How To Plan The Best 2023-2024 Safari In Tanzania
How To Plan The Best 2023-2024 Safari In Tanzania : Tips for planning 2023-2024 Unforgettable Tanzania Safari: A Tanzania safari is a triumph due to the existence of some of Africa’s biggest and best national parks. But because of its enormous size, planning a trip here demands considerable thought ahead of time. Ask yourself a few important questions before beginning the planning process for a safari in Tanzania. Are you looking for a low-cost safari, a high-end safari, or something in between? When are you ready to leave? How many national parks are you interested in seeing? The first step in thoughtful safari preparation is determining your individual needs. After that, you may either get in touch with us at Focus East Africa Tours or begin planning your own route if you prefer unguided safari tour. Here is everything to know when planning your unforgettable Tanzania safari tour:
WHY INDEPENDENT SAFARI IS NOT THE BEST IDEA
Due to the fact that using a safari company is by far the simplest choice, most individuals choose to do so. Despite the fact that you are independent travelers, the difficulty will prevent you from even considering planning a safari yourselves. Even specialists often seem to struggle with the administration because there is so much paperwork involved with just the park entrances. We advise you to leave it to the professionals. Pre-booking is required for lodges located inside national parks, and reputable safari firms receive the best discounts. Driving on the dirt roads is difficult, and you really need a guide who is skilled at locating wildlife.
TWEAK THE PRICE WITH YOUR CHOICES
Group size and lodging type have the biggest impacts on cost. Do you insist on a luxurious private safari, or are you content to sleep in a tent and ride in a shared Jeep? Accommodation options generally range from private tent camps and luxury lodges to bush tents and tented lodges.
PROS AND CONS OF HIGH AND LOW SEASON
Both the price and the itinerary are influenced by timing. In Tanzania, viewing the great wildebeest migration is nearly always possible throughout the year; however, it may require longer legs during the wet season. Animals tend to concentrate around water sources during the dry season, which runs from June through August. However, the off-season offers reduced rates for lodging and safari excursions. Even though heavy rain is rarely enjoyable, Tanzania safaris might be at their best during the shoulder of the rainy season. During the busiest time of year, popular parks like the Serengeti and especially Ngorongoro see significant crowding. Having scores of Jeeps present at each animal sighting may put an end to your wild animal fancies.
When organizing an itinerary for a trip to Tanzania during the wet season, an expert safari company becomes a valuable acquaintance. After the great migration has passed, certain parks, like Lake Manyara, become devoid of wildlife and water, making game drives ineffective. Tanzania’s off-season begins in March and lasts until May.
TAILORED OR FIXED SAFARI ITINERARY?
Some businesses offer predetermined safari itineraries at roughly predetermined costs, typically for predetermined group sizes. The proposed course isn’t necessarily a bad one if it suits your preferences. Just keep in mind that these routes frequently follow well-traveled paths. However, if you only have a short amount of time, you might want to stick to the standard attractions, such as the most popular parks. Pre-packaged private safaris may also be less expensive because the safari operator can bargain for the best rates with the hotels they use.
Asking if the safari operator can modify the itinerary in accordance with your preferences or create a custom itinerary is still advised. That often also reveals something about the business.
WHAT MAKES THE BEST SAFARI ITINERARY?
It would be criminal to skip the megastars, like the Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks, if you are traveling to Tanzania for the first time and have more time than a week to spare. I would also advise including some less-visited places, like Tarangire, and more outlandish activities, like visiting a coffee plantation or a remote mountain community. However, it ultimately boils down to your personal choices, How To Plan The Best 2023-2024 Safari In Tanzania
Pay attention to the number of game drives in the parks and the transfer times. Check with your safari provider to see if the transfer times are reasonable or if the 3-hour trip could take up to 6-hours owing to muddy, pothole-filled roads. If so, do you feel at ease with it?
Planning the ideal safari trip ultimately comes down to your unique interests. No matter how “set” the itinerary may be, every safari is unique. No matter what Africa has in store for you, having a trustworthy safari organization as your trusted guide will ensure that you get the most out of your vacation. Plan the schedule carefully and make a sensible choice for your safari operator. Your safari will become “the trip of a lifetime” as a result.
