Destination: Tanzania
aN ICONIC, year-round travel Destination
Tanzania: a land of vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, endless plains, unforgettable wildlife encounters and home to the greatest spectacle on the planet: The Migration. It's no wonder this continent tops the bucket list of so many travelers.
Experience the ultimate safari adventure on our signature 10-day itinerary!
arusha
Arusha is a main hub and considered the main city within the Northern Region of Tanzania. Most travellers who fly into Tanzania for safari will inevitably spend a night here given flight times and logistics. For those who have more time and want to add more time, Arusha offers an array of excursions for travellers. Some include bike tours in Arusha National Park, service opportunities, city tours, coffee plantation tours, or even an option for a day climb to the base of mount Kilimanjaro!
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Tarangire National Park is a national park in the Manyara Region. The park is named after the Tarangire River that crosses the park. The Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season. The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by the long-distance migration of wildebeest and zebras. During the dry season thousands of animals concentrate in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding wet-season dispersal and calving areas. It covers an area of approximately 2,850 square kilometers (1,100 square miles.)
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
The park is famous for its high density of elephants and baobab trees. Visitors to the park in the June - November dry season can expect to see large herds of thousands of zebras, wildebeest, and cape buffalo. Other common resident animals include waterbuck, giraffe, dik dik, impala, eland, Grant’s gazelle, vervet monkey, banded mongoose, and olive baboon. Predators in Tarangire include lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, honey badger, and African wild dog.
The beautiful landscape is filled with Baobab tree’s and the abundance of Elephants.
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
NGORONGORO CRATER
The Ngorongoro Crater which was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. It is renowned both for its geological splendor, and for being a natural reserve which is home to some of the densest large mammal populations found anywhere in Africa. Due to the enclosed nature of the Crater it has virtually formed its own ecosystem. Besides the stunning scenery, one of the main attractions of this area is the variety of flora and fauna found in a remarkably compact area all year round.
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
You are guaranteed to see large concentrations of game on any Ngorongoro safari. The mineral-rich floor of this spectacular bowl is largely flat, open and covered in nutritious grasses – much to the liking of large herds of zebra and wildebeest, which graze here. These extensive open plains are also home to herds of buffalo, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle and tsessebe (often called topi). You'll also find East Africa's best population of black rhino here, which are often seen in open grasslands. Breeding herds of elephants pass through the Ngorongoro Crater itself only rarely, but you will see a scattering of old bulls, including some of the biggest tuskers left alive in Africa today. The only surprising absentees from the Crater are Impala and Giraffe; it is thought that this is perhaps because of the lack of open woodlands and browsing species of trees which these two tend to thrive on. The high numbers of herbivores supports the densest populations of predators found anywhere in Africa. The reliable presence of these predators has helped to make an Ngorongoro safari so popular.
It is magical and feels like it is out of the scene of a movie, or what we would imagine to be the Garden of Eden.
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
NDUTU
The Ndutu area forms the northwestern part of the Ngorongoro Conservation area, and the southern part of Serengeti National Park. From December to May, depending on the rains, the plains of Ndutu are populated by huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope as they settle on fertile grassland to calve. Followed by predators, this region is full of life during this time of year!
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
The numbers are astonishing: over 1.2 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebras, along with topi and other gazelle, move in a constant cycle through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in search of nutritious grass and water. Guided by survival instinct, each wildebeest will cover 800-1,000 km on its individual journey along age-old migration routes. Hungry predators including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog and crocs make sure only the strongest survive in this natural spectacle.
In February, we LOVE seeing the calves being birthed within the Great Migration!
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
15th December 2022 - 28th of February 2023
CENTRAL SERENGETI
Serengeti National Park, recognized as a World Heritage Site, is one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world and is considered the world’s oldest protected ecosystem. The Serengeti is the largest national park in Tanzania, with a staggering animal population of almost four million and 523 recorded species of birds. It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world and the site of one of the most breathtaking events in the animal kingdom—the migration of more than 1.5 million wildebeest and another 400,000 zebras. The area consists of a treeless central plain, savannah dotted with acacia and granite outcroppings called kopjes, and riverine bush and forest in the north. The park’s name is derived from the Maasai language “SIRINGET” which means endless plains. The famous “migration” that people dream to experience is actually a dynamic process taking a full year to complete. There are different "events" that happen during the year and in different locations in this park.
