Tanzania

If time permits, at the beginning or end of end of your safari, well worth a visit is The Tarangire, particularly in the dry season where animals congretate at the Tarangire River, or the stunning Lake Manyara National Park at the end of the great rift valley escarpment to see perhaps the spectacular flamingo or tree climbing lion.

A Northern circuit safari is usually conducted in a private 4wd vehicle with your own personal guide, probably starting at Arusha and stopping at camps along the way.

For speed, air transport can facilitate a speedy return or extend the options within a limited time period.

Your own itinerary, spread over a course of 6 days, with a mix of fixed and tented camps, might look something like this:

Travel from Arusha with guide in 4wd / 2 nights Tarangire / 1 night Lake Manyara / 1 night Ngorongoro Crater / 2 night central Serengeti / return by air or 4wd to Arusha or onward to Zanzibar

Your overnight stays would be tailored to your own preferences and budget. Realistically, a trip such as this would cost from $3,000 to $5,000+ per person. For a slightly shorter safari, say 4 nights, the budget would reduce to around $2,000+ per person.

Use our links to have a look at camp options or give us a ring/email for a bespoke itinerary.

The Selous can be as equally rewarding safari experience as the more famous northern parks in Tanzania but with much less (human) visitors. The Rufiji River, which flows through the reserve, attracts a multitude of animals in the dry season who dissipate across the park when the rains return.

The ease of access of the Selous to Dar es Salaam make this an easy safari option for those with time restraints. A 3 night safari could cost from as little as $1500 per person, staying in the same lodge to let you really get into it. However, there are some premium lodges which really conjure up a sense of luxury escapism but with it attract a higher price tag.

Selous is short hop from Zanzibar which means you can comfortably combine a safari and beach holiday with little travelling. It also has excellent connections to Mozambique for those looking for a more removed safari and beach holiday.

Also forming part of the southern circuit is Ruaha, Tanzania’s second largest park. Ruaha is a short flight from the Selous and offers a different kind of safari again, thus combining well the with the Selous. It is home to the largest population of elephant in Tanzania with opportunity to see plenty of predators including cheetah, elusive leopard and rare wilddog. Here you really are off the beaten track. If you have the time, staying at one of a handful of its lodges really does offer an out of Africa experience.

The western parks of Mahale and Katavi are worth a visit for something really special and away from it all.

The Mahale Mountains, jutting out on the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika, are home to one of the largest populations of habituated and non habituated chimpanzees. The fresh water lake lapping the sandy shores forms a stunning location and is well worth the flight from Dar or Arusha.

Katavi National Park, combines well with Mahale, extending the trip by air from Dar or Arusha. Katavi is mainly formed of large flood plains filled with golden grasses attracting a multitude of game. Well off the beaten track but a secret gem for those wanting to be in a remote Africa, rich in wilderness.

The Zanzibar Archipelego is made up of fifty islands, the largest being Zanzibar itself and Pemba Island to the north. Zanzibar conjures all kinds of romantic travel emotions and it delivers in spades. Whether it be swimming or diving in turquoise seas, relaxing on a palm lined sandy beach, watching the fishermen in their dhows or immersing yourself in the cultural riches, the Spice island has to plenty to invigorate the senses.

There are a range of accommodations to suit everybody from boutique hotels in Stone Town/on the beach to luxury resorts. We recommend a mix to really get a feel for the island.

Pemba Island lesser known than it’s renound neighbour but just as beautiful – more so, many say, with its lush forests and deserted beaches. There are fewer hotels but Fundu Lagoon, a destination in its own right, is great for some bare foot luxury.

The Mafia Archipeligo to the south, dominated by Mafia Island, is a stunning mix of islands in a pure azure sea. A much more rustic experience but the unspoilt barrier reefs, rich in soft corals and stunning fish are a diving spectacle. Mafia is famous for its whale sharks with turtles, rays and dophin all populating the area. 

The mainland coast in Tanzania is often skipped by those heading to the islands but, being so accessible to Dar es Salaam, can be a great option at the beginning or end of your trip. Here, Rus Katani, a small luxury safari style beach lodge, lies on a wide sandy beach, overlooking a small lagoon and is popular with honeymooners seeking a rest before embarking on the rest of their safari and beach holiday.