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Tanzania is one of Africa’s biggest safari experiences. But with must-see destinations such as the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater on offer plus the allure of Zanzibar, it’s hard to know where to start when choosing your Tanzania safari. Even more so when you want to see the Great Wildebeest Migration or bring the family!

We’ve made it easy and divided our top 15 Tanzania safari tours by theme – something for everyone.

Luxury Tanzania Tours

1. Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti North
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 4

Elephants in green grass with dry grasslands behind them along with a mountain | Go2Africa
Elephants with a dramatic backdrop | Kuro Tarangire

A comprehensive tour of Tanzania’s classic safari destinations with the added comfort of local flights to take the sting out of long-distance travel, the itinerary includes some of our most intimate and luxurious accommodation. Following a night in Arusha and perhaps a spa treatment or two, venture to Tarangire National Park, home to large numbers of elephants and other safari heavyweights. Embark on exhilarating twice-daily game drives and walking safaris to discover the intimate details of your surroundings.

Your next destination invites you to enjoy a working coffee plantation and farm featuring home-made meals comprising organic produce from the gardens. Embark on full-day safaris on the flat floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. With roughly 30,000 animals within its sheltered walls, you may even be fortunate enough to see the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) in a single day. Next up is what many consider the core ingredient of the best safari tours in Tanzania, the Serengeti and a chance to witness the Great Migration (time of year dependent).

Highlights:

  • Well-paced, comprehensive northern circuit safari
  • Sophisticated and intimate tented camp accommodation
  • Excellent for game viewing, the seasonal Wildebeest Migration and the Big 5
  • Great photographic opportunities

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners

2. Luxury Tanzania Safari
Duration: 8 Days | Locations: 3

A woman stands at the edge of a wooden balcony overlooking vast views of the Serengeti from Mwiba Lodge | Go2Africa
Views as far as the eye can see | Mwiba Lodge

Experience two of Tanzania’s best wildlife destinations, Tarangire and the famed Serengeti – all while staying at luxury safari lodges. You begin with an overnight in Arusha at Legendary Lodge, the perfect safari welcome in Arusha. It’s then off to Little Chem Chem situated in an exclusive-use wilderness area alongside Tarangire National Park, to enjoy a hidden gem away from the crowds. Keep an eye out for the infamous tree-climbing lions!

You end at one of Tanzania’s finest lodges, Mwiba Lodge where you can revel in off-road game drives, bush walks and spot-lit night drives. Track the areas prolific big cats, watch the endangered wild dogs, and listen for the rumble of safari giants, the elephants. Mwiba Wildlife Reserve is also a fantastic spot for guided walking safaris.

This is one of the Tanzania safaris which fall into our Positive Impact category. These Trips With A Purpose safaris support local communities, wildlife conservation, or environmental work.

Highlights:

  • Exceptional elephant sightings in Tarangire National Park
  • Famous big cat sightings in the Serengeti
  • Add an optional helicopter ride to your safari experience
  • Guided walks and night drives
  • Luxury safari accommodations
  • Witness the Great Migration (in season February and March)

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners

3. Tanzania’s Privately Guided Bush, Photography & Stargazing Safari
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 4

A male lion lies on his back in the grass while a game vehicle approaches | Go2Africa
Great shots of the local wildlife | The Highlands

Combine four of Tanzania’s best safari destinations –  Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater –pair it with a private guide, and it makes for an unforgettable experience. Accompanied throughout by some of Africa’s renowned safari guides, enjoy incredible sightings and exceptional experiences.

Climb Mount Meru, look up at the age-old baobabs, meet the red-dusted elephants of Tarangire, and visit the largest unbroken caldera in the world. Traverse the vast plains of the Serengeti and, in season, marvel the magic of the Great Migration. Throughout your journey, capture award-winning wildlife images with the help of your knowledgeable guides. By day, game drives and walking safaris are on the menu, by night learn about the African skies and its twinkling constellations.

