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Tanzania - Tailor Made

Tanzania Tailor Made Tailor Made Wildlife Holidays

Almost all of our itineraries in Tanzania are tailor-made - it is a classic safari destination which is growing in popularity due to the remoteness of the camps and lodges, and the quality of the game-viewing here. We generally fly our guests into Tanzania on Kenya Airways via Nairobi, with a short hop down to Kilimanjaro (Arusha) from where many safaris begin, or on KLM via Amsterdam also into Arusha. There is little to be said by way of 'advantage' in either having your short hop from the UK to Amsterdam (to pick up the KLM flight to Arusha) or having the short hop from Nairobi to Arusha - this is very much down to personal choice, or perhaps flight availability. If you simply wanted to visit the southern or western parts of the country then we would generally make use of the regular British Airways flights to Dar-es-Salaam. Below you will find a guide to the regions of Tanzania, and some suggestions for accommodation.

Chimpanzee

The Serengeti

The Serengeti is one of the world's last great wildlife refuges. It is a vast area of land supporting the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa, on a scale unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Equal in size to Northern Ireland, the Park contains an estimated three million large animals, most of which take part in a seasonal migration that is one of nature's greatest wonders. Many of them become prey for the Lions, Cheetahs, Leopards and other predators which constantly attend to the moving mass.

Vegetation in the Serengeti ranges from the short and long grass plains in the south, to acacia savannah in the centre and wooded grassland concentrated around tributaries of the Grumeti and Mara Rivers in the north. The western corridor is a region of wooded highland and extensive plains reaching to the edge of Lake Victoria. The Seronera Valley in the central Serengeti is famous for the abundance of Lion and Leopard that are generally easy to find.

The Serengeti is famous for its annual migration but space in the lodges and tented camps is at a premium during these times, often being booked up over a year in advance. However, it should be remembered that the Serengeti makes a superb wildlife and safari destination at any time of year with many animals not choosing to follow the migration and outside the peak times you will have vast areas of wilderness to yourself!

Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Serengeti Sopa Lodge is a large mid-price lodge, it is conveniently located to for the areas around the Seronera River. The hotel has large spacious rooms with balconies from which to view the plains below. Meals are served buffet style and it has a swimming pool.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is a comfortable well run lodge with 66 rooms. It is perched on top of the Kyabatero Hill with great views through the trees. The rooms are on two levels with thatched roofs. The overall appearance is that of several beehives. Click here for youtube video.

Ndutu Safari Lodge located on the edge of the lake just outside the Park boundary is in a fantastic location to view the migration on the short grass plains. It consists of 32 large stone built cottages. Ndutu has an open bar and restaurant overlooking the lake. Ndutu is a very special place any time of the year and is a great stopping point en-route to or from the highlands if you have been up in the northern reaches of the Serengeti.

Mbalageti Safari Lodge has both tented chalets and lodge rooms. Mbalageti has an exceptional outlook over the plains, it is in a truely amazing location. The public areas include large bar and loft space for reading. The swimming pool has a 360-degree view of the Serengeti.

Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp is surrounded by kopjes (granite outcrops) and offers fantastic views out over the Serengeti plains. The camp consists of 16 comfortable tents, a central lounge and a dining tent.

Grumeti River Camp is a small tented camp with 10 attractively designed tents located on the banks of the Grumeti River. The food and service here are excellent.

Migration Camp is a comfortable tented camp in the northern part of Serengeti some 25 kilometres or so from Lobo airstrip. It is a great place to base yourself when the migration is working its way northwards. The tents are spacious with large en-suite facilities. Our suggestion would be to spend an extra day here just to appreciate the location and facilities rather than arriving late and heading off for a game-drive early next morning.

Olduvai Gorge

This is the site of some of the most important fossil hominid finds of all time by Mary and Louis Leakey such as 'Nutcracker Man' or Australopithecus boisei who lived 1.75 million years ago. There is a small informative museum located at the visitor centre where you can view ancient fossils. The gorge is a treasure trove of archaeological sites filled with fossils; settlement remains and stone artefacts - all evidence that this was once 'The Cradle of Mankind'.

Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area

Often referred to as the 'eighth wonder of the world', the Ngorongoro Crater provides one of the finest wildlife opportunities that Africa can offer. Covering 260 square kilometres the balance of predator and prey within the Crater is so precise that animals seldom leave, and it possibly contains the largest permanent concentration of wildlife in Africa, with an estimate of 30,000 large animals. The game-viewing is good all year-round. The expansive floor is predominantly grassland, which provides for excellent game-viewing. There are two swamps fed by streams (a favourite for Hippo, Elephant and reedbuck, among other species) two forests, and a huge soda lake that attracts thousands of flamingos and other water birds. The Crater walls are also lightly forested.

There is no accommodation on the Ngorongoro Crater floor itself so every day a restricted number of visitors are given permits to descend the 650 metre walls of this caldera (a collapsed cone of a volcano) for half a day. Despite the restrictions on numbers, the popularity of the Crater and its location on the classic 'northern circuit' mean that you will not have a solitary experience here. However, the size of the Crater is such that it is possible to escape the crowds whilst on the Crater floor, and the guaranteed sightings and benefits of wildlife-viewing here far outweigh the negatives.

Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge accommodates up to 190 guests, it is not a luxury lodge but is a good 'wellpriced' property. It is the only lodge on the eastern rim of the crater and it effectively has its own access road to the crater floor. Meals are served buffet style but don't expect a culinary extravaganza - the view however is stunning!

Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is located on the Crater's southern rim. The stone building is covered by plant and ivy, which gives a slightly austere appearance but from the Crater floor it is hardly noticeable. There are seventyfive spacious rooms.

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is one Africa's most famous lodges and it isn't cheap. The lodge is divided into three separate camps, North, South, and Tree Camp (which only has six suites). All the rooms are lavishly decorated with Victorian baths and oak panels. If you can afford it, Crater Lodge should be on your wish list of places to stay.

Ngorongoro Farm House is precisely that, a farm house. Once a large coffee plantation it has undergone major refurbishment by its Tanzanian owner. It is a special place to stay offering superb accommodation in hand-made red brick bungalows. Their organic working farm supplies the lodge with fresh free-range eggs and vegetables, and of course the meals are delicious.

Gibbs Farm is still a working coffee farm and one of the oldest in this region and has spacious manicured gardens. Great pride is taken in the food here which is plentiful and excellent. Walks and hikes can be arranged either through the gardens or further a field to the many trails.

Lake Manyara National Park

Hemingway described Lake Manyara National Park's magnificent hunting country in "The Green Hills of Africa". Mahogany, and Sausage Trees are alive with Blue, and Vervet Monkeys, Elephants feed off fallen fruit, while Bushbuck, Common Waterbuck, baboons and Leopard all make their home in the forest. Manyara is also a sanctuary to Hippo, giraffe, impala, zebra, the elusive Cape buffalo and, its most famous residents - tree climbing Lions. Lake Manyara itself is a magnet for birdlife and a kaleidoscope of different species can be found around its shores, including sizeable flocks of flamingoes. The park is often just seen as a stopping off point on the popular 'northern circuit' of Tanzania, yet this small and interesting park definitely warrants a visit.

Lake Manyara Serena is not of the same standard as the Crater or Serengeti Serena but comfortable and predictable. The lodge stands on top of the rift overlooking the lake. The lodge is designed as a traditional Maasai Boma with 67 en-suite rooms. The swimming pool has the best view overlooking the rift valley below.

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, the only lodge in the park, is located in beautiful forest about 45 kilometres from the main gate. It has been designed as a tree house. The large rooms are on a wooden platform with a verandah and some rooms are built around existing trees. The lodge has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

Kirurumu is a permanent tented lodge with spectacular views out over the Rift Valley. The open-sided dining room and bar make the most of view! The meals are all home cooked and most of the fresh ingredients come from their own organic garden.

E Unoto is a Maasai-run property nestled into the escarpment of the Rift. It has a terrific outlook and the beds are sumptuous. The rooms are well spaced and designed in the shape of a traditional Maasai home. The staff are very proud of their lodge and if you want to stay somewhere that is a bit different on your way to or from the highlands it is a great option. Click here for youtube clip.

