Luxury Tanzania Safari
Tanzania is a majestic destination with outstanding landscapes ranging from stunning volcanic peaks to endless stretches of open plains to white sand beaches.
Tanzania offers off-the-un-beaten-path safari experiences that include Big Five sightings, luxurious tented safari camps, and rich cultural encounters.
Tanzania is a haven for the popular huge herds of migratory and resident wildlife, well-known as the World Cup of nature, “the world’s greatest natural spectacles”, and the great wildebeest migration attracts travel enthusiasts for its affirmation of life and timelessness experience.
Northern Safari Circuit magical icons like Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro crater, and Serengeti National Park with magnificent wildlife roaming in the endless savanna plains.
In the Rift Valley, Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Park will be rewarded with equally memorable landscapes and adventures of lifetime experiences.
Tanzania’s western border, along Lake Tanganyika’s shore, is a captivating jungle forest harboring chimpanzees you’ll find chimpanzees—the only place in all of Tanzania where you can trek to them. Meanwhile,
The Southern Safari Circuit is home to some truly wild tracts of remote wilderness. Step aboard a boat safari to ply the banks of the Rufiji River in Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) or join a research-integrated safari in reclusive Ruaha National Park Close out a safari on the coast by digging your toes into the powdery beaches of the Zanzibar archipelago—’ spice islands’ that boast long, storied trading histories.
Luxury safaris in Tanzania focus on game drives as the primary mode of wildlife viewing, early sunrise game watching, and an afternoon drive gives Sunset views with sundowners in hand.
Depending on your camp or lodge, a gourmet, multi-course dinner can be taken convivially with other guests, privately in your room or al fresco in the bush.
After dark, you might gather around an outdoor fire, stargaze, enjoy a night game drive (depending on where you are), lie out on a star bed, or simply retreat to your room to rest for the next sumptuous day on safari.
The enchanting activities like hot air ballooning (in the Serengeti), guided bush walks, community visits, and research participation (and so much more) add diversity to the day. Wonderfully, Tanzania also offers a host of adventurous options for safari-goers who want to explore on foot.
Walking safaris, where you’ll sleep in minimalist but well-equipped fly camps, weave through untouched pockets of the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Highlands.
Where to go for a luxury safari in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park
The verdant savanna in the heart of Tanzania offers ecstatic views of wildlife, wooded hills, massive termite mounds, rocky kopjes, and acacia tree-lined rivers that adorn the sweeping savanna.
Serengeti National Park is located in the northeastern part of the country and covers an area of about 30,000 sq. km. The Serengeti National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most popular in Tanzania because of its outstanding natural beauty that needs to be protected for appreciation.
Serengeti means “endless plains” among the Maasai. The park is popular for its endless plains which are dotted with kopjes, rivers, and acacia trees that are home to the big 5 mammals (elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, and lions), wildebeest, zebras, hyenas, giraffes, African dogs, hippos, crocodiles and over 450 species of birds.
The Serengeti Wildlife safari takes you through one of the seven world wonders well known as the wildebeest migration which involves the movement of thousands of wildebeest in search of greener pastures and water.
The wildlife safari to the southern part of the park offers thrilling activities like a hot air balloon experience that gives a bird’s eye view of the wildlife and guided nature walks that offer a close spectacular view of the wildebeest migration.
In addition to the above, it gives majestic views of the calving of the wildebeests as they migrate as well as the World Cup of nature where several predators such as lions and crocodiles can also be seen around the grazing area hunting for wildebeest.
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is a vast wilderness destination that is located in the northern part of Tanzania a short drive from Arusha. Tarangire National Park is one of the largest parks in Tanzania occupying an area of 2600 sq. Km
The park derives its name from the mighty Tarangire River that flows through the beautiful landscape which is the primary source of water for wild animals within the park during the dry season.
Tarangire is a popular stop for visitors traveling through the Northern Tanzanian safari circuit on their route to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti because it’s a little off the beaten path.
The park is famous for its huge herds of elephants, wildlife migration, and baobab trees (these grow in the open acacia) as well as the tree-climbing African pythons and predators that give wonderful sightings that make Tarangire a majestic destination that offers a life-changing wildlife experience.
Even when it is very dry, the park has thick vegetation with acacia shrubs and mixed woodland. The huge baobab trees that are scattered around in huge numbers give a natural beauty to the park and the specular view of elephants grazing and cats hunting in the baobab trees and shrubs is quite a thrilling and unforgettable moment of wildlife watching.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Wandering to the top of Africa’s majestic view is a snow-capped peak covered by exceptional vegetation harboring charming wildlife that offers a remarkable African hike experience.
Kilimanjaro National Park is located along the Tanzanian northern border with Kenya. It covers an area of 652 square miles (1,688 sq. km) which includes the montane forest that surrounds Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Africa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to the continent’s highest mountain, snow-capped equatorial Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak (5,895m) and tallest free Standing Mountain in the world.
The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro occurs at 19,341 feet (5,895 m), which is known as Uhuru Peak and part of the Mawenzi volcanic cone.
