Tanzania guide
Tanzania plays host to some of Africa's most iconic sights: the plains of the Serengeti and the Wildebeest Migration.
Seeing Tanzania & Zanzibar together
Haraka haraka haina baraka. Hurry hurry has no blessings. Travel in Tanzania and you’ll understand why this old Swahili proverb rings true. Hurry through the Serengeti in search of its resident lions and you’ll miss the splendour of its vast plains stretching to the horizon. Hurry through Zanzibar to your beach resort and you’ll miss the individual stories woven into its 20,000-plus years of history. Take the time to combine Tanzania and Zanzibar and you’ll have a beautifully relaxing antidote to those early morning safari starts.
With Arabic, Swahili, Indian and European heritage rooted in the spice trade, Zanzibar boasts one of Africa’s richest and most diverse food cultures.
Just a short flight from mainland Tanzania’s wildlife highlights, the Zanzibar archipelago is a mixture of cliché-perfect beaches, world-class diving and Swahili culture. UNESCO-listed Stone Town’s crumbling streets offer an insight into the spice and associated slave trade, while the north-east coast of the main island, Unguja, where traditional dhows are silhouetted on the Indian Ocean horizon, offers coral-fringed waters for snorkellers and divers.
With Arabic, Swahili, Indian and European heritage rooted in the spice trade, Zanzibar boasts one of Africa’s richest and most diverse food cultures.
Just a short flight from mainland Tanzania’s wildlife highlights, the Zanzibar archipelago is a mixture of cliché-perfect beaches, world-class diving and Swahili culture. UNESCO-listed Stone Town’s crumbling streets offer an insight into the spice and associated slave trade, while the north-east coast of the main island, Unguja, where traditional dhows are silhouetted on the Indian Ocean horizon, offers coral-fringed waters for snorkellers and divers.
Tips for combining mainland Tanzania & Zanzibar
Explore cultural as well as natural heritage
Maasai villages dot the landscape around the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and Selous. Our tours work with communities to make sure they’re welcome, but if travelling independently it is worth choosing carefully and asking questions; some village tours are not as responsible as they should be.
On Zanzibar, take the time to wander Stone Town, explore the night food markets, tour spice plantations, and ride a dala dala into Nungwi village for a taste of local beach life. Plus, keep an ear out as sunset approaches. The bars in Stone Town host bands playing everything from jazz, pop and reggae to poetic taarab music.
Embrace the adventure of getting from A to B
The best way to travel between Tanzania’s national parks and reserves and Zanzibar is by light aircraft – taking off and landing at small airstrips along the way is all part of the adventure. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as you take to the skies.
Disconnect… & then reconnect
Internet connections can operate at a snail’s pace in the Serengeti and Selous, but you’ll be too busy watching for wandering wildlife to check your phone anyway. And Zanzibar’s beaches are so beautiful you’ll forget anywhere else exists.
“I was worried about days without electricity but it really wasn’t an issue,” says our traveller Deirdre Kloski. “Our two teenagers never even missed their phones. My husband never had to check in with work. Bring books! Be prepared to relax.”
“I was worried about days without electricity but it really wasn’t an issue,” says our traveller Deirdre Kloski. “Our two teenagers never even missed their phones. My husband never had to check in with work. Bring books! Be prepared to relax.”
Stay for at least 10 days
Wildlife marches to its own drum, so maximise your chances of seeing the Big Five (and beyond) and give yourself time to truly unwind by spending at least 10 days in Tanzania and Zanzibar. Remember that Swahili proverb haraka haraka haina baraka, relax, and let Tanzanian time take over.
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Avoid the rainy season
The best times to see Tanzania’s wildlife and Zanzibar’s beaches happily coincide. Travel in July to September to catch the river crossings of the Great Migration and for island sunshine. Try June or September to avoid the biggest safari crowds. Alternatively, head south – the southern national parks are quiet all year round.
December, January and February offer generally dry weather and wildlife emerges to make the most of the topped-up waterholes. In Zanzibar, water visibility can be up to 20-30m. “We went in December and the scenery was really beautiful because it rained a bit once in a while,” says our traveller Natalie Lefevre. “It was nice and green, but it was extremely humid and hot. If you cannot stand this very well, it’s probably better to go in another season.”
We recommend avoiding the March to early May long rains, when wildlife disperses, water silts up, and Zanzibar experiences daily downpours and high humidity.
December, January and February offer generally dry weather and wildlife emerges to make the most of the topped-up waterholes. In Zanzibar, water visibility can be up to 20-30m. “We went in December and the scenery was really beautiful because it rained a bit once in a while,” says our traveller Natalie Lefevre. “It was nice and green, but it was extremely humid and hot. If you cannot stand this very well, it’s probably better to go in another season.”
We recommend avoiding the March to early May long rains, when wildlife disperses, water silts up, and Zanzibar experiences daily downpours and high humidity.
Make it your honeymoon
Once-in-a-lifetime wildlife adventures coupled with days relaxing next to the Indian Ocean make a honeymoon to Tanzania and Zanzibar a blissful start to married life. Plus, you can always up the memory-making adventures with walking safaris, mobile wilderness camps and world-class scuba diving.
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