Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt guide to Tanzania.
Tanzania, with its three safari circuits, is one of Africa’s top wildlife destinations. The popular Northern circuit incorporates bucket-list landmarks such as Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Mt Kilimanjaro. Repeat visitors might prefer the remote wilderness vibe of the Southern or Western circuits. For some beach time, the ‘Spice Island’ of Zanzibar is only a short flight away.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
You’ll see an abundance of animals when on safari in Tanzania. Elephant, giraffe, buffalo, warthog and hippo are prolific throughout, and in Serengeti you might see several million wildebeest, gazelle and zebra on their annual migration. Predators are common too, especially lion and spotted hyena. You’ll need to go to Ruaha or Nyerere (Selous) National Parks to see the endangered wild dogs. Black rhino is easy to spot in the Ngorongoro Crater, but for an intimate encounter with these safari heavyweights, Mkomazi National Park is hard to beat.
Activities
Safaris in Tanzania focus mostly on morning and afternoon game drives, but there are plenty of opportunities to break it up. Night drives offer a chance to see nocturnal animals. Walking safaris are a great way to learn about little creatures, tracks and plants. And there is no better way to get close to crocodiles and hippos than on a boat safari (a must in Nyerere National Park).
Weather & Climate
The Dry season (June to October) sees the daytime temperature vary between 20°C/68°F and 30°C/86°F. It’s useful to remember that the higher the altitude, the cooler it will be. The Wet season (November to May) kicks off with the short rains (November to December), followed by a drier interlude and then the long rains (March to May).
Best Time To Visit
Wildlife viewing is generally best in the Dry season (June to October). This is also the best time to see the wildebeest migration in Western and Northern Serengeti. January to February is the time when the wildebeest are in Southern Serengeti to have their calves. While some Southern and Western circuit parks are off-limits in the Wet season (November to May), the Northern circuit parks still have productive game drives during this time.
