Recommended number of days at this destination: 2 - 10

The most famous safari destination in the world! And for good reason. The number and variety of animals is excellent. It is one of the few remaining destinations where all of the "Big Five" - elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and black rhinos might be spotted in a single day. The Serengeti also is the location of the famous Wildebeest Migration occurs. Throughout the year, at least a portion of the migration herds are in the Serengeti.

From Moshi/Arusha, to include the Serengeti into a safari itinerary will need at least 4 days, with 5 or more days being ideal. The travel time overland from Moshi to central Serengeti is about 9 hours. Most commonly this span is broken up by visiting another destination along the way, then completing the drive the next day. But it is also possible to get to (and/or return from) the Serengeti by small plane (18 - 22 passengers) in just a couple of hours. Since the park is so large, there are 10 airstrips inside the Serengeti. There is also the option of flying into/out of central Serengeti (Seronera) to/from Zanzibar on a medium size plane.

The Seronera portion of the Serengeti is most commonly visited. Year-round this is a good and reliable destination, although the rains during April/May may make some roads too muddy even for 4wd safari vehicles. There are many accommodation options in the Seronera ranging from basic campsites, to ulta-luxurious lodges such as Four Seasons Serengeti. This portion of the park has a large number of cats - lions, cheetahs, leopards, caracals, servals, and African civits. The varieties of other animals are too numerous to list but the Seronera includes populations of elephants, giraffes, impalas, buffaloes, hippos, rhinos, warthogs, zebras, varieties of gazelles, hyenas, and wildebeests.

During the months of May, June, and November a portion of the migration herds pass through Seronera.

During the months of January - March, visiting the Ndutu portion of the Serengeti is well worth the trip. Ndutu straddles the southern Serengeti and a portion of Ngorongoro Conservation Area (but not the crater). During these months, the wildebeest migration herds are present and February is the birthing season for the wildebeests. During a 3 week period approximately 400,000 calves are born. This is an active time for lions, leopards, and hyenas as they look for weakened mothers and vulnerable calves to pray on. But a new-born wildebeest can stand up within 3 - 5 minutes after birth and will be able to run at good speed within 10 - 15 minutes.

There are several lodges and tented camps in this area, from mid-range to luxury, but no public campsites. If desiring a basic camping safari, overnights would need to be in Seronera with a visit to Ndutu as a day trip from there.

Northern Serengeti is a great place to visit during the months of July - October because of the presence of migration herds. Kogetende is about 3.4 hours drive from Seronera although this time is misleading since it will take much longer because there is game viewing opportunities throughout the entire drive. The Kogatende portion of the Serengeti is where the Mara River is located, the site of the dangerous river crossings of the migration herds frantically trying to avoid the huge Nile Crocodiles and lions hiding on the far river bank. What is not commonly known, is that where these river crossings take place, both sides of the Mara River are in the Serengeti, not Kenya's Masai Mara. Not all of the herds cross into Kenya, a good portion remain inside the Serengeti. There are many tented camps in the area, some extremely luxurious. There are no public basic campsites in Kogetende, but overnight camping can be done in the Lobo portion of the Serengeti, about 90km away.

Recommended number of days at this destination: 1 - 2

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), a World Heritage Site, differs from a national park. In a national park, the area is excluded from habitation and use of the natural resources inside the park. The NCA, while having some restrictions on the usage of the resources to protect the areas environment, still allows local habitation and grazing of domestic animals. Of the inhabitants of the NCA, 98% are Maasai, 2% are of the Datoga and Hadzabe tribes.

The NCA is a 5 hours drive from Moshi, 3.5 hours drive from Arusha. It is located very close to Lake Manyara National Park on the east, and it shares the western border with the Serengeti. Entering and exiting the NCA is limited to the times of 6am - 6pm.

The most famous portion of the NCA is Ngorongoro Crater. This is technically a caldera (a inward collapse of a volcano). Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world, with a depth of 600m (2,000ft) and a diameter of 18km (11 miles). The elevation at the top of the rim reaches 2,286m (7,500ft) above sea-level. Th crater is home to more than 30,000 large animals including rhino, elephants, hippos,lions, cheetahs,leopards, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, antelopes, ostriches, hyenas...all African plains animals except for giraffes and elands (a large antelope). The vast majority of these animals live in the crater year-round.