WHICH REGION SHOULD I CHOOSE?
The crucial choice is this. The Tanzania Northern and Southern Circuits, as well as Western Tanzania, are Tanzania’s three primary safari destinations. Since it is difficult to go from one to the other, most visitors opt to stick with only one.
Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, which includes the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, is unquestionably the main attraction. Both the most abundant wildlife (often known as “game”) and serial crowds can be found here. 4×4 vehicles will typically be bumper-to-bumper wherever the amazing Great Wildebeest Migration is currently located in the Serengeti, How To Plan The Best 2023-2024 Safari In Tanzania
Head south if you wouldn’t mind forgoing a few wildlife encounters for more peace and authenticity. Selous game reserve and Ruaha National Park, the two largest parks here, are wild, multi-dimensional expanses where canals blocked by trees give way to arid plains. Observing wildlife requires more effort, but spying on people is also uncommon. The considerably more untamed west offers excellent game (including chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains) along with extreme isolation.
DO ANY PARKS SPECIALIZE IN PARTICULAR ANIMALS OR ACTIVITIES?
In all of Africa, Ruaha National Park is home to the most elephants and giraffes. It is sometimes referred to as “Giraffe Park” for this reason. 10% of the world’s lion population resides there as well. Together with the Ngorongoro Crater, Selous game reserve is Tanzania’s best national park for viewing endangered wild dogs and the best spot to see rhinos.
Ndutu Safari Lodge or Namiri Plains in the Serengeti are recommended for lovers of the endangered cheetah, preferably around January during calving season. Most parks offer walking safaris, but in the Selous, try Beho-Beho camp to experience one with some of Tanzania’s best guides.
WHAT ABOUT THE GREAT MIGRATION?
This never-ending procession of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, together with enormous zebra and gazelle herds, can typically be localized to specific Serengeti locations at specific times of year depending on the whims of rainfall.
Skittish omnivores cross the Mara River in September and October, which is the best period for lion, leopard, cheetah, crocodile, and hyena attacks. The Serengeti’s farther north is where this extravaganza takes place. Visit the Lamai Wedge to experience some sense of exclusivity while watching it unfold.
HOW LONG DO I NEED FOR A TANZANIA SAFARI?
Spending 2-3 nights at each park on the Northern safari Circuit will allow you to fully experience every activity—daily game drives, frequently in addition to Maasai village excursions and walking safaris—without running the risk of developing cabin fever. The South, however, suggests slightly longer camps to allow for total immersion.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR A SAFARI IN TANZANIA?
The optimum time to schedule your Tanzania safari is from June to October for wildlife sightings in the west and south. Given that it is the dry season, there is less foliage, which enhances visibility. There are also fewer mosquitoes to worry about. Additionally, it indicates that animals tend to gather near well-known watering sites, How To Plan The Best 2023-2024 Safari In Tanzania
The ideal months to view the Great wildebeest Migration in the Serengeti are June and July. Several parks in the south and west close to tourists in April and May, although parks in the north are open year-round. Additionally, the parks in the north are typically busier.
A FAMILY SAFARI IN TANZANIA
Tanzania is the ideal destination for a family vacation because of its unique fauna and white-sand island beaches. Children under the age of five may only accompany their parents on the safari, which is a wonderful experience for them. Depending on the age of your smallest child, you can choose the safari that is perfect for you. There are additional alternatives when your child gets older. Any safari you choose, a professional guide is essential to make sure you and the kids enjoy it to the fullest. In Tanzania, it’s easy to combine a safari with a beach vacation. Along the Tanzanian coast, there are many alternatives for family-friendly beaches, including those on Mafia Island and Zanzibar.
CAN I GO TO THE BEACH AFTERWARDS?
Most guests do. The primary attraction is Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean with a name as lovely as its abundance of white-sand beaches and vibrant coral reefs. Hotels here range from luxurious hideaways for billionaires to quaint, extremely inexpensive guesthouses. The Mafia Archipelago, which is quieter and equally picturesque than Zanzibar, is particularly wonderful for diving. Other choices include the mainland, where a prestigious villa and beach lodge scene has just recently emerged, and Pemba, a more isolated island.
