THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN TANZANIA

THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN TANZANIA

Tanzania is a tourism destination in Africa. Tanzania is a popular country in East Africa for visitors flow; this is due to the fact that it has many natural attractions including Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro Africa’s highest point and world’s highest free-standing mountain, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Tanzanians have a very good reputation in terms of safety and security.
On our 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8-day Safaris, you’ll visit some of Tanzania’s best game parks, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Manyara. A one-of-a-kind journey through contrasting landscapes and exotic views of wildlife will make your visit to east Africa a truly unforgettable experience!
Tanzanian Safaris can vary depending on your inclinations and interests, and we specialize in helping you experience the finest, most comfortable, and picturesque locations, sites, and areas. All of the Safaris we offer are led by certified experts who comprehensively understand and know the surrounding areas and landscape.
You’ll be introduced to giraffes, large buffalo, wildebeest, and herds of zebra that flock through plains of grass where tusked elephants, fabulous red climbing liens, and large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants, and storks roam. Witness the wonders of the outdoors and explore the remote, unspoiled landscapes of Tarangire, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara.
Before moving on to the hilly countryside, the next stop is the Oldvai Gorge – one of the world's most important prehistoric and archeological sites! This spot was key to understanding parts of the early evolution of humanity.
The trip continues to the colossal Serengeti National Park, meaning “endless pain” in Maasai. The massive expanse of Lake Victoria and the eastern arm of Rift Valley surround this protected park, creating a truly astonishing landscape experience.
Moving forward to Ngorongoro Crater – the 8th Natural WONDER OF THE WORLD and Africa’s Eden, our trip goes through the geological rarity called the shifting sands, which is a sacred Maasai en route. The Crater is home to thousands of animals, creating the world’s largest wildlife zoo. A breathtaking natural wonder! Please do not hesitate to contact us for a free quote. We will help you design an itinerary to suit your interests and budget for the ultimate private tour.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is located three degrees south of the equator in Northeastern Tanzania. It is the tallest mountain in Africa and is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. This immense mountain is made up of three volcanoes: Shira, Mawenzi, and our goal, Kibo, the tallest one in the middle.
Of the famous highest seven peaks in the world, this is the easiest to get to and the easiest to climb. It requires no technical climbing experience, and any moderately fit person can summit the mountain. Though Mount Kilimanjaro is frequented by an estimated 50,000 hikers a year, the trek is not to be taken lightly. Sufficient physical conditioning and a lot of preparations must be made in order to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience.
Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes: All the Kilimanjaro routes we offer are very scenic and offer an exhilarating experience. The success rate for reaching the peak is greatly determined by your ability to acclimate to the high altitude. Spending more days ascending the mountain will give your body more time to adequately adjust to the altitude and low oxygen environment.
Trekking: Daily travel time varies depending on the route and day. On average you should expect to be hiking for 4-6 hours per day with the exception of “summit day”, which is an arduous 11-16 hour trek. Our guides will purposely set a slow walking pace to ensure group cohesion (“pole, pole”, or “slowly, slowly”) in order to give each climber adequate time to acclimatize and adapt to the thinning air. Expect a lot of uphill and downhill walking, which is why you should make sure you’re sufficiently conditioned before your trip.
Each route we use on our Kilimanjaro trek is well defined and screened for safety, but after heavy rains the lower slopes and areas near the summit can become muddy. The guides will help you along the path and ensure you’re safe when you encounter difficult areas.
During the day you’ll carry a medium sized backpack carrying the essential items you’ll need for that day of climbing until you reach that night’s campsite. You should only carry essential supplies such as extra layers of clothing, water, snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.
Climate: Because bad weather affects your chances of reaching Kilimanjaro’s peak, choosing the right time of year is imperative to your summiting success.
Kilimanjaro’s climate varies greatly depending on the time of year. It’s best to plan your climb during the driest months of the year – Jan, Feb and Aug, Sep. But you’ll experience reasonable weather any time between January-mid March and June-October. We don’t recommend trekking during the long rainy season between the end of March and the beginning of June or the shorter rainy season from November to the beginning of December.
You should prepare to pass through a variety of weather conditions – from forest terrains and desert valleys to snowcapped mountain trails and freezing temperatures near the peak. You can find information on what to pack for your Kilimanjaro trek on faqs page.
Best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro: When to climb Mount Kilimanjaro safe, how to climb mount Kilimanjaro climbing route, When to climb Mount Kilimanjaro? or How to climb mount Kilimanjaro?
The fact is most of the month have few rainy days makes it possible for climb in relatively good condition all year round.
During the rain period of March and May, cloud tends to pile up and over the summit, dropping snow on top and at base. Visibility can be limited by cloud cover even when no rainfall. The temperature at this time of the year is relative warm.
The dry season beginning in the rate June and through July can be very cold at night but usually is clear of cloud.
August and September are also cool and can have completely clear days, but usually a dripping cloud belt girdles the mountain above the forest moorland. The summit can be totally clear.
The shorter rainy period of October to December often has thunderstorms that pass over the mountain, dropping rains as they go. Typical the cloud disappear in the evening leaving the nights and morning very clear with excellent visibility.
January and February are usually dry, warm and clear with brief rain showers which make good climbing condition.
Even thought one can climb thought out the year, January, February and September are the best month with July, August, November and December are also good.

