The country of Tanzania is real Africa! Here you will find a huge list of national parks where you can arrange a safari, immerse yourself in the original culture of the black continent, relax on the white beaches of the Indian Ocean, admire its underwater inhabitants and enjoy the architectural monuments of the colonial past.
The answer to the question of what to see in Tanzania can take many hours and pages of printed text. It is much more enjoyable to navigate the items on this list by getting off the plane at Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar international airports and see for yourself what travelers call the heart of Africa.
Top 15 attractions in Tanzania
Serengeti
Translated from the Maasai language, the name of this park means "endless plains". In the vastness of the Serengeti, you can get acquainted with hundreds of species and millions of animals and birds that historically inhabited the African continent. Only an hour and a half by car separates the Serengeti from Kilimanjaro Airport.
The park is inhabited by buffaloes and elephants, antelopes and crocodiles, giraffes and baboons, and it is here that it is most convenient to observe lions and cheetahs.
Special attention of tourists is attracted by seasonal migrations of zebras and wildebeest: in October-November from north to south and in April-June - back.
Kilimanjaro
The locals call the crown of Tanzania Kilimanjaro - the highest peak of the black continent, whose snow cap sparkles in the sun, and the peak is located at an altitude of 5890 meters above sea level.
Tours to Kilimanjaro are sold in the village of Moshi, and the ascent takes about a week. Tourists are accompanied by guides and porters, but still hardly half of those who announced their participation reach the top.
There are different paths to climb and descend from the mountain, and therefore hiking to the top of the Crown of Tanzania becomes even more interesting. The easiest routes are available even for travelers without serious physical training.
Dar es Salaam
The largest city in the country is located in the east of Tanzania. In Dar es Salaam, you can look at the monuments of colonial architecture, buy local souvenirs and sunbathe on the beaches that cannot be called the best in the country, but exotic - for sure!
In the former capital of Tanzania, noteworthy:
- Fish market Magagoni, where the morning begins with the fact that fishermen bring their catch to the shore, and resellers bargain noisily, knocking down the price.
- The old buildings of the railway station, St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Lutheran Church remind of the period of German colonization.
- Mwenge Market, offering great ebony crafts such as masks, boxes, jewelry and household items.
Colorful Dar es Salaam will delight exotic lovers with Hindu temples, a spice market and coastal restaurants serving fresh oysters.
Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is often compared to Baikal. The water in it is just as clean, and the depth is second only to the famous Siberian glorious sea. The length of Tanganyika is 673 km, which is an absolute record among the freshwater lakes of the planet.
The lake is home to almost all ornamental fish found in millions of aquariums around the planet. Unsurprisingly, its name means “fish-rich water”.
The main entertainment of tourists on the shores of Tanganyika is sport fishing. Professionals compete in the March national championships, while amateurs simply enjoy the opportunity to grab something for lunch in the pristine waters of the lake.
Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro is a nature reserve in a volcano crater on the edge of the savannah. The park is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the uniqueness of the environment in which the local animals, birds and plants live. The conservation includes several other natural sites, the most notable of which are the Empakaya Crater, filled with water and home to hundreds of thousands of flamingos, Olduvai Gorge, Lake Magami, where elephants and hippos swim, and the active volcano Oldonio Leng.
On the rocks of the Olduvai gorge, the attention of modern explorers of Africa is invariably attracted by the rock paintings of ancient tribes, and the tourist infrastructure would be incomplete without the souvenir shops of the Masai tribe.
Ruaha
The second largest national park in Tanzania, Ruaha is one of the oldest and most popular with foreign tourists. The rules of the reserve allow walking safaris, and this is used by travelers who want to snuggle into African nature without the participation of technical means.
Twice a year, European migratory birds migrate through the park, and in March-April and October, you can see millions of birds who have chosen Tanzania as a wintering place or as a stopover on a long journey.
Manyara
Another national park, named after the plant from which the Maasai built their huts, extends in northern Tanzania. Here you can look at the pink lakes, which are colored by millions of flamingos.
In addition to the most beautiful birds, Manyara Park is also home to lions, whose paws hang down from tree branches, hippos, clumsy at first glance, zebras in striped pajamas and giraffes, easily reaching for leaves from the upper branches of umbrella acacias.
Arusha
Arusha National Park is one of the smallest and coziest in Tanzania. In it, you can safely watch giraffes and not be afraid of predators. Arusha is the safest for backpackers.
In addition to giraffes, which are home to a great many in Arusha, on the paths of the park you will meet monkeys and baboons, hippos and antelopes. Mount Meru, located in the park, is no less magnificent. The fifth highest on the continent, Meru stands out against the backdrop of the savanna with bright green slopes, densely overgrown with tropical plants.
From the town of the same name on the edge of the park, air excursions to Lakes Victoria and Tanganyika are organized.
Bagamoyo
This small town on the coast of the Indian Ocean was once the destination of caravans that carried slaves from Lake Tanganyika to the slave market on the island of Zanzibar. Today, the Bagamoyo authorities are trying to preserve the monuments of the colonial heritage and are actively developing the tourist infrastructure.
In Bagamoyo, noteworthy is the history museum, the Catholic mission complex and the ruins of mosques. A few kilometers from the city is the Saadani hunting reserve, where you can purchase a license and organize a real safari.
Zanzibar
The Zanzibar archipelago and the island of the same name are popular with tourists who enjoy safaris, national parks, climbing African peaks and other active entertainment. People come to Zanzibar to rest from the labors of the righteous, lie on the beach, drink coconut milk and dive into the beautiful underwater world.
The capital of Zanzibar is colonial Stone Town with a mysterious maze of old streets where you can find souvenir shops, authentic hotels, seafood restaurants and oriental baths.
Spice tours are another attraction of the islands. The archipelago has supplied half the world with them for several centuries, and you can watch how cinnamon and cloves grow and buy the seasonings you need on the farm for yourself and as a gift to your friends.
Stone Town Anglican Church
Built in 1887, the Catholic cathedral in the capital of Zanzibar was the first in East Africa. An unusual mixture of Gothic features with elements of the Arabian architectural style makes the building very special and attractive for tourists. The cathedral has its own legend explaining why the columns are upside down. Local guides are happy to tell it.
The interior is decorated with stained-glass windows with a lancet Gothic window and a wooden crucifix in memory of the explorer Livingston. Buried under the cross is the heart of a scientist who gave Africa the last years of his life.
The temple was built on the site of a slave market, and a monument to slaves at the entrance reminds visitors of a terrible page in the history of the country and the entire black continent.
Livingston House
A three-story mansion in Stone Town is unlikely to be of architectural value, but there are many visitors to this house. From there, the greatest explorer of Africa, David Livingston, went on the last expedition, whose purpose was not only to study the nature and culture of the black continent, but also to convert its inhabitants to the Anglican faith.
The mansion now houses a local travel agency. For travelers who appreciate the scientist's contribution to African exploration, tours of Levingston's home are available.
House of Wonders
The palace in the capital of Zanzibar, built in the 19th century, is called the House of Wonders. The building served as the residence of the sultan and the royal family, and now a museum is open here, the exposition of which tells about the history of the island and its inhabitants.
The Zanzibari people called the mansion wonderful because it had electricity, running water and even an elevator before all other buildings on the island.
The collection of the museum's exhibits is dedicated to folk crafts and, in particular, to the history of creation and production technology of local dhow pie. The upper floors of the tall building offer a panoramic view of the ocean bay.
Pemba
It's not so easy to get to Pemba Island, but if you managed to get there, you definitely won't want to return! Its few beaches are considered the best in Tanzania, it is especially pleasant to look at the baobab forest at dawn, and walking on national dhow boats with a stop in cozy coves for swimming or barbecuing is the best way to fight fatigue, depression and other troubles of the civilized world.
Prison
Prison Island in the Zanzibar archipelago is famous for two reasons. The first is a prison built by a British general, which has never been visited by a single prisoner, and the second is a population of giant turtles that allow tourists to feed themselves and celebrate at least a centenary.
In addition to the venerable tortillas family, Prison deserves attention to the magnificent beaches, diving sites and underwater beauties worthy of the brush of an artist or at least the attention of an amateur diving with a mask and a snorkel.
