How Long Should You Spend In A Tanzania Safari?

How Long Should You Spend In A Tanzania Safari? Ever considered going on a safari in Tanzania but were discouraged by the difficult questions? How long does a safari in Tanzania last? How many days are ideal for a Tanzanian safari? As a genuine response depends on your interests and preferences, only you can really provide an answer. How much do you want to watch the animals’ behavior, take your time, etc.? When choosing the length of your safari, keep these additional aspects in mind. These include time, money, seasons, travel distance, etc.

Tanzania is a sizable nation, roughly equal to the combined sizes of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Whether you’re on a short safari to see the must-see wildlife attractions or a fast beach vacation, or whether you desire a deeper immersion in Tanzania’s wider diversity, will determine how much time you should allot.

Tanzania never ceases to amaze with its plethora of wildlife, distinctive natural sites, expansive beaches, and vibrant tribal culture. Some top-notch wildlife reserves, including the well-known Serengeti and Ngorongoro, are located in its northern circuit, while hidden jewels like Ruaha, Katavi, Nyerere and Selous are found in the southern part of the nation.

Beach lovers will find paradise on the remote, sunny expanses of Mafia Island and Zanzibar. Also, anyone visiting Tanzania will undoubtedly fall in love with the cultural tour in Maasai and Hadzabe people.

 WHY VISIT TANZANIA?

Because it has it all! As simple as that.

ü  Visit one or more of the 22 national parks and 14 animal reserves, which together occupy nearly 30% of the nation, if you enjoy the outdoors. Tanzania is home to more than 4 million species, including all five members of the Big Five: lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, elephants, and buffaloes. If you love animals, Tanzania offers one of the largest concentrations of biodiversity in the world. Thousands of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, giraffes, cheetahs, warthogs, baboons, hippos, and other animals will also be visible to you. The full package.

ü  Zanzibar Island, which has miles of beaches with white sand and turquoise water, is the place to go if you enjoy the beach.

 ü  If you enjoy climbing, challenge yourself to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing peak.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO TANZANIA

Despite Tanzania’s enormous size, the list of top sights is not very long. If you only have a few days, you should probably go to Zanzibar for some beach time and water sports, with the added bonus of visiting Stone Town to learn more about the local culture. The most popular addition to a seven-day (or longer) safari tour is Zanzibar. Tanzania’s main attraction is its enormous wealth of wildlife, where its more than 32 game reserves make up about 30% of the nation. The three regional zones where they are concentrated are the wildly popular “Northern Circuit,” the far less frequented “Southern Circuit,” and the “Western Circuit.”

A week at least is required for a Tanzania safari experience. The northern circuit, where the parks are more or less next to one another, is where you can see pretty much everything you’ll wish to see, despite the fact that each of the game reserves has its own unique draw: The annual migration of two million wildebeest, zebra, and different species of antelope makes Serengeti National Park unique. Ngorongoro Crater has the highest concentration of year-round game in the world. Tarangire is home to enormous herds of elephants. Lake Manyara National Park is home to enormous flocks of flamingos. A huge number of black rhinos can be found in the south of Tanzania in the pristine Nyerere National Park (Selous Game Reserve), and chimpanzees are well-known in Tanzania’s far west in the mountainous Gombe and Mahale national parks.

If you want to increase the number of species you see and experience in various biological areas, two weeks would be the ideal amount of time to combine two or even three regions. If you have more time, you can really do Tanzania justice by experiencing nearly all of the essential opportunities for wildlife viewing. Depending on the route used, active tourists who want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro will need at least one week.

 Be sure to take the time to get between places. Most wildlife parks on the northern circuit are easily accessible by safari vehicle, but the parks on the western and southern circuits are more dispersed. Thankfully, practically every reserve has access to an airfield, making travel between locations commonplace.

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD I SPEND IN TANZANIA?

A quick safari trip to Tanzania can take less than a week and focus on a few of the nation’s northern national parks. A few itineraries also include Lake Manyara, although the majority of them include the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. At least one beach site is included in more extensive journeys that span a week or longer, with Zanzibar being the most well-liked.

To really understand the country, though, we advise that you choose a vacation that lasts at least 10 days and includes stops like Selous game reserve/Nyerere National park and the African Great Lakes, which include Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, on your itinerary. People from several ethnic groups, notably the Maasai, reside close to the lakes. As an alternative, you may stop pursuing wildlife and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. If scaling cliffs isn’t your thing, consider going on a hike on nearby Mount Meru.

TANZANIA IN 3-4 DAYS

Arriving at Zanzibar International Airport, followed by a transport to a resort hotel on the island’s beach-lined eastern shore, is the start of the ideal weekend escape. After your flight, unwind by lying on the lovely white sands and taking short breaks to go swimming or snorkeling in the turquoise Indian Ocean. The following day, take a tour of Zanzibar’s Stone Town, a former commercial harbor that displays the island’s 1,000-year history of African, Arab, Indian, and European influence. Many architectural landmarks, bustling marketplaces, and small lanes brimming with local activity may all be found there.

