TANZANIA SAFARI HOLIDAYS

Tanzania

Tanzania Safari Holidays visit a virtual litany of Africa’s most evocative place names on the continent. Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Selous, Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, Gombe Stream, Dar es Salaam, Kilwa, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, the Rift Valley, the Maasai Steppe are some of the country’s most evocative places to visit. Tanzania is the Africa safari destination you have always dreamed about: vast plains teeming with wild animals; rainforests alive with cackling birds and monkeys; Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped peak rising dramatically above the flat scrubland; colorful Maasai herding their cattle alongside herds of grazing wildebeest; perfect palm-lined beaches lapped by the clear warm waters of the Indian Ocean stretching as far as the eye can see.

At Nkuringo Safaris’ we task our local experts with knowing every little bit of information that can help our guests plan an unforgettable safari or holiday in Tanzania. Whether you chose to stick to the conventional Serengeti-Ngorongoro-Zanzibar tourist circuit, strikeout to the more offbeat likes of lakes Natron and Eyazi, visit the mysterious rock art of Kondoa, or track to the breathless peak of Kilimanjaro, a Tanzania safari will bring your dreams of Africa to life in unimagined experiences.

Which places to visit?

A Tanzania Safari Holiday promises some of Africa’s most evocative places that’ll touch the heart of any kind of traveler. There’s the magical offshore ‘spice island’ of Zanzibar. The snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro rising dramatically above the surrounding scrubland. The endless plains of Serengeti National Park, the alienesque vistas of Ngorongoro Crater, and the vast tracts of bush enclosed within the Selous Game Reserve. Dusty Olduvai Gorge is the site of some of the most important hominid fossil finds ever, while the lush Gombe Stream is where Jane Goodall embarked on her pioneering chimpanzees’ study, our closest living relatives. The Maasai Steppe in the north, where Africa’s most charismatic pastoralists herd their cattle alongside fields of grazing wildlife. On the same map, you’ll find an Indian Ocean coast lined by the modern port of Dar es Salaam and its legendary medieval forbear Kilwa, as well as the sky-blue expanses of lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, Niassa-Malawi, Manyara, and Natron, the last situated below the temperamental volcano Doinyo Lengai. 

Complemented by its fabulous natural wealth, Tanzania, as a leading East Africa safari destination, boasts of the finest and most exclusive safari lodges and camps and a world-class selection of city hotels and beach resorts you’ll find anywhere in Africa. The latter concentrated on the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia. 

We tailor our Tanzania wildlife safari holidays around Arusha and the northern safari circuit. Here, a well-defined tourist trail centers upon the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire national parks. But the region also boasts a wealth of more obscure highlights, among them ancient rock art of Kondoa, the hunter-gatherer cultures of Lake Eyasi, the biodiverse forests of Amani, and the primeval volcanic landscape of Lake Natron and Doinyo Lengai. It is also a region that offers some fine hiking, most famously the sapping climb of Kilimanjaro, the scenic ascent up Mount Meru (the fifth highest in Africa), and limitless opportunities rambling in the Usambara. 

Safaris and wildlife viewing are also conducted by many operators in the southern and western safari circuits, though not as well known as the Serengeti and other Tanzania safari parks of the north. The south boasts three superb safari destinations, namely Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha and Mikumi national parks. These parks feel very untrammeled by comparison with the north, and Selous, in particular, is recommended to adventurous safarigoers who want to supplement conventional game drives with guided bush walks and boat trips on the Rufiji River. Wilder still is Katavi National Park, a great plains reserve which, together with the Mahale Mountains – the finest place in Africa to track chimpanzees – forms the cornerstone of the truly off-the-beaten-track western safari circuit. 

Finally, there is the coast and offshore islands. The prime Tanzania holiday attraction here is the island of Zanzibar, with its atmospheric Swahili stone town, postcard-perfect beaches, and world-class diving and snorkeling adventures. The lesser-known islands of Pemba and Mafia offer a similar bouquet of attractions. At the same time, those with a yen for exploration point to the historic but little-visited old ports of Bagamoyo, Kilwa, Pangani, and Tanga. Also surprisingly characterful and unaffected by tourism is Dar es Salaam’s port, Tanzania’s largest city, and former capital.

Planning Your Tanzania Safari Holidays

Tanzania’s tourist circuit is conveniently defined for first-time safari planning. We estimate ninety percent of visitors divide their Tanzania safari time between the northern safari and Zanzibar islands. If you’re planning on taking this rewarding option, then a Nkuringo Safaris Expert can help you put together a holiday package that satisfies your needs. An 8 to 14-day is perfect for safari-Zanzibar and safari-gorillas combinations.

When considering Zanzibar, you’ll have to carefully consider whether you’ll stay at a hotel in the old Stone Town, out on one of the calm beaches, or a combination of the two. For mountain gorillas, the choice is between gorilla trekking in Rwanda or further northwest in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Both countries offer excellent gorilla experiences, but Uganda provides a longer time with a semi-habituated gorilla family, an activity called Gorilla Habituation Experience.

For a short trip to Tanzania, it is advisable to fly between Arusha (the main starting point for northern Tanzania safaris) and Zanzibar, or Serengeti and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Kigali and Serengeti. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll get more of your Tanzania Safari Holiday by flying between lodges and destinations. A fly-in safari will also be less tiring than the standard 4×4 drive-in safari.

After the northern safari circuit and Zanzibar, Tanzania’s other main tourist attraction is Kilimanjaro, which hikers usually climb in five to seven days. Climbing Kilimanjaro is one of those insignificant items on a trip to Tanzania. It is of little interest to a majority of tourists that visit Tanzania. But climbing the great Kilimanjaro is a worthy addition to a safari. Ask one of our experts to guide you on planning.

While most Tanzania safaris concentrate on the super northern reserves (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara), the southern and western safari reserves (Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha, Katavi and Mahale Mountains Nationa Parks) form an incredible alternative for laidback visitors that intend to avoid mainstream destinations. Only small exclusive camps catering mainly to fly-in clients are in the southern and western reserves. Consider them if your budget is flexible.

 
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We offer authentic safari experiences targeting the mixed activity, honeymooners, first timers in Africa and private tours for you and your loved ones.