Sample Tanzania Safaris
This sample safari is specifically designed to be undertaken in the dry season months of July to Oct. The
Tarangire National Park comes into its own during the dry season when large herds of game attracted to the permanent waters of the Tarangire River make this
reserve every bit as attractive to the tourist as the Serengeti. The park is
particularly famous for the huge elephant herds that congregate along the river during the dry season.
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This sample trip is designed to give you a full Northern Circuit Safari Experience at
a reasonable price. The accommodation is either in tented camps or lodges with all meals included. We have also included a tag on 6 days in Zanzibar at the end
of the trip as well. This is simple an example of how you may like to spend your time.
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The safari portion of this sample trip has you exploring the wilderness regions of Southern Tanzania. The benefit of a
Southern Circuit Safari is firstly far fewer vehicles, secondly a far more remote and secluded experience and thirdly you can get out of the vehicle! By this
we mean that you can vary your safari activities to include boat trips, fly camping and walking safaris in addition to the traditional game drives.
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The following is a sample holiday taking in a northern circuit safari and a Zanzibar beach stay. In the Serengeti portion
you will be staying in a mobile tented camp. These camps move through the southern, central and northern Serengeti every couple of months to follow the famous wildebeest
migration. These are small, intimate camps in carefully positioned locations. Following the safari it is time to relax on the gorgeous beaches of Zanzibar
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The safari portion of this sample trip has you exploring the wilderness regions of Southern Tanzania. The benefit of a
Southern Circuit Safari is firstly far fewer vehicles, secondly a far more remote and secluded experience and thirdly you can get out of the vehicle! By this
we mean that you can vary your safari activities to include boat trips, fly camping and walking safaris in addition to the traditional game drives.
view itinerary to read more
This holiday is for people looking for something a little off the beaten track. Saadani is the only wildlife reserve in east Africa with an Indian Ocean beachfront
and combined with the Selous Game Reserve ensures that you have a comprehensive and
different wildlife experience. The safari is combined with a few days in Zanzibar for a bit of relaxation after all the activity.
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Contact Mahlatini for your personalised holiday to Tanzania
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Sample Tanzania Honeymoons
This trip is designed for honeymooners who want the ultimate in luxury. Each of the lodges listed in this itinerary are some of the best in Tanzania ensuring you will be expertly pampered throughout. The trip is designed to provide the perfect balance between adventure activity
and relaxation. The northern circuit safari is combined with a luxury beach stay on Mnemba
Island, an island off Zanzibar's coast.
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In Mahatini's vast experience we have found that most honeymooners these days want to combine the traditional beach relaxation time with a bit more adventure.
This sample honeymoon does just that, it splits your time between a fantastic northern circuit
safari taking in the incredible Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park and finishes with a few days on the beach resort in
Zanzibar giving you that time to simply relax after the hectic wedding preparations.
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This is a fly in luxury honeymoon taking in the exquisite wilderness regions of Southern Tanzania. The benefit of a
Southern Circuit Safari is firstly far fewer vehicles, secondly a far more remote and secluded experience and thirdly you can get out of the vehicle! Accommodation
is of the highest standard in luxury tented camps.
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Contact Mahlatini for your personalised holiday to Tanzania
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Sample Tanzania Family Holidays
We all know that these days it is difficult to find a family holiday that suits everyone. This sample trip is action packed providing a variety of things to see
and do. It is a 6 night northern circuit Tanzania safari that can easily be combined with
a beach extension to Zanzibar.This holiday is simply an idea of how you might like to spend your time.
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Contact Mahlatini for your personalised holiday to Tanzania
See more Family Holidays in Tanzania
Overview of Tanzania
Tanzania is a land of stark contrasts and the largest country in East Africa. The country is most famous for its wildlife and in particular the wildebeest migration of the Serengeti. A huge portion
of the country is protected in national parks and a safari is a key element of most trips. Most safaris in Tanzania form a part of a circuit taking in a few parks
over the course of a few days. The Northern Circuit safari is the most popular route as it includes
parks such as the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro
Crater. The Southern Circuit safari is the more off the beaten track safari.
Tanzania's coastline along the Indian Ocean provides some beautiful white sandy beaches. Most travellers end off a safari by visiting Zanzibar
or one of the surrounding islands. These twin centre holidays are particularly popular for
honeymoons. Those seeking true adventure usually head to Tanzania to climb the most famous mountain in Africa,
Mount Kilimanjaro. Whether you are a novice traveller or a seasoned safari explorer, if you looking for an action packed family holiday or a romantic honeymoon,
Tanzania will provide lasting memories.