Highlights:

  • Privately guided
  • Fantastic photographic opportunities
  • Stargazing and an introduction to constellations
  • A fantastic showcase of the Great Migration (in season)
  • Personalised service and exclusive accommodations

Best for:

  • Active and adventurous travellers
  • Nature photographers

Tanzania Walking Safaris

4. Tarangire, Ngorongoro And Serengeti Walking Safari
Duration: 13 Days | Locations: 4

A small group face away from the camera observing wildlife in a river a short distance away | Go2Africa
Observing the migration on foot | Wayo Walking Camp

Balancing game drives with walking safaris allows you to experience Tanzania’s natural world in more detail. You’ll be in the safe hands of expert rangers and local guides, walking the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and gazing over the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. There’s heavyweight game viewing in Tarangire before you finish with game drives and fly-camping in the Serengeti, a unique opportunity to sleep on the savannah with the starry cosmos as your ceiling.

Highlights:

  • A rare chance to combine game drives with walking safaris
  • Exceptional wildlife viewing and scenery throughout
  • Specialist Serengeti camp for the Wildebeest Migration
  • Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
  • Luxurious accommodation in private settings
  • Fly-camping finale in the Serengeti for an unforgettable experience

Best for:

  • Active and adventurous travellers
  • Bird watchers and nature photographers

5. Serengeti, Secret Ruaha and Nyerere
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 3

A game drive through Ruaha National Park | Tracey Van Wijk, Go2African

Looking for something off the beaten track? This fly-in safari opens with a remote setting in the central Serengeti and an area renowned for big cats, before whisking you off to a private corner of Ruaha National Park and a mobile tented camp. Here you’ll mix guided walks with day and night game drives in a landscape famous for its heavyweights – lion, elephant and buffalo. The tour ends with hilltop views over the Rufiji River and the best wildlife hotspot in the mighty Nyerere National Park (Selous), giving you the chance to explore on foot, by boat and 4X4.

Highlights:

  • Diverse and highly rewarding wildlife viewing throughout
  • Stay at a specialist camp for the Wildebeest Migration
  • Exceptional predator sightings: big cats, hyenas, crocodiles and raptors
  • Great mix of drives, walks and river safaris
  • Luxurious frontier-style safari accommodation
  • Fly-in comfort and convenience

Best for:

  • Active travellers
  • Bird watchers
  • Nature photographers
  • Repeat safari travellers

Wildebeest Migration Tours

6. Tanzania Migration Safari
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 3

A giraffe walks between two shaded poolside structures at Chem Chem Lodge | Go2Africa
Poolside visitors | Chem Chem Lodge

This fantastic 11-day itinerary introduces you to some of the best wildlife destinations in Tanzania while staying at safari properties that take ‘glamping’ to a new level. Furthermore, you’ll fly between camps – which gives you more time on safari – and stay at a mobile camp in the Serengeti, giving you guaranteed front-row seats to the Wildebeest Migration.

Highlights:

  • Witness the Great Migration year-round
  • Stay at luxurious tented camps in pristine settings
  • Private safari vehicles and guides for an exclusive experience
  • Fly-in itinerary for more time spent on safari
  • Guided walking safaris in the Serengeti

Best for:

  • First-time safari travellers
  • Couples and honeymooners

7. Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti Fly-in Safari
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 3

A large bed in a spacious tent with small balcony complete with safari-style chairs and views across to trees and wildlife | Go2Africa
An immersive experience | Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp

A fly-in itinerary means there’s more time to spend on safari, and this tour has plenty of it. It opens in the ‘land of giants’ – Tarangire, home to lions, elephants and great buffalo herds – before looking for tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara National Park. Then sit back on a Big 5 safari into the famous Ngorongoro Crater. Featuring luxurious, romantic accommodation throughout, the tour ends in the Serengeti at a mobile tented camp that moves between three locations to ensure a prime position for the Wildebeest Migration between November and June.

Highlights:

  • Fly-in comfort and convenience
  • Exceptional wildlife viewing all year
  • Well-located for the Great Wildebeest Migration
  • Go on game drives and guided bush walks
  • Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
  • Look for Lake Manyara’s flamingos and tree-climbing lions
  • Romantic, luxurious accommodation

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • First-time safari travellers

How the Migration Works:

Kenya and Tanzania Combined

8. Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Masai Mara Fly-in Safari
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 3

A Maasai guide stands on one leg facing away from the camera leaning against a tree next to a picnic basket and small serving tables with sparse trees in the backdrop | Go2Africa
Picnics in the Mara | Sanctuary Olonana Camp

Guarantee yourself a seat at the Great Wildebeest Migration: this fly-in safari takes in both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara and throws in the bonus of Big 5 game viewing at the Ngorongoro Crater. It’s a perfect opportunity to see Africa’s iconic animals – big cats, elephants, buffalo, giraffe – as well as predator-prey interaction, especially during the Migration. You’ll stay in beautiful tented suites with your own bathroom and viewing deck and can look forward to a mix of game drives and bush walks. It’s an easy-paced and very comfortable tour – ideal for a special occasion.

