20+ Luxury Tanzania Safaris

At the heart of top Tanzania luxury destinations is the Serengeti Park, alongside Arusha, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Zanzibar, featuring endless plains, dramatic sunsets, and some of top-rated Tanzania honeymoon beach resorts, ideal for honeymooners.

Tanzania has three of Africa’s most attractive safari circuits, the Northern, Southern and Western circuits. These offer some of the finest wildlife viewing anywhere in Africa, as well as a scattering of world-class exclusive and upmarket camps and lodges, making it ideal for a luxury safari.

The Southern and Western circuits are best suited to Tanzania fly-in safaris, with the Western circuit in particular ranking among the most exclusive and costly in Africa. The Southern safari circuit is the Nyerere National Park, it also incorporates Ruaha, Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountains National Parks.

More off the beaten track still is the Western safari circuit, which offers the dry savannah country of Katavi National Park and the lush forests of Mahale Mountains and Gombe National Parks. Chimpanzee tracking is done here.

The best-known Northern safari circuit features Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, as well as Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks. The north is easily covered by road and has accommodation to suit most mid-range and upwards budgets.

Almost everything. You will mostly come across it as being referred to as an all-inclusive Tanzania luxury tours & will usually include domestic flights and road transport, as well as game drives, other activities and the associated guides and park fees. Accommodation on a full-board basis is usually included too. Some luxury lodges and exclusive camps also include laundry and non-premium drinks (i.e. tea, coffee, soft drinks, local beer and house wine). Confirm this in advance.

Normally, a typical day on safari is to get up before sunrise, grab a quick cup of coffee or tea, then head out on an early morning game drive. Most lodges and camps in Tanzania offer clients the choice of carrying a packed breakfast on their game drive or returning to camp for a late breakfast or brunch. The middle hours of the day are usually very hot. You might catch a quick power nap in your room or chill out at the swimming pool.

Afternoon game drives start at 3 PM or 4 PM. For those with the stamina, an alternative is to pack lunch and explore farther afield on a full-day game drive. Either way, the day usually ends with sundowners around the campfire and a three-course bush dinner. Then it’s an early night to ready you for the next day’s pre-dawn start. The safari day is designed to make the most of the first two and last two hours of daylight. These are the cooler times of the day in the warmer parts of the country. These times also provide the best chance of seeing lions and other predators in action and have the best light for photography.

There are three all-embracing categories of luxury safari accommodation in Tanzania. The best represented category comprises large wildlife lodges. These typically rank highly in terms of conventional hotel-style amenities, but they also tend to feel somewhat removed from the surrounding bush.

In the Tanzania, accommodations range from mobile camps that follow the migrating herds to permanent, luxury tented safari camps and lodges. Several lodges also accommodate private small groups or multi-generational families. On the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, options range from larger hotels to tented camps and ultra-luxurious boutique lodges with dramatic crater views. In the Highlands, boutique hotels are set among coffee plantations.

At the other extreme are exclusive permanent or semi-permanent tented camps. These consist of canvas units that usually come with en suite hot showers, comfortable bedding and private verandahs. They also offer high-quality cuisine, service and wine. Falling in between these two categories are small, exclusive five-star permanent lodges that might be described as the safari equivalent of boutique hotels.

Look for a luxury safari package that offers a mix of accommodation types, as each has its advantages. If facilities such as 24-hour electricity, wifi or swimming pools are important to you, then be sure to research and choose your accommodation carefully.

The costs of a Tanzania luxury safari are highly variable. Bank on an all-inclusive price of at least US$500 to US$600 per person per day. It will cost a lot more – upwards of US$1,000 per person per day – if you stay in small top-of-the-range luxury camps. What you pay depends on just how luxurious and exclusive you want your holiday to be. Other cost factors are the parks you include in your itinerary, and whether you travel in high, low or mid-season.

The costs of a Tanzania luxury safari are highly variable. Bank on an all-inclusive price of at least US$500 to US$600 per person per day. It will cost a lot more – upwards of US$1,000 per person per day – if you stay in small top-of-the-range luxury camps. What you pay depends on just how luxurious and exclusive you want your holiday to be. Other cost factors are the parks you include in your itinerary, and whether you travel in high, low or mid-season.