On day three, spend additional time at the beach and possibly add a scuba diving excursion to the coral gardens or a sunset dhow cruise. On day four, depart for home.

 TANZANIA IN A WEEK

During a weeklong tour of Tanzania, cross off the Big Five from your bucket list while also seeing a beach resort and the wildlife preserves along the country’s northern circuit. For the ultimate safari experience, take game drives through the Serengeti’s expansive plains and down to the crater floor of Ngorongoro. Birdwatchers should visit Lake Manyara, while those curious about human evolution can visit the Olduvai Gorge. Relax on one of Zanzibar’s sun-drenched beaches or choose a beach on the mainland, like Pangani, for your last few moments of travel. Discover all there is to do in Tanzania with our one-week tours there.

TANZANIA IN 10 DAYS

A ten-day tour is perfect for leisurely travel and lasts around a week or less for short trips to Tanzania. See Dar es Salaam’s bustling markets and then go birdwatching in the adjacent Pugu Hills. Those who want to see the Big Five can head to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, where hikers will feel at home among the towering cliffs and lush vegetation of the Udzungwa Mountains. Alternately, climb Africa’s biggest peak by slogging up its ice rocks, Kilimanjaro. You may even combine mountaineering with a savanna safari if you have ten extra days. For those looking to experience real Maasai culture, Tanzania’s lake region is full of hamlets. The two most well-known islands off the country’s coast, Zanzibar and Mafia, provide isolated beaches and a cooling plunge after a long day.

 TANZANIA IN 14 DAYS

A two-week visit to Tanzania enables a more thorough understanding of the nation and its culture. During your 14 days in Tanzania, visit nature reserves in the country’s northern and southern circuits or concentrate on a close examination of a few national parks. Traveling on a wildlife safari should be combined with a climb across Mount Meru’s foothills. You then ride around the cities and villages of Ukerewe Island while sailing in Lake Victoria. Alternately, cross off the well-traveled locations on your list and go to Gombe National Park to walk in the footsteps of renowned primatologist Jane Goodall. Add Katavi and Mahale National Park to your schedule and take a dhow trip on Lake Tanganyika for a well-rounded adventure. Discover the colorful underwater world of more than 250 cichlid species by snorkeling in the small lagoons of the lake.

 TANZANIA IN 3-4 WEEKS

By adding two “Southern Circuit” game parks and additional treasures in the “Western Circuit” to the preceding 2-week schedule, you may really get to know Tanzania’s game parks.

We advise starting with the 10-day itinerary you chose from the list above. Finally, on Day 11, take a flight to Africa’s largest standalone national park, Nyerere National Park (previously Selous Game Reserve), where you can spend three days. After the periodic rains, much of its variegated topography resembles Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Boat safaris on the Rufiji River and visits to the area’s frequently flooded lakes, home to sizable populations of crocodiles and hippos, are recommended activities. The park is thought to be the last true bastion for African wild dogs, and it is also home to large populations of buffalo, elephants, and lions. Fly to Ruaha National Park on Day 13, one of Tanzania’s best-kept safari secrets. With the exception of rhinos, it features all the wildlife found in the well-known “northern circuit” bucket-list locations, including sizable lion prides (sometimes with 20 or more members) and more than 570 different kinds of birds. You have time to go on a walking safari, a hot air balloon safari, a morning 4×4 safari, and an afternoon 4×4 safari with two full days here.

 The largest herds of buffalo in Africa can be found in Katavi National Park, a pristine wilderness that you can see on day 15. It’s yearly flooding and marshy plains, which resemble the Okavango Delta, are home to 4,000 elephants, 4,000 hippos, and crocodiles. Transfer to Mahale after spending two days here. From there, take a quick dhow trip on Lake Tanganyika to your camp in the Mahale Mountain National Park, where you’ll spend three nights while spending your days on chimp treks through the forest. (Or, if you want, visit Gombe National Park). Fly back to Arusha or Dar es Salaam to finish. We advise including a gorilla trek in either Rwanda or Uganda if you’re fortunate enough to have an extra week in Tanzania.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT TANZANIA?

June through September are the ideal months to travel to North Tanzania. Animals are easy to identify because of the dry season and sparse foliage. The Great Migration and the Mara River crossing in the Serengeti National Park can both be seen at their best during this period. Since it is the busiest travel period, hotels may be booked months in advance. Because of the primarily cold and dry weather, it is also one of the finest times to travel to Zanzibar Island.

The shoulder season, which lasts from October to February, features warmer weather and moderate rainfall. The timing is ideal for seeing birds. When the herds are in the southern Serengeti in January for calving, you can also anticipate seeing a lot of species there. Since it is a slower travel time, hotel rates may be lower than during the busiest times. With hot and dry weather from December to February, these months are also ideal for travel to Zanzibar. Nevertheless, heavy rains from March to May should be avoided.

PLANNING A TRIP TO TANZANIA?

Please feel free to contact our travel specialists in Tanzania if the aforementioned ideas have motivated you to create your very own Tanzania safari itinerary.