5 Reasons to Tour Tanzania with Contiki

If you are dreaming about about travelling to Africa to drive across the Serengeti plain, climb Mt Kilimanjaro, see the Big 5 or relax on an island beside the Indian Ocean, then Tanzania is your destination. What's more, now you can go there with Contiki. Have a look at the iconic and World Heritage Listed African attractions you can tick off your youthful bucket list in Tanzania.

Tarangire National Park

Lesser known than many of Africa’s National Parks, Tarangire has its unique appeal created by the huge baobab trees that are punctuated across the landscape. Some grow to up to 30 metres and have a trunk almost half that in diameter. Equally prolific are herds of elephants.

The Tarangire River divides the park, attracting wild animals to its banks and potentially stunning wildlife encounters for visitors on a wildlife drive. See lion, giraffe and ostrich on the savannah and find zebra and wildebeest jockeying for position by the river. Some say that Tarangire is second only to Serengeti for wildlife concentration.

Serengeti National Park

The grasslands of the Serengeti Plain stretch endlessly into the horizon. The sparse flat topped trees give way to open plains where a plethora of Africa’s wild animals roam, giving it renown as one of the best African locations for wildlife watching. Here you are likely to see Africa’s Big 5. The Serengeti is home to prides of lions, leaps of leopards, herds of elephants and buffalo and the elusive black rhino. There are also giraffes, zebra, cheetah and wildebeest numbering to over a million. You wont be surprised to know that the Serengeti is a World Heritage Listed site.

Ngorongoro Crater

This vast caldera is another UNESCO World Heritage listed site in Tanzania, in the same vicinity as The Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks. One of the world’s unbroken dry calderas, the forested rim rises 610 metres above the floor which gives way to an expansive grassland. This stunning environment is home to a dense population of lions and every other African wild animal you would wish to see, including elephants, leopards, buffalo, zebras, warthogs and wildebeests. See both Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles and you might also get to see the rare black rhinoceros.

You can visit these big three Tanzanian national parks to see the Big 5 and so much more on Contiki's new 2019 itinerary, 7 day Taste of Tanzania.

Mt Kilimanjaro

Dominating the landscape in Tanzania is Africa’s World Heritage Listed and highest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro. Standing alone and rising from farmlands it is an impressive, awe inspiring site. Many come to Africa to climb it, which is a journey on its own.

Taken over several days, the climb will take you through sloping farmlands of coffee and banana plantations, lush rainforest, alpine forests and the snow-capped moonscape of the twin peaks. You can climb Mt Kilimanjaro on the 7 Day Marangu Kili Climb that takes the Marangu route to Uhuru Peak or the 8 Day Rongai Kili Climb via the Rongai route to the Uhuru Peak, past craters, caves and even snow. Whichever of these new itineraries you choose, you are embarking on a once in a lifetime journey others only dream of.

Zanzibar Beaches

The beaches on Zanzibar are up there with the world’s finest. Tick off turquoise waters and white sands, water sports, kite surfing, snorkelling, diving or simply relaxing on the beach. You can do all that here paired with nightlife or the quiet life.

The main town, Stone Town is another World Heritage Listed location and offers a maze of streets and alleyways to explore. Zanzibar's main market is a hive of activity, Forodhani Gardens offers a social hub and a diversity of colonial buildings and museums tell the island’s history. Add a 4 Day Zanzibar Beach Escape to your Tanzanian tour for some downtime after visiting the national parks or to rest and revive after conquering Mt Kilimanjaro.