6 Must See National Parks in Tanzania 2025
6 Must See National Parks in Tanzania 2025
6 Must See National Parks in Tanzania 2025 : Tanzania is listed among the most popular safari destinations on the African continent offers visitors an opportunity to experience the beauty of vast savannas and wilderness areas in national parks and game reserves boasting abundant wildlife populations.
Though Tanzania is popular for the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo). There is also the world of the “small 5”, fantastic insects, birds and small game.
Tanzania is rich in culture with over 120 different tribal communities leading unchanged semi-nomadic lifestyles, tending to their livestock and warmly welcoming visitors and home offering their own warm brand of hospitality.
Also, Tanzania is home to some of the world’s most popular and famous national parks such as Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area among others.
Because of the many parks in Tanzania, it normally not easy to decided which park to visit, here is our list of the best six national parks in Tanzania which are a must visit.
- SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
Serengeti National Park is the most famous among all of Tanzania’s National Parks, Serengeti is an iconic national park synonymous with classical African Wildlife and the spectacular migration of the wildebeest.
Serengeti National Park was one of the first locations to be listed as a World Heritage Site in 1981, even before receiving this title. Serengeti was famous for its complex and dynamic ecosystems
Serengeti Plains span roughly 15,000 square kilometers east of Lake Victoria, sharing a stretch of Kenya’s southwestern border in its northern boundary. The plains of Serengeti are home to over 1.5 million wildebeest, approximately 250,000 zebras about 1,000 leopards and 4,000 lions and over 500 bird species.
The Serengeti is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists each year to witness the annual Great Migration of the multitude of animals as they follow the rains on a perpetual search for fresh grass.
- NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
Ngorongoro Conservation Area dubbed as “The Eden”, Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic crater which lies within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater is home to the abundant wildlife including the Big Five including the black rhinoceros, a rare and elusive rhino native to the land.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most popular destinations in Tanzania, the destination has very good but scare accommodation options. There are only a handful of lodges and camps along the crater rim.
Game viewing in Ngorongoro Conservation Area is good year-round and visitors have the opportunity to explore the nearby villages of the Maasai who are an ancient and vibrant people.
- TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Tarangire National Park is one of the best-kept secrets in the Northern Circuit of Tanzania, the park is less crowded than other parks in Tanzania and is home to considerable variety of wildlife.
Tarangire National Park is famous for its huge herds of elephants and the iconic baobab trees which grow to a circumference of 100 m, to the southeast of Tarangire is the Masai Steppe and to the north and west is the Great Rift Valley. The park covers a total area of approximately 2,600 square kilometers, Tarangire river flows through the national park and during the dry season is one of the best places to see animals that come to drink from the river.
Tarangire national park is home to amazing wildlife including a large variety of birds, the best time to visit is between June and October.
- LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Though it is very small compared to other parks in the Northern Safari Circuit, Lake Manyara National Park hosts an abundance of wildlife that are drawn to its vast body of water.
Visitors on a Tanzania safari in Lake Manyara National Park have a chance to see the rare tree climbing lions and herds of elephants, it is not common to see such a variety of animals grouped in such a small pocket of land, but the availability of water overrides their instincts for more space. Due to the lake, birds are abundant throughout the park so bird watching should be on top of your list.
Lake Manyara National Park offers night game drives, walking safari and canoeing on the lake.
- NYERERE NATIONAL PARK
Previous known as the Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park is the largest National Park in Tanzania located in Southeastern Tanzania at a size of around 31,000 square kilometers. The closest major city to Nyerere National Park is Dar es Salaam and it is approximately 230 kilometers way.
Nyerere National Park hosts around 440 species of birds making the park a bird watcher’s favorite spot, while on a game drive in the plains of Nyerere lookout for various animals such as leopards, giraffe, impala, elephants, rhino, lions, and many more animal species.
The Rufiji River flows through the park making the riverside a prominent place for animal viewing, other activities you can do in Nyerere National Park include boat trips on the river which adds on to your experience. The best time to visit the national park is from mid – June to October.
- MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Located along the remote western border along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, lies the magical Mahale Mountains National Park. The park is encircled by the clear blue waters of Lake Tanganyika with steep cliffs shooting up to the lake, part of the lush, rain-forested Mahale Mountain range.
Because the park is not frequently visited, it a place of stunning beauty and extraordinarily wildlife viewing opportunities. Mahale Mountains National Park is most notable for being home to over 1,000 chimpanzees thus offering amazing chimpanzee trekking experience, on which visitors get a chance to get up close to the chimpanzees, truly a remarkable experience.
Mahale Mountains National Park has beautiful walking trails through the thick rainforests, stunning views and beautiful sunsets over the lake. Although it is a challenging park to reach, once you get there, you will find plenty to do such as fishing and Kayaking on the lake.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
WHICH IS THE LARGEST PARK IN TANZANIA?
Nyerere National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania covering an area of 30,893 square kilometers, the park is located in southeastern Tanzania around 230 kilometers from Dar es Salaam.
HOW MANY NATIONAL PARKS ARE FOUND IN TANZANIA?
According to Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), there are 22 national parks in Tanzania covering a total of 15% of the area.
WHAT ARE THE BEST MONTHS TO VISIT TANZANIA NATIONAL PARKS?
The best months of the year to visit Tanzania and its national parks are during the long dry season running between July to October, these months are the best time to witness the river crossing of the Great Wildebeest Migration.
However, the months between January and March are the best time to witness the Great Migration in the Southern plains of the Serengeti when they give birth to thousands of calves each day.