Highlights:

  • Recommended for Wildebeest Migration
  • Unbeatable heavyweight game-viewing
  • Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
  • Cultural excursions and interactions
  • Luxurious accommodation

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Wildlife photographers

9. Year-round Migration Safari
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 3

Two small children sit in a game vehicle with an adult watching elephants pass by | Go2Africa
Family game drive | Rekero Camp

Start the tour from the comfort of a grand coffee estate and enjoy a Big 5 safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, before flying into the Serengeti and a camp set up on the path of the Wildebeest Migration. There’s always great wildlife viewing here but if it’s not the season for the Migration in the Serengeti, then you’ll connect with the herds at your next destination. Rekero Camp sits in the Masai Mara – home to the wildebeest herds when they’re not in the Serengeti. The fly-in itinerary means you maximise your time on game drives and bush walks.

Highlights:

  • Recommended for Wildebeest Migration
  • Excellent general game viewing and predators
  • See the Big 5 in Ngorongoro Crater
  • Fly-in comfort and convenience
  • Cultural excursions and experiences
  • Traditional ‘frontier-style’ tented camps

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Wildlife photographers

Bush and Beach Combinations

10. Serengeti and Zanzibar
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 2

A woman is pictured in a plunge pool on the edge of the ocean in Zanzibar | Go2Africa
The ultimate beachside escape | Matemwe Lodge

Opening with a night of fine food and old-world luxury in Arusha, this easy-paced tour flies you straight into the Serengeti for three nights. You’ll spend your days on game drives and bush walks – travel mid-year for the chance to see the Wildebeest Migration – but your camp lies in a game-rich area that is highly rewarding at any time of the year. Then, what else but a laid-back lodge on a white-sand Zanzibar beach – yours for three full days to do as much or as little as you like.

Highlights:

  • Well-located camp for the seasonal Wildebeest Migration
  • Excellent game viewing all year – big cats, elephants and buffalo
  • Secluded ocean-front chalet with your own hammock
  • Massages and spa treatments
  • Recommended for snorkellers and scuba divers

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Active travellers and families

11. Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Zanzibar
Duration: 14 Days | Locations: 5

Thousands of wildebeest pictured near Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp | Go2Africa
Wildebeest Migration herd nearby | Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp

This 14-day itinerary ensures that you will tick every important box in this diverse and friendly country. Kicking off in Arusha, you will explore Tarangire National Park, a massive but little-visited reserve that is home to tree-climbing lions and the curious long-necked gerenuk.

Your next destination is a place with some of the easiest game viewing on Earth: the incomparable Ngorongoro Crater. This ancient caldera has fertile grazing that supports plenty of plains game, which in turn supports a healthy population of predators. Then it is the big one: the Serengeti, a place of endless savannah and, in season, the Wildebeest Migration.

After a thrilling safari, jet off to the paradise island of Zanzibar for a classic combination of sand, sea and sun.

Highlights:

  • See the Wildebeest Migration in season
  • Discover little-known Tarangire
  • Spot the Big 5 in Ngorongoro Crater
  • Explore the plains of the Serengeti
  • Walk the historic streets of Stone Town
  • Unwind on a picture-perfect Zanzibar beach

Best for:

  • First-time safari travellers
  • Couples, honeymooners and special holiday occasions

Tanzania Family Tours

12. Ultra-luxury Tanzania Safari And Migration
Duration: 12 Days | Locations: 5

Hundreds of wildebeest pictured in front of a hot air balloon hovering over the ground | Go2Africa
A hot-air balloon ride over the Masai Mara during the migration | Porini Lion Camp

Prepare for one of the best safari tours in Tanzania – exceptional, luxury accommodation and even more incredible wildlife sightings combine to create a superlative experience. Begin by settling in on a coffee plantation in Arusha before answering the call of the wild in Tarangire National Park. Here, elephants are undoubtedly the stars of the show with abundant baobab trees as their backdrop.

