About Tanzania Wildlife

Tanzania is, without a doubt, a fabulous introduction to Africa and all things safari. It’s the largest country in East Africa, and almost a third of the vast lands are protected for game viewing, so safari opportunities are endless and always exciting. It’s got game drives galore, but don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all you can do on a Tanzania safari: what about trekking for chimpanzee in Mahale, walking and fly camping in Tarangire, boating in Selous or relaxing on the magical Indian Ocean coastline? And no description of a Tanzania safari would be complete without a mention of the Great Migration in the Serengeti, one of the natural world’s most spectacular wildlife shows.

There’s little to beat watching the thundering wildebeest herds of the Great Migration as they traverse the Serengeti – a truly mind-boggling phenomenon and definitely one for the travel bucket list.

Tanzania’s “Deep South” is relatively unknown and utterly magical. Visit Ruaha and Selous National Parks for jaw-dropping scenery and major game viewing without the tourist hordes.

As the ultimate safari star of the continent, Tanzania’s northern parks attract hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, so you many find yourself sharing your safari with a few other tourist-carrying 4x4s.

All Tanzania wildlife safaris and tours are both intriguing and exciting, created by a fascinating balance between the wildlife, the stunning landscapes and the friendly Tanzanian people. Tanzania’s northern safari circuit is renowned for offering some of the finest wildlife viewing holidays and tours in Africa. Its natural abundance of wildlife, along with the annual migration of millions of animals across its northern plains, make up a flourishing eco-system, which is now benefiting from the country’s historical strict conservation measures.

We at Bee Eater Safaris are from Africa and are passionate about Africa – the continent we know and the continent we love. We will gladly guide you into the heart of Africa, and let our years of Tanzania safaris and tours expertise work for you.

Tanzania Safaris

The Serengeti tops most Tanzania safari itineraries. A Masai word meaning “endless plains,” this protected ecosystem sprawls across 10,000 square miles. With a network of rivers ensuring year-round water, the region is incredibly rich in wildlife, though specific experiences, such as the Great Migration, vary with the seasons. Exceptional safari opportunities exist in the private reserves adjacent to Serengeti National Park, many of which are the exclusive domain of the camps we use. In addition to classic destinations like Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, famed for its elephants and baobabs, Tanzania offers vast, little-visited reserves such as Ruaha and Selous, true wilderness with striking scenery where you’ll encounter droves of animals but few other visitors. Mahale Mountains National Park on Lake Tanganyika is home to some of Africa’s last wild chimpanzees. For the perfect finale to your safari adventure, add a few days to relax on the beaches of Zanzibar.

Tanzania Wildlife

Tanzania is famed for its wildebeest migration, the largest mass movement of land animals on the planet. The entire Serengeti ecosystem depends on the migration, with felines, hyena and birds of prey feasting on the young and weak while crocodiles lie in wait at each river crossing. Plains animals abound, including giraffe and gazelle. Ngorongoro Crater is often called a wildlife Eden. Zebra graze on its rim, while plenty of lion, flamingos and the endangered black rhinoceros are found within. Tarangire is famed for its enormous elephant herds. So is remote Selous, home to 3,000 lion, cheetah, hippo, black rhino and many of Africa’s last wild dogs, often sighted here and in Ruaha National Park. Vast Ruaha sustains buffalo, sable and roan antelope, elephants and rich birdlife. In the rainforests of Mahale and Gombe in western Tanzania, we find chimpanzees and colobus monkeys in their last wild habitat.

Quick Tanzania Facts

Lying just south of the equator, Tanzania is East Africa’s largest country, at 365,000 square miles. A poor though politically stable nation of 36.5 million people, Tanzania was formed in 1964 when Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged after achieving independence from Britain. The geography is diverse, ranging from volcanic peaks draped in tropical forest to dusty savanna where plains wildlife thrives. Tanzania is the most biodiverse country in Africa, with the continent’s biggest mammal population, second-largest number of bird species (around 1500) and 3/4 of East Africa’s plant species. The best-known tribe is the Masai, a pastoral cattle-herding people in the north, yet there are 125 other distinct tribes in Tanzania. Tanzania’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which provides half its GDP and employs 80 percent of the workforce, typically in subsistence farming or fishing. Tourism accounts for more than 1/6 of Tanzania’s income.

Conservation in Tanzania

More than a quarter of Tanzania is protected—an outstanding conservation achievement. Tourism, much of which is nature-based, accounts for more than one sixth of the country’s income. Yet Tanzania’s parks and reserves are under pressure from poaching and illegal logging, lack of resources for effective management, and other conditions exacerbated by a growing population struggling with poverty. Progress continues, however, advanced by education, understanding of local economies, and sustainable development. WWF is working with government, local communities and the private sector to protect Udzungwa Mountain National Park, which supports some of the most ancient and diverse biological communities in Africa. More than a third of the park’s plant and animal species are endemic, rare and endangered. WWF is also working to improve management of the Mara River, a critical water supply in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.