What to do in Tanzania

Tarangire has a rare water source flowing through the area, drawing in great herds of elephant and other wildlife. This, combined with mild weather conditions creates the ideal environment for walking safaris. Spend anything from a morning to a couple of nights on foot, as a trained guide leads you on an interpretive wilderness journey, examining all the links, from the Siafu ants to the mighty bull elephant, in the circle of life.

The vast Selous Game Reserve is one of Africa’s largest wilderness areas, and the perfect habitat for the infamous and energetic wild dogs. Even better, time a safari to see the dogs with their puppies at a den site from May to June, where the puppies come out in the mornings and evening to play and feed, providing amazing photographic opportunities. In the drier months between may and October, antelope and other prey species tend to concentrate around the water sources, making this a great time to see other predators, such as lion and leopard, too.

African wild dog are a favourite amongst many safari enthusiasts across the globe. This highly endangered and rarely-seen carnivore can be difficult to find at the best of times. June is characterised by hot, still days, low humidity, low rainfall and more importantly; the perfect opportunity to encounter these animals. Head to the Ruaha National Park of Tanzania for the African wild dog denning season and dramatically increase your chances of meeting this charismatic animal.

Africa’s highest mountain is certainly no walk in the park. Standing close to the equator and yet maintaining a permanent snowcap, you know that summiting this dormant volcano is not for the faint of heart. Several days of hard fought trudging carries you away from the game plains, landing you at 5,895 metres just in time to take in the most spectacular sunrise you’re ever likely to witness. Hundreds of kilometres of flat savannah with dotted lakes, silver in the slanting morning sunlight, stretch away from your feet and add to the dizzying high of having conquered perhaps the most handsome of the ‘Seven Summits’.

The main focus for game viewing within the park is the Katuma River and associated floodplains such as the seasonal Lakes Katavi and Chada. During the rainy season, these lush, marshy lakes are a haven for myriad waterbirds, and they also support Tanzania’s densest concentrations of hippo and crocodile. Take a thrilling game drive in search of the huge herds of buffalo, zebras and impala around the drying lakes. Near Lake Katavi, visit the tamarind tree inhabited by the spirit of the legendary hunter Katabi (for whom the park is named)—offerings are still left here by locals seeking the spirit’s blessing.

The bustling town of Arusha sits in the shadow of Mount Meru, an active volcano and the second highest peak in Tanzania. Take a trip into the Arusha National Park and hike Mount Meru’s slopes, where you will encounter a variety of interesting wildlife species—a startlingly diverse environment with amazing views of Kilimanjaro. Enjoy hiking along the crest of the crater rim, with distant, views of Kilimanjaro from the summit, and the ability to see a lot of wildlife on the lower slopes in the form of a walking safari. This is also a chance to escape the tourist crowds.

Rubondo’s remarkable natural beauty has earned the area the nickname ‘Noah’s Ark’, because of the incredible diversity of animals on the islands. With a shoreline full of sunbathing hippos and crocs, the island is also a haven for endangered chimps who live in the lush forest canopy. The forest also hosts elephant and giraffe. It can get hot in this tropical paradise, which is why November is a good time to go. It’s less humid, fewer mosquitoes and fewer people to compete with at the lodge.

Visit Mafia Island between October and March to swim with whale sharks, the world’s largest known fish species, as they slowly migrate north. Take a boat out from the island to the deeper water and then jump in with snorkel and fins and float beside these gentle giants as they open their mouths and feed on plankton, completely relaxed by your presence. The water is clear and warm in this part of the Indian Ocean, and you can spend hours enjoying the company of these great animals. Head back to the island and end your day with cocktails and a tropical sunset, a life-changing experience that will stay with you forever.

Pemba’s lush, undulating interior is beautiful and wild, but nothing compared to the tropical waters that surround it. Here, fisherman craft handmade traditional sailing boats called dhows using mango wood and invite you to experience sailing their way. They can take you on a day trip to a secretive sandbank to enjoy a picnic lunch on powder sand, watch the sunset from the open ocean or jump right in and snorkel the colourful reefs that surround this quiet, castaway island.

Lake Natron borders Kenya and Tanzania, though it is best viewed from the Arusha region of Tanzania. Natron is a desolate soda lake with high alkalinity, often producing a wonderful explosion of colour. Although no aquatic wildlife can be found here, flamingoes thrive off the lake’s algae and breed in their hundreds. The magnificent Oldoinyo Lengai rises behind the lake and coupled with the expansive, colourful waters and hundreds of flamingoes landscape photographers are in their element.

