10 Activities to do in Tanzania
10 Activities to do in Tanzania
Visit Tanzania, a country that is a bundle of contrasts, from the snow-covered mountains to the savannahs spread in sunlight rays, the blue coastlines adorned by the attractive cities full of life. Whether it is a big game chase in the famous Tanzania safaris, scaling the tallest mountain on the continent or trading in spice-filled markets, the country exceeds the expectations of one wanting to get adventurous. Designed not only as a vacation but as a complete experience, Tanzania tours are beautiful in their serene beauty that only outlines the materials of a nature documentary and richness of culture that could be measured in centuries.
The 10 must-do things in Tanzania
Have a Classic Safari in Serengeti National Park
A list of Tanzanian adventures can never be complete without referring to the Serengeti. It is the jewel of the Tanzania safaris as lions sleep in the shade, elephants in herds and the Mystic Migration rumbles across the grass plains every year.
The best season, from June to October, is the best wildlife viewing time.
Unique: Open vehicle game drives, luxury or mobile camping and that thrilling sensation of crime-tingling excitement as you stare a predator in the wild.
Whatever the safari style, be it group expedition or paying top dollars on a personal tour, this park is why many go on tours. Tanzania is to do their first adventure in Africa.
Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration
More than 1.5 million Wildebeest together with half a million zebras and gazelles migrate across the Serengeti in search of new pasture every year. This is nature on a large scale, and one has the real-life chases as the predators, such as lions and crocodiles, hunt down the prey.
When and what to see it:
January to March (calving season in the southern Serengeti)
July to September (river crossings along the northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara border)
This show cannot be considered as only one of the best excursions offered to Tanzania travellers, but also one of the wildlife shows of the planet.
Hike Kilimanjaro Mountain
In Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest of all mountains, and yes, it is hikerable with no technical gear. Judging by the fact that it is 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) tall, Kilimanjaro is a bucket-list adventure challenge for most adventurers across the globe.
Famous Routes
The Marangu Route takes 5 to 6hours
The Machame Route is beautiful, though difficult
Kilimanjaro mountain climbing is a difficult undertaking, but it is possible with adequate planning and guidance. All-inclusive trekking tours with porters, food, and even permits are offered by the great majority of tour and travel companies.
Spend time on the White sand beaches of Zanzibar
Once your safari or peak is done, Zanzibar is the best place to relax. It is an island of palm trees and turquoise waters, and the world is spiced up to a paradise of bare feet.
Top beaches:
Nungwi, a busy place of resorts, scuba diving and nightlife
Paje, a chilled-out kite-surfers’ paradise
Kendwa, powdery and superb sunsets
If you want to experience Swahili culture and get a glimpse into their history, head to Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are antique buildings, narrow streets, and markets with different exotic spices and local crafts.
Visit Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater is an amphitheatre of nature that is full of wild animals. This UNESCO site was created due to a collapsed volcano and is one of the most biodiverse locations in Africa – think about lions, rhinos, buffaloes, hippos, and thousands of flamingos located right here.
Special about it:
It is the most appropriate place to view the Big Five within a day in all of Tanzania.
The perspectives of the rim of the crater world are unearthly.
Several Tanzania safaris take place throughout the Ngorongoro in the northern circuit, which often combines the area with the Serengeti.
Go to Tarangire National Park
Tarangire is a quiet secret among visitors who stay in smaller numbers compared to their counterparts who visit other bigger parks. It is renowned because of huge baobab trees, a great herd of elephants, and a waitlist of Serengeti.
Highlights:
Wildlife: Huge concentrations of wild animals at the river Tarangire occur during the dry season (June-October).
This is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 500 species here.
To photographers and repeat safari participants, Tarangire provides new views that do not diminish the drama of wildlife.
Mafia Island, Marine Park Snorkel or Dive
This is not the mafia you have in mind. Mafia Island is a dream come true for the diver. This serene island is located next to Zanzibar and is well known for its perfect marine environment, whale sharks, and coral reefs.
What to do:
Go whale shark swimming (October- March)
Chole Bay coral gardens snorkel
Dive shipwrecks as well as reef walls
Not all of the regular tours touch on the mafia. Tanzania, which makes it ideal in case you want to venture off the beaten track.
Join a Maasai Cultural visit
A visit to Tanzania cannot be complete without getting in touch with the people of the country. Maasai in their red clothes, beautiful beads and proud warriors can provide a cultural experience that is respectful and enriching.
Village visits
Dances and rituals in the olden times
Being introduced to the art of cattle herding, home remedies and ancient traditions
Seek tour and travel operators who affirm ethical tourism and strengthen local people.
Trek Udzungwa Mountains National Park
In case you need something to take a break from game drives, visit Udzungwa Mountains National Park in the South. With rare species and dense rainforests, it is called the Galapagos of Africa.
Activities:
Take a trek to the peak of Sanje Falls (170 meters)
Watch out for endemic monkeys such as the Udzungwa red colobus
Live in the untouched nature, camping under the stars
The park is perfect for active tourists and eco-tourists and provides an absolutely new face of Tanzania.
Check out Lake Natron and the Flamingos
To see something surreal, you can visit Lake Natron, which is a Salt Lake located along the Kenyan border. Its dark, salty and pinkish red water and its mirror surface are what attract thousands of flamingos that nest on its shores.
Birds which find their death in the lake are usually calcified by the alkaline water, leaving them in a ghostly condition.
There is hiking and you can go up the Ol Doinyo Lengai, which is an active volcano holy to the Maasai. This place is barren, isolated and completely out of this world.
Hidden Gems
Ruaha National Park: The wildest park of the South of Tanzania, which has plenty of lions and fewer tourists, in other words.
Lake Victoria: An opportunity to fish, canoe and tour the quiet lakeside towns.
Bagamoyo: a town full of Swahili and colonial heritage on the coast.
Local Culture, More to Safari
Tanzania is not only about wildlife. It has more than 120 ethnic groups, which make a kaleidoscope of cultures. There is history, variety, and persistence behind the coastal Swahili customs to the Chaga villagers around the Kilimanjaro and the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers of Lake Eyasi.
The major cultural experiences which are important:
Ugali, chapati and local stews cooking classes
Performances of music and dancing
Shopping in the markets of such places as Arusha or Moshi
Swahili is the national language, and a couple of basic words will help you out a long way – “Jambo!” Hello is said as means hello and thank you is said as Asante.
Best time to go to Tanzania
Dry season (June-October): Best season to go on safaris and see wildlife
Wet season (November to March): low tourist numbers, green surroundings
December- February: Best time to climb Kilimanjaro
Getting Around
The major travelling centres are Arusha and Dar es Salaam.
Domestic flights will save time between big cities.
Transport, accommodation, and guides offered by local tour and travel firms are mostly combined.
Conclusion
Tanzania is not an ordinary place; it is a kind of experience that is like being embraced in your arms. Sightseeing giraffes in the savannah, sunsets in Zanzibar, or having a chat with Maasai elders in the dark, this is a country of transformation of the meaning of travelling.
