When it comes to safari, Tanzania really does have it all. It is the kind of place which experienced safari hands could easily visit four or five times, but it also makes for a fantastic first-time safari.
Tanzania is quite possibly the quintessential African destination. When it comes to safari, Tanzania really does have it all and it is certainly one of the most popular among our clients. It is the kind of place which experienced safari hands could easily visit four or five times, but it also makes for a fantastic first-time safari. These are some of the reasons why we love Tanzania safaris.
Tanzania Safaris FAQs
The main thing you’ll want to take on safari in Tanzania is the appropriate clothing. You’ll need long sleeved shirts, long sleeved sweatshirt, waterproof jacket, khaki trousers, cotton underwear and socks, walking boots (if it’s a walking safari), a hat and sunglasses. You’ll also need to think about basic toiletries and a medical kit.
The best time to visit Tanzania is during the dry season, between July and October, as the bush is less dense than in the rainy season, making game viewings much easier. This also coincides with the wildebeest migration river crossings, which is a spectacular sight. That being said, Tanzania offers amazing sights all year round, with the wildebeest calving happening between January and February. March and April are the peak of the wet season, making game viewing more difficult.
Where you go for your Tanzania safari depends entirely on the experience you want to have. If you want to get up close and personal with Chimpanzees, then Mahale Mountains National Park is for you. If you’re looking to see the Great Migration, then Northern Tanzania is for you. The best thing to do is speak to Rob or Clyde at Tailormade Africa and they can make sure you go to the right areas to experience what you are looking for.
We have a wide range of accommodation throughout Tanzania, whether you want a luxury lodge in Mahale Mountains National Park or a riverside tented camp in Ruaha National Park. all of our camps and lodges are designed with your complete satisfaction in mind, so choose an area you would like to visit to find out about the camps available.
Our Tanzania safari experiences are tailored to your preferences, so you can choose as many days and nights as you wish, but we would recommend at least five nights to have enough adventures to last a lifetime.
Holidays in Tanzania don’t have to be all about safari; the country has lots more to offer (although the wildlife is a genuine highlight). Tanzania has a rich history to discover, delicious local cuisine to taste, beautiful beaches to roam and mountains to climb.
For those with a more adventurous appetite, Mount Kilimanjaro beckons. We offer detailed information on climbing Kilimanjaro, as well as a world-class team to get you to the top safely and with a high success rate.
Zanzibar is one of the most iconic island destinations in the world. Let's show you the best of this unique island while you enjoy the beach, sun and ocean.
CHOOSE FROM SIXDISTINCT REGIONS
Unbelievable natural grandeur, amazing wildlife, warm white beaches, historic towns, archeological sites and geological wonders like the world-famous Mount Kilimanjaro.
Our Top Tanzania Lodges & Camps
Ubuntu Migration Camp South follows the colossal herds of wildebeest as they journey around the Serengeti. From the dramatic river crossings in the north to the fertile grasslands in the south where the wildebeest give birth ... Read more
Serian Kusini was created to make the most of the spectacular wildebeest migration. From December to May, it is perched on the edge of the short grass plains – a perfect vantage point over the vast space where the herds amass ... Read more
One authentic mobile tented camp, but in two locations, Lemala Ndutu & Lemala Mara moves north and south with the seasons to ensure guests enjoy ringside seats to the spectacle of the magnificent wildebeest migration year-round ... Read more
Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp is moved and constructed each year to follow the Great Wildebeest migration as well as other wildlife from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Serengeti National Park ... Read more
Why Tailormade Africa?
Experience a Tanzania Safari
Northern Circuit
Tanzania can effectively be split into three distinct safari circuits, the first and most popular of which is the Northern Parks. Most itineraries through here will make use of a vehicle and guide who will stay with you for at least some of the trip. Destinations such as Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro make a wonderful introduction to safari and help to set the atmosphere. However, the Serengeti is the crown jewel of the region and plays host to the Great Migration & Serengeti Safaris where approximately two million wildebeest, zebra and antelope move in a constant cycle in search of the rains and good grazing. Other fringe areas that are well worth making the effort to visit are Lake Natron, Lake Eyasi and Lake Victoria.
