Tanzania is home to some of Africa’s most famous national parks and natural attractions known for its ultimate safari experiences. Consequently, the most popular things to do in Tanzania and the reason many people visit the country, are the safaris and wildlife related adventures. The beautiful beaches of Zanzibar give Tanzania an elegant look. Off Pemba and Mafia islands is another kind of natural wonder, appreciated by the scuba divers and snorkelers who come here from around the world to experience the coral gardens, colourful fish, and crystal clear waters.

“For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life-bird, insect, reptile, beast-for vast scale — Uganda is truly “the Pearl of Africa.”

Winston Churchill

What to see in Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, a World Heritage Site, was formed over 1 million years ago by volcanic movement along the Rift Valley. And it is Africa’s highest peak at 5,895m and Tanzania’s most iconic image. Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, unlike other parks in northern Tanzania, is not visited for the wildlife but for the chance to stand in awe of this beautiful snow-capped mountain and, for many, to climb to the summit. Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time, although the best period is from late June to October.

The mountain rises from farmland on the lower level to rainforest and alpine meadow and then barren landscape at the peaks. The slopes of rainforest are home to buffaloes, leopards, monkeys, elephants and eland. The alpine zone is where bird watchers will find an abundance of birds.

Zanzibar Beaches

The island of Zanzibar, also called Unguja, is a major holiday destination in Tanzania and known for its beautiful beaches. Part of the Zanzibar archipelago, which consists of the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, this island has some of the best beaches in the world. The surf varies depending on what side of the island you are on, but visitors will find soft white sand and clear shallow water, along with traditional boats lining the shore.

The historic city of Stone Town, known for old Arabian townhouses, narrow alleyways, and a busy port, is located in the heart of Zanzibar.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to the famous volcanic Ngorongoro Crater and is one of Tanzania’s most popular wildlife viewing areas. This huge volcanic crater has a permanent supply of water, which draws thousands of animals who stay in this area rather than migrating. Thousands of animals can be seen on the crater floor, including lions, elephants, rhinos, Thomson’s gazelles, and buffaloes, but wildebeests and zebras account for over half of the animals that call the Ngorongoro Crater home.

Bird watchers Ngorongoro is a superb place, especially around Lake Migadi, which attracts flocks of flamingos to the shallows. Hippos are content to submerge themselves during the day and then graze in the nearby grass in the evening. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact ancient caldera in the world, nearly three million years old. The Ngorongoro volcano was one of the world’s tallest mountains before it exploded and collapsed.

Olduvai Gorge

This an important archaeological site has revealed ancient skull and bone fragments that have delivered critical information about early mankind. The Olduvai Gorge is an archaeological site situated on a series of fault lines, where centuries of erosion have revealed fossils and remnants of early mankind. As early as 1911, a German professor found some fossil bones while looking for butterflies in Olduvai Gorge. In a later expedition, the Leakeys collected skull fragments, a skull, and bones determined to be approximately 2 million years old. Tools and hunting weapons from 1 to 1.5 million years ago were also discovered in Olduvai Gorge.

Mafia Island

Mafia Island draws divers and snorkelers from around the world to the undersea world protected by the Mafia Island Marine Park. This island paradise first saw settlers in the 8th or 9th C, but Mafia became a more important settlement during the 12th to 14th C when it held a key position in the East African trading routes. The best months for diving are October to March but the best weather on Mafia Island is May to October. March and April are months of heavy rain.

Mafia Island Marine Park has coral gardens, an abundant variety of fish a desirable location for deep-sea fishing, especially tuna, marlin, sailfish and other big-game fish. Countless birds and over 400 species of fish can be seen in the area. Mafia Island is also a traditional breeding site for the green turtle, which are unfortunately endangered.

Pemba Island

Pemba Island is the northernmost island in the Zanzibar archipelago. Around Pemba are many desert islands and some of the best scuba diving in the Indian Ocean, with visibility that is unparalleled. Coral gardens, colourful sponges and sea fans are all found in the underwater haven. Pemba is less visited than Zanzibar and as a result has a more laidback atmosphere. The island is hilly with deep valleys and it has become popular with mountain bikers who are drawn to the 1,000-meter peaks. Pemba is a major world clove producer and is also well known for the traditional medicine and magic. People come from throughout East Africa to learn from the voodoo and traditional healers or seek a cure.

Stone Town

Stone Town is the cultural heart of Zanzibar and little has changed in the last 200 years. As the world’s oldest functioning Swahili city, many of the landmarks in Stone Town have been restored to their original glory. The majority of homes in Stone Town were built in the 19th Century when Zanzibar was one of the most important Swahili trading towns in the Indian Ocean. Visitors will notice the bras-studded, intricately carved wooden doors on many of the houses that line the grand old Arabian homes along the narrow streets and winding alleys give the city its own unique charm. The historic buildings are now museums and tourist attractions interesting old churches of historical significance.

The town also has a couple of A walk along Creek Road takes visitors to the original Stone Town area and the location of the Darajani Market, Beit el-Amani, City Hall, and the Anglican Cathedral. Some of the other key highlights include the Forodhani Gardens, the Old Dispensary with its carved wooden balconies, the former home of the sultans known as Beit el-Sahel or the People’s Palace, the Hamamni Persian Baths built in 1888, and the oldest structure in Stone Town, the Old Fort.

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and is bordered by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. This lake is the source of the Nile based in jinja Uganda and provides an income for millions of residents along its shores. The Tanzanian section of Lake Victoria is one of the least visited regions in the country, however the towns of Bukoba, Musoma and Mwanza have a number of attractions.

Near Mwanza and Musoma are many islands, some have become wildlife sanctuaries. Bird watching and fishing trips are popular excursions, and boat trips or hikes can be arranged around Lake Victoria.