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
More than 3,000 lions live in this ecosystem. The population density of the African leopard is estimated at 5.41 individuals per 100 km2 (39 sq mi) in the dry season. African bush elephant herds recovered from a population low in the 1980s caused by poaching, and numbered over 5,000 individuals by 2014. The African buffalo population declined between 1976 and 1996 due to poaching, but increased to 28,524 individuals by 2008. The black rhinoceros population was reduced to about 10 individuals in the 1980s due to poaching. Less than 50 individuals survive today, mainly in areas that are less likely to be affected by wildfires. Rhinos mostly browse on grasses, woody Indigofera, Acacia and Crotalaria forbs and shrubs.
The massive Kopje’s (rock formations) spread throughout the endless plains, also known as the best nap destination for cats.
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
1st November - 15 December 2022, 1st March - 31st May 2023
WESTERN CORRIDOR OR SERENGETI WEST
Western Serengeti, also commonly known as the "Western Corridor”, consists of a 50 km wide strip of land along the course of the Grumeti River, starting from the Seronera area and nearing Lake Victoria. It is not only made up of a large valley expanding from East to West, but is also lined on both sides by hills. For those who love birding, the Western Corridor is also known for being an ideal area for birds of prey, such as bateleurs, long-crested eagles, and goshawks. What is most beautiful about the Western Corridor is the ability to view an array of habitats - grassy plains, forests of Acacias, hills, marshes, and forests.
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
Wildlife viewing in the Western Corridor is consistent throughout the year. The broken savannah south of the Grumeti River supports substantial resident populations of giraffe, wildebeest, elephant, zebra and other typical plains animals, and lion. The little-visited open grasslands north of the river are good for cheetahs! Furthermore, you can see impalas, bat-eared foxes, striped mongooses, elands, hartebeests, hippos, black and white colobuses, dik-diks, giraffes, lions and other mammals.
The abundance of wildebeest and zebra during the Great Migration during the March - May timeframe!
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
1st November - 15 December 2022, 1st March - 31st May 2023
NORTHERN SERENGETI
The northern Serengeti is unspoiled and beautiful and quiet in comparison to the southern Serengeti plains. The area stretches from the Lobo Hills southwards to Seronera and is typified by stunning green rolling hills. Even more special about the lodge in the Northern Serengeti is the Wildlife Protected Area that allows for private, off-roading game driving while staying. This allows for elevated safari experiences in the open vehicles early in the morning and late at night when the cats do their hunting! Like the other areas throughout Tanzania, the Northern Serengeti is also filled with an abundance of diverse animals such as giraffes, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, lions, leopards, and cheetahs!
ANIMALS YOU MAY SEE:
This area supports most of the park's elephant population (the Lobo area in specific is very good for elephants, much more so than the rest of Serengeti National Park), and the Lobo Hills are known for hosting several large lion prides. Cheetah, leopard, spotted hyena and bat-eared fox are also common, as is the elegant serval, a small spotted cat most often seen darting through open grassland shortly after sunrise.On the night game drives, be sure to look out for the smaller and more rare animals such as bush babies!
Seeing a lion up close and personal while off-roading!
ROANE TRAVEL’S FAVORITE SIGHTINGS HERE:
Tanzania Frequently Asked Questions
Daily Average: 24ºC | 75ºF
High: 28ºC | 83ºF
Low: 15ºC | 59ºF
Humidity: 65%
- They don't show dirt & dust, are not distracting to the animals, and are less likely to attract tsetse flies.
With your permission, Roane Travel Design would love to share your photos on our social media platforms.
Please note the ground lodges do NOT have camera gear available to rent, so we recommend bringing your own.