Tanzania has for years been one of our most popular of destinations and this means that we have vast experience in the planning of personalised itineraries. We
have personally visited the majority of lodges and camps ourselves and we can guarantee that
from start to finish your holiday will be expertly organised providing the best of safari guides and the most efficient of ground staff. We have hundreds of happy customers who can attest to this.
Northern Circuit
A Northern Circuit safari is a fine introduction to safari at any time of year. The parks
included in the circuit are the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, the Tarangire and Lake Manyara. You can visit all or any of the parks in various combinations. We can help you choose the best location to base
yourself in each park, based on seasonal game movements. The annual wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is often the star attraction when planning a trip to this
area. The migration is a constant cycle of movement and dispersal so it's all about being in the right place at the right time. We will ensure that you don't miss
out on this awe inspiring spectacle!
Most people spend between 4 – 7 days on a Northern Circuit safari before spending a few
days at the beach. The Northern Circuit is not only an excellent introductory safari but will draw seasoned safari travellers to its parks again and again. Honeymooners
love the romance of luxury camps and the dinners under the stars; families love the safari adventure and amateur photographers find appeal in the North's incredible
diversity and its prolific wildlife.
Accommodation in the Northern Circuit ranges from larger lodges to luxury tented camps,
both permanent and mobile. Forget all previous notions you may have about camping. This is the ultimate in camping! Most 'tents' consist of large bedrooms and bathrooms
including all the modern amenities that you would expect in a luxury hotel. You just happen to be sleeping under canvas instead of concrete, in our opinion the
best way to experience Africa - up close and personal with nature.
Activities on offer in the Northern Circuit generally include game drives. Hot air balloon safaris are popular in the Serengeti and walking safaris are offered
in some of the privately-owned concessions on the outskirts of the parks.
My northern circuit safari was an entirely memorable experience for me. I will never forget our vehicle being
charged by an elephant in Lake Manyara, being surrounded by the wildebeest migration in the
Serengeti and marvelling over the incredible views of the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Northern Circuit safari in Tanzania
is a wildlife experience second to none in my extensive African travels.
- Sarah Chatteris
Southern Circuit
Accommodation in the Selous and Ruaha is largely in secluded camps with outstanding personal service. The majority are the last word in luxury, not only in terms
of food, facilities and furnishings but also due to their incomparable locations; affording a truly intimate bush experience.
The Southern Circuit (or indeed a visit to one of the parks) can be a fantastic first-time safari and seasoned safari travellers will appreciate the difference
from the more beaten track safaris. There are generally far fewer vehicles than in the Northern
Circuit which to many is an added advantage allowing for game sightings to be largely private. Activities on offer are diverse from traditional game drives
and walking safaris to boat trips and fishing excursions.
The Southern Circuit Safari can also easily be combined with beach time on Zanzibar or the Tanzanian mainland coast in the Ras Kutani area. Another interesting combination offered is a twin centre luxury safari and beach holiday in
exotic Mozambique.
A Southern Circuit safari offers exceptional dry season game viewing so these areas are best visited from June
– November. The main parks visited in a Southern Circuit safari are the Selous , Ruaha and Saadani reserves. Safaris in these parks are off the beaten track and
will suit those who want a remote and more exclusive experience.
- Sarah Chatteris
When to travel
There is never a bad time to travel to Tanzania as each season has its own attractions and highlights depending on your interests. For example, the Serengeti is incredibly beautiful in the wet season, not only for its lush and green scenery and its birdlife but also because
the wildebeest are calving in the southern plains during this season.
Tanzania's dry season generally runs from June to the end of October. This is usually the most popular time to travel to Tanzania. During the dry season the grasses
are lower allowing for easier animal sightings and the animals gather around water sources in large numbers, which makes them easier to find!
Tanzania has two rainy seasons, the first running from November to early December and the second wet period is generally from March to the end of May. This does
not mean the region is out of bounds; on the contrary, the wet season brings with it an abundance of life, the babies are born and the landscape is green and fertile.
In addition to this if you travel out of peak season you can generally get a more reasonably priced safari and with fewer tourists in the region, you will have
a more intimate safari experience. For more information on the wildlife highlights throughout the year view our
safari calendar.
Contact us about your specific interests and we will advise you on
the best time of year to travel to the region which suits you best.
