What to do in Tanzania

The Great Rift Valley tells the history of Africa in its caverns and canyons, and one of the most mysterious is the Olduvai Gorge. Made famous by the discovery of fossils from early hominids who lived around 2 millions years ago, the gorge is filled with intrigue. Delve into its history at the museum where you'll learn about the stone tools and mammal fossils found over decades and, if you're lucky, watch archaeologists at work on an active dig. If you visit between June and October, there are usually researchers at Olduvai who have some fascinating stories to tell. The Olduvai Gorge makes a lovely and very scenic stop between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.

After you've hit the safari highlights on a game drive, take things a little slower with a bush walk. Your guide will use their expertise to show you the finer details of Lake Manyara. As you explore the floodplains and forests (listen out for the chatter of monkeys), spot the tiny dung beetle as it rolls its cargo, find the skeleton of a hyena's prey and learn the names and uses of the plentiful flora. Let your gaze wander to the lake, treetops and sky to catch the flash of wings as hornbills, eagles and flamingos (plus many more) take flight.

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!

A community-led and heartfelt project, Shanga (the Swahili word for bead) has grown from humble beginnings to a thriving Arusha gem. It was created to provide skilled job opportunities to differently-abled people from Tanzania, offering training in everything from needlework and jewellery-making to metal work and glass blowing. At Shanga, pick up one (or many) of these unique, hand-crafted items and learn a new skill like Maasai beading or Swahili sign language. Afterwards, enjoy lunch at the Arusha Coffee Lodge.

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.

The Ngorongoro may conjure up images of epic wildlife and dreamy views, but it wouldn't be a trip to Tanzania without meeting the Maasai. As the keepers of this land, their culture is deeply embedded into the Ngorongoro. Drive across the highlands to a nearby homestead where you'll be greeted by the formidable figure of a Maasai warrior, dressed in a red shuka and spear in hand. Watch in amazement as the warriors try to best each other in a leaping dance and share a traditional meal - if you're brave, sample the local beer!

Get to know this often-overlooked and underrated city set in the magnificent shadow of Mount Meru. Join a local guide as they share the history of Arusha and its people. You'll visit the fascinating Museum of Natural History and Cultural Heritage Centre, where you'll gain great insight into Tanzania's 120-plus tribes through carvings and artifacts, and its thriving art scene. Peruse the exhibits at the Tanzanite Museum and learn the lore behind the discovery of this ocean-blue stone, which is only found in a small area below Mount Kilimanjaro. Then, stop off for lunch at a local haunt.

From July, millions of wildebeest crest over the plains of the Serengeti on their ever-moving circuit where the thought of fresh grasses is enough to make them plunge across the flowing Grumeti and Mara Rivers. Drive across the savannah, led by your guide with a good nose for finding the action, and watch enthralled as life and death plays out before your eyes. The wildebeest gather like a storm on the southern banks before making a mad dash across the river, Nile crocodile snapping at their heels and big cats waiting to meet them on the other side. This display of pure nerve is one of the most epic events on the African safari calendar and you can easily spend an entire day out!

Leave camp just after dawn or in the soft sun of the afternoon, to explore the Ngorongoro's little brother on foot. The Empakai Crater is an ancient volcano caldera ringed by walls of lush forest where birds of every feather flit between the strangler figs and you may spot blue monkeys swinging from branches and bushbucks in the thicket. At the crater's edge, you can see the endless Tanzania plains, the snow-topped Mount Kilimanjaro and Tanzania's most recently active volcano. In the crater's belly, a glimmering alkaline lake is home to a flurry of flamingo and buffalo who stop for a drink. It's quite a trek so reasonable walking fitness is a 'must'.

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.

Lake Manyara may conjure up images of epic birdlife and dreamy views, but it wouldn't be a trip to Tanzania without meeting the Maasai. As the keepers of East Africa, their culture is deeply embedded into the landscape. Drive across the plains to a nearby homestead where huts have been built the same way for thousands of years. You'll be greeted by the formidable figure of a Maasai warrior, dressed in a red shuka and a spear in hand. If you make an early start, you can join a Maasai warrior for a trail run - there's no one better! Watch in amazement as the warriors try to best each other in a leaping dance and share a traditional meal of corn polenta (ugali) and beef - if you're brave, sample the local beer!

Arusha National Park is one of the few destinations in Tanzania where canoeing is possible. Take your pick between Momella Lake and Lake Duluti, which was left behind by erupted volcanoes. Birdlife is bright and plentiful, including elegant flamingoes and fish eagles, uproarious great kingfishers and hoards of cattle egrets who roost on islands at sunset. While canoeing on Momella Lake, keep your eyes peeled for buffalo, giraffe and snorting hippo.

After the rains turn the southern Serengeti every shade of green, wildebeest calves are born in their thousands, sometimes even up to 8000 births in one day! This miracle all happens over three weeks in February. Take a drive to witness young wildebeest take their first tottering steps and build up their strength to join the great migration to the north. Watch in wonder as newborns snack on fresh sprouts and frolic in the plains, watched over by the protective matriarchs. The beginning of the year also marks the well-timed birthing season of the Serengeti's major predators, when lion and cheetah cubs learn the art of the hunt. Be prepared to see the beauty of new life while the reality of nature follows in quick succession.

Ngorongoro may be where the wild things are but it's also where coffee runs through the veins! Drive out through scenic valleys to a hilltop coffee farm where you'll walk amongst the fragrant, bean-laden bushes protected by a canopy of acacias. Have a nosey and learn how coffee is planted, pruned, harvested and fermented, before being dried and finding its way into your cupboard. Soak up the views with a cup of the good stuff before you return to your lodge.

Take your safari experience to new heights, specifically the height of a mahogany tree in the lush forests of Lake Manyara. Enjoy a walkabout through the canopies of this ancient forest as you cross a series of suspension bridges, stopping at tree trunk lookout points to spot the flutter of a silvery-cheeked hornbill and scampering blue monkeys. Don't forget to look down either as antelope, buffalo and pint-sized dik dik wander through the trees below, and you'll sometimes be surprised by an elephant ambling passed. This family-friendly excursion is a top-notch way to dip your toes in the water of Lake Manyara National Park.

Take in the sights of Arusha's countryside on a bicycle ride led by a well-experienced guide. You'll venture through the forests in Mount Meru's foothills, through savannah and past little local villages. Take in the endless, China-blue sky, superlative landscapes and wildlife on this diesel-free safari. For the avid mountain biker, there is the option to do a multi-day cycling expedition.

Enjoy a drive across the wilds of Lake Manyara National Park where you'll stop at the village of Mto wa Mbu. Home to around 120 Maasai tribes with their own unique language and customs, the village is a riot of colour and bustling activity. Stroll through the Maasai Market with vibrant stalls of fruit, handmade shukas and beaded jewellery. Sample traditional dishes washed down with banana beer, learn all about the the art of Makonde carving and be amazed by the leaping Maasai dances. The village has some stunning views of the Great Rift Lake and down by the lake, you'll find a gushing waterfall to swim beneath.

Leave Arusha at around 5 am and, after a hearty sunrise breakfast, you'll begin the 1,000-metre hike, moving up the western facade of Mount Kilimanjaro. Along the way, you'll spot colobus monkeys, verdant birdlife and even hear elephant tramping through the trees. Your destination is the vast 500,000-year-old Shira Plateau, where you can stop for lunch or forge on to see Lion Gorge and the Shira Pinnacles. From here, the iconic, snow-capped peaks and glaciers are visible. It's best to avoid the rainy season and the optimal conditions occur between January - early March and June - October.