Tanzania does not so much welcome you as draw you into a rhythm that is older than words. The air smells of sun-warmed earth and wild sage. Somewhere beyond the acacia trees, a lion calls in the da…
In this guide
Tanzania does not so much welcome you as draw you into a rhythm that is older than words. The air smells of sun-warmed earth and wild sage. Somewhere beyond the acacia trees, a lion calls in the dark. If you are planning a first visit, you are not simply choosing a holiday. You are choosing which version of Africa you want to meet first.
Tanzania is large, generous and remarkably varied. From the snow-capped summit of Kilimanjaro to the spice-scented lanes of Zanzibar, from the elephant-dusted plains of Tarangire to the soda lakes of the Rift Valley, the country rewards those who take their time. The key is knowing when to go and where to begin.
The Great Migration and the Serengeti
For many travellers, the Serengeti is the reason to come. Its name comes from the Maasai word siringet, meaning the place where the land runs on forever. And it does.
The Serengeti is the stage for the Great Migration, a slow, restless movement of more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras and a trailing cast of predators. The herds follow the rains in a rough clockwise loop. From January to March, the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area fill with calving herds, and the predators gather hungrily. From June to August, the migration massed along the Grumeti and Mara rivers makes those famous, desperate river crossings in the north. September and October see the herds drifting back southwards.
A first visit is not a failure if you miss a dramatic crossing. The Serengeti is magnificent in any month. Lion prides doze on the kopjes. Cheetahs scan the grassland from termite mounds. Leopards drape themselves over sausage trees. And the light, especially in the early morning and late afternoon, turns the whole landscape the colour of honey.
The Ngorongoro Crater
A few hours from the Serengeti lies the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. You descend from a cool, misty rim into a bowl of grassland, acacia woodland and a soda lake. The crater floor is only about 260 square kilometres, but the concentration of wildlife is extraordinary.
Here you may see black rhinos, which are increasingly rare elsewhere in East Africa. Old bull elephants wander the swamps. Spotted hyenas lope between herds of zebra and wildebeest. Lions in Ngorongoro are notably dark-maned and famously relaxed around vehicles. Because the crater is a closed ecosystem, game viewing can feel almost impossibly rich. It is also busy. Go early, and consider staying on the rim the night before so you are at the descent gate as it opens.
Tarangire and the South
South of the main northern circuit, Tarangire National Park is often treated as a short stop, but that is a mistake, especially from July to November. During the dry season, the Tarangire River becomes the only reliable water for miles, and the park fills with elephants. Herds of several hundred are common. Ancient baobabs dot the landscape, and the birdlife, from hornbills to lilac-breasted rollers, is superb.
Farther south lies the Selous, now part of Nyerere National Park, a vast, wild country of riverine forest, palm-fringed channels and open plains. This is the place for boat safaris, walking safaris and a quieter, more intimate kind of wildlife experience. Wild dogs, uncommon in the north, are a real possibility here. If you want to feel far from the well-trodden safari route, the south is a fine first choice.
Choosing a Season
Tanzania has two main dry seasons. The long dry season from June to October is the easiest time for most visitors. Roads are firmer, vegetation is thinner, animals gather at water, and the weather is generally cool and clear. It is also the busiest and most expensive time in the north.
The short dry season from January to February is hotter and often excellent for the southern Serengeti calving season and for birders. The long rains from March to May bring dramatic skies, lush landscapes and very few visitors, but some camps close and roads can turn difficult. The short rains in November and December bring a brief green flush without too much disruption.
Where to Go First
If this is your first journey, the classic northern circuit is a wise and genuinely thrilling introduction. A sensible rhythm is a night in Arusha, two or three nights in Tarangire or Lake Manyara, two nights at Ngorongoro, then three or four nights in the Serengeti, split between two locations if possible. Add Zanzibar at the end for a few days of slow mornings, warm Indian Ocean water and spice-market wanderings, and you return home with sand still on your sandals and the echo of a lion in your memory.
Tanzania does not demand that you see everything. It asks only that you pay attention. The country is wide, the animals are wild, and the light is like nowhere else. Choose a season, choose a first landscape, and let the rest unfold.
