In Tanzania, it is still possible to find space and vast horizons and experience true wilderness. A Tanzania safari offers much more than the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle searching for fresh grazing on the Serengeti’s open plains. While the front-row drama of sleeping in a mobile tented camp in the path of the migration should not be underestimated, the Serengeti’s scenic beauty, high concentrations of resident game, and the geological wonders of the nearby Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro can be enjoyed year-round. To really lose the crowds, southern Tanzania’s Ruaha and Nyerere (Selous) national parks are hard to beat, especially for getting off the vehicle for guided walking safaris, boat cruises, and tag-and-release fishing.
Throughout the country, permanent lodges and tented camps in privately protected areas are the most sought-after beds to book, especially in high season, as vehicle numbers are finite and sightings feel exclusive. Safari outfits, like Singita and Legendary Expeditions, are helping to preserve millions of hectares of wilderness in concessions previously given over to hunting. By investing in these privately protected areas, they are also helping to displace poaching and secure important wildlife migration corridors. The best camps are constantly being tweaked and reinvented to keep up with the demand for space and comfort, from repositioning tents to maximise privacy and views to taking back-of-house operations entirely off-grid.
To close out the ultimate East African safari, a beach holiday on an unspoilt stretch of the coast or one of the islands in the Zanzibar archipelago is a chance to soak up the sun along with Swahili culture. AndBeyond’s Mnemba Island remains a winner.
Where to go on a safari in Tanzania
Tanzania’s well-travelled northern safari circuit, which includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara and Tarangire national parks, has the highest concentrations of big game in Africa, sustained by reliable water sources and fertile volcanic soil. It’s the obvious place to go on a first trip or if planning an unhurried return trip out of season. For all the migration action in the Serengeti, a mobile or seasonal camp is an excellent choice to keep up with the herds. Singita’s permanent Mara River Tented Camp and Legendary’s seasonal Nyasi camp are located in the Lamai triangle, a highly prized wedge between the Mara River and the Serengeti’s boundary with Kenya’s Masai Mara. There are only a handful of camps in the triangle, which means that outside of park hours, it is the most exclusive and convenient place to be during the river-crossing season (see ‘when to go’). Before booking any camp, finding out whether it is within easy reach of one of the known river crossing points is a good idea.
During the summer calving season, Legendary Expeditions operates Nyasi South, moving it from its northern location to an exclusive campsite in the private Maswa concession. It is part of a vital wildlife corridor between the busy Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park.
Throughout the year, the western Serengeti is known for large resident lion prides, East African antelope species, like topi and Thomson’s gazelle, and big herds of buffalo and elephants. So reliable are year-round wildlife encounters in this area that Mila Tented Camp has taken up a permanent position close to the Grumeti River.
The eastern Serengeti’s boulder-strewn grasslands were closed to tourism and reserved for research until a decade ago when Asilia Africa was the first to be granted permission to open a seasonal camp called Namiri Plains, that later became a grander, permanent version of the original. This is big cat territory known for incredible leopard, cheetah and lion sightings.
A place of short-grass plains, crater lakes and volcanic peaks, the 30,000-hectare Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera and a haven for thousands of zebra, wildebeest and other herbivores, as well as lion, black rhino and elephant. Follow hiking and birding around Empakaai Crater Lake with a local village visit to learn about the Maasai way of life.
Lake Manyara is known for its tree-climbing lions and incredible birding, including seasonal flocks of flamingoes.
Ruaha National Park is bigger than the Serengeti but with only a fraction of the visitors. Underrated Nyerere (previously called Selous) has a mighty river at its centre, hippo-filled lakes, dense woodland and open grasslands ideal for walking. Around Lake Tanganyika, chimp trekking in Mahale can be combined with fly camping in Katavi National Park.
When to go on a Tanzanian safari
The dry months (June to October) are the best time to explore the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara for concentrations of animals around water sources. The annual migration is not confined to one season but a perpetual cycle of movement that includes the famous high-season river crossings in the northern Serengeti (July to October), the herds moving far south to the short, grassy plains for the calving season (approximately December to March), then gathering in the central Serengeti (April to June) for the rutting season, before finally moving north again to complete the circle. The summer calving season, when thousands of young are born daily, offers more intense predator activity than the treacherous river crossings in the north. With climate change, the long and short rainy seasons in East Africa are no longer as regular or predictable as they once were, which could impact the movement of the animals. Even so, camps in prime locations will likely book up a year in advance. The days are hot during the so-called green season (November to March), and afternoon thundershowers settle dust. It is a good time for photography, also made easier by less crowded sightings.
Where to stay on safari in Tanzania
Singita Sasakwa Lodge, Grumeti Private Reserve
A spectacular location on top of Sasakwa Hill sets the tone for Singita’s flagship lodge in the Grumeti Private Reserve, bordering the Serengeti National Park. Everything about staying in this gracious homestead with its deep, wraparound verandahs and rolling lawns feels elevated, including the grand, artfully curated interiors featuring African art and intricately carved East African antiques. More home than a hotel, the lodge has nine grandly furnished cottages with one, two or three bedrooms and a four-bedroom villa. From sumptuous afternoon teas on the verandah to wine-paired, fresh produce-led tasting menus prepared by graduates from the on-site cooking school, the attention to detail is meticulous.
Best for: With tennis courts, rim-flow private pools, a spa, gym and boutique, Singita provides the ultimate soft landing in East Africa for first-timers and families or a grande finale at the close of a rigorous East African circuit.
