Tanzania Tours

Tanzania tours is a term used to refer to expeditions taken within Tanzania in the different tourist attractions sites around the country which is famous for its safari experiences. Tanzania is located in East Africa and is bordered by different countries such as Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi to the west. The Indian ocean forms the eastern border of this country.

Regions of Tanzania include Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Moshi, Lindi, Babati, Musoma, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, and Zanzibar.

Tanzania has a number of offshore islands as well as vast stretches of plains and plateaus and many other notable relief features such as mountains, hills, and valleys. Some of the regions in the country are characterized by a tropical climate while the highland regions experience a temperate climate.

Another relief feature in Tanzania is the rift valley which runs north to south through Tanzania’s mainland. These depressions of the rift valley are often filled by lakes such as Lake Tanganyika on the western arm of the rift valley. Part of the country is also made up of the central plateau which lies between the western and eastern arms of the rift valley.

Tourists engage in tours to Tanzania to see a variety of attractions which include national parks, mountains, beautiful beaches such as Pemba and Zanzibar, different landmarks within the country, national reserves among others. People of Tanzania have a number of agricultural products which include coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum, cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava, bananas, fruits, vegetables. They also look after cattle, sheep, and goats.

National parks in Tanzania

Safaris take place in different national parks in Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park, Ngorongoro conservation area in the northern part of the country. The national parks in the northern part of Tanzania are very busy attraction sites for tourists interested in wildlife viewing experiences.

Serengeti national park is famous for safaris which engages tourists in experiencing the wildebeest migration which takes place between this national park and Maasai mara national park in Kenya. Many tourists also visit this national park for a variety of activities and to watch the wildlife species as they graze in the grasslands and vast plains.

Ngorongoro conservation area is known for offering safaris where tourists are able to view the high concentration of wildlife species which can be seen as they descend to the Ngorongoro crater where the wildlife graze and drink from the deep volcanic caldera in the crater region.

Tarangire national park is known for having a large concentration of elephants as well as tree-climbing lions and a seasonal river that provides the water for a variety of wildlife species which can be seen in the national park on a safari.

Lake Manyara national park is known for its tree-climbing lions which can be seen during safaris in this national park. This national park also consists of a soda ash lake where a number of flamingos can be seen. A large concentration of baboons, elephants, hippos and other wildlife species can also be seen during safaris in this national park.

Safaris also take place in other national parks in Tanzania which include Ruaha national park, Selous national park, Arusha national park, Mikumi national park, Katavi national park, Mahale national park, Gombe stream national park, Udzungwa mountains national park, Saadani national park, Mkomazi national park, Mount Kilimanjaro national park, Kitulo national park, Rubondo island national park.

Means of Transport used by tourists to access the different national parks and other attraction sites in Tanzania include air and road transport means. Different tour operators such as Focus East Africa tours help the tourists to organize the transport to be used during the safaris to avoid inconveniences during travel.

Guides who accompany tourists during safaris to different destinations such as national parks in Tanzania provide information about the attractions and the country in general for tourists to get a fulfilling experience as they explore the country.

Fees at the National Parks

Tours in Tanzania national parks are at a cost that includes entrance fees, concession fees and other charges on some activities within the national parks. These charges are enforced by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA).

The fees paid in the national parks during safaris vary depending on the national park and other factors such as the nationality of tourists, age of the tourist, location of the accommodation facility. The aspect of the location of the accommodation where the tourist will stay is important because some charges apply for accommodation facilities within the national parks.

Tourists are also subjected to payment of transit fees especially between Ngorongoro and Serengeti national park.

Rules and Regulations of national parks

The different national parks in Tanzania follow rules and regulations formulated by Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) for efficient management of the national parks and their facilities and resources. TANAPA also regulates the fees and other Payments made by tourists who engage in Tanzania tours to the national parks.

