Located in East Africa, Tanzania is a stunning tourist location where travel lovers can enjoy an unforgettable vacation. Visitors can explore vast safari parks, pristine beaches, lush green forests, ancient ruins, serene lakes, rocky hills, and glorious mountains! A visit to Tanzania offers a unique and memorable experience, as travelers enjoy scenic views, interact with friendly locals, stay at comfortable and luxurious retreats, and have exciting adventures. Here are 10 best experiences for a first time visitor in Tanzania!
- Beach vacation
Tanzania is home to scenic beaches where tourists can relax on the soft sands, walk across the vivid greenery, swim in the crystalline ocean, or enjoy water sports such as parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kiteboarding, and surfing. Popular beach locations in the country include Nungwi Beach, Coco Beach, Saadani Park Beach, Kiwenga, and Ras Kutani Beach.
- Hiking and trekking
Hiking, trekking, and mountain climbing are great activities for adventure seekers and nature lovers. In Tanzania, tourists could visit locations such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, Usambara Mountains, Kidhege Falls, Olmoti Crater, and Mount Hanang for a great hiking trip. These treks are suitable for beginners as well as experienced climbers, and are made easier by the help of local expert guides.
- Hot air balloon ride
A hot air balloon ride is a unique and extraordinary way of wildlife viewing and game watching at a safari park. At the spectacular Serengeti National Park, tourists can go on a hot air balloon ride where they can enjoy an aerial view of the region. The park is home to animals such as lions, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests, giraffes, cheetahs, elephants, leopards, hippos, hyenas, gazelles, hartebeests, rhinos, antelopes, alpacas, tigers, and waterbucks!
- Game drive
Game drives are exciting and exhilarating, as tourists Game drives are exciting and exhilarating as travelers can explore the safari park and watch animals hunt each other in their natural habitat. Game viewing is excellent in Tanzania and is a unique sight for tourists to witness. Top locations for game drives include Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara, Ruaha National Park, and Selous Game Reserve, which is now known as Nyerere National Park.
- Street food
Eating the street food of a country allows tourists to immerse themselves into local culture and get an authentic taste of its cuisine. Popular street foods of Tanzania include plantain soup (Mtori), chips and eggs (Chipsi Mayai), grilled fish (Samaki), barbecued meat (Nyama Choma), spiced rice (biryani), meat skewers (Mshikaki), and flatbread (Chapati). These are made with local spices, and offer a unique insight into the culture of Tanzania.
- Dhow ride
Dhows are traditional boats that are largely used in East Africa. At Stone Town, tourists can take a dhow ride to Prison Island. The serene journey is unforgettable as travelers enjoy the peace and tranquility, and watch the turquoise ocean or orange sunset. A dhow cruise offers a wonderful way of exploring the shoreline, and is a great insight into local culture.
- Watch the Great Migration
The Great Migration of two million wildebeests is a spectacular and extraordinary event that occurs in Tanzania. Tourists can go to Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu Plains, and the Serengeti to watch the wildebeests as they graze on the grassland, play with their newborns, or cross the river. The sight is magnificent, and the experience is unforgettable for travel lovers!
- Cultural tour
A visit to Tanzania is incomplete without a cultural tour to a local village where travelers can meet indigenous people, learn about their history and heritage, observe their ancient tools and relics, and watch their traditional rituals and practices, such as singing, dancing, music, and cooking. Visitors could go to bomas and Maasai villages to learn about their culture!
- Boat tour
Boat tours are a great idea for first time visitors. Tourists can enjoy relaxing on the boats, picnics on the grass, and bird watching, as Tanzania is home to birds such as egrets, herons, hornbills, falcons, ducks, bee-eaters, starlings, oxpeckers, bustards, kingfishers, pigeons, owls, woodpeckers, storks, lapwings, and turacos. Travelers can go to Lake Manyara, Lake Victoria, Lake Natron, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Lake Eyasi, and Lake Rukwa.
- Beach party
Tourists can also join full moon parties at places such as Kendwa beach, where they can meet people from all over the world, and interact with local singers, dancers, fire-eaters, and acrobats. This is also a great way of experiencing the night life of the region!