Most Safaris in Tanzania are usually based around the popular northern circuit of National Parks, which will typically include Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Lake Manyara. Kilimanjaro is also in the North of Tanzania and the wonderful Western Kilimanjaro area where game viewing is on the Kenyan border with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. Arusha, is in the north and most safaris start and end in this [in every sense of the word] provincial town.

Dar es Salaam, one of the great cities of Africa, is the base for the southern circuit which includes wilder and much more exciting parks and reserves such as the Selous, Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains. Tanzania has Chimpanzees in the western part of the country and here scattered along the inaccessible west from Lake Tanganyika to the great Lake Victoria are National Parks every bit as game rich as the Serengeti; but as yet not many tourists know of these gems. They are difficult to access; with some of them boasting one lodge to a million hectares of park!

Some people say Tanzania is becoming touristy and if you go to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti in August and only safari into the Central Serengeti then yes I would agree this small section of Tanzania, at this time of year, is a little commercialized.

A note on the migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra; they are in the Southern Serengeti, where the grasslands are rich between December and March. Their young are born between Feb and March which encourages dramatic predator action. Then in May as the plains of the south and east dry out there is movement to the north and west, where there is more grass and more dependable water. In a dry year, the first wildebeest could be near the Mara River bordering Kenya in early July; in a wet year as late as mid August. The Migration need not all pass into Kenya and many stay behind or cross and re-cross the border areas. This carries on through till October / November, when they will start to move back south through the Serengeti.

For help with Tourism, looking for a reliable tour operator, budget or luxury safaris, accommodation on Zanzibar or looking for unusual destinations; try either Parks Adventure a good solid company offering excellent rates especially for groups of five or more. Offering a wide range of safaris and specializes in Kilimanjaro Treks. Naipenda Safaris is a good company and newer company with some very good reports received over the past year.

As we say in Swahili, karibu sana, and enjoy! Information on all the National Parks in Tanzania a great resource when planning a safari to either Northern, Southern or Western Tanzania. Climbing conditions for Kilimanjaro can also be found here.