Tanzania
Few places in the world stretch the imagination as wide as the incredible landscapes of Tanzania do. Places of endless beauty, that wildlife filmmakers, movie stars and celebrated explorers have attempted to truthfully document, often in vain. For few are able to fully describe the feeling when descending the crater rim of Ngorongoro, from its old story written in the rocks to its new story of abundant life along the crater floor. Few can properly render the feeling of traversing the ‘endless plains’ of the Serengeti, an indescribable vastness of life and chaos. Few can describe the wonders of walking through the wild wilderness of Ruaha, surrounded by palm groves. And few can properly narrate the experience of viewing the plethora of wildlife that roam free across one of the greatest wilderness areas on earth.
Seasonality :
October - November
April - May
Shoulder Season
Highlights :
A few of our favourite places in Tanzania...
Serengeti
The endless plains
Few places in the world hold ecological importance equal to that of the Serengeti ecosystem. A vast, unfenced landscape spanning 30 000km², it is one of the last wild places where animals can migrate without being impeded by fences or cities. Along with its Kenyan neighbour, the Masai Mara, the Serengeti makes up one of the largest protected ecosystems on earth. Home to millions of grazers that migrate each year from south to north, chasing the greener pastures and the rains, and to the highly-dense population of resident predators that feed on this infinite reserve of game, the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is brimming with life. This boundless place derives its name from the Maasai language, the word ‘Serengeti’ meaning ‘endless plain’ in Maa. And indeed – only once travellers have laid eyes on its immense horizons can they make sense of the otherwise ungraspable expanse that is the Serengeti National Park.
Ngorongoro Crater
Explore the most beautiful and wildlife-rich crater on earth.
The Ngorongoro crater is an ancient place, with a story like no other. A caldera formed from a collapsed volcano that erupted some 2.5 million years ago, the crater is a geological marvel. Like an ancient song, the story of this old place is written across the strata of rocks, from rim to crater. A place where dark dramatic clouds creep over the mysterious crater rim, fraternising with it lush and colourful crater floor, teeming with hundreds of stories just waiting to be heard. You will find yourself travelling back to past geological eras as you search for old elephant bulls and black rhinos in fields of marigold and wild sage. Scanning black volcanic rocks for the lions of the crater, you will find them ready to hunt the plains for their next meal, the eternal circle of life dramatically at play. Ngorongoro is utterly enchanting, abundant in life and in alluring landscapes that rival the world’s greatest natural spaces.
Ndutu
The Golden Lions of Ndutu
It could be said that the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti is the birthplace of the Great Migration. A constantly moving natural wonder of the world, the Migration and its millions of wildebeest and zebra, arrive at the Ndutu grasslands in February and March to calve, before heading north toward Kenya again. The bridge between the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area and the Serengeti Conservation Area, Ndutu exhibits a unique landscape of acacia forest and golf-course-like plains that stretch towards the Serengeti. Yet, the pretty vistas are not the only reasons tourists flock to this unique region. Perhaps it has something to do with the utterly gorgeous, famous ‘blonde-maned lions of Ndutu’, or the fact these grasslands harbour one of the densest cheetah populations on earth. It might even be the interactions between these predators and the passing mass of birthing wildebeests, zebras and Thompson’s gazelles, a real insight into the’ circle of life’. Whichever the reason, drawing people from all four corners of the globe to this special place, one is very much guaranteed a raw and exciting display of African nature at its finest.
Tarangire
Northern Tanzania's Secret
Tarangire is surely a lesser known park, compared to the great Serengeti, yet it boasts an awe-inspiring array of biodiversity, maybe on parr with the ‘endless plains’ themselves. However, unlike the Serengeti, which can get a little crowded at certain times of the year, the Tarangire is far less traveled, and so offers an exclusive wildlife experience, encountering few other vehicles during a safari. The region is famous for birdlife and high densities of game, especially in the dry season when animals converge along the Tarangire River. Exquisite acacia forests and the park’s high numbers of baobab trees in the area also make it one of the most scenic ecosystems in Tanzania.
Lake Manyara
A Perfect First Stop along the Serengeti Circuit
Lying in the far north of Tanzania is a haven less known to the world, but a wildlife haven nonetheless. This unique habitat is centred around an alkaline lake that supports a plethora of exciting wildlife. At the right time of year, thousands of flamingos, pelicans, hippo, buffalo and many other species can be seen frolicking in its shallow waters or along the shoreline. Away from the lake are mystical marshlands and ancient acacia forests that attract the famous tree-climbing lions and great herds of elephants that often carry large sets of tusks. Giraffe, zebra and various plains game are an everyday occurrence too, and Lake Manyara’s proximity to Arusha makes it a perfect first stop for an unforgettable northern Tanzanian circuit.
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"it is unimaginable "
You really can’t imagine the vastness of the Serengeti…its unimaginable. This holiday is certainly one our family will never forget! – Jim Cook and family