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is vast and beautiful; it's one of Africa's most captivating safari areas. The sheer amount of game here is amazing: estimates suggest up to about two million wildebeest, plus perhaps half a million zebra, hundreds of thousands of Thompson's gazelle, and tens of thousands of impala, Grant's gazelle, topi (tsessebe), hartebeest, eland and other antelope - all hunted by the predators for which these plains are famous.
Some of this game resides permanently in 'home' areas, which are great for safaris all year round. But many of the wildebeest and zebra take part in the migration - an amazing spectacle that's one of the greatest wildlife shows on earth. If you plan carefully, it's still possible to witness this in wild and remote areas.
The Greater Serengeti ecosystem
The Serengeti National Park itself covers about 15,000km2 of mostly flat or gently rolling grasslands, interspersed with the occasional rock outcrops, or kopjes. But this is just the centre of a whole ecosystem which covers more than double that area, and includes Grumeti Reserve, Ikorongo Game Reserve, Loliondo Controlled Area, Maswa Game Reserve, part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and also Kenya's relatively small Maasai Mara Game Reserve. This combined area is often referred to as the Greater Serengeti area, or the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.
Southern plains
Vast short-grass plains cover the south of Serengeti National Park, stretching into the north of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the south-west Loliondo and Maswa Game Reserve. Occasionally there are small kopjes which, like the forests around Lake Ndutu, harbour good populations of resident game. However, around these oases of permanent wildlife, the majority of this area is flat and open. It's alive with grazing wildebeest from around late-November to April, but can be very empty for the rest of the year. Places to stay here include
The Seronera area
In the heart of the national park, just to the north of the short-grass plains, Seronera has all the best features of the Serengeti and also, sadly, its worst. Scenically, it's a lovely area - with open plains, occasional kopjes and lines of hills to add interest. The resident game here is phenomenal, with high densities of relaxed leopards, cheetah and lion. These live off the resident herbivores, as well as the migrating game. The migration passes through here in April/May, but Seronera is within reach of both the Southern Plains and the Western Corridor - so from about November to June, it can be used as a base to see the migration. Seronera's big drawback is that it is always busy; places to stay include:
Western Corridor
Stretching to the west, almost to Lake Victoria, the Serengeti narrows into what's known as the Western Corridor. The key feature of this area is the two rivers, the Grumeti and the Mbalageti, which run almost parallel, each supporting a band of most, evergreen riparian forest. This area sustains a very good permanent game population, including plenty of zebra and wildebeest, all the predators and forest 'specialists' like colobus monkeys. The birdife is particularly varied. The migration passes through between about May and July - pausing to gather momentum before crossing the crocodile-rich waters of the Grumeti River, into the Grumeti Reserve. Camps in the Serengeti's Western Corridor include:
Northern Serengeti
Stretching from Seronera for about 100km north, to the Kenyan border, the northern Serengeti is gently rolling country, broken by small rivers and occasional hills and kopjes. There are good permanent populations of wildlife in several areas here, including the very beautiful Lobo Kopje. It's interesting, varied country that's far from the park's main entry point in the south - and hence it receives delightfully few visitors. The further you go north, the fewer vehicles you see. Even when the migration is here, between about August and October, you can still enjoy spectacular crossings of the Mara River. A particularly stunning are is the wild Lamai Wedge - the area of land between the Mara River and the Kenya Border - which includes the picturesque Wogakuria Kopjie, and a beautiful series of game-rich valleys and plains. This is the only area of the national park where off-road driving is acceptable. Here, we suggest you stay at:
Grumeti Reserves
Singita Grumeti Reserves covers almost 1,500km 2 of private reserves which run along the north side of the Western Corridor. Within this are three, very different luxury lodges. All offer unrivalled exclusivity for watching the migration as it journeys north, and recycle all of their profits into local conservation and community development initiatives.
Loliondo Reserve
West of the Serengeti National Park, between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Kenyan border, lies Loliondo game Controlled Area - an area belonging to the Maasai tribes that live there. The western side of this, beside the park, is very much part of the Serengeti's ecosystem; it has much resident game and the migration passes through here as well.
There are a few camps here which have the flexibility to offer night drives and walks, often using Maasai guides - and visits to local Maasai villages. Around about October and November, there's a good chance to see part of the migration here, as it returns south.
Trips to the Serengeti
Sadly, the Serengeti doesn't always live up to its potential. It's easy to end up with a herd of vehicles around you, destroying any sense of wilderness. It's tempting to opt to rush around on dusty, corrugated roads with little time to stop. It's also easy to simply miss the migration, which isn't nearly as predictable these days as many will tell you.
Because of this, planning a safari here can be complicated; we need to guide you to choose the right camps at the right time of year, and get the best experience possible - especially when the wildebeest migration does vary every year.

