Tanzania safari activities
Tanzania safari activities
Tanzania safari activities : Tanzania is an East African country which is bordered by Uganda and Kenya to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic republic of Congo to the west, Malawi and Mozambique to the south.
A number of activities are carried out during safaris to Tanzania which can be carried out during the different months of the year. The different safari activities carried out in destinations around Tanzania include the following;
Watching the wildebeest migration
During safaris in the northern part of Tanzania such as in Serengeti national park, over 1.5 million wildebeests can be seen as they move around the open plains. During the wildebeest migration other wildlife species like lions, gazelles and zebras can also be seen in the national park.
The wildebeest migration takes place annually during certain months of the year and can be seen in the months of June and July, and also around January to March. The river crossings can also be seen during the migration and the river crossings take place across Mara river and also the Grumeti river.
Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro is among the best hiking destinations in Tanzania and is also the highest mountain in Africa at 5895 meters.
Many tourists visit Mount Kilimanjaro for hiking along the different routes such as Lemosho route, Marangu route, Machame route, Shira route, Rongai route, Umbwe route and also the northern route. It takes about 6 or more days to hike to the top of the mountain (the summit) and back.
There are also other destinations in Tanzania where hiking is carried out during safaris and they include Oldonyo lengai, Empakaai and Olmoti crater, Mount Meru, Mount Hanang hike, Ngare sero hike and many other destinations.
Wildlife Safaris
Tanzania is famous for its beautiful landscape and also for numerous wildlife species which can be seen during safaris.
These safaris are carried out in the northern part of Tanzania in destinations like Serengeti national park, Lake Manyara national park, Arusha national park, Tarangire national park and the Ngorongoro conservation area.
Wildlife species can also be seen in many other destinations in the western and southern parts of Tanzania such as Selous game reserve, Katavi national park, Gombe stream national park among others.
The different wildlife species which can be seen during wildlife viewing experiences in Tanzania include elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos (big 5) , wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, giraffes, hippos, kudu, waterbucks, hartebeests, dik dik, elands, cheetahs, hyenas, warthogs among others.
Tree climbing lions are among the rare wildlife species which can be seen during a safari in Lake Manyara national park in the northern part of Tanzania. In this national park, night game drives are also carried out during safaris.
The Ngorongoro crater is also visited during safaris in the northern part of Tanzania and numerous wildlife species can be seen during game drives in the crater. There are also flamingos and many other bird species in the Ngorongoro crater. This crater was formed as a result of collapse of a volcano over 3 million years ago.
The best time of the year to engage in wildlife viewing safaris in Tanzania is during the dry season around June to October when wildlife species can be spotted around water points in the different destinations.
Activities which are carried out during wildlife safaris across destinations in Tanzania include game drives, nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching, canoeing, community visits among others.
Game drives are carried out at different times of the day and can be done in the morning, afternoon or evening and there are also night game drives in some of the destinations around Tanzania.
Community tours
A safari to Tanzania is more memorable when you encounter the Maasai people and get to know about the amazing culture of the different local communities around Tanzania.
During a safari around Tanzania, you can also interact with the Maasai, the Hadzabe, Datoga, Chagga among other locals. Interactions with these locals provides an insight on how they go about their daily tasks during the day, how they prepare food, enjoying traditional dance performances, visiting the traditional homesteads, learning how to hunt, visiting the kraals, enjoying traditional drinks, learning about the history of the locals among other activities.
The people in Tanzania are friendly and given that the different local communities are spread out across the country, they can easily be encountered. There are also some specific destinations which are set aside for these cultural tours such as Olpopongi which boosts in providing an authentic Maasai cultural experience to visitors.
Canopy walks
Another activity which can be carried out during a safari in Tanzania is the canopy walks. Lake Manyara national park provides this experience to visitors and it is done along the treetop walkway.
Lake Manyara national park is also known for its diverse scenery and in the forested part of the national park close to its entrance; visitors can enjoy walking along the suspended bridge which is about 18 meters off the ground as they enjoy viewing the canopy.
This activity attracts many nature lovers since the treetop walkway is one of the longest in Africa. The canopy walk can be combined with a wildlife viewing experience around Lake Manyara national park.
Bird watching
Bird lovers can also enjoy a safari across destinations in Tanzania which apart from being a popular wildlife viewing destination also has numerous bird species including endemic species, near endemic species among others.
The time of the year which is recommended for bird watching is during the months of November to April when migratory bird species can also be seen around Tanzania.
The different birds of Tanzania include ostriches, flamingos, sandgrouse, bustards, turacos, fluff tails, cranes, plovers, lapwings, cormorants, pelicans, shoebill, hamerkop, herons, egrets, storks, woodpeckers, hornbills, kingfishers, bee eaters, rollers, African barbets, shrikes, starlings, fly catchers, wagtails among others.
Hot air balloon safaris
What better way to explore the beauty of Tanzania’s wilderness than from a hot air balloon over the savannah.
Hot air balloon safaris are carried out in destinations around Tanzania such as Serengeti national park. This experience gives an aerial view of the destinations and after the experience, passengers enjoy breakfast and also champagne and later engage in other activities.
Horse riding
A Tanzania safari experience can also involve horse riding and they activity can be carried out in private reserves and also in Arusha national park.
Visiting Zanzibar
The coastal areas of Tanzania are also popular among tourists who visit for an experience of the white sand beaches, swimming in the Indian ocean waters, relaxing at the beaches among other activities.
Spice plantations of Zanzibar are also visited during tours on the island which has plantations of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper among others spices. A tour to these plantations is a chance to dazzle in the different spices of Zanzibar, learning more about their uses and also taste various spices and also enjoy a traditional lunch.
Visit Tanzania for a memorable safari experience across different destinations.
