10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Tanzania

From snow capped peaks to ‘Big Five’s safaris and paradise-esque islands, the East African country is basking in its new found status of being a hot travel destination for both luxurious and adventurous travellers. With the help of Tanzania experts here are 10 gorgeously enchanting spots in this beautiful country…

Serengeti National Park

Tanzania’s famous national park and well known beauty spot should be on every traveller’s itinerary. It’s actually the oldest National Park in the country with a world heritage site and 7th world wide wonder status. The park is known for its annual wildlife migration where the thunderous clatter of hooves of more than a million wildebeest and several hundred thousand zebra can witnessed first hand. A variety of accommodation is on offer in the park ranging from camping to luxury safari lodges, see Sanctuary Retreats for more details.

Zanzibar

This is a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania which consists of the main Zanzibar Island and a cluster of smaller islands. It’s a beautiful place to visit with gorgeous white sandy beaches and a world heritage listed capital city. Surrounded by the clear turquoise waters of the Indian ocean, you should make a trip here for its colourful history and the Sultan’s palace, mosques and traditional architecture of the main city and of course the  island’s many relaxing beaches.

Nungwi

This is located in Zanzibar but deserves a special mention of its own. Arguably the most beautiful beach in Tanzania can be found in the little laid back village of Nungwi (at the northern tip of Zanzibar). A simple fishing village turned popular holiday destination, expect all the tropical paradise cliches of swaying palm trees, blanched beaches, boats gentling bobbing in clear blue waves and sunsets to die for.

Kilimanjaro

Africa’s highest mountain should only be tackled by the seriously dedicated as it’s likely to turn into a week long expedition. Kilimanjaro actually a dormant volcano with three volcanic cones (Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira) and at 19,336ft it’s the tallest climbable peak in the world. It’s also an imposingly beautiful place where you’ll travel through many diverse levels of flora and fauna. Expect agricultural fields at the base then rainforest, fresh meadows, desert and finally snow when you reach the top.

Mnemba Island

You couldn’t get any more beautiful and romantic than this tiny heart-shaped island. The paradise-esque Mnemba lies just of the East coast of Zanzibar and caters to the luxury loving crowd. Home to beautiful lodge style accommodation (and not much else) this is the perfect place for a romantic getaway for two. The surrounding waters are also rich with marine life with regular sightings of turtles, dolphins and large schools of fish.

Ruaha National Park

Slap bang in the middle of Tanzania is the largest national park in the country. Few visitors make it to the beautiful attraction due to it being not as accessible as the other national parks, although the scenery and wildlife make the trip worth it. Expect vast wild landscapes filled with rocky escarpments and baobab studded hills and animals including lions, elephants, wild dogs, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, jackals, zebras and huge herds of buffalo.

Mafia Island

This is a favourite spot of holiday makers but yet it still manages to retain an unspoilt feel. This is definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit in Tanazania with perfect white beaches and turquoise waters. It’s located on the popular Southern circuit of Tanzania and Zanzibar and its attractive lagoons, coral reefs and beaches have earned it a protected marine park status.

Lake Manyara

This is a national park located in the both in Arusha Region and Manyara Region of Tanzania. It’s known as an excellent place to spot wildlife, especially flamingos. If you visit during the wet season you’ll get to see around 300 different species of migratory birds but when the lake waters turn into alkaline mud-flats during the dry season  you can also spot elephants, hippos and giraffe.

Ngorongoro Crater

The largest intact volcanic caldera in the world can be found in the wildlife haven of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It was created two to three million years ago when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself years ago. In 1978 it was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site and also happens to be home of the highest density of large game in Africa. Wildlife highlights include the Big Five including a small population of the rare black rhino.

Mahale Mountains

Nestled on the Lake Tanganyikan shoreline (in western Tanzania) this is one of the best places for up-close encounters with chimpanzees in the world. It’s also a beautiful place where green forested mountains cascade down to the lake shore, crystal-clear waters lap against white sand coves and the mist-covered peak of Mount Nkungwe can be seen in the background. Besides the large chimp populations the mountains are also home to other primates including yellow baboons the red colobus.