Arusha National Park

Aldous Huxley said that Arusha was the jewel of African national parks and it is easy to see why. Set between the towering peaks of Mount Meru and snow-capped Kilimanjaro, the Park comprises lush montane forest, the beautiful Momella Lakes and the tranquil craters of Ngurdoto and Mount Meru. There are few parks with such variety. The Momella Lakes host a variety of water birds including ibises, spoonbills, ducks and a rich variety of waders. An occasional Hippo will belch rudely as it breaks the waters from its sub-surface daytime retreat, and Common Waterbuck and Kirk's Dik Dik loiter beside their drinking pools. From lookout points on the forested rim of the Ngurdoto Crater, Warthogs, Cape Buffalo and other mammals may be observed as they feed on the grasslands of the crater floor, whilst monkeys and more elusive creatures hide in the forests. In and around Arusha itself there are a number of very pleasant places to stay...

Kigongoni Lodge consists of 18 cottages each with an open fire and a balcony looking towards Mt Kilimanjaro. The lodge has been developed by The Sibusiso Foundation a centre for improving the quality of life for mentally handicapped children which directly benefits from its revenues.

The location of Mountain Village Lodge is stunning. The gardens and lake are delightful and it is ideally placed for an overnight stay following your arrival at Kilimanjaro airport. The rooms are all individual rondavels overlooking either Mt Kilimanjaro or Mt Meru.

Mount Meru Game Lodge is nestled amongst a grove of enormous old Mango trees. It is approximately half an hour from Kilimanjaro airport making it an ideal lodge to stay in following a long flight. The game sanctuary here provides a safe haven to Eland, ostriches, waterbuck, zebra, small carnivores and of course an enormous variety of birdlife.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park, dominated by the Tarangire River is a grossly under-rated park and one of the best-kept secrets in Africa. Perhaps this is because it does not fit so conveniently into a week's safari, or because it lies just off the 'northern circuit'. Whatever the reason, it means that Tarangire is a superb wildlife destination for the enthusiast, particularly welcoming when added on after the busy 'northern circuit' of Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti. The river attracts enormous herds of Elephants and the landscape is a rich and varied mix of Baobab trees, acacia bush, plains, swamps and rocky outcrops. The wildlife here is superb and the area actually experiences its own migration - although smaller in scale than the one further north. Elephants are virtually guaranteed here, and Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, jackal and occasionally Wild Dog hunt the herds of Cape Buffalo as well as Grant's, and Thompson's Gazelle, Burchell's Zebra, giraffe and Warthog. The area is excellent for birds of prey and provides superb habitats for hundreds of other species. The park is within half a day's drive of Arusha and Lake Manyara so it is an easy add-on to any northern circuit safari.

Tarangire Treetops is located just outside the park boundary and is a great place for resident Elephants. The 10 tree-house style rooms are large and airy and some of them are built on stilts allowing game to pass freely underneath. The central area built around a giant Baobab overlooks a waterhole.

Tarangire River Camp is located near the main entrance to Tarangire in a fantastic position overlooking a tributary of the Tarangire River where you can sit and take in your surroundings with views across to the park. It has 10 roomy tents.

Tarangire Safari Lodge is a permanent lodge combining both tents and bungalows. You can't beat sitting on the large deck outside the lounge and dining room of this lodge with a pair of binoculars watching the excitement in the river below.

Selous Game Reserve

Selous Game Reserve is named after Frederick Courtney Selous, the famous 19th century hunter and explorer whose books were bestsellers in Victorian England. The Selous is the largest wildlife sanctuary on the African continent covering a staggering 54,600 square kilometres. It consists of vast tracts of archetypal East African wilderness containing perhaps the greatest concentration of big game left on earth. Only in its northern extremity in the area of forest set around the mighty Rufiji River, has the Selous suffered the incursion of man, and it is still home to a bewildering array of birds and mammals. This is the Africa experienced by many of its early explorers - raw and untouched. Gamedrives may take you to the lakes where, in the dry season, the herbivores gather to drink and the carnivores lie in wait. Walks accompanied by an armed guide offer the opportunity to see Cape Buffalo, Elephant and perhaps a Lion, and a boat safari provides you with the thrill of getting close to Hippos and Nile Crocodiles. Although poaching has in the past affected the Elephant population careful management and conservation schemes have brought their numbers back to a healthy level. There are also large numbers of Wild Dog, Lion, Leopard and many other species.