How to travel
There are four main areas of interest that visitors to Tanzania would explore: The Northern Circuit parks, the Southern Circuit parks,
Mount Kilimanjaro and the beaches of Zanzibar and the surrounding islands. We will help and advise you
on which area would best suit your requirements. You will either fly into Kilimanjaro Airport for a Northern Circuit Safari, Dar es Salaam Airport for a Southern
Circuit Safari or Zanzibar Airport if you are heading straight to the beach.
Wildlife is the biggest attraction in Tanzania and you can easily visit a couple of national parks/reserves during the course of a few days or a week. The parks
in the Northern Circuit are incredibly diverse in their scenery allowing you to move from one to the other and see hugely different terrain and wildlife. You can
spend a week or more on safari in Tanzania and never feel like you have seen enough. Our safaris
in the Northern Circuit are generally private tailor-made trips where you will have your own driver guide to escort you for the duration of your trip.
The Southern Circuit safari begins in Dar es Salaam and can include one or more of the more remote
southern parks. Usually these safaris are fly-in safaris and game viewing activities are usually shared with other guests, unless private vehicles are specifically
requested.
Following a safari, most visitors will then add some beach time in Zanzibar, its surrounding islands or one of the other
coastal locations along East Africa such as the Ras Kutani area. These twin centre holidays allow you to combine an action-packed safari adventure with a relaxing
beach stay and are particulary popular with honeymooners.
Sometimes there are large distances involved to travel from region to region. These journeys are usually overcome with light aircraft flights which allow you to
see the incredible Tanzanian scenery from a bird's eye view. Equally, any drives in Tanzania are an adventure in their own right. There is so much to see along
the journey from an abundance of wildlife to the Masai herdsmen tending their cattle, as well as endless vistas and stunning sunsets. Your camera will never be
out of your hand!
Sample Tanzania Beach Holidays
This sample trip is an extension designed to be added onto the start or the end of a safari in Tanzania. A Northern Circuit safari would end in
Arusha where you would catch a light aircraft flight to Zanzibar. From the
Southern Circuit, the starting or ending point would be Dar es Salaam. Of course this trip can be done as a purely beach only trip as well. The chosen accommodations
to feature are simply ideas; there are plenty of options to explore.
view itinerary to read more
Contact Mahlatini for your personalised holiday to Tanzania
Every year countless numbers of journalists, filmmakers and tourists camp out paparazzi style on the banks of
the Grumeti and Mara rivers eager to witness what must surely be one of nature's most documented spectacles, the annual migration. Here, up to two million wildebeest
face a ravenous and prolific crocodile population as they embark on the hazardous river crossing, mention the migration and it is this image that springs to mind.
- Sarah Chatteris
Wildebeest Migration
There is little that has not been previously written about the region and this remarkable phenomenon. Yet ask a few friends where the Great Migration takes place
and you will undoubtedly receive a few blank stares or vague mumbled replies, 'Africa' or 'Kenya'. Despite all the hype very little is actually known about this
incredible spectacle. So here is a brief guide to the greatest show on earth.
Tanzania's Serengeti National Park and Kenya's Maasai Mara are all part of the same ecosystem. In the Maasai language Serengeti means endless plain and this classic landscape can
be found in the southern part of the region but the Serengeti offers a range of habitats. As you journey in a clockwise direction you will pass through moist wooded
savannah, lush riparian woodland interspersed with huge granite boulders before arriving at the rich rolling grasslands of the Mara Plains. A fine setting for the
big event when up to 2 million wildebeest herd together and are joined by thousands of zebras and gazelles to form super herds which follow the rains in search
of lush new grass.
Zebra and Wildebeest are found together often as the Zebra tend to feed on long tough grass stems preparing them for the broad muzzle of the wildebeest more suited
to close short grasses. In essence, the wildebeest are taking advantage of the strongly seasonal conditions, spending the wet season on the plains in the south-east,
and the dry season in the woodlands of the north-west, but the sheer weight of their numbers means that they themselves play a role in shaping their environment
to their needs.
Although the migration is often portrayed as an intense phase of activity the 800 km pilgrimage is actually an ongoing cycle of movement and dispersal. Lions and
other carnivores do not migrate with the grazing animals but feast on them when their paths cross. Each year over 250,000 wildebeest alone will die as a result
of injury, exhaustion or predation.
The Migration is not a continually forward motion. As the wildebeest need to drink daily their movement is very much dominated by the accessibility of water and
they seem to have a sixth sense in following the storms.
Planning your trip
There is never really a right or wrong time to visit as each season offers its own highlights but it is important to be in the right area according to season.