Zanzibar Beach Holidays

The name Zanzibar is an Arabic word that is translated as ‘the coast of black people’. The Zanzibar archipelago is a series of islands on the Indian Ocean about 16-31 miles from the mainland Republic of Tanzania. It is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. The island has the best beaches in the world – and this is not an exaggeration. If you love lazing around in the sun, then this is the place to go. Below are a few facts that will give you an overview of the Island country.
The name Zanzibar is an Arabic word that is translated as ‘the coast of black people’. The Zanzibar archipelago is a series of islands on the Indian Ocean about 16-31 miles from the mainland Republic of Tanzania. It is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. The island has the best beaches in the world – and this is not an exaggeration. If you love lazing around in the sun, then this is the place to go. Below are a few facts that will give you an overview of the Island country.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

In 1951, the enormous Serengeti National Park was declared, encompassing the present Serengeti, plus the Ngorongoro area and surrounding Crater Highlands. Today, this is split into the present-day Serengeti National Park, and the current Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The conservation area now encompasses a large area of the short-grass plains on the southern side of the Serengeti Plain and also the Ngorongoro Highlands, a range of largely extinct ancient volcanoes on the west side of the Great Rift Valley.
Ngorongoro Crater Safari
The showpiece of the conservation area is undoubtedly the Ngorongoro Crater which was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world.
It measures about 16-19km in diameter, with walls of 400-610m in height. However you measure it, the Crater is a strong candidate for any list of the world's greatest natural wonders. It is renowned both for its geological splendour, and for being a natural reserve which is home to some of the densest large mammal populations found anywhere in Africa.
Ngorongoro Wildlife Safari
Due to the enclosed nature of the Crater, it has virtually formed its own ecosystem. Besides the stunning scenery, one of the main attractions of this area is the variety of flora and fauna found in a remarkably compact area all year round. In the Southwest corner there is the Lerai Forest, which is mainly comprised of yellow fever trees (a member of the acacia family). To the north of the forest is a shallow soda lake called Lake Magadi and to the east you will find Gorigor Swamp and the Ngoitokitok Springs where pods of hippo are to be found. The north of the Crater is, on the whole, much drier and consists of the open grasslands which characterise the Crater floor; this is where the majority of the resident game resides. You are guaranteed to see large concentrations of game on any Ngorongoro safari. The mineral-rich floor of this spectacular bowl is largely flat, open and covered in nutritious grasses - much to the liking of large herds of zebra and wildebeest, which graze here. These extensive open plains are also home to herds of buffalo, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle and tsessebe (often called topi). You'll also find East Africa's best population of black rhinos here, which are often seen in open grasslands. Breeding herds of elephants pass through the Ngorongoro Crater itself only rarely, but you will see a scattering of old bulls, including some of the biggest tuskers left alive in Africa today. The only surprising absentees from the Crater are Impala and Giraffe; it is thought that this is perhaps because of the lack of open woodlands and browsing species of trees which these two tend to thrive on.
The high numbers of herbivores support the densest populations of predators found anywhere in Africa. The reliable presence of these predators has helped to make a Ngorongoro safari so popular. The Crater's lion population varies significantly over time, the one constant being their complete disregard of vehicles; they will hunt within yards of a vehicle, and when exhausted even seek shade beside them. Spotted hyenas are even more common here, often competing with the lion, and there are a small but growing number of cheetahs. Leopards are around, especially in the vicinity of the Lerai Forest. Side-striped and the lovely golden jackal are often seen skulking around, whilst bat-eared foxes are a rarer sight.
Having waxed lyrical about the Ngorongoro Crater's wildlife, the reality of safaris there isn't always as amazing. The sheer number of vehicles in the crater, combined with its open environment, can destroy any sense of wilderness. It can feel crowded and busy. Often, this will be mitigated by amazing game sightings, but not always. So whilst Ngorongoro's wildlife is stupendous, the Ngorongoro Crater safari experience isn't always as good as you might imagine.
Access to Ngorongoro Safari
The Ngorongoro crater and wider conservation area is easily accessible. There is a daily light aircraft flight to Arusha from Dar (other airstrips in Tanzania also fly to Arusha) where you would then be met by a safari guide in a close-sided pop-top 4 x 4 safari vehicle. Your guide will stay with you for your time down in the Crater, and possibly longer. The drive from Arusha is around 4 hours to begin a Ngorongoro Crater safari.
Another alternative is to fly to Manyara airstrip, which is about an hour from the Crater. Depending on where you're staying - you may be met by the lodge, or picked up by a private driver guide.
Alternatively, you could choose to stay on the nearby Rift Valley Escarpment in an area often referred to as Karatu. The lodges and camps here are all less than about 20km from the Crater and have a lot more character than the aforementioned lodges. Gibb's Farm, Plantation Lodge and the Ngorongoro Farmhouse Lodge are all true of this.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park covers an undulating area of 2,600km2, between the plains of the Maasai Steppe to the south-east, and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley to the north and west. The northern part of Tarangire is dominated by the perennial Tarangire River, which flows through increasingly incised ravines until it leaves the north-western corner of the park to flow into Lake Burungi. In the south are a series of vast 'swamps' which dry into verdant plains during the dry season.

