Great Adventure Trips

Tanzania Safaris and Tours

North Safaris - Prices / South and West Safaris - Prices / Kilimanjaro Treks - Prices
Kenya-Tanzania Combos - Prices / Family Safaris - Prices / Zanzibar - Prices / Weddings

Tanzania is one of the unique destinations on the African continent that has yet to be discovered by many. It is a land of many wonders hubbing an un-paralleled diversity of fauna and flora. Kilimanjaro, the highest permanently snow-capped free standing mountain in Africa, the exotic Islands of Zanzibar, the finest game sanctuaries of Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Ruaha, Selous and the Marine Park of Mafia Island are only but a few of the living examples. The scenery, topography and very friendly people harbour the growth of excellent cultural tourism beach holidays, game hunting, historical and archaeological ventures – and certainly the best wildlife photographic safaris on the continent.

The Kilimanjaro National Park does feature the great ice-caped Equatorial mountain, the Kilimanjaro. The mountain invites challenge to conquer it up its peak that skyscrapes at almost 6km high to mountain climbers.

The Arusha National Park offers everything one wants to see regarding volcanic features and lakes, the flamingoes; buffaloes, the mountain vegetation and the general scenic view of the magnificent Mount Meru.

The Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks, though relatively smaller parks; located south west of Arusha town do offer plenty to see. Although Lake Manyara National Park covers an area of only 318sq km, its terrain is so diverse that its mammal and bird lists are some of the most impressive in Tanzania. The Park includes not only a substantial portion of the lake and its shores but also large areas of ground-water forest with giant fig and mahogany trees alternating with acacia woodland and open swamplands. The Park is bordered to the west by the dramatic western escarpment of the Rift Valley and to the east by the Lake which spreads out in a shimmering heat haze backed by a narrow band of forest and the sheer red and brown cliffs of the escarpment. The name is derived from the Maasai word for the Euphorbia tirucalli bush which the tribesmen plant as a living stockade to keep their cattle from straying. As to wildlife, the park offers abundant sightings of; monkey, jackal, mongoose, hyena, hyrax, zebra, hippo, warthog, buffalo, Masai giraffe, duiker, waterbuck and impala. Significant numbers of elephant are also resident in the Park whilst sightings of black rhino and leopard are not uncommon. Manyara is also especially noted for its wealth of bird life, being visited by many thousands of sugar-pink Lesser Flamingos, significant numbers of Greater Flamingos and a host of other woodland, plains and water birds.Black rhinos; over 380 species of birds; the worlds largest bird the ostrich; the Kori bustard the only world heaviest bird that can fly, elephants; wart hogs, baboons, zebra, the tree-climbing lions, hot springs, and the rising steep escarpment of the Tanzania Great rift Valley are only a selection of what these areas can offer.

South of Lake Manyara and just over 100km from Arusha, Tarangire is a delightful, untamed gem of a park. Covering 2,600 sq km, it abounds with game and the numerous wide-bowed baobab trees create a lasting impression. Tarangire is at its finest during the dry seasons, from between June to October and December to March. This is when the Tarangire River and the various swamps attract the highest concentrations of game, providing a lifeline to thousands of species. This area is best for oryx, kudu, wildebeest, zebra, elephant and eland but leopards and massive pythons are also found here.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) about 828 Sq. Km. is a perfect caldera of the world, 18km across, often with nothing we can compare, this is one of the wonders of the world! You will be attracted by the relief, its mountains, drifting sand dunes and the diverse wildlife and the Maasai people. The NCA, due to these and more qualities including its being nearer the cradle of mankind, the Olduvai Gorge, it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1978. The only place on the planet where a human being is living in harmony with wildlife without harming one another todate the only place to go is the Ngorogoro Conservation Area. It is culture and ecotourism smoothly nurtured in the environment.

To the north west of NCA, spreads endless plain of the Serengeti National Park . With over 3 million large animals, involved in seasonal migration the Serengeti has the greatest concentration wildlife unparalleled in the world. The ecological rules regarding who eats who, or lonely death while swimming across rivers during migration and how it is important to be in groups for survival can be observed clearly here.In the local vernacular, Serengeti means 'the endless plains that go up to the sky'. And they do just that. It is therefore easy to understand why this is the most popular and spectacular of all game parks in East Africa. Covering 14,765 sq km, one of the striking features of this park is the series of large granite outcrops that dominate the vast plains, making it very different to the Masai Mara. Life in the park centres on the triangular trek of several million hooves. This movement never stops, as the animals constantly seek out new grazing pastures. Every year, after the south's short November rains, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, eland, topi and hartebeest gather in their thousands on the Serengeti's southern plains and the Ngorongoro Highlands. Then, around April, they head towards the western corridor of the Serengeti, where many overflow into the Masai Mara around July/August. They remain here until late October/November, when Tanzania's new rains prompt the move south again, towards Lake Ndutu and Lagaja. This yearly phenomenon also affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of other species, who rely on the migratory herds for their survival. These include predators, gazelles, birds and lowly insects, not to mention the grasses and trees that are fertilised by droppings. Another of the highlights here, is the early morning balloon safari.