Activities during Tanzania safaris

Tanzania is a tourist hub for a number of activities carried out both on the mainland and along the coastal area of the country. Activities which tourists engage in during safaris in this country include the following;

Game drives engage tourists in viewing a variety of wildlife species which include the big five which includes elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and many other species such as giraffes, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, rhinos, hyenas, gazelles, chimpanzees and many others. Different bird species can also be seen at birding spots during safaris and bird species include black crakes, ashy starling, banded green sunbird, Fischer’s love bird, Iringa Akalat, Kilombero weaver and many others. Tourists engage in morning game drives, night game drives, full-day game drives, and evening game drives. Morning game drives provide higher chances for spotting the wildlife species as they are more active during this time of day and easier to spot. Full day game drives make it easier to see the wildlife species at different times of day which widens the chances of seeing the wildlife as they graze around the plains in the national park. Night game drives make it easy for tourists to see the nocturnal wildlife species which mostly includes predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs.
Nature walks offer opportunity for tourists to explore the wilderness of the national parks on foot during safaris. Tourists follow different trails as they enjoy the scenery and beauty of nature within the national parks.
Bird watching takes place in different birding spots during tours in national parks around Tanzania. Both migrant and native bird species such as banded green sunbird, Usambara weaver, starlings, long-tailed fiscal, lilac-breasted roller, gulls, terns, eagles, bee-eaters, skimmers, African barbets and many others can be seen by the tourists.
Hiking in Tanzania takes place along different trails which tourists follow as they explore the hiking destinations. Some of the popular hiking locations include Mountain Kilimanjaro which offers views of the beautiful scenery in its surroundings during hikes.
Cultural Tours in Tanzania play an important role in the tourism industry in the country. Tourists engage in different activities such as watching cultural dance performances, seeing local art and crafts, learning about traditional ceremonies among others as tourists interact with the local community. Some of these cultural tours include visiting the Maasai villages, tours in stone town and many other cultural excursions. The tribes in Tanzania are mostly made up of people from the Bantu ethnicity and other ethnic groups living within the country include Arabs, Africans, and mixed Arabs. Languages spoken include Swahili which is called kiunguja in Zanzibar, English, Arabic and many others.
City Tours involve tourists in exploring the beauty of Tanzania’s city and the different attractions such as the natural history museum in Arusha, independence monuments, Arusha central market, visiting craft shops, kivukoni market, kariakoo market and national sports stadium among others. Tourists also visit the stone town in Zanzibar for unique experiences learning about the history and culture of its people.

Physical Features include;

Lakes in Tanzania form part of the country’s borders and they include Lake Victoria in the north, Lake Tanganyika in the west, Lake Nyasa in the south west. Tourists engage in a number of water-based activities during their safaris in Tanzania such as swimming, diving, snorkeling, sport fishing, boat rides, and many others. A number of accommodation facilities are also found along the shores of these lakes which is convenient for tourists as they get to relax and enjoy the breeze from the comfort of their hotels.
Mountains that are visited by many tourists during safaris in Tanzania include Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountain in Africa. Different tourists visit this mountain to experience hiking along the different hiking routes such as Machame route, Marangu route, Lemosho route, Rongai route, Shira route, and Umbwe route.
Islands are major tourist attractions in Tanzania and different categories of tourists visit islands in the coastal regions of this country such as Pemba island, mafia island, Unguja, Zanzibar, Mnemba island, Chumbe, Changuu, Rubondo island, and many others.

Waterfalls and rivers are also among the physical features found in Tanzania which attract visitors to visit this destination.

Accommodation in Tanzania

Tourists stay in a number of accommodation facilities which range from luxury accommodation, midrange accommodation and budget accommodation around the different tourist destinations in Tanzania.

Accommodation facilities Include Hhando Coffee Lodge, Sopa Lodge, Ikoma Safari Camp, Serengeti Kati Kati, Serena Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp, Lobo Wildlife Lodge, Ngorongoro Serena, Ndutu Lodge, Twiga Campsite, Tarangire Sopa Lodge and many Others.

Enjoy the beauty of Tanzania as you visit the eye-catching beaches with clear warm waters and colorful coral reefs or opt for an experience of culture and the diverse wildlife species in the savanna grasslands in the national parks.

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