The flora and fauna within Serengeti National Park is simply stunning. From grasslands and woodlands to plains, kopjes, and marshes, teeming with lions, wildebeest, elephants and birds, hiding in the shadows of huge umbrella-like acacia trees - the Savanna is just extraordinary. A little outside of the Serengeti is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area - a UNESCO site named after the huge volcanic caldera (a collapsed volcano) inside the park. The conservation area is the best place in Tanzania to track the Big Five and a wonderful opportunity to meet the people of the Masai tribe. A little further south is the Lake Manyara National Park - an excellent place to spot Hippos and vibrant flamboyances of flamingos as well as lions and zebras. The lake is a good spot for canoeing and the forests are perfect for hikers who enjoy getting as close as possible to the indigenous nature. The gigantic Victoria Lake that spans 3 countries also makes an appearance in Tanzania. This vast tropical body of water is home to an irresistibly beautiful collection of islands as well as cities such as Musoma and Bukoba that have a quaint waterside charm.
Tarangire National Park has Tanzania’s second-highest concentration of wildlife - which includes the largest concentration of elephants in the world, as well as 700 resident lions - sightings are very common, and no less than 450 bird species - making it one of the country’s most popular birdwatching parks. One of our favourite national parks in Tanzania is the small but perfectly formed Arusha National Park. This topographically varied circuit park is dominated by the stark cone of Mt Meru and thick with forestry and trekking possibilities. The wildlife isn’t anywhere close to as varied as the Serengeti, but the scenery is phenomenal with ancient trees, incredible views and lush vegetation.
When you’re done with the inland plains and dry lands of the Serengeti, it’s time to explore the jewelled white sand beaches and the crystalline waters of the enchanting Zanzibar Archipelago. The islands here have been shaped by thousands of years of monsoon winds, and are now a sleepy collection of small paradisiacal powder-white coral trimmed islands swimming in the deeply inviting waters of the Indian Ocean. The capital of the archipelago, Zanzibar Town, is on the island of Unguja along with the wonderful UNESCO-listed Stone Town - which is a maze of alleyways, lively restaurants, 19th century Swahili architecture, and spice markets, as well as centuries of history that spans native, Arabic and European.
