Tanzania: The Big Five and So Much More

Africa

When I was first offered the trip of a lifetime, covering seven unforgettable days across five National Parks, I thought it would all be about spotting the Big Five.

What I didn’t anticipate was how much I would really understand the Northern Circuit of Tanzania. The vast landscapes, not just across the plains, but really understanding how the route of a safari is so important to make the most of your time, and actually it’s not all about the Big Five.

Across the national parks, I absolutely loved the bird spotting, the butterflies in the long grasses and the peacefulness that the vast plains bring when you’re quietly trying to spot movement or just appreciating the beauty of what you have found.

My seven day trip started in Arusha National Park. Only 30 minutes from the airport, this is a great place to start and perfect for nature lovers and photographers wanting the mystical yet magical views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Arusha is also a slower pace than other National Parks, so a great way to ease into the week with a walking safari. Arusha has no predators, so I learned early on in the week the importance of visiting more than one National Park if you want the best chance of seeing as many different animals as possible.

The distances between each of these National Parks is also often too far to travel in one day, so if you only want The Serengeti for example, you’d have to fly in, adding to the cost, actually making visiting Arusha and Tarangire along the way more cost effective and better value for money.

I absolutely loved the stillness of Arusha. Giraffes watching us from a distance, buffalo stood heavily in the grass and like scrolling for hours through social media without realising, hours could have passed with just watching the comical comings and goings of the warthogs!

Next it was on to Tarangire National Park where I really realised that there is more to a safari than the animals. Passing by Maasai tribes and villages, we really got a glimpse of local life, passing along dusty roads, local markets and women collecting water, it really was an incredible insight. Tarangire is home to two giants…the elephants and the Baobab Trees and when you spot them together, it really is the picture of Africa. A real highlight for me here was going inside a hollowed-out Baobab Tree before stopping for lunch with the most picturesque views.

No Eastern African safari could be complete without a trip to The Serengeti. Think vast plains, lion cubs close by to the pride and male lions with impressive manes just lolling in the sunshine. We watched for a good 45 minutes two cheetahs stalking a deer and although we missed the kill on day ove, we saw them feast on day two.

What I absolutely loved about The Serengeti was witnessing the very beginning of the Great Migration. My trip was at the end of April and into the beginning of May when this Great Migration begins. For miles upon miles, all you can view is hundreds upon thousands of wildebeest and zebra starting to make their way north to the Mara River.

Another highlight was our accommodation for two nights, deep within the plains at Safari Haven Tented Camp. After dark, guests had to be escorted back to their tents by lodge staff, which only added to the feeling that we were truly immersed in the wilderness. On our way back after dinner one evening, we were lucky enough to see a hippo that had emerged from the water to graze on the long grass nearby – a moment that felt completely surreal.

As the night came alive with the sound of crickets and distant chirping in the darkness, I slept better than I had in months.

A fact I hadn’t realised before visiting was that the Ngorongoro Crater is the only conservation area in East Africa home to all of the Big Five. It was here that we finally spotted a rhino, completing our list, but what struck me most was how different the landscape felt compared to the other parks. The crater was cooler, greener, and more atmospheric, creating an entirely different backdrop for wildlife photography. By this point we had already seen many lions and elephants, but seeing them within the crater felt completely unique.

Finally, we ended our safari in Lake Manyara, famous for its tree-climbing lions — and yes, we managed to capture the iconic sight of a lion resting in a tree. Alongside this, we also saw wildlife I hadn’t expected, including ostriches and flocks of pink flamingos.

Few experiences compare to seeing wildlife at such close range, and having an experienced guide made all the difference. Our guide, Nicholas, struck the perfect balance between giving us time to simply observe and sharing his incredible knowledge of the landscape and animals around us. More than that, guides like Nicholas know these parks intimately. They notice the smallest changes in the environment and helped us spot things we would never have seen on our own.

Away from the safari itself, one of the most memorable cultural experiences was visiting a local Maasai village. We were welcomed with traditional dancing, shown how fire is made, invited into their mud huts, and given an insight into how Maasai communities continue to live today. We even had the opportunity to visit the local school, which made the experience feel even more personal and meaningful.

Before this trip, I thought a safari would simply be about seeing animals in the wild. But Tanzania became so much more than that.

Each national park offered something completely different and no two days felt the same, and that variety became one of the most memorable parts of the experience.

The wildlife is of course not around every corner – it’s not a zoo after all! So, the game drives became an exciting game of trying to spot something and then experiencing emotion when herds of elephants and prides of lions where found, not realising that we were there, witnessing them just go about their day or crossing the paths in front of our vehicle.

If there’s one thing this trip taught me, it’s that no single park can capture the full safari experience. The beauty of Tanzania comes from experiencing the contrast between them all – the landscapes, the wildlife, the atmosphere, and even the silence.

For your next safari experience, contact me today and let’s build your perfect itinerary. You may even want to add a beach stay at the end…