Tailormade Holidays in Tanzania

Tour Code: TTZA

Tanzania seemingly has it all – superlative wildlife, stunning scenery and palm-fringed white sandy beaches with dazzling coral reefs. Whether it’s your first visit or you’re a safari connoisseur, Tanzania is sure to delight and reward you!

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Sample Itineraries

Create your own Tailormade holiday to Tanzania with dates and an itinerary to suit you. Click one to scroll down and view more info.

Classic Tanzania

12 Days

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Northern Tanzania Explorer

12 Days

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Tanzania's Undiscovered South

10 Days

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When to Go

Good Time to Go

ALL YEAR ROUND

Best Time to Go

January to March, June to October

Speak to a Tanzania expert

Paul Stanbury

Operations Manager

Email Call 1-844-433-9473

Where to Go

Serengeti National Park
Ngorongoro Crater
Arusha National Park
Tarangire National Park
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Summary

In the north, the Great Migration sees over a million Blue Wildebeest spill out onto the short-grass plains of the Serengeti each year, whilst the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater offers some of the best game-viewing in the whole of Africa. It’s also possible to get off the beaten track, passing traditional Maasai tribal lands, with a visit to the dazzling flamingo-lined Lake Natron. To the south, both the Nyerere National Park (formerly the Selous Game Reserve) and Ruaha National Park are perfect for a true wilderness safari experience, with plentiful game and lots of predators, all away from the tourist crowds.

The tropical spice island of Zanzibar, with its stunning beaches and interesting cultural history, is a popular post-safari chill-out choice, whereas the quieter island of Pemba sees much less tourist traffic. From both islands traditional fishing dhows ply the clear turquoise waters which also offer world-class snorkelling and diving.

There is an overwhelming selection of lodges, tented camps and hotels to choose from in Tanzania, from the most luxurious and exclusive lodges to many less lavish properties. At the heart of the Naturetrek philosophy, however, is the quality of the wildlife experience, so we have consequently chosen lodges or tented camps that will only enhance your wildlife experience – getting you out ahead of the crowds in the popular locations or ensuring you’re best placed to enjoy the greatest concentrations of game.

Our Locations

The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations. For most of the year, this vast reserve supports what is perhaps the most awesome spectacle in all of nature: the Great Migration. Following the rains and the growth of fresh grass, vast numbers of Blue Wildebeest, Plains Zebra, Topi and Thomson’s Gazelle, alongside smaller numbers of Common Eland and Grant’s Gazelle, traverse the unbroken plains. It is this sense of endlessness that gives the park its name; ‘Serengeti’ is derived from the Maasai word ‘siringet’, meaning “the place where the land runs on forever”. From a viewpoint atop one of the park’s rocky outcrops, it can indeed feel as if time and space give way, and that you have returned to an era when wildlife still reigned supreme over much of the Earth. No documentary can truly do justice to this magnificence – the Serengeti is a must-visit location for anyone with an interest in the natural world.

Accommodation in Serengeti National Park

To the south of Dar Es Salaam is the small beach location of Ras Kutani which can be reached either by car or via a short light aircraft flight onto a private air strip. The best hotel here is the blissful Ras Kutani which revels in secluded isolation with a simple but nevertheless luxurious feel. If all you want to do is lounge, enjoy long walks on the deserted beach, explore the coastal forest and get away from it all then this is the place to be after your safari!

Pemba Island is in many respects a quieter and more relaxed version of neighbouring Zanzibar and sees far fewer visiting tourists. Its beaches are invariably deserted, there is plenty of excellent snorkelling and divers will be in their element as the Pemba Channel is renowned as one of the best dive locations in East Africa. The island is covered by coastal forest, swamps and mangroves and there are many hidden beaches and lagoons to explore. Pemba is still the world’s main supplier of cloves, meeting around 70% of global demand for this spice. The Manta Resort is one of Pemba’s most luxurious beach hotels with a superb beach location, while the Pemba Lodge is a simpler eco-lodge on a delightful stretch of beach.

Accommodation in Pemba Island

Manta Resort

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The island of Zanzibar is encircled by swaying coconut palms and many small fishing villages whose fishermen still set sail in their elegant locally crafted dhows. Inland, spice plantations and lush forests dominate. But it is Zanzibar’s abundance of beautiful white sandy beaches and enticing turquoise seas, concealing coral reefs and colourful fish, that most entice the overseas visitor. The diving and snorkelling here are superb and provide an extra dimension to any wildlife holiday to Tanzania. Zanzibar’s historic main town, Stone Town, has been a trading post for exotic spices and other sought-after commodities for centuries and is worth a visit – although it is a rather hectic place by comparison with the tranquil beaches! A visit to the Jozani Forest Reserve is a good way to experience the best of the island’s coastal forests and mangroves, and a chance to see both Syke’s Monkey and the endemic Zanibar race of the rare Red Colobus monkey. There is a multitude of hotels to choose from on Zanzibar but some of our favourites include The Palms and Baraza, both of them exclusive beach hotels on the picturesque Bwejuu Beach.

