Tanzania fam trips for travel agents and hosts

Tanzania's seasons follow a similar pattern to Kenya's, with the wildebeest herds moving through the Serengeti through the year. The table gives the general pattern.

Key parks, reserves, cities and coastlines in Tanzania, with when to go and how guests usually get there. Each links to Google Maps.

National park

Serengeti National Park

Northern Tanzania, Tanzania

Tanzania’s best-known park, about 1.5 million hectares of savannah and the setting for the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle that underpins its World Heritage listing. Where the herds are depends on the month, so camp location matters when planning a trip.

Getting there

Scheduled light aircraft from Arusha or Kilimanjaro to the park’s airstrips, or by road via Ngorongoro

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Conservation area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Arusha Region, northern Tanzania, Tanzania

A World Heritage Site established in 1959 as a multiple land-use area, where wildlife lives alongside Maasai pastoralists; it includes Ngorongoro Crater, which UNESCO describes as the world’s largest caldera, and Olduvai Gorge. It is managed by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, which sets its own fees, rather than Tanzania National Parks.

Getting there

By road from Arusha, usually between Tarangire or Lake Manyara and the Serengeti

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Güldem Üstün from Istanbul, TURKEY, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

National park

Tarangire National Park

Manyara Region, northern Tanzania, Tanzania

A 2,850 km² park gazetted in 1970, known for large numbers of elephants and for its baobab trees. In the dry season the Tarangire River draws elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and predators to its banks.

Best months

June to October, when wildlife gathers along the Tarangire River

Getting there

By road from Arusha

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Photo: Maximilian Staub, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

National park

Lake Manyara National Park

Arusha and Manyara regions, northern Tanzania, Tanzania

A 648.7 km² park established in 1960, of which about 262.7 km² is the lake itself, set below the Rift Valley escarpment. It combines groundwater forest, hot springs and more than 400 bird species, including lesser flamingos that feed on the lake.

Getting there

By road from Arusha on the route to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Gaurav Pandit, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mountain

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro Region, northern Tanzania, Tanzania

Protected by Kilimanjaro National Park, a World Heritage Site, the mountain is the highest in Africa at 5,895 m and has three volcanic peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. Climbs follow set routes with licensed guides and take several days.

Getting there

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), then by road to Moshi and the park gates

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Kyle Taylor, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

City

Arusha

Arusha Region, Tanzania

The base for northern-circuit safaris, at the foot of Mount Meru, where many safari operators have their offices. Kilimanjaro International Airport lies to the east, and Arusha Airport handles domestic light aircraft to the parks.

Getting there

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), then by road

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Phase9, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Heritage site

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Unguja island, Zanzibar, Tanzania

A World Heritage Site on a promontory on the west side of Unguja island, which UNESCO describes as an outstanding example of a Swahili trading town, with buildings that combine African, Arab, Indian and European influences. Zanzibar is sometimes added to northern-circuit safari itineraries.

Getting there

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), or by ferry from Dar es Salaam

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

National park

Nyerere National Park

Southern Tanzania, Tanzania

A 30,893 km² park in the south, created in 2019 from the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve and described by Tanzania National Parks as Africa’s largest national park. The Rufiji River runs through it, and boat trips on the river sit alongside game drives and walks.

Best months

June to October

Getting there

Scheduled light aircraft from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar to the park’s airstrips

Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Rob from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Northern circuit fams arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, between Arusha and Moshi. From Arusha, groups either drive through Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro highlands to the Serengeti, or fly by scheduled light aircraft to Serengeti airstrips and drive the return.

• Northern circuit: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti.
• Southern parks: Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous) and Ruaha, usually reached via Dar es Salaam.
• Zanzibar: a beach extension reached by domestic flight.

Combining a drive and a flight shows agents both ways their clients can travel, and how the transfer times compare.

Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) sets fees for the national parks, including the Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Nyerere and Ruaha. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority sets fees for Ngorongoro, where a separate charge applies to each vehicle that descends into the crater. Fees are charged per person per day and are one of the largest lines in a Tanzania fam budget.

Confirm current fees with the authorities or your ground handler before budgeting; they change.

Most visitors need a visa, which can be applied for online through the official Tanzania Immigration e-visa portal. Requirements differ by nationality, so each agent should check before travel, and see a travel health clinic about vaccinations and malaria precautions.

• Accommodation, meals and activities on the itinerary.
• Vehicles, guides and park fees, including the crater vehicle fee where Ngorongoro is included.
• Light-aircraft flights where the routing uses them.

International flights, the visa, insurance and personal extras are usually the agent's unless the invitation says otherwise.