The beautiful crater walls make a wonderful backdrop for photography and the animals inside of the crater are not as shy as in some other locations so this is a great destination for photography. Because of the convenient location of the NCA (along the way to the Serengeti) and the wonderful variety and density of the wildlife, the crater is a very popular safari destination. This is the only negative - the crater does get crowded with safari vehicles. To protect the fragile environment, all people (including the Maasai) and vehicles are not allowed inside the crater between 6pm and 6am each day. This means that all accommodations are outside of the crater, many near the crater rim overlooking the crater. At an altitude of 2,200m the crater rim is often cold and windy. Even packing a warm jacket, knit cap, and light gloves might be smart.

The size of the crater is such that all can be seen within 4-5 hours. In addition to the daily entry fee ($71/person) there is an extra fee for each vehicle descending into the crater of $295/vehicle so most itineraries include only one crater visit per itinerary.

Besides the crater, the NCA has other attractions. The most notable being Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge Museum. Olduvai Gorge is a world famous palaeoanthropologial attraction since the research done by Lous and Mary Leakey in the 1930s unearthed hunderds of fossilized bones and stone tools which lead to the conclusion that humans evolved in Africa. The museum is located approximately 50km west of Ngorongoro Crater, along the way to the Serengeti. Typically visitors spend one hour at the museum. There are also black sand shifting sand dunes approximately a 20 minute drive away from the museum. The dunes are composed of a highly magnetic volcanic ash which keeps the wind from eroding the dunes. The dunes migrate at a rate of 15 - 30m/year. If you wish you can spend some time hiking and exploring this phenomenon.

Empakai Crater, a much smaller caldera than the famous Ngorongoro Crater. 75% of the crater floor is covered with a lovely lake. There are hiking options accompanied by armed park rangers since dangerous animals may be present. There is a pubic campground on the crater rim. The elevation here is higher than the rim of Ngorongoro Crater (up to 3,200m/10,500ft).

Recommended number of days at this destination: 1 - 4 days

Tarangire is often referred to as the "Elephants Paradise". It would be amazing if on a day's game drive you didin't encounter more elephants than you can keep track of. In addition to the elephants, you will find most African plains safari animals here except for rhinos. Giraffes, hippos, wildebeest, zebras, and buffaloes being large in number. There is a fairly good chance of seeing lions. It is a 4 hours drive from Moshi or 2.5 hours drive from Arusha. This is a beautiful park with giant baobab trees and huge termite mounds dotting the landscape. The Tarangire River winds its way through the park. Being the only water source during dry season brings many animals to the river banks. Most people visit Tarangire for one day only but a visit of several days would not be boring. There are a variety of accommodations in the park ranging from basic camping to ultra-luxury resorts. Just outside of the park are also several excellent campsites/lodges/tented camps in locations that are teeming with wildlife ins spite of not being inside the park boundries. This park is an excellent safari destination especially during the driest months of July - October, Janaury, and February.

Recommended number of days at this destination: 1 day

Lake Manyara is located between Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is a 4 hours drive from Moshi or 2.5 hours from Arusha. This park is not large and 2/3 of the park is Lake Manyara. At times there are huge numbers of flamingoes covering the lake. Before reaching the park gates you will most likely be greeted by large numbers of baboons blocking the road. Inside of the park there are plenty of animals although the bushy terrain can make them tougher to get a good look at compared to other destination. This is a good destination if you are a bird watcher since there are 597 bird species present. There is an opportunity to rent a canoe to get a lake view of the park. Because the park is not large most people find half day inside the park as sufficient. There is a campsite inside of the park and outside of the park there are some good lodges/tented camps as well as private campsites. With the park being very close the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, there are many accommodation choices close to the entry gates of Ngorongoro.

