Tanzanian National Parks

Tanzania Wildlife Safaris .Com.Au offers clients a detailed, comprehensive information guide on the majority of Tanzania's game reserves and national parks.

National parks in Tanzania are truly world-class, and make up 25 per cent of Tanzania's surface area. Of these the Serengeti is probably the best known national park of all. Serengeti, along with the very large Selous Game Reserve, offers a huge variety of protected game park areas, which is home to roughly 20 per cent of Africa's mammal population.

What Tanzania's national parks have to offer

Serengeti Plains National Park

The Serengeti Plains National Park is Tanzania's oldest, and also the most popular game park in Tanzania. It is probably most famous for the wildebeest migration that takes place annually, one of the wildlife world's greatest spectacles. The Serengeti is the epitome of East Africa, and more specifically Tanzania.

Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater is a beautiful, densely crowded Tanzania wildlife area. It is a world-class attraction, visited by many tourists from all over the world annually. Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest unbroken volcanic caldera, and a natural enclosure is formed by its steep sides. The area features a wide variety of wildlife.

Lake Manyara National Park

Along the Great Rift Valley escarpment's base, for a stretch of 50 km's, lies The Lake Manyara National Park. This dramatically located national park is well known for its tree-climbing lions. Lake Manyara also serves as a great introduction to the birdlife to be found in Tanzania.

Tarangire National Park

One of Tanzania's densest populations of elephant can be found in Tarangire National Park. Large baobab trees are found in this region, along with grassy savannah areas and stretches of acacia woodland. This, of course, creates a spectacular landscape. Many animals visit this region in dry seasons, to drink from the Tarangire river, before following the rain to better grazing areas.

Arusha National Park

Arusha is Tanzania's smallest national park, but nonetheless very beautiful. The town of Arusha is the safari capital of northern Tanzania, and situated close to Arusha National Park. This makes Arusha National Park ideal for day excursions. Wildlife is abundant in Arusha National Park. Arusha is a beautiful park offering a wide variety of wildlife.

The best time to visit each Tanzania National Park

Ngorongoro Crater: Ngorongoro Crater is accessible all-year round, but best visited June to October and December to March.

Lake Manyara National Park: To see large mammals, visit in dry season from June to September. For bird watching, canoeing and to witness the waterfalls, visit in the wet season, from November to May. However, be aware that the rainy months brings with it plenty mosquitoes, and many of the roads are inaccessible.

Serengeti National Park: December to July is the best time if you want to follow the wildebeest migration, with February being the best of those months. This is a time when the short grass of southern Serengeti is desirable for large migratory herds. This is also birthing season for wildebeest, a thrilling experience to be part of.
To see predators in the Serengeti, visit from June to October.

Tarangire National Park: Tarangire can be visited year round, but the ideal time is in dry season, from July to December, when animals abound, since the Tarangire River offers the region's only permanent source of water.

Arusha National Park: The best time to visit Arusha is from June to February, although November may bring rain. December to February offers the best views of Kilimanjaro.