Accommodation in Zanzibar Island

Diamonds Mapenzi Beach

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Bluebay Beach Resort

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Ruaha Red-billed Hornbill shutterstock_1546518905.jpg

Ruaha is a superb national park and, in terms of predators, one of the best in Africa. However, it is generally overlooked by visitors, such is Tanzania’s great wealth of other more scenic, better known, and more accessible parks – a blessing for those that do venture here! Not only is Ruaha’s wildlife prolific, but it is possible to drive all day in the park without seeing another vehicle – a true luxury in this part of Africa! Lions are particularly abundant, with a number of relatively conspicuous prides. Here they prey mainly on the large herds of African Buffalo, in the absence of Wildebeest, but are even known to take both African Elephant and Masai Giraffe! Other predators include Cheetah, Leopard, African Wild Dog and both Spotted and Striped Hyena. These keep the ungulates such as Impala, Grant’s Gazelle, Eland, Roan, Sable Antelope and both Lesser and Greater Kudu constantly on the look-out. Birders will also delight in the avifauna of which over 450 species have been recorded in the park including the endemic Tanzanian (Ruaha) Red-billed Hornbill. Ruaha’s safari camps and lodges are mostly located in the northern Msembe/Mwagusi area from where the Ruaha River can be accessed and the largest concentrations of game are present. Of particular note, and of importance to our clients, is the exceptionally high quality of the resident wildlife guides in Ruaha. Often touted as a destination for safari conoisseurs, Ruaha in truth will suit anyone who appreciates outstanding wildlife in a location away from the crowds and who will enjoy the walking safaris, night-drives, ‘in-camp’ birding and traditional game drives which are all possible here.

Accommodation in Ruaha National Park

Mdonya Old River Camp

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Ruaha River Lodge

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Named in honour of President Julius Nyerere, the founding father of independent Tanzania, the 30,893-square-kilometre Nyerere National Park is one of the largest protected wildlife areas in Africa. The park was gazetted in November 2019, when the Tanzanian government split the colossal 54,600-square-kilometre Selous Game Reserve into two parts. The northern section of the Nyerere National Park is the most accessible and game-rich, where the great Ruaha and Rufiji Rivers merge to form a network of braided channels and streams, plus several shallow ox-bow lakes. These give way to riverine forests and swamps, Miombo woodlands, open grasslands and acacia-clad hills, which together host a diverse ecosystem that includes noteworthy populations of Black Rhino, Lion, Cheetah, Masai Giraffe and African Buffalo. African Elephants thrive here in particular, and the Greater Selous-Niassa ecosystem – which incorporates Mozambique's Niassa Game Reserve – hosts around 65,000 individuals that migrate between these two reserves along a ‘wildlife corridor’ of international significance. Nyerere National Park is also home to one of Africa’s most important populations of African Wild Dog and is as good a place as any in which to search for these elusive pack hunters. Other game includes Sable Antelope, Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest, Greater Kudu, Eland and Blue Wildebeest amongst others. Over 350 bird species have also been recorded, amongst them such iconic species as Saddle-billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Giant Kingfisher and Carmine Bee-eater. Boat safaris on the Rufiji River allow close encounters with Nile Crocodile and Hippo and are amongst the highlights of a visit here, as are the opportunities for walking safaris and ‘fly-camping’. The Nyerere National Park is best enjoyed in combination with Ruaha.

Accommodation in Nyerere National Park

Selous Impala Camp

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Rufiji River Camp

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Flamingos, Lake Natron, Tanzania (Sebastien Burel).jpg

The journey to Lake Natron winds through rural Masai tribal lands and past stunning volcanoes that line the floor of the Great African Rift Valley. It is a bumpy ride on largely unpaved roads, but the few intrepid tourists that do make it here are in for a treat! The scenery is out of this world and the birding is exceptional. The lake itself is a shallow soda lake covering over 1,000 square kilometres, with an average depth of only three metres; it is a caustic environment with an alkalinity similar to ammonia and hostile to all but the very toughest of life. In season, flocks of migrating waders feed along the lake’s muddy fringes, alongside them such resident African species as Chestnut-banded Plover, Three-banded Plover and the elusive Greater Painted Snipe. White-winged Terns and Collared Pratincoles hawk for insects overhead whilst African Spoonbills, Sacred Ibis and Great Egret feed in the shallows. This is the only regular breeding site for East Africa’s 2.5 million Lesser Flamingoes, although the birds only breed if the salinity and depth of the water is just right and, even then, tend to congregate on the more inaccessible islands in the centre of the lake. Lake Natron will primarily appeal to those interested in escaping the main tourist routes and going deep into rural Tanzania, and who are willing to accept a few hours of bumpy road travel in return for some of the most spectacular scenery in the country! There are a handful of simple but adequate camps to choose from in the area.

