Our recent Tanzania Wildlife and Walking Safari was an absolute blast! Six Moraway travelers spent 14 days exploring four different parks and reserves in Tanzania, enjoying amazing wildlife, food, people, lodges, and activities along the way. Tanzania’s abundant and diverse wildlife never ceases to amaze and astound.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Crater offers the best half-day safari in all of Africa and it was an excellent way to shake off jet lag. On our first day, we saw black rhino, lions, elephants, cape buffalo, hyenas, zebras, ostrich, wildebeest, flamingos, cranes, warthogs, hippos, and much, much more! Having coffee served to us on safari while watching two massive bull elephants giving themselves dust baths RIGHT NEXT TO OUR VEHICLE was an awesome way to start the day - and our trip! Hiking to the Olmoti Crater in the afternoon allowed us to stretch our legs while enjoying some of the finest views in all of Tanzania, before returning to our stunning accommodations at The Highlands. In addition to the concentration of wildlife in the Crater, the exclusive location of The Highlands, spectacular scenery, and exposure to authentic Maasai culture made this a brilliant start to our journey.
The Serengeti
Our next stop was a five-night stint in the world-renowned Serengeti National Park, splitting our time between two different camps in the central and northern regions. The word “Serengeti” is derived from the Maasai term "seringit," which translates to “endless plains.” The endless plains support one of the most abundant and highly-functioning ecosystems on Earth, home to over 70 mammal and 500 bird species. Highlights of our time here included seeing a dazzle of hundreds of zebras as they led the Great Migration northward; watching a male leopard on an evening patrol of his territory; finding several female lions lazing about in a tree; and watching the rock dassies laze about in camp from the comfort of the pool. Watching the sunrise and the world come to life around us while silently gliding through the air in a hot air balloon was a surreal way to end our time there.
Usangu Expedition Camp in Ruaha National Park
After our time in the Serengeti, we hopped a bush plane to one of the most remote and unexplored regions of Tanzania, the Usangu Wetlands of Ruaha National Park. We were so enamored with our stay at Usangu Expedition Camp that we wrote an entire blog post about just that- check it out!
Nyerere National Park (formerly, the Selous)
Our final few days on safari were spent exploring the diverse habitats of Nyerere National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans an area larger than Switzerland. In addition to seeing the most abundant concentrations of giraffes we have seen anywhere in Africa, we enjoyed a spectacular lion sighting (15 lioness sleeping in one giant pile!), in-camp elephants right outside our tents, and a relaxing sundowner boat cruise to enjoy the spectacular birdlife thriving in the wetlands.
Pemba Island and the Manta Resort
After 13 consecutive days on safari, we were ready to hit the beach and relax! After walking the historic streets of Stone Town on Zanzibar, we headed to the much quieter neighboring island of Pemba to enjoy some beach time in a more authentic, relaxed setting. The private, pristine white-sand beaches of Manta Resort make it a world-class getaway and the ethereal Underwater Room is not to be missed.
When you are ready to make your East African safari dreams a reality call Moraway!
Ready to visit this wild place? Ask me how!
Your wild adventure aficionado,
Alexis Alloway
