TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR TRAVEL GUIDE
Potentially the best country for safari! Jump straight into the TV of a David Attenborough documentary and be surrounded by wildebeest, zebra, lions, elephants and hundreds more exotic animals the Serengeti. Watch the stampede of wildebeest in the great migration or delight in seeing many species at once in the Ngorongoro Crater. Tanzania is certainly home of the safari.
Other than wildlife there are so many other areas to explore in Tanzania, from the snow-capped peaks of Africa’s highest mountain (Kilimanjaro), to lush jungles with hidden waterfalls, or sipping a perfect coffee at a local plantation, to sunbathing on the pristine beaches of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar is part of Tanzania but is completely different to the mainliand, offering stunning blue waters, great for diving and snorkelling, completely with paradise white sand beaches. Combining safari with beach is a great adventure!
Many people choose to hike up the famous Mount Kilimanjaro, a trip that will take you around 5-9 days. Although challenging, you will be greeted by the most stunning mountain views.
The hospitality, warmth and friendliness of the local Tanzanian people is outstanding– there are several ways to say welcome in Swahili and sometimes they will greet you 10 times over! They are very smiley and happy people, curious to know about where you are from and to chat to you, just making your trip all that more memorable.
SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL IN TANZANIA
Solo female travel in Tanzania can sound scarier than it is. As with all African countries its important to keep aware, always keep your valuables out of sight, don’t walk around after dark and make sure you have numbers for reputable taxi companies, etc.
It’s easy to watch the news reports about crime and theft in Africa and assume its not safe to travel alone. Although you do need to be careful there’s no reason why you should be able to travel alone in Tanzania and be safe whilst doing it. The people are very friendly and helpful in most places you go. I travelled around a bit alone in Arusha, Moshi and Zanzibar and although I had a few cat calls I did feel pretty safe.
A couple of times a guy tried to walk next to me on the street and ask for my number, etc but if you are firm and keep walking with confidence they should eventually back off. Other than that, I found localS very friendly on the public minibuses, helping to tell the driver when I needed to get off.
BEST TIME TO VISIT TANZANIA
Serengeti: The good news is that you can go on safari any time of the year. I went in March during rainy season which is sometimes not recommended but we had perfect weather.
If you are looking to see the best of the great wildebeest migration, then go in June to September. January and February are when the wildebeest give birth to their calves. March to May is considered low season due to the rains. But really every season has something different to offer.
Zanzibar: The long rainy season is from March-May, with tropical downpours across the island. The short rainy season is during November and December- the rains are much lighter but can be unpredictable.
The best time to go is during the long dry season from June-October, when rainfall is rare, and the temperatures are slightly cooler. January and February are also popular times to visit and it is usually hot and dry.
POSTS FROM TANZANIA
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