In one of nature’s true wonders, sea turtles arrive every year to nest at Ras Kutani in Tanzania, and guests can witness baby turtles hatch and make their first beach journey towards the ocean. This activity is organised in conjunction with Sea Sense, a Non Government Organisation (NGO) that works closely with coastal communities in Tanzania to conserve and protect endangered marine species. Seeing these turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean is one of those unique experiences that remains with you long after you leave this paradise.

Traverse the wide-open plains of Tarangire in the most classic sense - a game drive! Head out with the larks or after an afternoon siesta in a 4x4 to cruise around with binoculars firmly affixed to your eyes. Catch sight of huge herds of elephant strolling amongst the sturdy baobabs. Your guide knows all the best places to look! While the park has some pretty spectacular wildlife all year long, the Tarangire River really hits its peak during the dry season. From June to October, it becomes a beacon for creatures from miles around when vast herds of buffalo gather at its banks to drink accompanied by the ever-hungry big cats.

The Selous is the largest game reserve in Africa and indeed the world. The reserve is named after the famous hunter and military scout who was killed here by a German sniper’s bullet during WW I. Kenyan conservationist Richard Bonham made walking safaris here the gold standard, exploring the place in the 1980s with the most intrepid of clients. Walking in the Selous has always been about a state of mind and not body or the distance covered; it is an opportunity to exercise the senses, to unload the burden of modern contraptions and the yoke of occupational stress.

With all the crowds hanging around the Masai Mara and Serengeti, it might be an idea to look for somewhere that's a little less known on the safari circuit, but also has an incredible wildlife on offer. Look no further than Ruaha in Tanzania in October, when the dry season ends and the wildlife in concentrated around the rivers, making excellent sightings practically to yourself. It can be hot and dry, so prepare yourself.

Arabica and Robusta coffee are Tanzania’s largest export, so of course they have refined the art of coffee making to near on perfection. Grown in Tanzania’s rich volcanic soil, coffee is the primary source of income for many Tanzanians and a tour around one of the many outstanding plantations is well worth the trip. Learn more about the process, taste different brews and see for yourself what all the hype is about.

Pemba island was quickly made famous when The Manta Resort installed a unique floating room with an underwater bedroom. And you can believe all the hype because floating out above the coral reef on your own “private island” is exciting enough, but sleeping four metres under water surrounded by colourful marine life really brings this ocean holiday to a new level. Share your morning coffee with vibrant and energetic reef fish, breakfast on the top deck followed by a dip in the warm Indian ocean. What a way to start the day!

Feel the crunch of the soil beneath your boots and learn to hear the tell-tale rustle of wildlife on a bush walk. Straight after breakfast set out to uncover the secrets of the Serengeti. While the specifics depend on where you are, you'll have the chance to take a microscope to the landscape. Joined by your knowledgable guide, follow a flutter of wings to see lovebirds snacking on figs, peer into an earthy warthog burrow and inspect every track you can find. You could just be following a pride of lion (who should be napping in the distance) or thirsty elephant on the way to a waterhole! Whether it's scanning acacia bark for tiny critters or staring skyward to see an eagle soaring overhead, the essence of the Serengeti is yours to experience.

With your expert guide at the helm, set out from camp as the sun just begins to spill over Tanzania and venture into the jewel-green forests and plains of the Ngorongoro Crater. Where bubbling lava once spewed over, there now lives a barely believable variety of wildlife. Don't put your binoculars down for a second as you scan the landscape for the Big Five, including the protected black rhino, majestic black-maned lion and roaming herds of elephant. The plains are awash with vast numbers of antelope and zebra, who erupt into movement when a cheetah speeds across the scene. Finish the day off with a sundowner as the Crater cools around you.

Across East Africa, lions can be found lazing in the sun and draped over rocks but the big cats at Lake Manyara do things a bit differently. Garnering wonder from many safari-goers, generations of lion have been sizing up a sturdy tree, clawing their way to a comfortable branch and spending the day snoozing under the leaves. Whether it was to escape charging buffalo or the pesky midday flies, the habit has stuck! It's a real treat to spot the famous tree-climbing lions on a game drive in the park.

The Rufiji river is the life force of the Selous and it winds its way through valleys and across the floodplains, giving life to the otherwise dry but beautiful Selous wilderness. A boat cruise along the river allows you a ground level perspective of wallowing hippos, cruising crocodiles and a myriad of birds and wildlife as they wander down to the river bank to drink. On your afternoon cruise, make sure to pack a coolbox and then park off on a sand bank to watch the sun set. Perfect!

Ruaha in southern Tanzania is “a big place where big things happen”. As such it attracts some of Africa’s best guides. Only recently Ruaha has become known as the place where lions routinely take down elephants as prey (although you'd rather not witness). One of the least known of Africa’s big game parks, Ruaha retains a sense of the road less travelled and the difference which it makes. In fact, most of the park has no roads so it is the trail less taken. The landscape and vegetation are diverse and through it all runs the Great Ruaha River.