Jabali Ridge Lodge, Ruaha National Park
The remote setting for this luxury lodge is the 20,226-square-kilometre Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania, which is 40 per cent bigger than the Serengeti but with a fraction of the visitors. The Great Ruaha River serves as a lifeline for the park’s wildlife, and large lion prides and leopards are common along the banks as they await their prey. Jabali’s eight futuristically shaped suites, open-to-the-elements main lodge, infinity pool and spa are tucked between enormous boulders on a kopje with 360-degree views over the park’s giant baobabs that stretch for as far as the eye can see. There is also a private villa for families with its pool.
Best for: An action-packed safari with a final-frontier feel, epic sightings of elephant and buffalo herds, walks, and those unbelievable baobabs, which flower after the rainy season.
AndBeyond Grumeti River Lodge, Grumeti River area, Western Serengeti
AndBeyond’s location in the western Serengeti has always been prime - about as close as you can get to the Grumeti River - but now it has a statement lodge worthy of the views, which have been perfectly framed at the entrance to the dining and lounge areas spilling onto cascading decks where you can see boulder-sized hippos jostling for space in the river, particularly during the dry, low-water season (winter months).
Best for: Those who love all-African designer digs that include many local crafts and support community empowerment projects. Ceilings are woven from banana fronds, while bold kitenge cloth is used innovatively to add joyful colour.
Mila Tented Camp, Western Serengeti
Brilliant year-round wildlife viewing is the reason why this low-key, explorer-style tented camp went from being a seasonal camp to occupying a prime spot close in the Nyasirori area to the Grumeti River – just five well-appointed tents and a two-bedroomed family tent that don’t feel decorated, despite being the height of safari chic, so that the surrounding landscapes remain the hero.
Best for: Disconnecting in nature, with the exclusivity of a private vehicle as standard, and plenty of space to claim as your own in camp - even at mealtimes, which are a highlight.
Namiri Plains, Eastern Serengeti
Namiri (Swahili for ‘big cat’) is an isolated savannah east of the Seronera airstrip closed to tourism for over 20 years to allow researchers to study cheetah, lion and leopard hunting behaviour on the plains. Migration access is between November and June, depending on the rains. Namiri Plains’ stylish tented accommodation (just eight suites) offers every creature comfort, wraparound views, and unrivalled access to the area’s big cat-dominated plains.
Best for: A blow-out honeymoon safari, thanks to the remote, romantic setting and unparalleled privacy. Each tented suite has an outdoor bath on a private deck - stargazing done right.
Mwiba Lodge, Southern Serengeti
Deep in a 52,000-hectare private wildlife reserve, this is one of the most sophisticated yet isolated lodges in the southern Serengeti, the place to be when the ungulates are calving. It offers exclusive access to authentic cultural experiences, such as immersive bush walks with the nomadic Hadza tribe. The ten canvas-and-glass suites are positioned between candelabra and fever trees, overlooking a river where buffalo and elephant come to drink, or are perched on stilts on a boulder-strewn koppie high above the open plains. As the land is private, guests can also do guided walks and night drives, enjoy sundowners on the edge of the escarpment, or take a helicopter flip.
Best for: For those who crave off-the-beaten-track adventure in a remote locale without giving up indulgences like a fine wine cellar, yoga pavilion, gym, or a clifftop pool with a shaded gazebo for lunch with a view. From December through March, you can see migrating herds kicking up dust in the distance while taking a dip!
Singita Faru Faru, Grumeti Reserve
Far Faru is a seductive mix of 1940s botanist’s camp, Scandi sophistication, modern African design, and carefree, barefoot Zanzibar vibes in the bush.
The camp’s nine stone, canvas and glass-walled suites include a family suite for four and a two-bedroom villa with its own pool. Another property that dispels the myth that the Serengeti is only worth visiting during the migration, it offers fantastic year-round game viewing out on the plains or right in front of camp at the busy waterhole. The pool deck is the best place to dine casually on delicious, globally inspired small plates and there is a spa and fitness centre to balance out indulging in Singita’s award-winning wine list.
Best for: Those who appreciate all the refinements that Singita brings to safari, along with action-packed game viewing. Another top honeymoon choice.
The Highlands, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Far from the madding crowds is an excellent way to describe the geodesic-domed tents of this solar-powered, impressively low-eco footprint camp in a quiet location on the Olmoti Crater with exclusive access to the main crater via the northerly Lemala Gate, which is on the opposite side of the crater to most of the other lodges - fewer vehicles, easier early morning access. Design-wise, the eight tents and main area take inspiration from the Scottish highlands and traditional Maasai bomas and has a ski lodge ambience. Maasai-inspired tartan, cowhide rugs, and purple heather-hued throws keep things cosy, along with wood-burning stoves in winter.
Best for: Additional excursions, like the Mount Empakai caldera hike taking in waterfalls, gnarled trees, flowering orchids, and a beautiful soda lake.
Forest Chem Chem Camp, Tarangire, Northern Tanzania
One of three camps in Chem Chem’s 20,000-hectare Burunge private concession, a conservation buffer zone between Lake Manyara and Tarangire national parks established to resurrect a vital elephant migration corridor. Very private, this little bush camp beneath a grove of fever trees is for exclusive use only and comes with a private vehicle and guide. Guests are encouraged to take it slow. The three vintage-style tents sport luxurious linen on wrought-iron four-poster beds where you can drink coffee in the morning while watching a herd of 50 elephants padding silently through the unfenced camp site.
Best for: Making up your safari as you go along, from walking with a Maasai warrior along the Tarangire River to interactive, open-fire cooking with a private chef who makes a very good chocolate cake.