What to know when planning your Tanzanian safari
est time to go to Tanzania for safari and what are the benefit. Tanzania being home to more than 19 national parks, that covers about 42.000 square kilometers, Tanzania is the perfect choice when it comes to planning a safari adventure. As there are many options on where to go, we have here tried to make you a comprehensive guide to planning your safari in our favorite parks located in the northern circuit!
"It was the most spectacular experience to witness the wildebeest migration through Serengeti. The vastness and greatness of the dry plains really takes your breath away. And to finish of the trip with the descent into Ngorongoro Crater - the most amazing trip of our life!"
THE NATIONAL PARKS
When planning a safari in the northern part of Tanzania, there are four parks most travelers choose between. In this section, we have described each of them to give travelers a better idea of what to expect and especially when is best time to visit the parks. And Best time to go on Tanzania for safari
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire is the 6th biggest national park in Tanzania and is mostly known for its great elephant herds. The park is located approximately 1,5 hours drive from Arusha, making it a great starting point for a longer safari as well as a perfect destination for a one-day trip. It is named after the Tarangire River, that crosses through the park. During the dry season from June to October, the animals and the large elephant herds in particular gather at the dry banks of the lake to search for water, enabling some amazing wildlife spotting – which is why this time of the year is the best to visit Tarangire. However, during the wet season, the animals are still visible, just more spread out within the park. Another plus for visiting the park in the wet season is that the vegetation will be much more green and lush. Tarangire is also very known for its rich birdlife – in fact, more than 550 species lives in the park. Best time to go on Tanzania for safari
Lake Manyara National Park
Located not far from Tarangire is Lake Manyara National Park, making it a great second stop on a longer safari trip or a one-day as well. Inside the park lies the great Lake Manyara, which have given name to the park. The lake covers about 2/3 of the parks surface depending on season and hosts beautiful flamingos and hippos. Lake Manyara is also known for its famous tree-climbing lions, which are quite rare. As well as lions, wildlife like giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks and zebras can easily be spotted in the park. It also hosts a rich birdlife as the lake makes up a great living place for many species. As well as in the Tarangire, the best time to visit Lake Manyara is the dry season, as the animals all gather at the small remaining water sources making them easy to spot. Best time to go on Tanzania for safari
Serengeti National Park
The name “Serengeti” originated from masaai-language and means “endless plains” – and it truly is! The national park covers an area 15.000 square kilometers and is home to over 2 million ungulates, 4000 lions, 1000 leopard, 550 cheetahs and some 500 bird species. The park consists mainly of savannah and plains with little vegetation making some spectacular views of the skies and horizon. The Serengeti is in particular known for the great wildebeest migration, where the animals move after the seasons in search for grass and water. Many travelers are looking for the best time of the year to experience this phenomena and the answer is simple – Serengeti offers extraordinary wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the year – you just need to know when to go where to admire one of nature’s last remaining true spectacles: the Great Migration. For example, winter is the best time to see the herd in Southern Serengeti, while the Western Corridor and Northern Serengeti are the best places to spend the summer and autumn months. Most travelers pick the dry season (June to October) for a safari in the Serengeti National Park. Animals gather around rivers and waterholes to quench their thirst. The Great Migration is at its absolute prime and your chances of witnessing an iconic river crossing are at their best. Though, as this park is well-known and popular, it can get crowded during this high-season – something you might avoid if planning your trip during the less popular wet-season. Best time to go on Tanzania for safari
Ngorongoro Crater
Last but not least, you have the Ngorongoro Crater. This unique crater was formed when a large volcano erupted and collapsed on itself. This explosion created a caldera approximately two and a half million years ago. Being one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, Ngorongoro Crater offers astounding scenery and extraordinary wildlife experiences. As all accommodations are located on the crater rim, you will be able to enjoy the full view of the crater before descending into it. Inside the crater lives lions, hyenas, cheetahs, zebras, buffaloes and the famous and rare rhinos. The Ngorongoro Crater can be visited throughout the year. During the dry season, grass and vegetation is shorter making it easy to spot wildlife. However, as Ngorongoro is the main attraction of Tanzanian safaris, the park can get very crowded in the high season. This can be avoided when visiting during the wet season, but during this time temperatures can be quite low during night and morning. Best time to go on Tanzania for safari
WHEN PLANNING YOUR SAFARI
While you are at home daydreaming about your coming trip to Tanzania and planning your safari, there are several things to think about and decide:
- First of all, you must decide which national parks you wish to visit. As mentioned in the section above, they each have their own advantages and the choice therefore mainly depends on your wishes and budget. Tarangire and Lake Manyara have slightly cheaper entrance fees than Serengeti and Ngorongoro and would therefore be the cheapest option.
- Second, you must decide the number of days you wish to go on safari. The length can vary from 1 day to more than 7 days and is therefore very flexible. If you wish to visit all the 4 parks we described above, we recommend you to plan a 4 day safari.
- Third, you must decide if you wish it to be a private safari for you and your companions alone or if you wish it to be a shared group safari. Both have pros and cons. If choosing a private safari, you will have the luxury of a complete vehicle to yourself and only the company of your travel partners. On the other hand, you will be fewer people to share the cost of the safari and therefore looking at a more expensive option. If choosing a shared group safari, you will be a full car of travelers and hereby bringing down the cost of the trip.
- Fourth, you must decide your type of accommodation. Are you looking for the cheapest option with camping in tents or the most expensive and luxurious lodges? Or maybe somewhere in between with stationary campsites or mid-range lodges? The total cost of the safari trip depends a lot on the kind of accommodation
Once you have thought of these things and decided what kind of safari you want to go on – whether its a budget camping safari or a luxury safari trip with hot-air balloon expeditions over the Serengeti (yes, that is a possibility!), then comes the next question:
How exactly do you book your safari?
A quick google search will display endless companies and safari types and it might seem confusing. And how to find the right fit for you there is not one answer to. Our suggestion is to reach out to your accommodation – most often they will have a suggestion on how to get the best trip for you! Most companies can provide you examples of the most popular safari trips and often offer various packages to fit the travelers needs – for example a “honey-moon safari package” for newly weds or a “family safari package” for families traveling with children.
Many travelers often gets surprised of the average price of a safari trip in Tanzania as it can be quite expensive depending on what kind of a trip you wish for. However, we hope our short guide will be helpful for you to plan the safari of your dreams!
If you wish to visit our tour-page and are interested in hearing more about the trips we offer, then click here.
