The Hidden Gems of a Tanzania Safari

It’s no secret that Tanzania is home to many of Africa’s most celebrated safari destinations: the dramatic oasis of the Ngorongoro Crater, the wildlife-thronged Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks, the soaring and majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. And we at Micato Safaris believe these A-list spots deserve every bit of their hype; after all, they get star billing in most of our signature East Africa safari itineraries.

Still, even beyond its famous treasures, Tanzania is home to an array of lesser-known jewels that dazzle the safariers who discover them. Below are just a few such spots that can be visited on a Micato Safari to Tanzania.

Lake Manyara’s Masses of Flamingoes

Just north of Tarangire National Park, the glittering, shallow waters of this alkaline lake stretch 180 square miles across the Tanzanian savannah. Pretty as it is, it’s not Lake Manyara itself that delights those on safari in Tanzania—it’s the tens of thousands of greater flamingoes who frequent the site during the wet season (November to May), turning its entire surface coral-pink and filling the air with a honking cacophony. Film buffs who remember the Out of Africa scene filmed here, in which clouds of flamingos took flight in unison, will find the sight even more magical in person.

Rarely Seen Wild Chimps at Mahale Mountains National Park

Extending along the shore of Lake Tanganyika, at the country’s western edge, this verdant, jungly, roughly 600-square-mile preserve encompasses not just dazzling scenery, but also the country’s largest population of wild primates. Most notable is the thriving resident community of almost 1,000 chimpanzees, some of whom safariers might observe after a hike into the interior. Along the way, though, they may also spot red colobus, red-tailed, blue, and vervet monkeys.

Arusha’s Coffee Plantations

Typically a stopover destination en route between the Tanzania safari hot-spots of Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro, the agricultural region of Arusha is worth lingering in—especially for safari guests who love coffee. Tanzania’s largest coffee plantation is located here (in fact, Micato’s partner lodge, Arusha Coffee Lodge, sits right on its grounds), and guests on safari in Tanzania can spend time here learning about the cultivation of local arabica beans, strolling among the coffee plants in the shadow of volcanic Mount Meru, and sipping the robust home brew on their private verandas.

Wild Creatures Without Crowds at Selous Game Reserve

Though it’s the largest game reserve on the African continent—almost 20,000 square miles, roughly the size of Israel—Selous is unknown to many who choose to safari in Tanzania. That’s mainly because of its remote location in the country’s southern quadrant, a charter flight (via Dar es Salaam) away from the more famous northerly preserves. A trip here isn’t as easy as visiting Serengeti or Tarangire—but its enormity is staggering, and it draws only a fraction of the crowds. For travellers who want to see all the iconic beasts on a safari in Tanzania (including lions, elephants, giraffe, wild dogs, and Cape buffalo) in environs they’ll feel they have all to themselves, this is the place to go.

To learn more about adding Tanzania’s hidden gems to your Custom or Classic safari in Tanzania, contact one of Micato’s Safari experts and start planning your journey of a lifetime.