Why go on safari in Tanzania?

If you dream of going on an African safari, Tanzania is a popular choice.

Tanzania is one of the world’s top safari destinations, and the country offers a whole host of unique experiences. You get right up close to impressive wildlife and varied and scenic nature with mountains, nature reserves and lakes. A tour to Tanzania is a safe choice for fantastic experiences all year round – even in the rainy season.

Our safari holidays in Tanzania

We offer a wide selection of safari holidays in Tanzania – with and without a beach holiday.

Below you can read about some of the highlights that await you in this East African country. You can explore all the experiences on the different tours.

Serengeti National Park

Many of our tours take you on safari holiday in Serengeti, the most famous national park in Tanzania, and the epitome of African safari.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the national park is, among other things, known for the annual migration of millions of zebras and wildebeests. Look forward to experiencing endless plains and a sky that goes on forever.

The Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater, located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is an extinct volcano and the largest intact caldera in the world.

Like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the reasons being that several endangered animal species live here, including the black rhinoceros. Fun fact: The only classic safari animal you won’t see in the crater is the giraffe, as the crater ridge is too steep for it to walk down with its long legs.

Beach holiday in Zanzibar

A package holiday combining Tanzania and Zanzibar is a popular choice among many of our guests.

Zanzibar is located just under 50 km off the coast of Tanzania and consists of mile after mile of white sandy beaches that stretch along the Indian Ocean. On Zanzibar, you’ll experience total relaxation surrounded by coconut palms and azure blue water.

If you don’t want to lie on the beach all day, you can go sightseeing in the capital, Zanzibar, where you can, for example, visit Stone Town, Zanzibar’s old town. Zanzibar can also be combined with a safari in Kenya.

Other highlights on a safari in Tanzania

A safari in Tanzania offers experiences aplenty in the country’s exciting national parks.

• Head to southern Tanzania and discover Nyerere, Tanzania’s largest national park, where authentic experiences await that you won’t have to share with many other people.

• Experience large herds of elephants in Tarangire National Park, which also offers scenic and varied landscapes and incredible bird life.

• In Tanzania’s smallest national park, Lake Manyara, which is located at the foot of the western slopes of the Great Rift Valley, you can experience the beautiful lake of the same name, which is known, among other things, for its tree-climbing lions.

• If you want to up the adventure on your tour, you can opt for a balloon safari, where you soar over the plains of the Serengeti.

• The nights in Tanzania are often spent in wild camps – camps located in the middle of the wilderness – and this is your chance to get right up close to the African nature.

Combine your Tanzania safari with…

We offer several different combination options for selected Tanzania safari holidays. See your options under each tour.

Experiences in Stone Town

If you love Marrakesh, you’ll love Stone Town – Zanzibar’s old town – too. With its winding streets and beautiful doors, you can’t fail to fall in love with the place. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is in many ways a sensory experience with its smells, sounds, colours, history and culture.

Masai adventure at Osiligilai Maasai Lodge

Get right up close to the Masai culture and gain an insight into the customs and traditions of the Masai people at Osiligilai Maasai Lodge. The lodge enjoys a scenic location in a grassland area with open expanses and a view of Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro. A stay here is pure self-indulgence.

Gorilla tracking in Uganda

Round off your tour and combine your Tanzania safari with a trip to Uganda, where you’ll head off in search of the fascinating mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where almost half of the world’s free-living mountain gorillas live.

Book safari packages to Tanzania including flights

All our safari holidays in Tanzania are package tours.

This means that when you book a safari tour, the price includes flights (return flights as well as domestic flights), transfers at the destination, accommodation, planned safaris and other excursions.

Visit our practical information about Tanzania page for more information on what you need to take care of yourself (things such visas, vaccinations, etc.).

Answers to frequently asked questions about safaris in Tanzania

Where should I go on safari in Tanzania?

Tanzania offers many exciting safari parks, and the one you should choose depends entirely on what you want to experience.

