Experience
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino
The Big Five were originally the five most dangerous animals to hunt on foot; today they are the checklist that shapes most first safaris. Tanzania holds strong populations of all five, but rhino are the hard one: the black rhino survives here mainly on the Ngorongoro crater floor and in the Moru Kopjes area of the Serengeti. A well-built northern circuit itinerary of six days or more gives you a realistic shot at the complete set.
Tanzania holds roughly a third of Africa's remaining lions. The Seronera Valley in the Serengeti and the crater floor offer the most reliable sightings, while Ruaha in the south is famous for exceptionally large prides of twenty or more.
Patience and a sharp-eyed guide matter most. We work the sausage trees and riverine forest along the Seronera River at first light, and the Lake Manyara escarpment woodland in the late afternoon.
Tarangire is the elephant park — herds of several hundred gather along the river in the dry season, including some of the biggest tuskers left in East Africa.
The easiest of the five. Big herds graze the crater floor and the Serengeti plains, and old solitary bulls, the 'dagga boys', are common near water.
The crater floor near Lake Magadi is the single best chance in Tanzania — our guides carry binoculars and know the areas the individual rhino favour. Moru Kopjes in the Serengeti offers a second, wilder possibility.
Ready-made trips
Safari7 daysThe complete Northern Circuit in one seamless loop
Our most popular safari loops the four great parks of the north in a single, well-paced circuit. Starting and ending in Arusha, it builds from the elephant herds of…
Safari8 daysThe wild, crowd-free south — Ruaha & Nyerere
For travellers who have done the north or simply crave true wilderness, this eight-day southern circuit pairs two of Africa's most remote parks. Ruaha delivers enorm…
Beach10 daysNorthern Circuit safari finished on a Zanzibar beach
The classic Tanzanian pairing, done properly. Six days of game drives across Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, then a short flight straight to the Indian Ocea…
Places to visit
Every itinerary is private and tailor-made. Call, WhatsApp or email us and we will design your trip around your dates, budget and pace.