Although Tarangire is one of only four parks on Tanzania's sometimes frenetic 'northern circuit', it is often either missed out, or given less than 24 hours, by the many relatively cursory mini-bus tours. This means that few get beyond the park's busy northern section, where the majority of camps and lodges is situated.

If you decide to come to Tarangire at all, then we recommend spending a few days in the south of the park, which gets few visitors and retains a real air of wilderness.

Flora & Fauna of Tarangire National Park
The park's most obvious features are the permanent Tarangire River, which runs the length of it, and the vast 'swamps' - which are, in fact, dry for most of the year. Despite the fact that Tarangire is drier than the Serengeti, its vegetation is generally much more dense including densely packed elephant grass, large areas of mixed acacia woodlands and some lovely ribbons of riverine forest.

Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is often overlooked by travelers rushing to the more famous sights of the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. However, with a little time, Arusha National Park offers some lovely walking in the foothills of Mount Meru and canoeing on the Momela Lakes, plus gentle game drives. If you have the time it is well worth a day or two.
There are a range of activities to do in Arusha National Park. This includes walking safaris which are always accompanied by a ranger and last for a maximum of four hours, during which you would stop for a break at one of the park's lovely picnic sites. You can also explore the far reaches of the park by vehicle, taking in some of the lovely views and keeping an eye out for wildlife. Another great activity here and one not found in other safari parks in Tanzania, is a canoeing safari which allows you to explore the Momela Lakes.

Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is very easy to access: it's about 90 minutes' drive from Arusha and barely an hour from the Ngorongoro Crater. Because of this, some of the northern side of the park can get very busy, especially in the afternoons. To see the park at its best, we recommend that you either stay within the park or spend two nights somewhere close, entering the park early for a full-day safari.

Safaris to Lake Manyara National Park
Many people will often visit Lake Manyara National Park enroute to or from the Crater, as part of a short half day safari. Often they won't even spend the night in the area, but will rush on, so as to include as many areas, in as short a space of time as possible.

Though this can save on money, we feel that it restricts time and therefore only allows for visits to the busy northern quarter of the park. This can result in a rushed experience of Lake Manyara that can sometimes result in disappointment.

Instead we would recommend the following two options for visiting Lake Manyara National Park. The first is to stay within the park itself, either in a permanent camp or a more mobile one. This tends to be the more expensive choice, but it is certainly the best way to explore the park. It enables you to be on safari before most others, and explore deeper into the park which day visitors won't have the time to do. Without any doubt, staying inside the park is the best wildlife experience.

Secondly you can opt to stay somewhere outside, but near to the park gate. From here you can enter the park early and enjoy the whole day exploring. There are some economical accommodation options outside the park, some of which are dotted along the top of the Rift Valley Escarpment with great views down across the park

Entrances to the National Park
There are two main entrances to Lake Manyara National Park, a gate in the north and in the south. Almost everybody uses the northern gate, since the majority of accommodation options are situated here and as a result the northern part of the park is by far the busier one. The gate in the far south is not commonly used and also has restricted access. Only few camps and lodges can use this entrance. Please contact us for more information on camps that can enter via this quiet gate.

