Tanzania offers safari enthusiasts a wealth of national parks and game reserves to choose from. Visitors can travel dirt roads and boundless plains to view the great wildebeest and zebra migration, as well as climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Two of the most famous parks in Tanzania, the “Serengeti” and the “Ngorongoro Crater” are Unesco World Heritage Sites, protected by the U.N. because of their cultural significance and physical magnificence. A Tanzania safari is about quality, so you will not see an excessive amount of lodges, hotels, and tourist groups while taking in the sights. Lodging ranges between $370 and $800 per person per night, and the accommodations include the hotels of the famous Northern circuit, safari focused tented and mobile camps, luxury tented camps, and super luxury lodges. If you have decided that Tanzania is your next vacation destination, here are five popular safari areas that you may want to visit:
- Serengeti (“Endless Plains”)
Serengeti National Park is the most famous wildlife reserve in the world and was created to preserve and protect the East African savannah as it is home to the world's largest migration circuit. You can expect to see rolling plains with scattered Acacia trees and the migration of nearly 2 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of gazelle and zebra. The park is also replete with elephant herds, prides of lion, cheetah, leopard, over 500 species of birds, alligators and crocodiles, and hippopotamus.
- The Southern Serengeti is great to visit December through March. The area is famous for its short grassy plains and the February calving season in which over 8,000 wildebeest are born daily.
- The Central Serengeti, also known as The Seronera River Valley, is good to visit any time of the year. The area is known for great game viewing, grassy plains, rock kopjes, and a network of rivers.
- The Western Corridor, Kirawira, is best between May through mid-July when the migration passes through, and the hiking path from the Grumeti River to Lake Victoria is manageable.
- The Northern Serengeti is a quiet area that features the Lobo, Wogakuria, and the Lamai Wedge camps. The herds brave the crocodiles as they cross the Mara river between late July to early November.
- The Eastern Serengeti, also known as the Loliondo Game Reserve, is rarely visited and reserved for night driving and walking safari.
- The Ngorongoro Crater
Considered the eighth wonder of the world because it is the world's largest intact volcanic caldera (crater), Ngorongoro is home to nearly 30,000 animals and the endangered Black Rhino. In the area you will encounter leopards, flamingos, black-maned lions, and the soda waters of Lake Magadi. Some interaction is allowed with the nomadic Maasai people who live in the plains surrounding this area. Two other attractions in the area are the coffee plantations and the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge with its stunning views.
- Selous
Great for family safaris and honeymoons, Selous offers the most diverse activities with boating safaris along the Rufiji River, walking safaris, and fly camping trips. The area’s peak season to see elephant, buffalo, lion, and wild dogs is July through mid-November. Popular lodges are Beho Beho, Sand Rivers, Selous Safari Camp, and the Lake Manze Tented Camp.
- Lake Manyara
The area is famous for its birding safari, calm soda waters, and tree-climbing lions. Other wildlife in the area includes giraffes, leopards, and elephants. The lakeside environment is full of pink flamingo and impressively steep slopes and long cliffs of The Great Rift Valley. The famous Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is located inside the national park and the Little Kirurumu lodge is located atop the Rift Valley escarpment.
- Ruaha
Located in the southern circuit, Ruaha is Tanzania’s largest national park and can only be accessed by small plane. Considered Tanzania’s “best kept secret,” the area is beautiful with its red-scorched landscape, baobab trees (upside down bottle trees), and winding sand rivers. Ruaha offers one of the most primitive game sighting experiences in Africa. Two popular accommodations in this area are the Mwagusi and Jongomero lodges.