This lesser-known park is an essential watering point for thousands of animals that come here from the southern Masai-lands to the thirstquenching Tarangire River. In the park’s rolling bushland and savannah, which is punctuated by spectacular Baobab trees, good numbers of African Buffalo, Eland, Masai Giraffe, Plains Zebra, Impala and Lesser Kudu are found, as well as huge herds of African Elephants up to 300- strong. Indeed, during the dry season when the animals crowd the shrinking waterholes, Tarangire holds the greatest concentration of game outside the Serengeti! Inevitably such large numbers of prey species attract plenty of predators, amongst them Leopard, Cheetah and the elusive Wild Dog. Lions, too, occur in good numbers and, unlike other African populations, are known to regularly climb trees here! This is an excellent place to stop for a night or two before heading on to the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater. The nearby Lake Manyara is a similarly good spot with particularly good birding.

Accommodation in Tarangire National Park

Tarangire Sopa

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Aldous Huxley proclaimed Arusha as the jewel of African national parks – it is easy to see why. Set between the towering peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, the park has three distinct zones, the lush swamps and forests of the Ngurdoto Crater, the tranquil beauty of the Momella Lakes and the rocky alpine heights of Mount Meru. Of these, the Momella Lakes are particularly rewarding for wildlife. In addition to the pink flush of Lesser and Greater Flamingoes that carpet the shoreline, the lakes are home to a host of other waterbirds including Hamerkop, Hadada Ibis, African Spoonbill, Southern Pochard, Maccoa Duck and a rich variety of waders. Hippos are common and Waterbuck and Kirk’s Dik-dik loiter beside their drinking pools. From watch-points on the forested rim of the Ngurdoto Crater, Warthogs, Masai Giraffes, African Buffaloes and other mammals may be observed as they feed in the peaceful grasslands of the crater floor, whilst within the forests hide Bushbuck, Vervet Monkeys and Guereza Colobus, together with an exciting though elusive avifauna. The latter may include such species as Bronze-naped and Olive Pigeons, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Spotted-flanked and Brown-breasted Barbets, White-winged Widowbird and a variety of colourful sunbirds and weavers.

Accommodation in Arusha National Park

Arusha Serena Hotel

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Zebra Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Shutterstock 212602420

Africa is a land of dramatic landscapes, but none surely is as wondrous as the Ngorongoro Crater! As you drive up through the densely forested and liana-covered slopes of the crater rim the excitement builds until you reach the rim itself and peer down to see the immense crater floor dotted with animals, trees and lakes. At over 600 metres deep and 20 kilometres wide this is the world’s largest volcanic caldera and its extensive grasslands, mosaic forest, marshes and lakes protect vast quantities of game and predators alike. Critically, the crater is watered throughout the year and this means that its population of over 30,000 large mammals remains resident throughout the year, rather than having to migrate. These mammals include Blue Wildebeest, African Buffalo, Plains Zebra, Grant’s and Thomson’s Gazelles, African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros, Hippo, Lion, Spotted Hyena and Black-backed Jackal. Indeed Ngorongoro is one of the few places in Africa where the ‘Big Five’ (African Buffalo, African Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Rhino) can be seen in one place. The birdlife is no less spectacular with an exciting range of waterbirds and waders in evidence, plus Greycrowned Crane, large flocks of Abdim’s Storks, the localised Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Grosbeak Weaver, Red-collared Widowbird and tens of thousands of Greater and Lesser Flamingoes that line the saline shores of Lake Magadi. The game-viewing is easy and usually a 2-night stay is sufficient to make the most of this incredible location.

Accommodation in Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

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Lemala Ngorongoro Camp

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Ngorongoro Farm House

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Ngorongoro Serena

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Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge

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Blue Wildebeest, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

There are few places in Africa more dramatically beautiful than Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater. From the rim of this extinct, collapsed volcano, visitors can gaze in awe over the plains, forests, marshes and lakes below; these varied habitats support some of the highest densities of large mammals on Earth, including all the members of the famous ‘Big Five’. The crater itself gives its name to the wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), an enormous 800,000-hectare landscape where wildlife lives alongside traditional Maasai pastoralists and their livestock. This reserve is part of the epic Serengeti ecosystem and is a stronghold for many rare creatures; furthermore, for several months of the year it plays host to the vast herds of the Great Migration. Also within the NCA is the renowned Olduvai Gorge, where many of the most crucial discoveries about the history of human evolution have been made. Ngorongoro is, quite simply, a place of almost unrivalled variety and fascination.