Most people do what’s known as the “northern circuit” – i.e. in northern Tanzania, where the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire are to be found. You could also head to southern Tanzania, where, among other places, you’ll find Nyerere National Park – formerly Selous Game Reserve.

If you dream of experiencing the Great Migration on your tour in Tanzania, you should go on safari in the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater. If you’d like to see elephants, Tarangire National Park is the obvious choice, and if it’s birds that interest you, Lake Manyara offers a wide selection of bird species.

We offer safaris in both the north and south, and our tours typically combine several different national parks, giving you a broad insight into Tanzania’s nature and wildlife.

How much does it cost to go on safari?

The price of a safari in Tanzania varies depending on the length of the tour, the itinerary and the departure date.

All our safari tours include flights, transfers, safaris, national park fees and more.

Tours cost more during peak seasons, e.g. during the summer holidays and over Christmas and the New Year, but less off-peak. It is typically cheapest to go on safari in Tanzania in April and May. You can see our minimum prices on each individual safari tour.

Request a quote to obtain the final price based on your departure date, airport, and any adjustments/upgrades.

When is the best time for a Tanzania safari?

You can go on safari in Tanzania all year round, and all months offer fantastic experiences.

Many of our guests prefer to travel during the dry seasons (January–February and June–October), when the weather in Tanzania is generally hotter and drier.

When you go on safari in the dry season, the animals can be easier to spot because they gather around the waterholes when they start to run out of water – and this happens especially at the end of the dry season.

However, you can travel in the rainy season and come home without having experienced any rain. In the rainy season, the rain usually falls as torrential showers, which only last a few hours before clearing up again.

What clothes should I wear when going on safari?

There are no rules about what clothes you should wear when you go on safari. However, we recommend that you wear light/neutral clothes. Avoid stark, bright colours, white, dark blue and black – dark blue and black in particular attract tsetse flies.

Read more about what to wear and get our packing list for safari in Tanzania here.

Is it safe to go on a safari holiday in Tanzania?

Yes, it’s safe to go on a safari holiday in Tanzania.

The animals are used to there being cars around, and they don’t view them as a threat. Our guides also have a deep understanding of animal behaviour and the park’s rules. At the accommodation or wild camps that do not have a fence, you’ll be accompanied by a Masai person after dark. 

How long do you need for a safari holiday?

We recommend that you have 3–4 days of safari when you’ve travelled so far. Our shortest safari holiday in Tanzania lasts 7 days (including outbound and return journey) and includes 4 days of safari, in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, among other places.

The length of your tour depends on how much you want to experience and whether the tour rounds off with a beach holiday.  

What type of cars are used on game drives in Tanzania?

On the safari part of the tour, you’ll drive in a 4WD Landcruiser seating up to seven people. The roof can be opened in all cars.

It is also possible to have your own private car (with driver) for an additional fee. Please contact us if you’re interested in receiving more information on this.

Where do you spend the night when you’re on safari in Tanzania?

When you’re on safari in Tanzania, you typically spend the night in lodges, wild camps or other camps.

Lodges refer to cabins of varying sizes and often have pools, restaurants and other nice facilities.

Wildcamps and other camps are typically located at the border of or in the national parks themselves, and you spend the night in permanent tents, which are full height and have solid floors. The tents also have a shower and a toilet.

Can children come on safari?

It’s an amazing experience to take your children on safari in Tanzania.

When you go on safari with children, it’s good to be aware of the length of the tour, driving distances and your children’s age and travel experience. All our safari tours in Tanzania can in theory be done with children. If you’re travelling with young children, however, we recommend that you choose our family safari in Tanzania, where the focus is on shorter driving distances and child-friendly lodges.

Other questions?

Still need an answer to your question?

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about Tanzania or our other destinations.

Our travel specialists have many years’ experience of helping guests to find the right tour. They regularly visit our destinations and are therefore well-equipped to answer any questions, big or small.

We look forward to helping you on your holiday of a lifetime!

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller