Tanzania – Northern Circuit

One of the lesser-known game reserves in Tanzania, Tarangire National Park rivals the Serengeti in its great number and diversity of wildlife. It is a good choice for travellers who wish to encounter more animals and less tourists while on safari. The Tarangire National Park is known as a wonderful birding destination and also features large numbers of game, particularly during the dry season, when the Tarangire River is the only source of water in the area. The landscape is of particular interest too, due to the high number of scenic baobab trees.

Although only a third of the park consists of dry land, the reserve boasts a higher diversity of plant and animal species than the far larger Serengeti. Established to protect the vast elephant herds that the area is known for, Manyara features an incredible wealth of habitats.

The Great Rift Valley is at its most impressive here, with a precipitous drop of about 500 m (1 600 feet) to the flamingo-rimmed lakeshore. Lake Manyara’s thick forests are a unique and surprising habitat for sightings of lion, which are known to climb and lounge in the trees, as well as hunting on the grassy shores of the lake. Other wildlife includes large herds of buffalo, endangered African wild dog, cheetah, Maasai giraffe and impala.

ONCE A GIGANTIC VOLCANO, THE NGORONGORO CRATER IS NOW THE LARGEST INTACT CALDERA IN THE WORLD.

An estimated 25 000 large mammals are resident in this bowl of plenty, including a large population of lion. Cheetah move in and out of the crater, while leopard are most often encountered in the spectacular Lerai Forest. Among the smaller carnivores, both golden and black-backed jackal are abundant, while the normally shy and nocturnal serval are frequently seen during daylight hours. Vast numbers of buffalo, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle can be seen grazing the crater floor.

While the Serengeti boasts incredible numbers of wildlife, it is perhaps best known as the site of the annual Great Migration, when an estimated three million antelope – mostly wildebeest and zebras — migrate to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. One of the greatest spectacles in the natural world, the migration follows the seasonal rains, spending the wet season on the south eastern plains of Tanzania and the dry season in the woodlands of north western Kenya.

Between January and March the wildebeest give birth on the short grass plains of the south eastern Serengeti. This time of year attracts a vast plethora of predators, from lion to hyena, leopard and cheetah. As the grazing runs low in this area the wildebeest move to the central Serengeti and then the Western Corridor before crossing the Grumeti and Mara Rivers on their journey south in Kenya. Braving the jaws of some of Africa’s largest crocodiles, the river crossings are always a dramatic and emotional sight.

For hundreds of years, traders and travellers have eulogised about Zanzibar’s intoxicating aroma of spices, its beautiful beaches and the bustle of its Moorish capital, Stone Town. It’s name alone - as evocative as Timbuktu, Casablanca or Kilimanjaro - is alluring enough for many to dream of visiting.

Just a short hop across the water from mainland Tanzania - of which Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part - is this lush array of islands. It’s impossible not to be enchanted as you approach from the air: clear, sparkling waters, darkened only by patch reefs, and punctuated by the billowing triangular, white sails of passing dhows.

On land, chic beach retreats, intimate converted palaces, private island villas and fun family-friendly resorts offer warm welcomes and totally tropical experiences. Be it trailblazing models of responsible tourism or world-class sophistication, the options are myriad.