Northern Circuit
Serengeti National Park
The endless rolling plains where the Great Migration pulses year-round.
Best Timing: Year-round (Jan–Mar calving in south, Jul–Oct crossings in north)
Lion · Leopard · CheetahExplore field notes→
Wild landscapes
Destinations of Tanzania
From the endless grass horizon of the Serengeti to the volcanic rim of Ngorongoro, the baobab valleys of Tarangire, the chimpanzee forests of Gombe, and the turquoise coral shallows of Zanzibar.
Northern Highlands
Ngorongoro Crater
A 600-metre deep unbroken volcanic caldera holding thirty thousand wild animals.
Best Timing: Year-round (early mornings essential before dust and crowds)
Black Rhino · Lion · Bull ElephantExplore field notes→
Northern Circuit
Tarangire National Park
Ancient baobab forests and the greatest elephant concentration on the continent.
Best Timing: June to November (dry season concentration along the river)
African Elephant · Lion · LeopardExplore field notes→
Rift Valley
Lake Manyara National Park
Underground groundwater springs beneath the dramatic Great Rift Valley wall.
Best Timing: June to October for mammals; November to May for birdlife
Tree-climbing Lion · Olive Baboon · Blue MonkeyExplore field notes→
Northern Highlands
Mount Kilimanjaro
The roof of Africa: 5,895 metres of snow and ice rising above equatorial plains.
Best Timing: January–March and July–October for clear summit skies
Blue Monkey · Black-and-White Colobus · Crowned EagleExplore field notes→
Southern Circuit
Ruaha National Park
Tanzania’s untamed southern heartland of red dust, sand rivers, and predator packs.
Best Timing: June to October (dry season when wildlife crowds the riverbeds)
Lion · Leopard · Greater KuduExplore field notes→
Southern Circuit
Nyerere National Park (Selous)
The vast waterways, oxbow lakes, and borassus palm forests of the Rufiji River basin.
Best Timing: July to October (best wildlife concentrations and clear river conditions)
African Wild Dog · Hippopotamus · Nile CrocodileExplore field notes→
Western Rift
Gombe Stream National Park
The remote forest sanctuary on Lake Tanganyika where Jane Goodall opened human eyes to chimpanzees.
Best Timing: July to October (driest months for steep trail climbing)
Chimpanzee · Red Colobus Monkey · Olive BaboonExplore field notes→
Swahili Coast
Zanzibar Archipelago
Turquoise coral atolls, historic stone alleyways, and the aroma of cloves and nutmeg.
Best Timing: June to October and December to March
Green Sea Turtle · Spinner Dolphin · Giant Aldabra TortoiseExplore field notes→
Northern Hub
Arusha & Mount Meru Foothills
The gateway to the north: cool highland air, coffee estates, and volcanic ridges.
Best Timing: Year-round (pleasant 1,400m altitude keeps days warm and nights cool)
Black-and-White Colobus · Harvey’s Red Duiker · GiraffeExplore field notes→