Tanzania vacations map and overview
Tanzania vacations and National Park map
Click on the map to enlarge it.
Tanzania geography guide
Tanzania, situated just south of the Equator, is the largest East African country (937 062 sq km) - is half the size of Western Europe and is bordered by shimmering lakes and the Indian Ocean. Tanzania is also bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Republic of the Congo to the west and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The Indian Ocean lies to the east. Off Tanzania's white sandy beaches lie the sleepy islands of Pemba, Mafia and exotic Zanzibar, an excellent extension to Tanzania safari vacations. Lake Tanganyika, Africa's longest and deepest freshwater lake and the second deepest in the world, runs along Tanzania's western border. In the northwest, in a massive shallow depression, is the source of the Nile, Lake Victoria. The entire country is dotted with a host of other permanent and seasonal lakes and rivers, including the Rufiji and Great Ruaha, which together give Tanzania more surface water than any other African country. A mosaic of savannah grasslands, tropical forests, riverine basins, mountain ranges, swamps, mangroves and coral reefs, Tanzania contains some of the largest and most beautiful wilderness areas in the world. Roughly encircling the interior is a somewhat broken curve of ancient hills - these mountains preserve remnants of a once widespread equatorial forest and is the last remaining refuge of animals and plants found nowhere else in the world. Tanzania is also home to the famous vast roaming herds of the Serengeti plains game and the snow-capped wonder of legendary Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania National Park best time to visit for vacations
Ngorongoro Cater Vacations
The Ngorongoro crater can be visited all year round.
Lake Manyara National Park Vacations
The long dry season from June to September and again in January and February is the best time to visit Lake Manyara. During the rainy months, some roads are impassable and the mosquitoes are plentiful.
Serengeti National Park Vacations
All year round with December to March as the more rewarding period of which February is the best time of year for Serengeti National Park. Masses of migratory herds are found on the short grass of the southern Serengeti plains at this time. It is also the birthing season for the wildebeest and the hartebeest and it is always a thrill to watch a baby wildebeest stumble to its feet minutes after being born.
Arusha National Park Vacations
Arusha National Park is accessible all year round, but April and May require a 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Tarangire National Park Vacations
Prime game viewing months at Tarangire National Park stretches from between July and December.
Tanzania ethnic groups guide
Today Tanzania contains a colourful tapestry of more than 126 loosely defined tribes, ranging from the few hundred ancient nomadic Kindiga hunters of Lake Eyasi to the million strong Sukumas of Lake Victoria. The major concentration of population is at the coast, the shores of Lake Victoria and the fertile soils of the northern mountains. Large areas of this vast country remain completely uninhabited. Not surprisingly, nearly a quarter of all of Africa's game is found on the savannahs of Tanzania, one quarter of which is made up of national parks and reserves. You'll find that all the statistics point to one overwhelming fact: Tanzania is made for 'Safari' vacations.
Tanzania climate guide
From a vacations point of view, Tanzania offers warm days and cool early mornings and evenings throughout most of the country. At altitude the temperatures are moderate. There are two primary rainy seasons: the long rains roughly from April to May and the short rains during November.