There are two other volcanic cones known as Mawenzi at 16,893 feet (5,149 m) and Shira at 13,140 feet (4,005 m).
Kibo is dormant and has the possibility of a future eruption; however, Mawenzi and Shira are both extinct. Kibo is also the largest of the three volcanic cones stretching across 15 miles (24 km).
The Mountain rises from farmland on the lower level to rainforest and the slopes are home to buffaloes, leopards, monkeys, elephants, eland, and an abundance of birds of prey.
These sightings are not something to anticipate with a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. One of the thrilling wildlife sightings is the western black and white colobus monkeys as they jump from tree to tree
Mount Kilimanjaro has five unique ecological climate zones which include the cultivation zone, the forest zone, the heather-moorland zone, the alpine desert zone, and the arctic summit climate zone which have unique characteristics in terms of plants and animals inhabiting there.
The plants that flourish on the moorlands are the gigantic lobelia (lobelia deckenii) and the large groundsel.
The woodlands inhabit a variety of animals such as bushbuck, duikers, blue monkeys, black and white monkeys, and the endangered Abbots starling.
Zanzibar
Off Tanzania’s East coast are natural outstanding Islands with stone architecture, white sandy beaches, and thick forests harboring the endangered primate that offers beyond remarkable African experience.
The region of Zanzibar is a collection of several islands, known as the Zanzibar Archipelago.
It consists of several islands. The four main islands are Unguja Island (Zanzibar), Pemba Island, Latham Island, and Mafia Island.
Zanzibar’s only national park is a low-lying sanctuary full of tropical forest and saltwater mangroves which is called Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park.
The park is explored on a raised boardwalk that gives spectacular views of the endangered endemic wildlife, including the Zanzibar red colobus and the Zanzibar servaline genet. More common are monkeys, bush babies, and duiker antelope, while birders can keep an eye out for more than 40 different avian species.
The Zanzibar Archipelago is sometimes known as the “Spice Islands” because of its famous spice industry. Its biggest spice exports include cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Most of these spice tours depart from Stone Town and take you to a large spice farm to see, touch, and taste the many flavors of Zanzibar.
Exploring the beyond-extraordinary architecture in the stone town left by its previous inhabitants is one way to spend your time there wandering and staring at the streets
Other destinations to visit include Mikumi, Ruaha Selous, and Lake Manyara among others.
Activities to do a luxury safari to Tanzania
Game drives
Tanzania’s luxury safari offers exceptional and beguiling game drives that give lifetime experiences to guests.
The game drives in Serengeti, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Mikumi, and Ruaha can be done throughout the day, with sunrise, afternoon, and sunset game drives that give spectacular views of wild animals such as elephants, lions, wildebeest, zebras, antelopes birds among others.
Hot air balloon ride.
A hot air balloon is one of the extraordinary experiences visitors wouldn’t like to miss on their safari to Tanzania. The hot air balloon gives the Aerial view of the countryside.
A balloon safari is mostly done in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro parks and it is the ultimate way to experience the vastness of the national park.
Tanzania’s hot air ballooning is one of the exhilarating activities that give a bird’s eye view of wildlife like lions, hippos, and giraffes roaming in the acacia-strewn plains and offers lifetime memories.
Just imagine floating above the Serengeti tree tops in complete silence sights seeing wildlife on the ground.
It allows spotting lions, hippos, and giraffes wandering through the acacia-strewn plains.
We are witnessing the great wildebeest migration.
The safari to Serengeti National Park is one of the unforgettable lifetime experiences of millions of wildebeest and thousands of zebras migrating.
The wildebeest migration takes place between Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and involves thousands of herds of wildebeest migrating in search of water and green pastures.
The wildebeest migration takes place in different seasons and months of the year.
Mount Kilimanjaro trekking.
Hiking up Africa’s tallest freestanding mountain is the most popular adventure activity on Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.
The Kibo Peak, Kilimanjaro’s highest point at 5,895 meters offers spectacular views of the nearby town, and other summits of the mountain, including Shira Peak and surrounding lush vegetation.
Kibo Peak is always snow-capped throughout the year. Hiking this peak is not challenging since the trails are not steep but the difficulty comes from adjusting to the altitude.
Water Activities
Zanzibar is famous for its thrilling beach activities like surfing, snorkeling, swimming, and dhow cruise and dolphin tours.
Throughout the islands, there is surfing for all skill levels. You have to know where to look, as the surf spots are very dependent on current weather conditions.
Besides surfing, Zanzibar is popular for other beach activities such as windsurfing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, kite surfing, and scuba diving, among others.
These water activities are an excellent way to see the vast tropical marine life off the coast of Zanzibar. Occasionally, dolphins will ride right alongside you as you surf or paddle.
In conclusion
Tanzania is a dream luxury destination with fascinating landscapes, savanna parks home to the African big wildlife, and a relaxing and breath-taking Zanzibar archipelago that offers exhilarating water and safari activities that provide once-in-lifetime experiences.