Tanzania Safaris

Tanzania has the greatest variety of scenery and wildlife of any country in Africa. Along the Northern border with Kenya runs a series of scenic wonders – Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley with its shimmering lakes, the 8000 foot high Ngorongoro Crater, and continuing westwards the “endless plains” of the Serengeti. Further south there are the vast hardly touched reserves of the Selous, Ruaha and Katavi and westwards again the Mahale Mountains where a thousand chimpanzees live in the tropical mountains beside Lake Tanganyika.

You can explore Northern Tanzania in your own private vehicle with your own guide travelling at the pace you wish, lingering over some beautiful scene, having your guide’s undivided attention before returning to your luxurious camp. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world’s natural wonders, once a volcano higher even than Kilimanjaro, the centre was cataclysmically blown out leaving a crater 10 miles wide and 1500 feet deep where you can now see twenty thousand animals. At eastern base of Ngorongoro is the rift valley Lake Manyara, while at the western base begins the vast Serengeti plains where a million wildebeest and zebra make their annual migration in continual search of fresh grassland. The Serengeti is enormous and complex and you may like to stay both in the short grass plains of the south east, and the more forested Western corridor where you find the huge Grumeti crocodiles.

Southern Tanzania is usually visited by small plane, linking vast only partially explored reserves. Ruaha, a place of wild mountains, plains and rivers sits astride East and Central Africa and has over 80 species of mammal and exceptional birdlife. You really have a sense that you are pioneering here, guaranteed to see no other travellers though the wildlife is also not used to seeing people so your guide’s skills are tested as he seeks out the elusive leopard shy antelope and great buffalo herds. In the Selous, you can ride boats and canoe on the Great Rufiji and can fly camp in a remote part of the reserve, while between June and October immense herds of plains game gather in increasing numbers in the Katavi wetlands.

If you like a challenge and have good respiratory system let us lead you on an ascent of snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro. There are popular routes, though Africa Exclusive will take you on one of the unpopular yet far more scenic and quiet ones taking maybe a week over the ascent – just you and a dozen porters who carry your tents, tables, water, safety equipment and wholesome food including a couple of dozen eggs which they are proud to never break.