Picture rolling verdant hills in the horizon studded with abundant exotic wildlife… Not exactly what comes to mind when you think of the Serengeti, is it? At least it wasn’t for me. I envisioned windswept yellow and red grassy savannah for as far as the eyes could see with thousands of wildebeests plodding along together in their endless search of rain as the followed The Great Migration roadmap.
While I wasn’t completely wrong, parts of the Serengeti are just as I thought, this vast National Park and larger country was ready to offer up this revelation and many more surprises much to our delight.
A bit about the country:
Tanzania is a recently established country combined of the former Tanganyika and Zanzibar independent countries. It’s the home of over 120 distinguished tribes and at least as many languages, but Swahili and English are most commonly spoken. Tanzania covers an amazing breadth of wilderness landscapes and contains arguably one of the most diverse animal populations in Africa, from Chimpanzee viewing in the West to wetlands in Sealous to the massive lion populations seen in both Ruaha and Serengeti, not to mention year-round front row seats to the biggest and most famous animal migration in the world.
Aside from being a premier safari destination, Tanzania offers up a tremendous amount of history and culture that deserves its own exploration. Here you can dive deep into tribal traditions, hike the famous peaks of the towering Kilimanjaro and Meru mountains or learn more about Arusha’s significance in Tanzania’s recent independence. Not far from there, you can appease your inner historian by delving into Zanzibar’s rich Middle Eastern influence in the morning, and then, spend your afternoon lazing on white sand beaches, while you count dhow boats floating atop teal waters.
Yes, Tanzania is a beautiful country, with a lot to offer the intrepid traveler. Perhaps the best thing it has to offer though, is its warm and inviting people. Tanzanians seem to have an innate sense of hospitality, which is heartfelt and inspiring. To me, the people we encountered and those that we’ve befriended are what made this trip amazing most of all.