Where to safari in Tanzania

Pick up any travel brochure, read the travel magazines, watch wildlife documentaries or travel shows on television and it becomes pretty obvious where to go on safari when visiting Tanzania. The way to go is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha and embark on a 6 day/5 night safari in 4x4 cars visiting Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Parks and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The famous wildlife migration which continues its annual cycle through the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara in Kenya is without doubt one of the most exhilarating natural spectacles on the planet. The awesome beauty of the Ngorongoro caldera literally takes your breath away and there can be no finer view to awake to than from one of the hotels on the crater rim. The wild landscapes of Tarangire with it’s huge baobab trees contrast with the wide open plains of Serengeti. Lake Manyara offers the rare chance to spot tree climbing lions and a variety of adventure activities from the escarpment overlooking the lake.

Tanzania is blessed with this core of protected wildlife conservation areas commonly referred to as the ‘northern circuit’ and we have not even mentioned Arusha National Park home to the majestic Mount Meru, the sacred Maasai Mountain of god – Ol Donyo Lengai, and of course Mount Kilimanjaro because how much time do most visitors have available to witness all the attractions on offer in northern Tanzania?

If you include the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar or perhaps a few days diving from Mafia or Pemba islands then two weeks just fly by. You have the perfect safari and beach package in one destination.

So that’s it then an easy choice for where to safari in Tanzania - call your travel agent now.

But is this really the best choice for your trip to Tanzania?

The only slight problem with having such a wealth of natural attractions and promoting them to the international tourist market in glossy brochures and Imax theatres is that people will want to see them for themselves. In fact so successful has been the promotion of Tanzania’s attractions that tourists have been coming in increasingly large numbers over the last 10 years. As Kenya found out in the 1980’s at some point there comes a breaking point for the sustainability levels of visitors versus resources and this is the situation which Tanzania must now face as the northern circuit staggers under the weight of visitor numbers.

The problem is not that the ‘northern circuit’ has been over promoted but that arguably the most authentic safari destinations in Tanzania have been all but ignored as visitor numbers to the north keep increasing to breaking point.

For too long tour operators have been happy to promote the easy option and reap the substantial rewards – why change a winning team?

This question now has to be considered seriously as large numbers of tourists mean more safari vehicles which create a negative impact on the environment, a limited number of hotel beds lead to overbooking and traffic jams in the national parks result in client dissatisfaction.

The answer to this conundrum lies in a differentiation of safari products and this is where Tanzania is truly blessed.

Have a look at a map of Tanzania and in the west of the country the names of Katavi and Mahale Mountains National Parks may not be overly familiar whilst in the south of the country the vast protected areas of Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve stare back at you. These areas are currently visited by less than ten per cent of all tourists to the country and represent Africa’s last true wilderness safari possibilities. For those who seek a safari beyond the advertising gloss these are the areas which are worthy of further investigation.

Katavi, Ruaha and Selous are all larger than most European countries yet it is not uncommon to spend a whole day driving in any one of these parks and not encounter another vehicle. Herds of buffalo can be counted in the thousands and some of the greatest numbers of elephant and wild dog in Africa roam undisturbed. Contrast this with the northern circuit where it is not uncommon to queue for 10 minutes to be able to get the photo opportunity of that tired lion. In 2004 nearly 200,000 visitors went to Serengeti whilst Katavi attracted a little over 1,000.

It is true that a safari in the south or west is a very different prospect to that in the north. The safari lodges and camps are not as polished – no sit down buffet dinners for 200 people here, but perhaps a table for 2 laid out in a dry riverbed with kerosene lanterns for light and the indistinct shapes and noises of the wildlife in the shadows.

The landscapes and infrastructure are rougher with a rolling landscape of lakes, hills, mountains, woodland and plains connected by long stretches of dirt road. Sometimes you have to seek out the animals in your 4x4, but when you want an alternative perspective you can venture out on a walking safari with trained rangers, or even take a boat safari in Selous on the Rufiji River or one of the lakes. The variety of different safaris are an integral attraction of southern Tanzania and make this a unique safari destination for those seeking a more intimate wildlife experience.

In Mahale Mountains on the shores of Lake Tanganyika it is possible to track and observe chimpanzees in their natural environment in the morning then sail out over the aquamarine waters of the lake in the afternoon and catch a fish for dinner. Don a mask and look over the side of your dhow and you may be surprised to see the colorful fish rapidly dispersing as a hippo walks on the bottom of the lake. Strange but true! However less than a thousand lucky souls experienced this phenomena last year.

The moral of this story is that whilst any safari in Tanzania is going to be a memorable experience it is worth researching the whole picture before you book your holiday to discover that some of the country’s greatest natural attractions are actually the least publicized.

In Tanzania you can still follow the herds without being one of the herd.

For further information on safari destinations throughout Tanzania contact:

Authentic Tanzania

Email: info@authentictanzania.com
Website: www.authentictanzania.com