Southern Circuit
The southern circuit in Tanzania offers a safari experience more akin to those in Southern Africa. The burnt red earth and phenomenal predator population of Ruaha make for an action-packed adventure and incredible game viewing. This is wonderfully contrasted in the Selous, where time is whiled away in a more leisurely fashion. Boating safaris allow you to search the lush waterways for hippos and crocodiles whilst sipping on gin & tonic.
Western Circuit
The western circuit is the least travelled region in Tanzania due to the expense and difficulty of getting there. Most visitors are safari aficionados who are rewarded with very low visitor numbers indeed. Katavi is an extraordinary wilderness area and Mahale offers the very best Chimpanzee trekking experience in Africa.
Tanzania Coastal Region & Zanzibar Island
As if this wasn’t enough, the beautiful Islands & Coast region includes the wonderful remote Tanzania Coast and tropical beaches of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia Islands lie within easy reach. A combination of safari and beach is very popular amongst honeymooners and families travelling to Tanzania and can be one of the most affordable safaris you will find because of the lower cost of the beach lodges. A few visitors will even extend their trips to include a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro – the tallest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world.
When is the Best Time to Visit Tanzania?
The best time to visit Tanzania is during the dry season, between July and October, as the bush is less dense than in the rainy season, making game viewings much easier. This also coincides with the wildebeest migration river crossings, which is a spectacular sight.
That being said, Tanzania offers amazing sights all year round, with the wildebeest calving happening between January and February. March and April are the peak of the wet season, making game viewing more difficult.
In December, the herds of (by now heavily pregnant!) wildebeest and zebra are making their way down south toward the Southern Serengeti Plains in search for better grass and water resources. You can expect cooler days with short rains, and the bush will be a beautiful green as the short rains fall from November onward. Given how lush the land is, the herds can be quite difficult to predict as they have ample amounts of grass to fill up on. This means they are dispersed far and wide, and can be found in the central as well as the southern regions.
As January approaches, the herds tend to have congregated much further south where they can get the richest and most nutritious grasses in anticipation of their young arriving. As calving season comes into full flow, more than 8,000 youngsters are born daily, which makes for some incredible footage with striking herd numbers and lots of little ones! January is also a month which isn’t for the faint-hearted, as predators such as lion and leopard make the most of the vulnerable calves and use their hunting skills to the max in order to fill their bellies with tender meat.
February is a wonderfully predictable month when it comes to knowing where the migratory herds will be as by now they will all have gathered in the most southern parts of the Serengeti. Those who waited a little longer to drop their calves do so this month, which intensifies the sheer number of zebra and wildebeest one can find at any given time. Other plains game will also drop their young, which means you have baby animals left right and centre! They gather together while the little ones get their strength and given there is so much food for them to live on in this area, they tend to stay put which means this is an amazing month to experience the Great Migration. This is a photographer’s dream, with images of life on the one hand and loss on the other as youngers are born and unfortunately also predated on. You’ll get to experience the sight (and sound!) of millions of animals spread out all across the plains and as far as the eye can see.
The long rains in Tanzania start around the middle of March, which means this can be a very wet month, but this also means that the grasslands throughout the Serengeti are lush and green. The herds are still very much present in the southern Serengeti as the last of the youngsters are born and this makes for a slow movement of animals as the little ones get their fill. With so many newborns littering the vast open plains, the big cats continue to feast and as heartbreaking as it is to watch live-action hunting (and killing!) it is, ultimately, the great circle of life…
Having spent a good proportion of the new year down in the southern part of the Serengeti, and with the little ones gathering strength with each day that passes, the herds begin their onward migration north-west through the park. This is a super wet month with the long rains having set in good and proper, so the herds are not as predictable as they have ample resources no matter where they are. As a general rule, you can expect them to begin their annual journey clockwise around the Serengeti. As a visitor at this time of the year, you may have to contend with the odd rainstorm although that said, between the downpours you will find bright, beautiful and crystal clear blue skies. The sun shining on the lush greenery and the contrast of dark clouds on the horizon makes for some spectacular photography and given not everyone is willing to travel during the rainy season you’ll likely be the only ones out there!
