A lioness resting on a granite kopje above the Serengeti plains

Where we travel

Destinations

Where our journeys go: what each place is like, when it is at its best, and how long to give it.

places: 9
national parks and reserves: 8
journeys through them: 8

Not sure where to start?

Tell us when you can travel and what you most want to see. We will suggest the places that fit, and how long to give each.

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National parks and reserves

Area · 8 journeys

Ngorongoro Crater

A collapsed volcano about 600 metres deep, its floor a closed world of grassland, soda lake, swamp and the Lerai forest, with black rhino, lion and big buffalo herds within a single game drive.

National park / reserve · 7 journeys

Serengeti National Park

Short-grass plains, granite kopjes and river woodland across north-western Tanzania, with resident big cats all year and the wildebeest migration moving through in a loop that follows the rains.

A large baobab tree standing in green Tarangire bush

National park / reserve · 6 journeys

Tarangire National Park

Baobab country south of Arusha, where the Tarangire River draws some of northern Tanzania's largest elephant gatherings in the dry season, along with oryx, lesser kudu and a long bird list.

A red dirt track through the groundwater forest of Lake Manyara National Park

National park / reserve · 2 journeys

A narrow park between the Rift Valley escarpment and a shallow soda lake, with groundwater forest, baboon troops, elephant and, in some years, flamingo along the shore. An easy first or last game drive.

Area · 1 journey

Lake Eyasi

A seasonal soda lake below the Eyasi escarpment, south-west of the Ngorongoro highlands, home to Hadzabe and Datoga communities. A cultural detour from Karatu rather than a game park.

National park / reserve

Arusha National Park

A compact park on the slopes of Mount Meru, close to Arusha town: montane forest with black-and-white colobus, the Momella lakes, Ngurdoto Crater and guided walks with an armed ranger, where arranged.

The snow-capped summit of Kilimanjaro rising above clouds and flat-topped acacias

National park / reserve

Mount Kilimanjaro

Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 metres, a free-standing volcano rising from farmland and forest to summit ice. Many travellers pair a climb with a few days on safari; others simply admire it from below.

Area

Lake Natron

A hot, shallow soda lake in the Rift Valley near the Kenyan border, below the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai. Remote country for flamingo, a waterfall walk and wide desert views, subject to operational availability.

Planning

Plan a route

We will suggest the order, the pace and where to stay.

Plan it with us

Islands and coast

Island · 1 journey

Zanzibar

The main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, off Tanzania's coast: Stone Town's carved doors and alleys, spice farms, coral reefs and white-sand beaches. A beach extension after safari, not a safari destination.

When to go where

The seasons we plan around at each place. Wildlife follows the rain, so the exact timing shifts a little from year to year.

Place and season	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Serengeti National Park Serengeti National Park: Calving on the southern plains	January: Calving on the southern plains	February: Calving on the southern plains	March: Calving on the southern plains									December: Calving on the southern plains
Serengeti National Park: Long rains				April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Serengeti National Park: Dry season and river crossings						June: Dry season and river crossings	July: Dry season and river crossings	August: Dry season and river crossings	September: Dry season and river crossings	October: Dry season and river crossings
Serengeti National Park: Short rains											November: Short rains
Ngorongoro Crater Ngorongoro Crater: Dry season						June: Dry season	July: Dry season	August: Dry season	September: Dry season	October: Dry season
Ngorongoro Crater: Short rains and green season	January: Short rains and green season	February: Short rains and green season	March: Short rains and green season								November: Short rains and green season	December: Short rains and green season
Ngorongoro Crater: Long rains				April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Tarangire National Park Tarangire National Park: Dry season						June: Dry season	July: Dry season	August: Dry season	September: Dry season	October: Dry season
Tarangire National Park: Green season	January: Green season	February: Green season	March: Green season	April: Green season	May: Green season						November: Green season	December: Green season
Lake Manyara National Park Lake Manyara National Park: Dry season						June: Dry season	July: Dry season	August: Dry season	September: Dry season	October: Dry season
Lake Manyara National Park: Short rains and green season	January: Short rains and green season	February: Short rains and green season	March: Short rains and green season								November: Short rains and green season	December: Short rains and green season
Lake Manyara National Park: Long rains				April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Arusha National Park Arusha National Park: Warm dry spell	January: Warm dry spell	February: Warm dry spell
Arusha National Park: Long rains			March: Long rains	April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Arusha National Park: Dry season						June: Dry season	July: Dry season	August: Dry season	September: Dry season	October: Dry season
Arusha National Park: Short rains											November: Short rains	December: Short rains
Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro: Warm dry window	January: Warm dry window	February: Warm dry window	March: Warm dry window
Mount Kilimanjaro: Long rains				April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Mount Kilimanjaro: Main dry season						June: Main dry season	July: Main dry season	August: Main dry season	September: Main dry season	October: Main dry season
Mount Kilimanjaro: Short rains											November: Short rains	December: Short rains
Lake Natron Lake Natron: Cooler dry months						June: Cooler dry months	July: Cooler dry months	August: Cooler dry months	September: Cooler dry months	October: Cooler dry months
Lake Natron: Short rains											November: Short rains	December: Short rains
Lake Natron: Hot season	January: Hot season	February: Hot season
Lake Natron: Long rains			March: Long rains	April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Lake Eyasi Lake Eyasi: Dry season						June: Dry season	July: Dry season	August: Dry season	September: Dry season	October: Dry season
Lake Eyasi: Rains	January: Rains	February: Rains	March: Rains	April: Rains	May: Rains						November: Rains	December: Rains
Zanzibar Zanzibar: Hot season	January: Hot season	February: Hot season	March: Hot season									December: Hot season
Zanzibar: Long rains				April: Long rains	May: Long rains
Zanzibar: Cool dry season						June: Cool dry season	July: Cool dry season	August: Cool dry season	September: Cool dry season	October: Cool dry season
Zanzibar: Short rains											November: Short rains

Practical answers

Travel guide

When is the best time to visit Tanzania for a safari?

For classic game viewing, the best time to visit Tanzania is usually the long dry season from June to October, when the grass is short and animals gather near water. January and February are often just as good in the southern Serengeti, where the wildebeest calve. The long rains (roughly March to May) and the short rains (roughly November to December) bring green landscapes and fewer vehicles. Exact timing varies from year to year.

Travel guide

Where is the Great Migration each month?

In most years the wildebeest herds spend roughly December to March on the southern Serengeti plains, where calving usually peaks in February. From April to June they move north and west through the central Serengeti and the Western Corridor. From about July to October they are often in the northern Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara, crossing the Mara River. In November they head south again. The herds follow the rain, so timing shifts every year.

Travel guide

What should I pack for a Tanzania safari?

Pack light, in a soft bag: light-aircraft flights between parks usually limit luggage to around 15 kg per person, so confirm the limit with your airline. Bring clothes in neutral colours such as khaki, olive and grey, and avoid dark blue and black in tsetse areas. Add warm layers for cold early drives and Ngorongoro Crater rim mornings, a sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and any medication in your hand luggage.

Ready to plan your route?

Tell us when you would like to travel and what matters to you. We will suggest which places to combine, how long to give each and where to stay.

Start planning