Tanzania is a safari destination that requires zero introduction. Its name is synonymous with iconic red African sunsets, enchanting natural landmarks, and the greatest wildlife show on earth – The Great Migration.
And while going on safari in Tanzania holds a firm spot on most people’s bucket lists, there is one small problem…
You’re spoiled for choice in Tanzania. With 19 national parks and each one offering a unique and spectacular safari experience, it begs the question, how do you choose?
Keep reading for a full breakdown of the best national parks in Tanzania and what you can expect from each one.
Tanzania northern circuit national parks
The Tanzania Northern Circuit National Parks are some of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa. The Serengeti is world-famous for its annual migration of millions of animals, while Ngorongoro Crater is home to a large number of rare and endangered species. Lake Manyara National Park is known for its lush vegetation and stunning views.
If you’re looking to experience some of the best wildlife viewing Africa has to offer, be sure to visit the Tanzania Northern Circuit National Parks!
Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is the type of place where you’d expect to find truckloads of Lion King enthusiasts.
Just one look at the savannah, and you can almost hear the opening lines of Circle of Life “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba!” in the distance.
Home of the Great Wildebeest Migration, it’s the stage of the greatest wildlife show on earth and one of Tanzania’s top attractions.
Serengeti National Park highlights
- Great Wildebeest Migration
- Incredible Big Cat and predator action
- One of the cheapest national parks in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $70 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October and January to February for the migration.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Lion, cheetah, leopard, wildebeest, elephant, zebra, eland, giraffe.
- Nearby Attractions: Ngorongoro Conservation Center, Maasai Tribes, Tarangire National Park
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Want to see the Big 5 in one day? Head to the Ngorongoro Crater along the Eastern Great Rift Valley.
Formed millions of years ago, the extinct volcanic caldera is one of Tanzania’s best safari destinations. The crater walls are 400 to 600 meters high and have created a unique environment for flora and fauna to thrive with little human intervention.
Here you’ll find the endangered black rhino, predators, and almost every other animal you would want to see on a game drive.
Ngorongoro Crater highlights
- Big 5
- Black rhino sightings
- Maasai villages
Ngorongoro Crater facts
- Entrance Fee: $60 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October for wildlife sights and November to May for birding.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Black rhino, wildebeest, elephant, cheetah, lion, hyena, leopard, zebra, bat-eared fox
- Nearby Attractions: Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro National Park
Kilimanjaro National Park is home to Tanzania’s top attraction – Mount Kilimanjaro. The world’s tallest free-standing mountain lures trekkers from all over the globe who want to conquer the Rooftop of Africa.
With a gentle climb to the summit, it’s the easiest of the Seven Summits to summit. The biggest challenge for hikers? The high altitude.
If you don’t want to go all the way to the top, you can go on day or multi-day hikes on the slopes or visit the magnificent Chala crater lake.
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park highlights
- Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
- Trout fishing
- Day and overnight hikes on the Shiru plateau
- Chala crater lake
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $70 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: December to mid-March and mid-June to the end of October.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Elephant, leopard, buffalo, Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates.
- Nearby Attractions: Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is the perfect place to start your Tanzania safari experience. Located en-route from Arusha to Ngorongoro, it’s not as densely populated as the Serengeti but sets the scene for some of Tanzania’s unique wildlife experiences.
Come here for a game drive, and you might catch a glimpse of the park’s famous tree-climbing lions or experience a close encounter with the vast herds of elephants that roam the plains.
At the shores of its Rift Valley soda lake, you’ll find flocks of pink flamingos, more than 400 species of birds, and large herds of buffalo, Masai giraffe, and impala.
Lake Manyara National Park highlights
- Tree-climbing lions
- Large herds of elephants
- Maji Moto hot springs
- Night safaris and trekking
- 400 species of birds
- 45-minutes from Ngororongo
Lake Manyara National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $50 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October or for a more affordable safari November to May
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Elephant, lion, baboons, zebra, klipspringer, flamingo, wildebeest, giraffe, blue monkey
- Nearby Attractions: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Centre
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is a fantastic safari destination for climbers heading to Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s an easy 40-minute drive from Arusha and only 30-minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Due to its small size, you can see the three main areas with a half-day trip, making it ideal for travelers who want to combine trekking with a game drive.
Some of the park’s most impressive sights include Tanzania’s second-highest mountain Mount Meru, the 3km Ngurdoto Crater, and the seven alkaline lakes.
Arusha National Park highlights
- A 40-minute drive from Arusha
- Mount Meru
- Ngurdoto Crater
- Momela Lakes
- Walking and canoeing safaris
Arusha National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $50 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October for game viewing and November to March for impressive scenery and birds.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: colobus monkey, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, dik-dik, blue monkey, duiker, flamingo
- Nearby Attractions: Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha
Tarangire National Park
For an off-the-beaten-track adventure, add Tarangire National Park to your Tanzania itinerary. This lesser-known game reserve can give the Serengeti a run for its money.
Its borders are home to a great density of wildlife, and it’s a must-visit for travelers who want to encounter more animals with fewer tourists.
Besides the incredible diversity, Tarangire is a landscape photographer’s dream. With a high number of baobab trees and seemingly never-ending marshlands, you may have a hard time leaving.
Tarangire National Park highlights
- Elephant and bird sightings
- Night and walking safaris
- Concentrated wildlife sightings in the dry season
- Safari hot air balloon rides
Tarangire National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $50 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Lions, elephant, leopard, impala, gazelle, cheetah, wildebeest, giraffe, buffalo
- Nearby Attractions: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Centre, Arusha, Lake Manyara
Tanzania southern circuit national parks
Tanzania has some of the finest national parks in Africa. If you’re planning a safari to Tanzania, you’ll want to include at least one or two of these world-famous parks on your itinerary.
