Things to do in Tanzania

25 things to do in Tanzania

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration in Serengeti National Park

  Watch over a million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles thunder across endless plains in one of the planet's most dramatic wildlife spectacles, often pursued by predators.

  Serengeti, Mara Region

• Explore the Ngorongoro Crater on a game drive

  Descend into the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, a UNESCO World Heritage teeming with some 25,000 large animals, including black rhinos and lion prides.

  Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Summit Mount Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa

  Trek through five climate zones to Uhuru Peak on Africa's highest freestanding mountain, a non-technical but demanding climb rewarded by sunrise over the African savanna.

  Kilimanjaro Region

• Relax on the powdery sands of Nungwi Beach, Zanzibar

  Swim in translucent turquoise water and unwind on one of Zanzibar's most beautiful northern beaches, lined with dhow boats and beachfront cafes.

  Nungwi, Zanzibar

• Get lost in the alleys of Stone Town, Zanzibar

  Wander through a UNESCO-listed Swahili trading port of coral-stone houses, carved wooden doors, spice markets and Arabesque architecture layered with centuries of history.

  Stone Town, Zanzibar City

• Snorkel or dive in Mafia Island Marine Park

  Explore pristine coral gardens, swim with whale sharks (Oct–Mar) and encounter turtles in Tanzania's first marine national park, a laid-back alternative to Zanzibar.

  Mafia Island, Pwani Region

• Go on a safari among the baobabs of Tarangire National Park

  Enjoy exceptional elephant sightings and iconic baobab-studded landscapes, especially during the dry season when the Tarangire River draws vast herds of game.

  Tarangire, Manyara Region

• Track wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park

  Hike into the forested hills made famous by Jane Goodall and observe habituated chimpanzee troops up close on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika.

  Kigoma Region

• Stand at Olduvai Gorge, the Cradle of Mankind

  Visit the steep-sided ravine where Mary and Louis Leakey unearthed 1.8-million-year-old hominin fossils, reshaping our understanding of human origins.

  Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• See the ancient rock art of Kondoa Irangi

  Marvel at hundreds of painted shelters spread across the Maasai steppe, showing red ochre figures and hunting scenes dating back thousands of years.

  Kondoa, Dodoma Region

• Take a spice tour at a Zanzibar farm

  Inhale the scent of cloves, vanilla and cinnamon while walking through a lush plantation, learning why Zanzibar became known as the Spice Islands.

  Kizimbani, Zanzibar

• Eat fresh seafood at Kivukoni Fish Market, Dar es Salaam

  Watch fishermen haul in the daily catch and sample grilled fish, prawns and octopus right by the Indian Ocean in the city's most famous open-air market.

  Dar es Salaam

• Pay respects at the Askari Monument in Dar es Salaam

  Visit this bronze statue commemorating African soldiers who fought in World War I, standing at the spot of the old German administrative center on Samora Avenue.

  Dar es Salaam

• Sail on a dhow at sunset off the Zanzibar coast

  Board a traditional wooden sailing vessel and cruise into the fiery Indian Ocean sunset with a glass of tamarind juice and Swahili melodies in the background.

  Stone Town, Zanzibar

• Hike to Materuni Waterfall and enjoy a coffee tour

  Walk through lush Chagga homeland to a refreshing cascade on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, then taste organic coffee roasted by local villagers.

  Materuni, Kilimanjaro Region

• Explore the Mtoni Palace ruins in Zanzibar

  Uncover the faded grandeur of a 19th-century sultan’s palace surrounded by gardens, where Princess Salme once lived before eloping to Germany.

  Mtoni, Zanzibar

• Spot the tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara

  Search for the unusual sight of lions draped over acacia branches above ground, set against the backdrop of a soda lake shimmering with flamingos.

  Lake Manyara National Park

• Browse Arusha Central Market for local produce and spices

  Weave through stalls piled high with tropical fruits, dried beans and fragrant cinnamon sticks in the chaotic, colorful heart of Tanzania's safari capital.

  Arusha

• Experience Maasai life at a boma near Ngorongoro

  Visit a traditional Maasai homestead to hear singing, watch adumu (jumping dance) and learn about the pastoralist way of life that coexists with wildlife.

  Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Feast on Zanzibari street food at Forodhani Gardens night market

  Every evening the seafront park turns into a sizzling food bazaar with skewers of grilled octopus, Zanzibari pizza, urojo soup and sugar-cane juice.

  Stone Town, Zanzibar

• Scuba dive at Mnemba Atoll’s coral reefs

  Plunge into clear, current-washed waters surrounding a private island where colorful reef fish, turtles and occasional dolphins make this a top Indian Ocean dive site.

  Mnemba Island, Zanzibar

• Trek to the summit of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano

  Climb the sacred Mountain of God, an active stratovolcano that emits rare carbonatite lava, offering a moon-like landscape above the Rift Valley and views to distant Kilimanjaro.

  Arusha Region

• Take a boat safari on the Rufiji River in Selous Game Reserve

  Glide past yawning hippos, crocodiles and elephant herds coming to drink on the banks of this immense, meandering river in Africa’s largest protected wilderness.

  Selous Game Reserve, Morogoro

• Discover the Isimila Stone Age site near Iringa

  Walk through a dramatic natural corridor of eroded gypsum pillars and see one of East Africa’s richest collection of Acheulean handaxes and fossil beds.

  Isimila, Iringa Region

• Hike through the Usambara Mountains’ lush highland villages

  Trek panoramic trails between tiny villages, native rainforest and tea plantations in the cool, green northeastern highlands known as the Galapagos of plants.

  Lushoto, Tanga Region