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Sample Itineraries

Spend time in two of the world’s greatest wildlife locations, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater ... but not before whetting your appetite in two of Tanzania’s other excellent national parks.

Day

Depart UK

Days

2 - 3

Arusha National Park

Days

4 - 5

Tarangire National Park

Days

6 - 7

Ngorongoro Crater

Days

8 - 10

Serengeti National Park

Day

Depart Arusha

Day

Arrive UK

12 Days (Flight Inclusive)

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Optionally Extend Your Holiday:

Option 1 – fly to one of our recommended beach destinations for some coastal relaxation for a length of stay of your choosing, before returning home. Option 2 – game-viewing in southern Tanzania

Days

11 - 14

Nyerere National Park

Day

Depart Dar es Salaam

Day

Arrive UK

This itinerary includes all the northern highlights as well as a visit to the strikingly beautiful and bird-rich Lake Natron - miles off the beaten track!

Day

Depart UK

Days

2 - 3

Arusha National Park

Days

4 - 5

Lake Natron

Days

6 - 8

Serengeti National Park

Days

9 - 10

Ngorongoro Crater

Day

Drive Arusha, via Lake Manyara, before flying home

Day

Arrive UK

12 Days (Flight Inclusive)

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Optionally Extend Your Holiday:

Choose to extend your holiday with extra nights in the Serengeti or at one of the many beach spots.

A short holiday that packs a punch, visiting two of East Africa's very best wilderness safari destinations: Nyerere and Ruaha!

Day

Depart UK

Days

2 - 4

Nyerere National Park

Days

5 - 8

Ruaha National Park

Day

Fly Home

Day

Arrive UK

10 Days (Flight Inclusive)

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Optionally Extend Your Holiday:

The most popular choice is to add beach and relaxation time on at either Zanzibar or Pemba islands. However, it is possible to travel north for more wildlife-viewing.

Reviews

Richard & Sue D, Oct 2025

Everything ran like clockwork. The guides and camps were exceptional. The unrivalled game viewing without any other vehicles in the vicinity was the best we’ve had in Africa. This was a safari for people who have already experienced previous trips – perhaps not for the first timer, but for us it was just amazing and we would certainly like to do it again.

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The Essentials

Wildlife Guides

For visits to the northern parks, where lodge/camp-based guides are not available, we will provide a good local naturalist guide if required. In the southern parks and reserves, excellent local naturalist guides are available at most of the lodges and tented camps. However, if you would like to be accompanied throughout by a dedicated expert naturalist or ornithologist, we will be pleased to arrange this for you.

When to Visit

Tanzania is blessed with a tropical climate and is warm/hot year-round, though at its higher altitude sites nights can be chilly. For example, some warmer clothes are certainly required for the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti and Ruaha, all of them well above sea level. January to March is a great time to travel as the Wildebeest are relatively stationary whilst grazing and calving on the short-grass plains around Ndutu in the southern Serengeti. The period between April and the end of May is marked by the ‘long rains’. At this time tourist numbers drop dramatically and although game is still present it can be a little harder to locate. However, this can be a rewarding time as prices are lower and you often have the parks to yourselves. June to October is the best time to explore Nyerere and Ruaha when water resources are lowest and therefore wildlife-viewing is at its best.

Getting Around

Tanzania is a vast country and most holidays focus either on a northern or southern ‘circuit’. In the north, it is often best to be driven to the Serengeti, stopping at other reserves en route, before flying back on a short domestic flight to Arusha and on to your next destination – whether the beach or back home. The southern parks of Nyerere and Ruaha combine well, although a short scheduled flight between the two is preferable to avoid a long and protracted day on the road. It is also possible to combine both the north and the south, although the price does rise dramatically for this privilege. Wherever you choose to safari in Tanzania, it is always possible to enjoy time at one of the great beach locations of Zanzibar, Pemba or one of the excellent mainland beach locations, such as Ras Kutani – especially if you enjoy exploring the underwater world!

Why Naturetrek Tailormade?

A Naturetrek Tailormade holiday allows you, with the benefit of our wildlife travel expertise and destination experience, to enjoy the perfect private wildlife holiday – one that truly matches your requirements, expectations and ambitions. We will ensure the most competitive prices, superb naturalist guides and seamless ground services.

Some of the benefits of Naturetrek Tailormade travel include:
• A bespoke itinerary which is crafted by experts and designed specifically for you
• Private guiding by the very best local naturalists
• Travel with people you know, at your own pace
• Incorporate as much culture, history or relaxation time as you wish
• Choose dates to suit you
• Select your preferred style of accommodation
• Travel with families and children of any age

Furthermore, our Tailormade team are always on hand to help and guide you along the way, with friendly advice, first-hand knowledge and inside information specific to your destination of choice. So if you have any queries about your holiday, we will be delighted to answer them. Please just give us a call!