Tanzania

Tanzania is always breathtaking, whether you’re a first-time visitor to Africa or an experienced traveler. Over a fourth of its territory is protected, including some of the world’s most famous national parks as well as lesser-known pockets of pristine East African wilderness.

The main attraction is the Serengeti. Large grasslands, rocky koppie outcrops, and woodland abound with wandering elephants, giraffes, and lion prides resting under acacia trees – this is what many people see when they envisage an African safari. It is also the backdrop for the Great Migration, in which two million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and other antelope, gather in megaherds to follow fresh pasture on their grand annual circuit, braving river crossings, big predators, and crocodiles along the way. The national park itself can get crowded, so we prefer private reserves or more secluded camps that put you right in the middle of the activity.

The popular ‘northern circuit’ includes the Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, and the world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater. For the daring, travel south into Tanzania to visit the enormous Selous and Ruaha National Parks, where only a few small camps with excellent guides provide a fulfilling safari experience for the aficionado. Or drive west to distant Katavi for buffalo herds and lions before exploring the Mahale Mountains on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, Africa’s top chimp trekking destination.