We suggest not to believe the stereotypes and explore the many routes available in this distant country that go beyond the geography of tourist clichés and allow you to really get to know Tanzania.
Roof Of Africa
Mount Kilimanjaro is nicknamed the “Roof of Africa” or “The Crown of Tanzania”. It is the highest point on the African continent and the highest autonomous mountain in the world. Kilimanjaro rises 5875 meters above sea level and is unique in that it is located at a distance of 330 kilometers from the equator.
The climb to the top of Kilimanjaro is quite easy: you don’t need to be a professional climber to do it. Nevertheless, a good level of physical fitness is still required. Climbing is possible throughout the year on several routes of varying length and difficulty. Beginners are advised to take the Lemosho route from the west (from 6 to 8 days), where the road is not too congested, and the adaptation to altitude is smooth. The remaining routes are more difficult and are selected based on the level of training and the time available to the traveler.
Where to stay:
HATARI LODGE
The spectacular view of the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, about 50 miles away, is not the highlight of this lounge. The scenes were shot here for the Hollywood movie Hatry! 1962 starring John Wayne. Actor Hardy Kruger, who also appeared in the film, was so impressed by the atmosphere of the place that he later acquired it as a property. Located at the foot of Mount Meru, the hotel is close to Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport, making it ideal for a first or last night in Tanzania.
The hotel complex consists of three buildings in the style of the heydays of the 1960s and two historic buildings, which were built in the style of the famous lounges of the colonial era. The main type of leisure and employment for the population in Hatari is special safaris, which give guests the opportunity to leave hiking trails and really get to know the wildlife.
Serengeti Nature Reserve – Great Migration
The Great Migration in the Serengeti Nature Reserve is a spectacular sight, repeated for more than several hundred years, attracting a considerable number of people to Tanzania every year.
About two million animals (1.5 million wildebeest, 300 thousand zebras and 200 thousand Thomson’s gazelles) gather in huge herds, starting their way along the endless plains of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Natural Parks. For the first six months – from December to May – giant herds graze on fertile grasslands that have grown on volcanic ash after centuries of volcanic eruptions. For the remaining six months, from June to November, the Great Migration in search of fresh grass moves in a clockwise direction north and back south in a circle.
Where to stay:
SINGITA SASAKWA LODGE
An East African ranch-style guest complex from the 1920s with panoramic views of the Serengeti plains transports you to an Out of Africa movie. It combines the comfort of modern hotels, the atmosphere of aristocratic entertainment from 100 years ago and the mysterious world of African wild nature.
The hotel has 10 modern apartments with verandas and private pools. All rooms are decorated in Victorian style, featuring antique furniture, polished wood floors, Persian carpets, and vintage maps made with local artisans.
The lounge infrastructure includes a SPA, a gym, tennis courts, an equestrian centre, a wide range of sports entertainment and of course, an exciting safari in the reserve.
Ngorongoro Game Reserve
The Ngorongoro volcano, located on the edge of the savannah of the Serengeti Reserve, is a giant crater (caldera) that went extinct 2.5 million years ago, deserves special attention. The Ngorongoro Caldera is surrounded by a natural natural wall at 2286 meters above sea level, and its diameter reaches 21 kilometers.
The bottom of the crater is partly occupied by the alkaline Lake Magadi, a favorite habitat for flamingos. The lake is surrounded by excellent pastures for antelope, zebra and other herbivores. The place has become a habitat for many species of animals that have no way out of the caldera. According to scientists, about 30 thousand of these live here.
Where to stay:
AndBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
This classic lounge complex is one of the best in the area with three campsites: North Camp, South Camp and Tree Camp and 30 suites.
The luxury bungalows on stilts are built in the style of Masai architecture – stone walls, thatch roofs, plantain leaf ceilings. The interiors are in colonial style – living rooms with Victorian furniture, authentic African accents in the interior, and a personal butler in charge of personal service, all overlook the majestic panorama of the crater.
Lake Manyara
In the period from September to November, you should definitely stop near Lake Manyara, which is located not far from the Serengeti and Ngorongoro craters, because it is at this time that colonies of pink flamingos come here.
A dense pink patch along the shore of the lake, which is reflected from the surface of the water, is amazing. Flamingos choose a marshy area for their location, where small crustaceans live – their main food, which gives these birds their distinctive pink color. Hatched gray chicks acquire a pink color only with age, after a year, thanks to the pigment carotene, which is contained in food. Birds are so fond of eating that they do not pay attention to tourists in rubber boots, who enthusiastically shoot this wonder of nature with cameras and mobile phones.
Garden of God
Kitulo National Park is located in the south of the country at an altitude of 2600 meters on the plateau of the same name in Mbeya Province. It is also called the Flower Serengeti or the Garden of God – a direct translation from the Swahili language. On the slopes of the park, reminiscent of Gauguin’s revived canvases he painted in Polynesia, are more than 30 species of plants found nowhere else in the world. The bloom at the same time is an unforgettable sight that you can enjoy on a hiking safari or a bike ride.
The park is a national treasure of Tanzania and the first protected natural area in tropical Africa. It is carefully protected in neighboring Zambia due to the threat of flower poaching and the destruction of endemic orchid populations.
Where to stay:
CHEM CHEM LODGE
Tent Glamping Camp is located on the eastern shore of Manyara Lake. It is very quiet, quiet, comfortable and relaxing here. If you want to avoid any hustle and bustle, you’ll love Chem Chem. The residence is made up of several luxury tent suites, all equipped with plush four-poster beds, mosquito nets, large terraces, and bathrooms. You can fall asleep watching the sunset and wake up enjoying the sunrise.
MAFIA MARINE NATIONAL PARK
Diving “at Don Corleone’s”
Do not be confused by the name of this marine reserve – in Swahili, mafia means “friendly, friendly” and has nothing to do with Italian criminal structures. Mafia is a marine reserve of global importance, because according to diving enthusiasts and oceanographers, it is here that the richest coral reefs in the world are located.
Turquoise clear waters, a variety of corals and a large number of different species of marine life make it a dream destination for divers and fishing enthusiasts.
The most popular diving spots are in the southeast of the island at Chole Bay, located in the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, which is known for its pristine reefs and incredible abundance of underwater life.
Where to stay:
For the Robinsons of the XXI century – the private island THANDA ISLAND
Swedish billionaire Dan Olofsson “infected” Hemingway with his dream of Africa as a child. It was his books that inspired the famous European entrepreneur to escape the harsh Scandinavian winters closer to the equator. Hemingway was complemented by Jules Verne’s romances Robinson Crusoe and The Mysterious Island, and as a result the Olofson family acquired a private island off the coast of Tanzania. The island was named Thanda (“love” in Zulu).
Thanda Island is the perfect destination for a family vacation or a large group of friends who want to relax on a private island in the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve with a villa inspired by the Kennedy family mansion on Cape Cod. For true connoisseurs of African traditions, the island has two two-story huts – “Tanzania gang”, each of which can accommodate up to four guests.
Olofsson’s love for these places was also shared by the world tourist community: at the end of 2020, Thanda Island was voted “the most exclusive private island in the world” by the World Travel Awards. The island is hosting guests for the third year in a row and annually receives an award in this category. It is the only hotel in Tanzania that is a member of Leading Hotels in the World.