The adventure continues in the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a veritable wildlife paradise. Enjoy an abundance of sightings with fascinating landscapes before a charter flight to the Serengeti, Tanzania’s most famous national park. Your final few days are spent in a luxury oasis at Sayari Camp. Time passes in a kaleidoscope of game viewing, private picnics, and hot air balloon safaris.

Highlights:

  • Exceptional, luxury experiences & accommodation
  • Game drives, guided walks, and hot air balloon safaris
  • Experience a working coffee plantation
  • Explore one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders, the Ngorongoro Crater
  • See Africa from above on each charter flight

Best for:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Wildlife photographers

13. Secret Gorillas, Chimps, Serengeti & Crater
Duration: 12 Days | Locations: 5

Two people stand in the midst of a forest on Rubondo Island | Go2Africa
Discover your natural surroundings | Rubondo Island Camp

Embark on one of the most biodiverse itineraries through East Africa, combining its most iconic destinations. The journey begins in Kigali, Rwanda, for an acclimating evening – spend some time relaxing by the pool or at the in-house spa. From there, it’s time to trek through Volcanoes National Park to find the rainforest’s giants, the gorillas. Keep an eye out for smaller primates, bustling butterflies, and exotic birds as you trundle through the rainforest.

After exciting expeditions, a transfer flight to Lake Victoria allows you access to a hidden gem: Rubondo Island. Enjoy exclusivity as you stay at the only camp on the island and enjoy this biodiverse haven. From there, it’s time to explore the Serengeti’s Ngorongoro Crater and even the Great Migration (at the right time of year). Game drives, nature walks, and wildlife sightings are the order of the day.

Highlights:

  • Exceptional wildlife experiences
  • Explore the exclusive Rubondo Island
  • Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
  • Easy-paced itinerary while still combining top destinations

Best for:

  • Groups of friends and families
  • Adventure travellers

Positive Impact Safaris

14. Tanzania’s Hands-On Conservation Safari
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 4

Two people crouch down to examine a hippo skull found on a walking safari | Go2Africa
Walking safari discoveries | Roho ya Selous

This 9-day luxury, hands-on conservation safari showcases two of Tanzania’s most untouched reserves, Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park. Charter flights between destinations ensure you get to spend the most amount of time on safari. An immersive experience at Roho ya Selous in Nyerere National Park kicks off your tour. Game drives, boating and walking safaris, and even catch-and-release fishing are all available for your enjoyment.

Continuing the Tanzanian safari tour is a hidden gem, Usangu Expeditions Camp, set in the Usangu floodplains. This seasonal camp – open from June to November – falls within the protected Ruaha National Park. The tour comes to a close at Jabali Ridge where game drives, walking safaris, and night drives satisfy your adventurous side while a pool and spa allow for the indulgent relaxation.

Highlights:

  • Hands-on conservation experiences at Usanga Expeditions Camp
  • Luxurious accommodations throughout
  • Fly-in comfort and convenience
  • Day and night drives in Ruaha National Park
  • Game drives, walking safaris, and river safaris

Best For:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Active travellers

View the Full Tour

15. Tanzania’s Conservation & Community Safari
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 4

Three cheetah pictured walking to the left in front of an approaching game vehicle | Go2Africa
Cheetahs on the prowl | Namiri Plains Camp

Spend 10 days exploring some of Tanzania’s most iconic wildlife destinations: the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Tarangire National Park. Kick start your safari with a night on a working coffee plantation before venturing off to Tarangire National Park and Oliver’s Camp. Enjoy walking safaris and game drives while learning about lion conservation efforts in the area.

Following a transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, embrace luxury and relaxation at The Highlands Camp. Witness the sheer majesty of the Olmoti volcano and the mountain forest that borders the camp while engaging with the Maasai tribe. The final leg of your journey begins at Namiri Plains Camp, a luxury tented camp that enjoys some of the best predator sightings in East Africa. Make the most of the incredible wildlife sightings, conservation, and community engagement on this tour.

Highlights:

  • Enjoy luxury accommodations throughout
  • Learn about various conservation efforts
  • Meet the Maasai and learn about their culture
  • Fantastic wildlife sightings
  • Some of the best predator sightings in East Africa

Best For:

  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Active travellers

View the Full Tour

More About Tanzania

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Written By

Emma Thomson

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