Best Things to Do in Tanzania

Tanzania combines the African continent’s most iconic wildlife experiences with extraordinary geographic diversity: the Serengeti’s infinite grassy plains, the forested slopes of Kilimanjaro rising from the surrounding savanna, the alkaline lakes of the Rift Valley with their flamingo populations, and the Indian Ocean coast with its coral reefs and Swahili cultural heritage. The things to do in Tanzania are anchored by the northern safari circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara) and Kilimanjaro, but extend to the southern safari gems (Nyerere/Selous, Ruaha — Tanzania’s largest park), the chimpanzee tracking of Mahale and Gombe (on Lake Tanganyika’s shores), and the beach and culture of Zanzibar.

Best time to visit

The Great Wildebeest Migration timing determines much of Tanzania’s safari calendar. The calving season on the Serengeti’s southern plains (Ndutu area) peaks January-February — one of the most spectacular wildlife events on earth. The dramatic river crossings (Mara River, with crocodile attacks) occur July-October when the herds are in the northern Serengeti and Masai Mara. The dry season (June-October) is the best overall for wildlife viewing: animals concentrate at water sources, vegetation is lower, and the malaria risk decreases. December through March is the wet season (long rains in March-May, short rains in November-December); game viewing is harder but Ndutu calving makes it worthwhile. Kilimanjaro climbing is best January-March and June-October (clearer skies, less rain).

Getting around

Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam (DAR) is the main international gateway, with Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) serving the northern circuit directly. Within Tanzania, internal flights are essential for serious safari travel: Dar to Arusha (1 hour), Arusha to Serengeti (1 hour), Dar to Ruaha (1 hour). Scheduled flights on Coastal Aviation, Air Excel, and Auric Air connect the safari camps. By road, the northern circuit (Arusha to Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti) is accessible but takes 3-8 hours between parks. The ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (Azam Marine or similar) takes 2 hours.

What to eat and drink

Tanzanian food is the least celebrated aspect of the country for tourists. The staple is ugali (maize porridge, eaten with stew, nyama choma/grilled meat, or fish). On the coast and Zanzibar, the food is better: pilau rice (rice cooked with spices — cardamom, cinnamon, cumin — reflecting the Arab and Indian Ocean trade influence), fresh seafood, and the Zanzibar specialty of urojo (the Zanzibar mix, a curry-based soup with various additions sold at Forodhani Gardens in Stone Town in the evenings). Chipsi mayai (chips and egg, a ubiquitous East African snack) and mandazi (fried doughnuts) are street foods available everywhere. Kilimanjaro beer (brewed in Arusha) and Safari beer are the local beers.Top things to doSerengeti safari and the wildebeest migration – The Serengeti (14,763 sq km) hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration on earth: 1.5 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebra, and 500,000 Thomson’s gazelle circling the ecosystem year-round following the rains and grass. January-February in the southern Serengeti (Ndutu) for calving; July-October in the north for Mara River crossings. The Serengeti also has excellent year-round lion, leopard, cheetah, and elephant viewing.Ngorongoro Crater – The world’s largest intact volcanic caldera (260 sq km floor area, 600m wall) shelters a self-contained ecosystem of Big Five animals including one of Africa’s densest populations of black rhino. The crater floor has lions, elephants, hippos, flamingos, and abundant plains game visible from the crater rim and on game drives. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area also has important Hadza and Datoga indigenous communities.Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak (5,895m Uhuru Peak) is technically non-technical (no mountaineering skills required) but physiologically challenging due to altitude. The most popular routes are Machame (6-7 days, scenic, higher success rate) and Marangu (5-6 days, the only hut route, lower success rate due to faster ascent). All climbs require registered guides and park fees.Zanzibar – A semi-autonomous archipelago off the Tanzanian coast: Stone Town (UNESCO World Heritage, the 19th-century mercantile city of the Omani Sultanate of Zanzibar) is the cultural anchor, with its labyrinthine streets, carved wooden doors, and the emotional history of the island’s role in the East African slave trade. The beach areas (Nungwi, Kendwa, and the east coast beaches of Paje for kite surfing) have the Indian Ocean’s most vivid turquoise water.