanzee encounters in Africa.
Ugali (maize meal) with freshly grilled Nile perch or tilapia from Lake Victoria or Lake Tanganyika: the staple meal across all of Tanzania.
The Forodhani night market in Stone Town: freshly grilled octopus, lobster, snapper, cassava chips and Zanzibar pizza (a folded filled crepe) – the finest street food market in East Africa.
Pilau (rice cooked in spiced broth with whole spices) and wali wa nazi (rice cooked in coconut milk) are the definitive Swahili coast rice dishes.
A Tanzanian adaptation of the Indian flatbread: thicker, softer and slightly sweet. Eaten with beans, stew or nyama choma.
Black tea with fresh ginger (tangawizi) and spices: stronger and more aromatic than Kenyan chai. Served at every guesthouse.
Tanzania’s national beer: named for the mountain. Drunk cold at Arusha safari briefings.
A yellow coconut-based soup with mango, potato bhajia, cassava chips and bhajia croutons: the most distinctively Zanzibari street food.
Roasted goat with fresh tomato-onion-coriander salsa: the all-cultures celebratory meal throughout Tanzania.
Malaria is present throughout Tanzania except Kilimanjaro summit.
The Southern Circuit lodges are accessible only by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam or Arusha.
It is a real Swahili phrase, used sincerely throughout Tanzania.
Serengeti entry: USD 60/day/person. Ngorongoro: USD 70/day. Factor these into your budget.
The Stone Town operates at a relaxed Swahili pace. Plans change with the wind.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if arriving from some countries. Check before travel.
Best data coverage in northern Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Peak season (July-August, December-February) permit and accommodation fills well in advance.
Kilimanjaro International (JRO) is the northern safari gateway; Dar es Salaam Julius Nyerere (DAR) handles long-haul traffic; Zanzibar (ZNZ) has direct connections from several European cities. Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines are the most useful regional carriers. For trip planning, see the Tanzania Tourism Board.
💡 The easiest routing for the Northern Circuit safari is London–Nairobi–Kilimanjaro with Kenya Airways or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa. TUI flies direct Gatwick–Zanzibar seasonally.
💡 Nairobi is the essential hub for East Africa. Most itineraries route through NBO — Kenya Airways’ Nairobi–Kilimanjaro connection is twice daily and smooth.
💡 Coastal Aviation operates the most comprehensive northern Tanzania air safari network. Charter flights between parks are essential for any itinerary covering multiple northern areas in 7–10 days.
💡 The Azam Marine fast ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (2h, twice daily) is the practical option for those arriving into Dar. Book online at azammarine.com and arrive 30 min early.
The dry seasons — June to October and January to February — are best for safari. The Great Migration through the Serengeti is year-round in different zones: calving in the southern Serengeti (January–March), river crossings in the north (July–October). Zanzibar is good year-round except April–May.
Serengeti for three days, Ngorongoro Crater for one, Tarangire for one, Zanzibar to close. Tanzania rewards slower travel — most serious visitors allow 10–14 days.
Arusha is the departure point for northern Tanzania’s circuit. Most visitors arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO). The Cultural Heritage Centre for Maasai art and tanzanite (the blue gemstone found only in Tanzania). Briefing with your safari operator for the days ahead.
💡 Most Tanzania safaris operate as fully-inclusive packages (lodge, all meals, game drives, park fees) booked through specialist operators. The park fees alone (Serengeti: US$80pp per day) make DIY expensive and logistically complex.
2h30 from Arusha. Tarangire National Park is Tanzania’s most underrated — enormous elephant herds (500+ individuals), giant baobab trees 1,000 years old, and a fraction of the visitor numbers of the Serengeti. The Tarangire River in dry season attracts extraordinary concentrations of wildlife.
💡 Tarangire in September–October (late dry season) has some of the highest elephant densities anywhere in Africa — the river becomes the only water source for hundreds of kilometres and the animals converge.
Charter flight from Tarangire to the Serengeti (30–45 min). The Serengeti is 14,763km² — the size of Northern Ireland — of open grassland, seasonal rivers and kopjes (granite outcrops where lions rest). Morning and afternoon game drives. The Big Five, plus wild dogs and cheetahs.
💡 The central Serengeti (Seronera) is the most accessible and has excellent resident game year-round. The northern Serengeti (Kogatende) has the best river crossings in July–October. Choose the zone for your travel time.
Full-day game drive following the wildebeest herds. The Serengeti supports 1.5 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebra and 350,000 gazelle in constant circular migration. In July–October, the northern river crossings are the spectacle; in January–March, the calving grounds in the south.
💡 The Serengeti at dawn before 7am is a different experience from the midday game drives — cooler, predators active, light extraordinary. Nearly all lodges offer early departure.
3h drive from the Serengeti. The Ngorongoro Crater is 264km² of collapsed volcano, forming a natural enclosure with 25,000 animals inside — the densest concentration of large mammals on earth. Black rhinos (critically endangered), the last surviving bull elephants with their long tusks, lion prides and flamingo-pink soda lakes.
💡 The Ngorongoro Crater floor requires a paid vehicle and guide — self-driving is not permitted. Entry fees (US$250pp per visit for the crater) make it one of the most expensive wildlife experiences in Africa, but also one of the most reliable for seeing everything.
1h flight from Kilimanjaro or Arusha to Zanzibar. Stone Town — a UNESCO World Heritage City of Arab, Persian, Indian and African influences, labyrinthine coral stone streets, carved doors, rooftop restaurants. The Spice Tour shows the cloves, cardamom, black pepper and vanilla that gave Zanzibar its trading importance.
💡 Stone Town’s Mercury House is the birthplace of Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 1946) and now a small museum. The house is on Kenyatta Road — the memorial is appropriately flamboyant.
The north coast beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa) are postcard-perfect: powdery white sand, turquoise Indian Ocean, dhow sunset sails, fresh seafood grilled on the beach at dusk. Return to Zanzibar airport for international connections.
💡 The dhow sunset cruise from Nungwi (1h, US$20–30) is the classic Zanzibar experience — a hand-sewn traditional sailing vessel, the sun going down over the Indian Ocean, and a cold Kilimanjaro beer.
Tanzania is priced in US dollars and is not cheap — park fees alone are US$60–80pp per day in the Serengeti. However, the wildlife experiences are unmatched and the all-inclusive lodge model delivers exceptional value for money.
A budget Zanzibar guesthouse in Stone Town costs US$30–50/night and is the best way to stay in the UNESCO historic district. Eat at the famous Forodhani Night Market for grilled octopus and Zanzibar pizza from US$3.
Most mid-range Tanzania camps operate on a fully-inclusive model — accommodation, all meals and twice-daily game drives included in the rate. Park fees are additional but form part of most package prices.
A hot-air balloon over the Serengeti at dawn costs US$500–600pp — 1 hour floating above the plains with the migration below, champagne breakfast on landing. The most memorable hour in the Serengeti.
Ride-hailing in Dar es Salaam — far safer than street taxis in the city.
FreeAlternative ride-hailing in Dar es Salaam — growing coverage across Tanzania.
FreeBook Serengeti safari, Kilimanjaro trekking permits, Ngorongoro Crater tours and Zanzibar snorkelling.
FreeTanzania’s dominant messaging app — essential for contacting safari operators, guides and guesthouses.
FreeBook Zanzibar and Pemba Island ferries from Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s main ferry operator.
FreeFind safari camps, beach lodges and hotels across Tanzania and Zanzibar.
FreeThe Serengeti Great Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro’s summit, Zanzibar’s Stone Town, and the fast-moving Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania sits within easy reach of several other destinations — each with a completely different character.