Chemka Hot Springs

The drive to Kikuletwa Hotsprings also known as Rundugai Hot springs or commonly known as Chemka Hot Springs will initially start on a paved road toward Arusha, before turning left onto a gravel road about 30 minutes later. The road will take you thru the gorgeous African countryside pass bush landed, dry riverbeds, baobab and acacia trees among many others.

This vast area, which used to be a hunting ground for Europeans during the 1800s, is home to members of many different tribes, peacefully co-existing as neighbors. Although the game has long since migrated, it is still a haven to many animal species, including a variety of birds.
When you reach at Kikuletwa village it will appear as an oasis surrounded by sprawling fig trees, in the middle of this semi-arid landscape. You will see crystal clear water bubbling from underground caves, giving the impression that it is boiling, hence the name "Hot springs".
When you reach at Kikuletwa village it will appear as an oasis surrounded by sprawling fig trees, in the middle of this semi-arid landscape. You will see crystal clear water bubbling from underground caves, giving the impression that it is boiling, hence the name "Hot springs". (Chemka)
The water is perfectly refreshing and if you brought your bathing suit, this is your time to take a dip and relax in the shade of the trees.
After a picnic lunch, we will start making our way back to Moshi via back gravel roads, taking you past the Kilavu river and sugar cane plantations about 30 minutes prior to arriving back in Moshi late afternoon.
45 minutes from Moshi, - Tanzania

Materuni Waterfalls And Coffee

You will be picked up in Moshi in the morning, by our English-speaking guide, who will drive you to Materuni Village. Upon arrival, you will register at the village office and your trip can begin.

First you will visit the waterfalls, which are around a 40 minute walk away. On the way, your guide will inform you about the culture of the Chagga, village life and explain the surrounding fauna and flora. The views are truly breathtaking, and with some luck you will see the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro.

Materuni Village
Your guide will explain all aspects of the Chagga homestead including the other crops that they grow aside from coffee. You will get to see how the coffee is produced- from picking the bean to roasting and then make a delicious organic cup of coffee yourself . Following your coffee tour you will then take a short hike (make sure to wear some sport or Mountain boot ,shoes as it can be muddy up there), passing through local villages to reach the waterfalls. Here you will have your picnic lunch box. Following lunch you will have the opportunity to take a dip in the refreshing (quite cold!) pools beneath the waterfalls. When you have had your fill of this beautiful place you can start walking back to where we will meet our driver and drive you back to your hotel

Materuni Waterfall
First you will visit the waterfalls, which are around a 40 minute walk away. On the way, your guide will inform you about the culture of the Chagga, village life and explain the surrounding fauna and flora. The views are truly breathtaking, and with some luck you will see the summit of

Kilimanjaro. When you reach the waterfalls, you will see that they are more than 80 meters high. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is an inviting place for a refreshing swim so don‘t forget your swimwear!

Traditional Chagga Lunch.
After having enjoyed the scenery, you slowly return with your guide to Materuni village, where you will experience a traditional Chagga lunch. You also will have the opportunity to taste our local banana beer – definitely not to be missed!

Coffee Tour Experience
But that’s not all. Next the coffee experience awaits you. Here you will learn how coffee is cultivated, dried, roasted and further processed. You will also be invited to help with the

grinding of the coffee, which is traditionally accompanied by Chagga songs and dances - a fun way to immerse yourself in the local culture.

Day Tour Around Moshi Tanzania

If you have one day to stay after or before climbing, safari and beach holidays, you don’t need to feel bored at your hotel, Twende Africa Tours is our pleasure to organize your excursion tour to one of our favorite cultural destinations, Mostly we offer this tour around Moshi for free for Twende Africa Tours clients but tip for the guide it will be appreciated.
Moshi is a town in northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border. It's known as a gateway to Kilimanjaro National Park, home to Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Trails run up the mountain’s cloud-ringed, snow-capped dome, through alpine forests and meadows home to elephants and leopards. One of Tanzania's major coffee-producing hubs, Moshi is known for its coffee farms and auctions. The truth is many tourists come to Moshi to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
This free-from-Twende Africa tours company it will take to interrupt the local people on they are daily activities at the local market (Farmer market), Some sovinours shops, and restaurants with local dishes and we finish at historical areas like the Old Railway station. Need a Free Tour Around Moshi? Please feel free to contact us!