Tanzania’s eastern circuit, while it still has a few interesting and unique national parks, is more of the domain of culture, history, and civilization compared with the natural wonders of inner Tanzania. The eastern circuit of Tanzania is the coastal region with the Indian ocean, meaning you will find more cities and settlements along this circuit.
The most famous draw of eastern Tanzania, of course, are the spice islands of the Indian ocean – Zanzibar being the crown jewel among them. If your ideal holiday looks less like an early morning game drive and more like a lazy day on the beach, the eastern circuit is best for you.
Few places in the world have stories such as Tanzania’s largest city and business capital, Dar es Salaam. While other metropolises like London or New York have hundreds of years of settlement and use, Dar es Salaam has grown into one of the largest cities in Africa in only 164 years.
Established in 1857 as a small fishing village opposite the glimmering island of Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam’s population boom came about after the German East Africa Company established a trading station there in the late 1800s. From there, it became the economic and manufacturing capital of Tanzania, a title it holds to this day!
If Dar es Salaam encapsulates a historic town by virtue of recent colonial history, Bagamoyo is a historic town by virtue of its ancient roots. While the town of Bagamoyo itself was only established in the 18th century, there has been a settlement on this land in eastern Tanzania since roughly 900 AD.
Three miles from Bagamoyo proper lies the ancient ruins of Kaole, an archaeological site and settlement that is hundreds of years old. A trading town, Kaole has evidence of relationships between continental African people, Middle Eastern rulers, and even the Chinese. A historic tour of this town is a must if you are in eastern Tanzania.
Pangani is an interesting place – like most settlements along the east coast of Africa, and Tanzania in particular, it is a place that tells the story of hundreds of years of different colonial influences. This historic town has roots to African, Arabic, Zanzibari, British, and German influences.
Functioning as a caravan stop-over and trading post between the ports of the Indian Ocean and the continental interior of Africa, Pangani grew into a bustling multicultural metropolis in the 1700s. While it is now much smaller and has less contemporary importance, you can still see the influences when taking a historic or cultural tour of the town.
In a country famed for its national parks and iconic wildlife, Saadani National Park stands out as particularly unique. Saadani is the only national park in Tanzania that touches the shores of the Indian Ocean itself. All other parks are inland, grassland or mountain-based parks.
With miles of shoreline, visitors can see four of the Big Five, plus many other picturesque African animals living off the coast of the ocean. This makes for a unique landscape and particular ecosystem that is seen nowhere else in Tanzania – it is definitely a hidden treasure.
One of the lesser-known national parks, Mkomazi National Park is one of Tanzania’s eastern circuit’s most incredible natural wonders. Forming part of a conservation effort that extends over the northern border to Kenya, modern Mkomazi was formed from the union of two older reserves – Umba and Mkomazi.
While not large on a grand scale, Mkomazi is still formidable, and holds impressive populations of diverse African savannah animals like lions, elephants, and some of the (sadly) endangered black rhinoceros – they even have a rhino sanctuary. Mkomazi is perfect for photography, wildlife and birding safaris, and even walking safaris.
While Mount Kilimanjaro rightly gets most of the attention in being the tallest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, the Pare Mountains are its smaller cousins, rising from the savannah just 35 km away from the famous peak.
Named after the Pare people of northern Tanzania, the peaks of the Pare mountains offer some hidden gems in terms of tourism. The rich history of the land lends itself to historic & cultural tours, while the wildlife in the area makes for excellent birding tours or walking safaris.
Part of the collective of Eastern Arc Mountain ranges, the Usambara Mountains feel like a place out of time. While other mountains in Tanzania rise from the surrounding steppe and hilly grasslands, the Usambara Mountains are thick with rainforest, giving the place a dark, beautiful feel.
Because of the distinctiveness of this range, it has become a popular destination for all kinds of activities. While most people will enjoy walking safaris, hiking, or birding in the gorgeous jungles, there are also mountain bike trails, historic and cultural tours, and even wedding venues in the surrounding area.
It’s all in the name: Lazy Lagoon Island. The people who named this stretch of sunny island paradise knew exactly how to market to visitors – if you’re looking for a relaxing, sunny, warm beach holiday, what better place to choose than an island named Lazy Lagoon?
Protected by a reef, the island’s aforementioned lagoon is right outside your accommodation doors. The long, thin island with white, sandy beaches makes an excellent island getaway. Warm water, sunny days, romantic evenings, and incredible sunsets await you at Lazy Lagoon Island.
Chapwani is a miniscule island off the coast of a larger island, Zanzibar. While Zanzibar is large enough to hold cities and towns, Chapwani is only large enough for a few dwellings. This private island is the perfect hideaway for people who are looking for only the most exclusive and lavish beach holidays.
Complete with everything you would expect of an island off the east coast of Tanzania, Chapwani has long, white, sandy beaches ringed and protected by coral reefs and an azure blue lagoon. Clear water, sunny days, and relaxation await you here!
Chumbe Island offers a wide variety of attractions despite being a relatively small island! Not only is Chumbe a beautiful island paradise that only the spice islands of Tanzania can offer, but it is also home to a private nature reserve and a protected coral reef!
Chumbe is all about preservation – making sure we acknowledge our impact on the environment and do our best to preserve the natural wonders all around us. As such, the accommodation, safaris, tours, and swimming are all geared towards highlighting the natural beauty of the island.
While it may be a little less known than its bigger sister, Zanzibar, Mafia Island proves no less magical. One of the bigger spice islands off the coast of Tanzania, Mafia is a tropical delight, offering visitors pristine, unspoiled beaches, dizzyingly blue seas, and beautiful accommodations across the island.
A place of peace, quiet, and tranquility, enjoy lazing away the day on the long stretches of beach while cooling off in the Indian Ocean. Or, for the more adventurous type, try diving around one of the many coral reefs along Mafia, or swim with the fabled whale shark!
One of the smallest islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago, Mnemba Island is a little slice of heaven! Privately owned, this island is only 1.5 km in diameter, but the intimacy and remoteness of the island make up for its small size. Imagine having an island paradise almost all to yourself…
Surrounded by a protected coral reef, Mnemba island offers incredible snorkelling and scuba diving experiences, as well as all sorts of water-based activities. However, if you’re looking to relax on the beach, have no fear! On the coastline you’ll find both the iconic white Zanzibar sand and gently lapping waves to lull you to sleep.
The Green Island of Tanzania’s spice islands, Pemba has a reputation for being the odd one out in the Zanzibar archipelago. Pemba was dominated by Portuguese influence for much of its history, being home to an eighteenth-century fort, which can still be seen to this day!
On top of the fascinating history the island has to offer, Pemba is also an island paradise – complete with sandy beaches, azure ocean, and relaxing accommodation. Pemba is perfect for you if you like to avoid crowds. It is one of the quietest spice islands and doesn’t get as much traffic as Zanzibar or Mafia.
Zanzibar is a place out of a dream. An island with a storied history of different influences, Zanzibar has always been sought after for its tropical beauty, beautiful alabaster beaches, and vivid waters. You can easily see why so many empires coveted this jewel of the Indian Ocean.
Zanzibar is one of Tanzania’s spice islands and it is mainly known for its mesmerising natural beauty. Much of the island is ringed by coral reefs – not only are they a diver’s paradise, teeming with aquatic life, but they also act as a wave-break, allowing for the iconic azure lagoons Zanzibar is known for.
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