Africa is a widely spread continent that contains 54 independent countries. Just to give you an idea of its surface area; it is bigger than the USA, Germany, China, and India… combined! To make sure I don’t overwhelm you with everything the continent has to offer, I will focus on Sub-Saharan Africa for now. This term refers to all the countries situated south of the Sahara Desert. Naturally, this is where you’ll find the best safari parks.

Since traveling around Africa between different countries can be challenging due to a variety of reasons (such as: few connecting flights, country politics, expensive airspace, and limited infrastructure), the various countries are often grouped together based on their location to facilitate travel logistics. Here are the four different regions:

• Eastern Africa
• Southern Africa
• Central Africa
• Indian Oceans

Apart from their advantageous location, these four regions offer similar wildlife experiences and complement each other as well. Let’s have a closer look at what distinguishes them from one another so you can make an informed decision about what type of safari suits your travel preferences best.

1. Eastern Africa combines Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. This region boasts the quintessential African safari experience. I bet some of the first things that come to mind when you imagine yourself going on safari are overlooking the vast open savannah, exploring magnificent, unfenced game parks, and breathing in the fresh air as you walk along the trails in pristine nature. Eastern Africa offers all of that. If you’ve expressed interest in this email course, I’m sure you’re familiar with Serengeti National Park and Mt. Kilimanjaro, both of which are located in Tanzania. In Kenya you’ll be in awe of Masai Mara’s rugged landscapes and Lake Nakuru. Finally, the Mountain Gorillas will welcome you into their diverse primate habitat in Uganda and Rwanda.

Over the years, my team and I have learned many travelers hit a wall when deciding whether to travel to Tanzania, Kenya, or a mix of different countries in Eastern Africa. We spend most of our time in Tanzania since this is where the migration is largely seen for the majority of the year. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is almost ten times the size of the Masai Mara in Kenya, making your safari experience all the more majestic and imposing. Paired with other famous national parks such as Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater and Highlands, we believe Tanzania is your best bet for an authentic safari experience. However, Pristine Trails acquired the necessary skills and experience to put together larger trips throughout Eastern Africa as well, combining various countries and location-bound experiences, such as a visit to the Mountain Gorillas you can only spot in certain parts of Uganda and Rwanda. In short, there’s no need to settle for just one African country if you don’t feel inclined to do so.

2. Southern Africa is mostly known for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. Here you can stroll around bustling cities like Gaborone and Windhoek or visit Victoria Falls. Needless to say, South Africa fits right in with its unique mix of the best tourism infrastructure in the continent and top-tier gastronomy and wines. Enjoy a walking safari or take it up a notch by spotting the Big Five from the safety of your canoe.

For this part of the continent, we’ve noticed travelers have the same type of inquiries. Often, they’re not sure whether to pick East Africa or Southern Africa for their vacation. My two cents on this is that generally, safari experiences in South Africa are more produced and geared towards mass tourism, with infrastructure such as paved roads and artificial reserves that take away from the genuine safari experiences you still will be able to find in Eastern Africa.

3. Central Africa includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and finally São Tomé and Principe. This region is best known for its National Parks, with Virunga National Park in Kinshasa being the most popular protected area.
4. Indian Ocean Islands refers to islands like Zanzibar, Mafia, and Seychelles. These islands are the perfect getaway to top off your safari experience in style. With their expansive, white-sand beaches, they are an excellent add-on if you’re a fan of splendid hiking trails or if you’d like to give snorkeling, scuba diving, or even paddleboarding a try.

Why choose a luxury safari in Tanzania with Pristine Trails?

Why we believe Tanzania to be the best option for your luxury safari, you ask? Because it offers a wide variety of activities, attractions, fauna, and flora in just one country. Here, you can spend a day relaxing at the beach and opt for a hike in the mountains the next, without ever worrying about catching your flight to another place.

Going on a safari – whether that be in Tanzania or other parts of Africa – is a great idea for diverse age ranges, from young children to octogenarian retirees. Our travel experts will gladly put together a personalized itinerary based on your age and interests. We’d be happy to welcome a family with young children or teenagers, couples, a group of friends, and even solo travelers. Of course, we adapt the program accordingly. For instance, we’ll be sure to include fun activities like a kids’ club for the youngest travelers in your group, and we love to go out of our way for newlyweds on their honeymoon with pampering massages, private dinners, and romantic sunsets.

What to do in Tanzania?

Tanzania is best known for the Great Migration in the Serengeti ecosystem; one of the most famous safari experiences in the world. Running a close second are National Parks such as Gombe Stream NP, Mahale Mountains NP, Rubondo Island NP, and finally Ruaha NP in the Southern Circuit. On top of that, there’s Mount Kilimanjaro, the renowned islands Zanzibar, Mafia, and Seychelles, and cultural experiences like a visit to one of the numerous Maasai villages where Tanzania’s indigenous pastoralists live. All these components have kneaded Tanzania into the rich and well-rounded destination it is today. We are sure you will be in awe of the country’s rich history and the warm and friendly locals will make you feel right at home.

The different parts of Tanzania

With the country boasting a surface area of almost 365,000 square miles, we carefully plan out the logistics of your trip and make sure your time is spent wisely. The country can be categorized into three main safari circuits, namely the Northern, Southern and Western Circuit. Read along as I walk you through them!

Northern Circuit:

• Lake Manyara National Park, with its tree-climbing lions and over 400 bird species
• Tarangire National Park and its namesake river, that stands out with its picturesque baobab trees
• Serengeti National Park, best known for the Great Wildlife Migration
• Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive yet intact volcanic caldera

Southern Circuit:

• Ruaha National Park, with the highest concentration of elephants in East Africa
• Nyerere National Park Tanzania, the country’s largest national park with diverse wildlife and untouched nature

Western Circuit:

• Gombe National Park, where Jane Goodall conducted scientific research on Chimpanzees and other primates
• Mahale National Park and Rubondo Island Park, where you can spot Chimpanzee families in their natural habitat

Then, there’s the Eastern Circuit with the Rhino Sanctuary in Mkomazi National Park. Lastly, we have the coastal circuit and the islands. The Coastal Circuit consists of historic cities like Dar es salaam, Bagamoyo, Kilwa, and Lindi. If you have more time to spare, make sure to stop by the exotic islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia before you head back home. Chances are you’ve hopped on a long-haul flight to get to your safari in Tanzania. Why not explore further beyond the safari parks and add a one-day or multiple-day extension to other nearby attractions?

If I may, I highly recommend:

• A balloon safari
• A Kilimanjaro day tour
• A Maasai cultural tour
• A beach vacation to Tanzania’s expansive coast
• A gorilla trek to Rwanda and/or Uganda

Ready to book your safari with us? Head over to Pristine Trails, we’d be delighted to start planning for you! If you’re still on the fence, stay tuned for my next email, where I’ll provide more details about the best time to go on safari.

Until then,
Edward