Dependent on rainfall, the timing of the cycle is never totally predictable, but generally around April/May prompted by vanishing water the migration sets off North
West to the Masai Mara. Between June and July the migration splits and one column passes west to Lake
Victoria, another passes north through Lobo before crossing the Grumeti River before finally dispersing on the Mara Plains.
One of the most popular times to visit is late January to early March when the wildebeest calves are born over a 3-5 week period. Most calves are born within a
'calving area' before midday. They quickly gain their feet and begin nursing within 3 - 8 minutes. If the mother moves away at this time, it will run beside her.
The defenseless young provide easy picking for lions, hyenas, and other predators but because so many calves are born in such a short time the predators do not
have time to eat them all. Ndutu Safari Lodge and Kusini Camp provide the best viewing for this but due to the popularity you really need to book a year in advance.
As a spectacle, the Migration offers so many varied views but perhaps the most poignant image is the famous crossing at the Grumeti and Mara Rivers. This spectacle
has been well documented by some excellent photography from the likes of the BBC and National Geographic. Forced on by the power of the herd the wildebeest have
no choice but to take a suicidal plunge into the crocodile infested waters often drowning in their thousands. One report from the migration this year estimated
between 5 and 10 thousand died at one place, amazingly this natural tragedy was simply attributed to a poor choice of crossing.
Kirawira Tented Camp and Grumeti River Camp are excellent locations for viewing the Grumeti crossing but luck has to be on your side to choose the right dates
as the crossing is over quite quickly.
From August to October the migration is usually in Kenya's Maasai Mara before returning south across
the Tanzanian border in November and usually by December the wildebeest disperse on the southern plains of the
Serengeti.
In general East Africa is busiest and therefore most expensive in the dry season (July – October). As the water dries the animals flock to the remaining water
holes and rivers, the foliage is less dense and game viewing is made much easier with more frequent sightings. The Migration during these months is usually found
in the Northern Serengeti in Tanzania and the Mara in Kenya.
Early booking for these locations is essential as accommodation is limited.
The wet season, sometimes called green season due to the abundance of life offers value for money with sometimes 40% difference in price compared to peak season.
Although the green season is offered at a much lower rate than peak season some visitors would consider it a better time to visit with an abundance of bird life,
lush green vegetation and healthy looking wildlife. The long rains usually fall between mid-March through to May, these tropical thunderstorms tend to arrive in
the afternoon and usually disperse after a couple of hours so travel at this time is possible and offers excellent value for money.
Kenya and Tanzania offer a daunting selection of accommodation styles and Mahlatini can offer everything from luxury lodges and classic tented camps to simple
bush camping. Generally, lodges are much larger and not as personal as the other options but offer more amenities such as swimming pools, shops and perhaps a choice
of restaurants, just like a large hotel. One of the most important considerations is location, for example the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge has superb views of the Crater and the Mara Serena Lodge has a prime setting for the wildebeest crossing
of the Mara River. These lodges offer good value and an abundance of scenery and game viewing which is especially important for families and groups.
Tented camps are the perfect way to experience the African bush and this is the most popular choice with Mahlatini's discerning clients! Sleeping under canvas
reminds you that you are in Africa, but there is no need to compromise on comfort. Indeed most of our luxury options are tented, for example Kirawira Tented Camp and Kleins Camp in the
Serengeti. The Masai Mara is famous for its luxury camping options. The Governors Camps are synonymous with this Hemingway inspired tented safari and along with Elephant Pepper, Cottars 1920's and Saruni
Camp offer unparalleled exclusivity and tranquility. Luxury is just as much about experience as material extravagance. In these camps you are guaranteed personal
friendly service from people with a passion for the surrounding wilderness and wildlife.
Mobile safaris enable you to get into the heart of the African bush. Whether you choose a private luxury camp or a rustic option, mobiles are all about privacy
and flexibility; a luxury in its self. The camp is moved from location to location, the more up market options are set up in advance of your arrival. At the top
end of the scale the mobile tents have proper beds, en suite bathrooms with hot showers, your own chef and even a mobile bar. The simple options using private camp
sites still offer relative comfort with a shared shower and toilet and comfortable mattresses, there is even a separate mess and bar tent or dine out under the
stars depending on the season. This style of trip is particularly recommended in order to focus on the migration as mobile safaris enable you to respond to game
movements as you leave the crowds behind and immerse yourself in the wilderness. Our favorite mobile camps are the Asilia camps such as Olakira and Sayari in the Serengeti.
Flights between London Heathrow and Nairobi are daily and take about 8 hours.