In southern Tanzania, there lies the greatest wild reserve and second only to Serengeti in wildlife concentration, this is the Selous National Park. This must be the largest unspoilt game reserve in Africa. The Selous Game Reserve at 55,000 square kilometers (21,000 square miles) is the second biggest conservation area and the largest game reserve in the whole of Africa. To put it in perspective, the Selous is larger than Switzerland and half the size of the U.S. state of Ohio. Until recently, the reserve was only accessible by plane or by train. However, with an improvement to the road network, the area is now accessible to everyone. The concentrations of wildlife in the Selous are understandably huge. The Selous, named after a German explorer and author, boasts Tanzania's largest population of elephant – currently about 10,000 animals – as well as some of Africa’s largest numbers of buffalo, hippos, Nile crocodile and wild dogs. Other species commonly seen are lion, bushbuck, impala, giraffe, eland, baboon, zebra and greater kudu. The Selous also contains one of the few viable populations of black rhinos in the world, with between 150 and 200 individual animals. The reserve also contains more than 350 different bird species and 2,000 different species of plants. The Selous was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 due to its unique ecological importance.

The reserve is immense, remote and wild and no human habitation is allowed within its boundaries, apart from within camps and lodges.There are a number of camps in the northern sector of the park, offering a mix of rustic and exotic accommodation. Game drives are by open four-wheel drive vehicle or by boat, a wonderfully peaceful way to view game. For a real highlight, choose a safari that offers escorted walking and fly-camping trips.

Other National Parks include Mahale (the haven of the chimpanzees and baboons); Mikumi, Mkomazi, rubondo, Katavi and Juvenile Udzungwa rich in plant diversity and in colobus monkeys.

Tanzania lies just South of the equator so there is little seasonal variation in temperature, but it is slightly cooler in June/ July and warmer in January/ February. There is much more variation between the coastal and low lying regions and the high plains and mountain regions. The Northern game parks lie at an altitude of 5,000 to 7,000 feet and have a pleasant climate with warm days and cooler evenings year round.

There are two rainy seasons- the long rains during April and May and the short rains in November. The rest of the year is classified as dry season. In practice the rainfall pattern is neither regular nor predictable. In the rainy seasons the rain often falls in heavy but brief tropical downpours during the evening or night with pleasant sunny days in between. The effects of the rain can cause some animals to disperse and may produce a few local problems with flooding of roads and bridges. On the other hand, rain makes the atmosphere clean and dust free and the vegetation beautifully lush and green.

Whilst the rainy seasons are suitable for Tanzania safaris, it is not the best time to climb Kilimanjaro, it is less than pleasant climbing and camping in the rain and visibility will also be poor. Similarly the long rainy season is not the best time to visit Zanzibar and several of the hotels are closed during this period.

WHAT IS THE BEST SEASON FOR A TANZANIA SAFARI?
Just about any time of year. However, the most popular seasons are mid December to mid March and July to mid September. This is because of the demand for Christmas and winter holidays and the summer school breaks. An increasing number of visitors are realising that June and October are ideal, benefiting from lower visitor numbers and off peak rates on the airlines. We normally offers safaris with no single supplements in the April/ May/ June low season and may well be able to offer some good discounts for larger groups during this period- please contact us for details.

WHEN AND WHERE CAN I SEE THE GREAT MIGRATION?
The millions of wildebeest and zebras are always somewhere, but they are not always in large herds and on the move. Their location is largely dependent on the weather, which can vary considerably from year to year. In general the herds assemble south of the Serengeti during January and February, the season in which they give birth to their young. Starting around March they begin moving North and West in search of fresh grazing through the Serengeti Park. They can move in enormously long single file lines or in huge herds. The bulk of the animals reach the Maasai Mara in Kenya, where they tend to remain during July and August, before starting their return trek south back through the Serengeti in September.

CAN I HAVE A PRIVATE VEHICLE?
Yes. All safaris can be booked with the exclusive use of a vehicle for your party. There may be a supplementary charge depending on the number in your group and the type of vehicle chosen. In general, a group of 4 or more clients travelling together will not have to pay any supplement for the use of an exclusive vehicle.

CAN I HAVE MY OWN ITINERARY?
If you are arranging an exclusive vehicle safari then you are free to arrange whatever itinerary you choose, within logistical constraints. We present a small selection of proven itinerary favourites in this website. We can arrange any required itinerary subject to practical and logistical considerations and will be pleased to discuss and quote for your special requirements.

SHOULD I TAKE A CAMPING SAFARI?
We only provide luxury mobile camping which is an expensive option for groups less than four. Luxury mobile camping works out to be almost twice the price of regular lodge- based safaris. However, there is a popular option combining top lodges with permanent tented campsites in an exclusive vehicle safari which works out at a very competive price.

CAN I TAKE A TANZANIA SAFARI AS A SINGLE TRAVELLER?
We can easily include single travellers on most set date safari departures, subject to there being at least one other booking on the date chosen. There is a supplement to cover the additional cost of single accommodation. However, there is no single supplement on most safaris in the low season April/ May/ June period.

ARE TANZANIA SAFARIS SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?
A safari is a wonderful trip for any child old enough to enjoy and appreciate the experience. On most safaris there are quite long trips on rough roads, and these cannot really be recommended for babies and very young children. Children under 12 will benefit from reduced fares on scheduled airlines, and many lodges will provide an additional bed for a child sharing a room with parents at a reduced cost. Sopa Lodges all have large rooms with two double beds as standard. Some luxury small capacity tented camps do not allow children younger than 12 years old.