Selous Safari Camp

Selous Safari Camp has a prime position on the shores of Lake Tagalala close to the Rufiji River. The camp is unfenced and designed to blend in with the spectacular natural scenery. Each of the 12 safari tents are sighted on a timber platform offering great views of the lake. They are colourful with an airy feel. Both the bar and dining room are also raised on wooden platforms above the ground. The camp also has a good-sized swimming pool - very welcome as it can get hot in the Selous.

Selous Impala Camp has just seven tents constructed on a high wooden decking with magnificent views of the river and the forest beyond. The tents are spread over a large area ensuring privacy and a real bush feel.

Rufiji River Camp has a fantastic location high on a bank above the Rufiji River, in a stretch of woodland populated by monkeys and numerous birds. The views from the front of the camp are wonderful and it is a great place to watch out for some of the many Hippos and crocs that relax in the water during the heat of the day. The camp, which has 20 tents, has a rustic African feel to it, with thatch roofs, stone floors and the occasional carved piece of furniture. Rufiji is not a luxurious camp, however it has a pleasant unpretentious feel.

Lying on the banks of the Rufiji River, Sand Rivers is an idyllic place from which to explore the Selous. Sand Rivers' main public area designed using local wood and stone set in the shade of a large baobab tree. There are just eight rooms set in pairs along the riverbank. Each room is open fronted, with extensive views directly onto the River.

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is Tanzania's second largest and one of its wildest. Only the area around the Ruaha River has been developed for tourism, and because of its remote location even this sees relatively few visitors, thus preserving a massive chunk of raw African wilderness in a totally unspoilt state. Activities centre on the river, which during the dry season is very low, with the remaining rock pools swarming with huge crocodiles and grunting Hippos fighting for space.

The park protects a wide variety of habitats because it is an important transition zone where eastern and southern species of flora and fauna overlap and in all some 1,650 plant species and over 450 bird species have been recorded within the park itself. The birdlife is amazing here and includes ibises, herons, stilts, kingfishers and owls are regularly sighted. The varying habitats of the park are home to numerous eagle species including Martial, Black, Long-crested, and of course Bateleur. Shrikes, weavers, waxbills, fire-finches, and both Palebilled, and Von der Decken's Hornbill are found in the dry bushland. Ruaha is known for its large Elephant and Cape Buffalo herds, Greater, and Lesser Kudu, Sable, and Roan Antelope. There are high numbers of predators including Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and the increasingly rare Wild Dog.

Ruaha has an excellent all-weather road network which makes it particularly stunning in the green season with huge numbers of migrating birds. The south-western area of the country where Ruaha is located has the lowest rainfall in Tanzania. June to November is driest with the focus of wildlife viewing around the river courses and permanent waterholes.

Ruaha River Lodge

Ruaha River Lodge was the first permanent camp to be built in Ruaha. It occupies a unique position on the banks of the Ruaha River cleverly built around a rocky outcrop and melts into the environment more or less unnoticed. Every effort is made to ensure that the lodge has little impact on the surroundings environment. Each thatched cottage is constructed from local stone.

Mwagusi a small tented camp on the banks of the dry Mwagusi river. There are just nine tents, each within a thatched banda, in keeping with a traditional Tanzanian style and blending with the surrounding bush. Food is freshly prepared and delicious.

Mdonya Old River Camp is one of the parks newest camps and is located in the west. It has just 11 tents. The camp has cleverly constructed hides at both ends of the camp, where you can sit and watch the game pass by. The dining and lounge tents are located under shady trees overlooking the dry riverbed.

Jongomero Camp is the only camp in the remote southwestern corner of the park, with just eight spacious safari tents. The ceilings are vaulted and traditionally constructed to ensure a cool breeze. There is also a small swimming pool that looks a little like a rock pool ideal for cooling off in the heat of the day.

Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe Stream National Park lies just north of Kigoma Town in Western Tanzania. The park occupies just 52 square kilometres of land making it the smallest park in Tanzania. Despite its tiny size the park is magnificent and was made world-famous by the British researcher of primates, Jane Goodall. In this park without roads all game-viewing is enjoyed on foot. The biggest attraction is the highly habituated Chimpanzees, which number around 100, but there are also large numbers of Olive Baboons and other monkeys including both as Red Colobus, and Blue Monkeys. The birdlife is extraordinary with more than 200 species of birds recorded. Gombe receives visitors throughout the year but the best times to visit are during the dry season, which is between May to October and during the short rains of January and February.

Katavi National Park

Katavi is one of the upcoming tourist attractions in Tanzania and has become part of the new western circuit. It is unspoiled, raw and with unique attractions. Like the other western parks, Katavi's remoteness results in low visitor numbers and is ideal for those who prefer game-viewing in peace and solitude. This undiscovered wilderness is awash with plains game including Elephant, Leopard, giraffe, Lion and zebra. This is a place for the wildlife connoisseur to see Sable, Roan Antelope and Puku. Birdwatching is also excellent, with over 400 species recorded.

The tents at Katavi Wilderness Camp are set on large wooden decks craftily hidden amongst the trees, providing both shade and camouflage. It is not a luxurious camp and has simple, comfortable decor.

Chada Camp is a simple tented camp in a stunning location. There are just six large safari tents here with big gauze windows and great views.

Mahale National Park

Mahale National Park is located on the shores of enormous Lake Tanganyika 120 kilometres south of Kigoma and takes its name from the chain of mountains that bisects the park north to south. With more than 700 Chimpanzees, Mahale is considered one of the best parks in Africa for viewing them. The area is inhabited by a wide range of mammals including Elephants, giraffes, Cape Buffalos and Lions. It is also one of Africa's best beach locations and offers superb swimming, sailing, snorkelling and fishing on the vast blue freshwater lake. Charter flights to and from Mahale operate several times a week.

Greystoke Camp has only six rooms. The camp has recently been refurbished and rebuilt using recycled timbers from abandoned dhows. A tremendous amount of ingenuity has gone into the construction and it is a great place to stay. The rooms have open decks reached by ladders. The food is all fresh (often fish from the lake) and meals are regularly served on the beach.

Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park is a protected area of outstanding natural beauty and high biodiversity. It is the closest park to Dar-es-Salaam, nestled between the Uluguru and the Rubeho mountains. As part of the Selous ecosystem, it benefits from a high game density and supports a wide range of large mammals including Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Spotted Hyena, jackal, giraffe, Sable Antelope, Burchell's Zebra, Eland, Litchtenstein's Hartebeest and Cape Buffalo. Like Ruaha or Selous it is still possible to spend a day in the park without seeing another tourist vehicle. At the southern end of the flood plain, in the Kikoboga area, live families of Yellow Baboon. Hippos wallow in the waters of the hippo pools and are frequently joined by flocks of Open-billed Storks. Over 300 species of birds have been observed in the park.

Foxes Safari Camp has a definite feel of Africa about it. The tents are the traditional canvas tents set on wooden plinths with a makuti roof, and all mod cons. The dining area, located on a hill above the rooms, is an ideal spot to view the animals passing by on their way for a drink.

Vuma Hills Lodge has a colonial 'Out of Africa' feel to it. The tents are huge with a decking verandah on which to sit and watch the sun set over the Mkata plains.

Udzungwa Mountain National Park

Udzungwa is a remnant of the eastern arc rainforest that stretched along the eastern rift 165 million years ago. At this time Madagascar separated from mainland Africa so the forests there have similarities to the Udzungwa rainforest. Six million years ago it was also isolated from the West African rainforests so there is a high degree of endemism - 25% of the plants here are unique to Udzungwa. Much of the wildlife is also unique, and of the 10 primates found here four are endemic to Udzungwa including Hehe Red Colobus and the Sanje Crested Mangabey. There are also a couple of endemic bushbabies, several endemic birds including the Rufouswinged Sunbird and Udzungwa Partridge, and the forest is so diverse that the scientists are still finding new species.

Click here for our suggested Tanzania itineraries.