The Southern Circuit of Tanzania’s national parks includes some of the most iconic and popular safari destinations in the world.
Nyerere National Park (Selous Game Reserve)
Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) is a secluded gem that’s worth the visit. This piece of undisturbed wilderness is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds the title of Africa’s largest national park.
If that’s not enough to pique your interest, the park’s annual elephant migration will seal the deal. Hop into a boat, and you can watch thousands of elephants make their way across the river.
Nyerere National Park highlights
- Walking safaris and trekking
- Wild dog sightings
- Elephant migration boat safaris
Nyerere National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $70 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October for game sightings and November to March for birds.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Elephant, wild dog, sable, kudu, waterbuck, hippo, crocodile
- Nearby Attractions: Zanzibar, Dar Es Salam
Ruaha National Park
At 12,226 square kilometers, Ruaha National Park is the second-largest park in Tanzania. Its pristine natural beauty offers travelers glimpses of ancient baobab trees, dramatic landscapes, and the Great Ruaha River.
Despite boasting over 10,000 elephants, the world’s third-largest wild dog population, and huge numbers of lions and leopards, it’s Tanzania’s best-kept safari secret. You won’t find huge crowds at Ruaha, even during the high season, and it’s cheaper than more popular parks like Serengeti.
Ruaha National Park highlights
- Wild dog, leopard, and hyena sightings
- 570 bird species
- One of the largest elephant populations in Tanzania
- Walking safaris
- Nyanywa rock paintings
Ruaha National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $30 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October for game sightings. November to December and March to May for birding.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Jackals, cheetahs, hyenas, elephant, lions, waterbuck, sable, kudu, giraffe, zebra, leopard, wild dogs
- Nearby Attractions: Zanzibar, Dar Es Salam
Mikumi National Park
Short on time in Tanzania, but still want to have an exceptional safari experience? Head to Mikumi National Park. It’s the most accessible game reserve from Dar Es Salaam and is Tanzania’s fourth-largest park.
With the Rubeho Mountains to the northwest and the Lumango Mountains to the southeast, you can find a plethora of wildlife like lions, zebras, leopards, wild dogs, and buffaloes.
And with such a high-density gathering around the Mkata Floodplain, you’re likely to tick off each species with only a short time in the park.
Mikumi National Park highlights
- Walking safaris
- En-route to Nyerere National Park
- Mkata Floodplain
- Only a 6-hour drive from Dar Es Salaam
Mikumi National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $30 USD for non-East African citizens.
- Best Time to Visit: All year-round with the best game viewing between June and October.
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Hippo, zebra, giraffe, elephant, impala, wildebeest, hyena, buffalo, lion.
- Nearby Attractions: Zanzibar, Nyerere National Park, Dar Es Salaam.
Western & Central Tanzania National Parks
Tanzania is a land of great natural beauty and diversity. The country’s vastness is home to an incredible array of wildlife, from the majestic lions and elephants to the tiny dik-dik antelope. Tanzania’s national parks offer some of the best game viewing opportunities in Africa.
The Western and Central National Parks include Gombe, Mahale and Katavi to name a few. Each park has its own unique charm and is home to a variety of different wildlife.
Mahale Mountains National Park
Mahale Mountains National Park is an excellent destination in Tanzania for chimpanzees safaris. Set amongst the slopes of the Mahale Mountains, it’s famous for its sunsets over Lake Tanganyika (the second oldest freshwater lake in the world) and its diverse habitats of rainforest, grasslands, alpine bamboo, and woodlands.
Due to its remote setting, the best way to visit the park is to fly in and combine your visit with Katavi National Park.
Mahale Mountains National Park highlights
- Chimpanzee safaris
- Kayaking
- Lake Tanganyika’s untouched beaches
- Tanzania’s densest population of primates
Mahale Mountains National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $80 USD for non-East African citizens.
- Best Time to Visit: June to October
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Chimpanzee, red colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, warthog, hippo, crocodile.
- Nearby Attractions: Katavi National Park
Gombe Stream National Park
On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, you’ll find Tanzania’s smallest national park, Gombe Stream. Sitting on the remote western safari circuit, Gombe is seldomly visited due to its access by flight or boat only.
For those who do make an effort, it’s one of three places in Tanzania where you can see chimpanzees. But its biggest claim to fame is Jane Goodall. The park is where she completed her groundbreaking chimpanzee research, which is still going on today.
Gombe Stream National Park highlights
- Jane Goodall’s research
- Chimpanzees
- Hiking
- Rare forest flora
Gombe Stream National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $100 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to September
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Chimpanzee, baboon, red colobus monkey, leopard, bushbuck, verve monkey
- Nearby Attractions: Mahale Mountains National Park
Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park is a remote, untouched paradise in Western Tanzania. Getting here is a mission, but for those who make it to the home of the largest herds of buffalo in the world, you’ll have a secluded safari experience where you’re more likely to see a predator than another human.
One of the unique things to do in Katavi is visiting the legendary tamarind tree. Local legend says it houses the spirit of Katabi, a great huntsman.
Katavi National Park highlights
- Tamarind tree
- Game drives and walking safaris
- Fly camping
- Hardly any other travelers
Katavi National Park facts
- Entrance Fee: $30 USD for non-East African citizens
- Best Time to Visit: June to October
- Common Wildlife Sightings: Eland, sable, roan antelope, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, impala, zebra, elephant, lion, leopard.
- Nearby Attractions: Ruaha National Park, Mahale Mountains National Park
Ready to book your Tanzania safari?
Now that you know what some of the best Tanzania national parks have to offer, the next step is booking your safari holiday.
Speak to our Tanzania safari experts and curate your dream Tanzania itinerary.