The acacia-speckled plains and waving golden grass of the Serengeti may be one of the most iconic safari scenes and what better way to see it all than with a game drive? Leave as dawn breaks or in the dusky afternoon, plaster your binocs to your face and get wildlife-spotting...There's a spectacular variety to see! The Serengeti is home to every member of the Big Five so expect to see soulful elephant wandering between the trees, lions snoozing amongst the vast herds of grazing buffalo. And your guide will be there to give you all the insider info. Every piece of the Serengeti offers something unique but whether it's spying on wild dog in the south, watching rhino amble through the brush in Moru Kopjes or losing your breath at the sight of big cats in Grumeti - it promises to be epic.

Ruaha’s dramatic landscape is dominated by hills thick with towering baobab trees, some of them hundreds of years old. The call it the “upside tree” as it wiry top reaches for the sky looking much like its roots. Baobab’s produce a delicious fruit who’s spongy seeds are rich with vitamins that boast an array of health benefits. The powder extracted from these seeds is expensive over the counter, but free in Ruaha. It’s also excellent for munching on during long bush walks if you need an energy boost!

With the dew barely dry, rise with the sun as you float over the Serengeti in a hot air balloon. Besides puffs of heat to move you skywards, there is nothing but blissful silence as you soak up every inch of the landscape. Let the wind be your guide, revealing the untamed spaces of Tanzania where very little can hide from this vantage point. Ascend to heights of 1000 feet for the ultimate panoramic view or drop low enough to practically brush the acacias, as tiny moving specks become monochrome zebra, elephant bathing in the waterhole and scampering African painted dog. If you fancy seeing the rowdy herds of antelope and wildebeest begin to cross the mighty Mara River, August and September - are the prize months to go. This is a shared activity with other guests.

The 'greatest show on earth' is no superlative when it comes to the wildebeest migration, a year-long trek where millions cross the endless plains and rushing rivers to reach sweet grasses. Embark on a game drive that is sure to enchant, excite and overload your senses as you join the viewing party for this epic spectacle. Depending on the time of year, you may watch new life begin on the southern grasslands in February or follow the rambunctious herds on their march northwards before they return to the Serengeti in November. The circuit has no end and neither does the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this awe-inspiring event.

In one of Tanzania's wildest spaces, take your safari to new heights as you explore the lush, tree-laden rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Where vehicles cannot go, you'll join an expert guide on an early-morning foray into the forest as rare birds show off their colourful plumage and waterfalls cascade toward the Crater below. Discover Ngorongoro's unique wonders like the 'Elephant Caves', which are deep hollows dug into the earth as the elephant forage for rich soil with their tusks. Ascend the crater wall for the ultimate panorama, watching as the Big Five roam, hippos guffaw and flamingos sit like a pink cloud over the lake.

Set sail along the coast of Zanzibar the best way we know how...on a bona fide dhow. Used by fishermen and travellers for centuries, it feels like a slice out of a different era. The breeze billowing in pearly-white sails, recline in the cushioned wooden hull, with nothing but ocean views before you - keep your eyes peeled for pods of dolphins! The real world will feel a million miles away as you watch the sun dip lower over the horizon and with a G&T in hand, a toast to your island adventure is in order.

Serengeti means 'endless plains' in Swahili and we can think of no better way to experience it in all its wild glory than with a safari on horseback. Cantering across the savannah, forget any mention of the 'beaten path' and camera-toting crowds. Keep your eyes wide open for migrating herds of zebra and wildebeest. With elephant, loping giraffe and swaggering big cats - if luck is on your side, a cheetah may speed into the scene. The riding pace is varied, often affected by the terrain and wildlife sightings, and you'll have a choice of thoroughbred or local breeds. Return to your lodge for the night or enjoy a multi-day ride, stopping to camp each night. Horse riding experience is a necessity so this is not really an activity for beginners.

Depart camp at dawn or in the late afternoon sunshine to discover the epic wildlife of Lake Manyara. With your knowledgable guide to lead the way, endless floodplains, acacia woodlands and shimmering lake reveal grazing plains game, herds of trumpeting elephant and lion draped over the branches of a mahogany tree, not to mention the clouds of pink flamingo. Stop on a grassy spot near the lake to enjoy a morning cuppa or ice-cold sundowner as incredible birdlife dips in and out of the water. As one of Tanzania's smallest and most underrated parks, Lake Manyara has one of the country's highest wildlife densities and you'll have few other safari-goers to contend with.