Recommended number of days at this location: 1 day

Arusha National Park is a small park located just an hour's drive from Moshi or 30 minutes fromt he city of Arusha. It is a lovely park with a variety of landscapes: plains, forest, lakes, and Mt Meru - the second highest mountain in Tanzania. Surprisingly, it is not heavily visited. This might be due to the fact that some of the most popular safari animals are not present such as lions, cheetahs, rhinos, and elephants. The park does have plenty of giraffes and antelopes. In addition to vehicle safaris there are options for walking safaris (with an armed park ranger) and canoe rentals. See the mountain trekking page of this website to learn about Mt Meru treks. Besides the huts used for Mt Meru treks, there are no accommodations inside of the park. But there are very many options not far from the park. Because of the small size of the park this destination is seldom done as more than a day trip from Moshi or Arusha.

Recommended number of days at this destination: 1 - 3

Lake Natron is located along the Kenyan border to the east of Serengeti National Park. This area is hot and dusty with sparce vegetation. The lake itself is shallow and highly alkaline with a pH close to that of ammonia. The only life that the lake can support are the alkaline tilapia fish and algae which is highly favored by flamingoes. The water itself is pinkish-red in color. The temperature of the water can reach up to 60°C (140°F)! But there are some activities in the area. There are some well preserved hominid footprints to see, maasai villages to visit, and nice hiking ranging from half-day to full day at the beautiful and refreshing Ngare Sero Gorge reaching a refreshing waterfalls where swimming is safe and quite luring.

We have saved mentioning an amazing feature located near Lake Natron until last. Ol Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano just to the south of Lake Natron. Views of the flamingo covered lake with the often smoldering volcano in the background is a memorable view. This volcano is highly studied because it is unique in the world for having a different lava type. Without going into the technical aspects, it is cooler than other lava (only 575°C/1050°F) and the lava is fast flowing. The volcano is a holy site in the traditional Maasai religion and is known as "The mountain of god". It can be climbed in a day but is a very difficult climb. Temperatures in the area frequently reach over 40°C/104°F and with no shade, steep grade, loose gravel and dust; the climb is done in the nighttime. Because the volcano is active, there is no guarentee until the day of the climb that the climb will be permitted. It is done with a local Maasai guide. Most consider this a tougher climb than Kilimanjaro, being steep with lots of scrambling. If you are interested in this challenge, we can give you full details upon request. This destination can be part of a multi-day walking safari itinerary.

In this area there are some lodges (mid-range and luxury) and campsites available, some of them luxury. Most choose to spend 1 - 2 days in the area either on the way to northern Serengeti or returning from northern Serengeti.

Recommended number of days at this destination: 1

Lake Eyasi is a shallow (1m depth) soda lake located west of Lake Manyara and shares a border with the southern portion of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The attraction in this area is the cultural tourism. Tanzania has 120 tribes, each with their own language and culture. Most all of them have adapted to a more modern way of life. The most notable exception is the Hadzabe Tribe who live near Lake Eyasi. They have resisted all attempts to modernize their way of life and exist as true hunter-gatherers. They are opportunistic in their existance hunting with bow and arrow anything from mice to giraffe. For larger game, poison-tipped arrows are used. They are also experts in gathering wild honey and foraging for edible tubors and berries. Their knowledge of herbal medicine is remarkable. The tribe is quite friendly and during a visit you can join them on a hunt. Be prepared to run through the bushes following them. You can join them in song and dance afterwards and compare your archery skills with theirs along with your ability to start a fire without matches. Their language is unique for Tanzania with the use of clicking sounds incorporated in their speaking.

The Datoga tribe lives nearby and are pastoralists although they are increasingly turning to agriculture. They are known for their metalworking skills, turning scrap metal such as keys and belt buckles into arrowheads and knives which they trade with the Hadzabe. They are an isolated tribe, resisting education and outside influence. Only 5% speak Swahili (Tanzania's national language) and only 1% are literate. Aside from trading with the Hadzabe, they are not a friendly tribe toward outsiders. In the past Datoga warriors would improve their status by killing any outside intruder. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. They are shy but when you are escorted by a local guide you are welcomed.

The accommodations in this area include basic camping, mid-range lodge, and luxury lodge. Since the best time to visit the Hadzabe is very early when they typically hunt at dawn, the most common itinerary is to arrive the previous day and visit the lake itself briefly and perhaps visit the Datoga. The next morning after spending the morning hours with the Hadzabe travel either back to Moshi/Arusha or to the next destination in the afternoon.