May is when we start to see some momentum pick up with regards to the herds moving on. Little legs have grown stronger and are able to keep up with their parents as they strive onward and upward through the Serengeti. The going is tough as the land is soaked after so much rain, but distances can be covered in good time and the predators struggle to keep up. Access to tasty, nutritious grass is easy which means finding the big herds all huddled together can be more of a struggle, but this is a super time for travellers to make the most of permanent camps which are usually full to the max and a little pricier too! Staying in two different parts of the park will allow a higher chance to see the herds and as not everyone is keen on the rainy season, you’ll have a quieter safari experience in general and have the chance to enjoy the fantastic resident game which lives in the area year-round.
By June the herds are making their way into the western corridor, and although they still aren’t in a predictable group in one area, they are generally heading in that direction. This month brings the height of rutting season which can bring some incredible action shots and once the herds reach the far western part of the park, however, the wildebeest and zebra will be confronted by the Grumeti River, their first big challenge on their annual migration. In order to make their way onward, they must cross. Although the river levels aren’t as high as they could be and resemble shallower water than the Mara River further north, the herds still face the very real danger of ending up in the belly of one of the huge crocodiles who call this waterway home!
July is the beginning of the dry season and as the herds start getting frisky due to their mating season, they are also starting to make their way further north to the northern boundaries of the Serengeti. Grass and freshwater start to become a little scarce, which makes the animals move faster in their search for richer feeding grounds. Much of the herds can still linger in the west and near the Grumeti River, however, from the middle to late July the herds will also face the biggest challenge of their migration journey – crossing the Mara River.
As unpredictable as nature is, August is probably a better month than July if you want to have a good chance of seeing one of those iconic river crossings. The herds are very much more in the northern Serengeti and are making their way up to the Masai Mara in Kenya. In order to do this, they need to cross the mighty Mara River and with that comes some mind-blowing safari viewings! The weather is getting hotter and dryer, which makes it easier for the herds to cross vast distances and the animals can change their mind on where they should be on a daily basis. You may see a smaller herd of 100 cross one day and then return the next, only to join a larger herd and cross over once again.
September is a much more predictable month when it comes to knowing where the migration will be. By now the herds are keen to be around a reliable water source and the Mara River provides this, albeit with dangers to contend with. As the dry season continues on the animals are chasing the clouds and therefore can cross the river many times over the coming weeks as they look for green pastures. This is a really fantastic month when it comes to seeing those spectacular and dramatic river crossings that make the migration such an amazing pull for people far and wide.
October is a great time to see the migration in the Masai Mara in Kenya as they make their way back toward the Serengeti. Any animals who ventured further north and into the conservancies around the Mara will be making their way south again toward the rivers. You will get to see caravans of these marvellous creatures who move quickly and with purpose. Given this month is so hot and the bush is so dry, food is scarce which gives the animals more urgency to find nutrition before the short rains arrive in November. You’ll find the predator action increases as cats get their fill on struggling wildebeest or zebra which may not be able to outrun the dangers.
The short rains begin to fall in November which brings fresh green shoots for the migrations herds to feast on. This means that the animals tend to break up from the main group as food becomes more available. Finding them can be a little more difficult than previous months, with some of the group dawdling up in the northern part of the park, some spending time in the central Serengeti and some even making it further south. The females are getting fatter as they inch closer to giving birth and this can mean a slower pace, dispersing the herds over large areas of the Serengeti. That said it’s a super and quiet month to visit and it can be very rewarding from a photography perspective. The rains make the earth a beautiful fresh green colour and contrasting skies can give you some spectacular images of vast open landscapes dotted with animals – a true safari savanna shot.