— Destinations

A country of many weathers.

Tanzania is more than one landscape. Here's how we string them together from the crater rim to the coral coast.

Serengeti

Twelve thousand square miles of open plains where the herds still run. The Serengeti is the reason most people come to Tanzania and the reason they return.

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The Serengeti ecosystem stretches from the short grass plains of the south to the woodlands of the north, following a two million strong migration of wildebeest and zebra in a slow, seasonal circle. Central Seronera is a year round base for lion, leopard and cheetah, while the Mara River in the far north stages dramatic crossings from July to October. In green season (December to March) the herds calve on the Ndutu plains in the south, with predators never far behind.

Signature experiences

· Sunrise game drives across Seronera Valley
· Mara River crossings in the Northern Serengeti
· Hot air balloon safaris at first light
· Mobile camps that move with the migration

Getting there

One hour bush flight from Arusha, or a full driving day through the Rift Valley.

Best time: Jun Oct (migration crossings)
Wildlife: Great Migration, big cats, cheetah

Ngorongoro

A collapsed volcano that quietly holds the Big Five in a single, sunken bowl. Dense, unforgettable, best entered at first light.

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The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world — a 260 square kilometre amphitheatre with its own resident population of wildlife. Descending the caldera walls at dawn feels like arriving in another country: forest gives way to open grassland, soda lake and swamp, all held inside towering walls. It is one of the last strongholds of the endangered black rhino in Tanzania.

Signature experiences

· Full day descent onto the crater floor
· Big Five in a single game drive
· Highland walks to the Elephant Caves and hidden waterfalls
· Rim view lodges at sunset

Getting there

Three hour drive from Arusha via the Rift Valley wall.

Best time: Year-round
Wildlife: Black rhino, elephant, lion, flamingo

Tarangire

Ancient baobabs and a river that draws animals in from every direction when the country dries out. Underrated. We love it.

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In the dry months Tarangire holds the largest concentration of elephants in northern Tanzania — herds of a hundred are not unusual along the river. The landscape itself is unforgettable: rolling hills studded with thousand year old baobabs, seasonal swamps at Silale, and long views across the Maasai steppe. It stays quiet even in high season, which is exactly why we love it.

Signature experiences

· River game drives among the elephant herds
· Baobab studded ridgelines at golden hour
· Optional walking safaris on the park boundary
· Night drives from private concessions

Getting there

Two and a half hours south west of Arusha by road.

Best time: Jul Oct (dry season)
Wildlife: Massive elephant herds, tree-climbing pythons

Lake Manyara

A silver ribbon of lake under the Rift Valley escarpment. Short, poetic, endlessly photogenic.

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Manyara is small by Tanzanian standards but packs an unusual variety into a narrow strip between the Rift Valley cliffs and the alkaline lake. Ground water forest at the entrance shelters troops of baboon and blue monkey, open acacia woodland is home to the famed tree climbing lions, and the lake edge shimmers pink with flamingos when the water is right.

Signature experiences

· Tree climbing lions in the acacia woodlands
· Flamingo flocks along the lake shore
· Canopy walkways and bird hides
· Sunset from the escarpment above the Rift

Getting there

Two hours from Arusha, often combined with Ngorongoro.

Best time: Jun Sep, Nov (migratory birds)
Wildlife: Flamingos, tree-climbing lions, hippos

Kilimanjaro Foothills

Cloud forest, coffee farms, and the roof of Africa above. A grounding day or two on foot before the plains open up.

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You do not need to summit Kilimanjaro to feel it. The southern and western foothills are threaded with coffee farms, waterfalls and cloud forest, all under the shadow of Africa's highest peak. A day hike up to the Shira Plateau at 3,400m rewards clear morning views of the ice cap, and the private Sinya concession on the west offers walking safaris in Maasai country with the mountain behind you.

Signature experiences

· Day hikes to the Shira Plateau at 3,400m
· Coffee farm tours and cloud forest walks
· Sinya walking safaris with Maasai guides
· Full trekking expeditions on request

Getting there

45 minutes from Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha.

Best time: Jan Feb, Jul Oct
Wildlife: Colobus monkey, forest elephant

Zanzibar

The exhale after safari. Stone Town lanes, dhow sunsets, and reef-quiet mornings on the east coast.

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Zanzibar is where most of our safaris end — three or four barefoot nights are the perfect counterweight to a week of early game drives. Stone Town is a UNESCO listed maze of Swahili, Arab, Indian and European history; the north (Nungwi, Kendwa) offers vibrant white sand beaches, while the east coast (Paje, Jambiani, Matemwe) stays quieter and more tidal. Coral reefs and Jozani Forest's red colobus round it out.

Signature experiences

· Guided walk through Stone Town's spice markets
· Dhow sunset cruise from Kendwa
· Snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll
· Red colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest

Getting there

One hour flight from Arusha or the Serengeti bush strips.

Best time: Jun Oct, Dec Feb
Wildlife: Reef fish, dolphins, red colobus