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Things to do |
| Tanzania - Things to do |
 Here in Tanzania, the options for activities are endless: mountain climbing, safari adventures, beach lounging, scuba diving, fishing, walking, and exploring are just some of the activities on offer.
In this section, we take you through the various options for going on safari on a variety of budgets, then detail particularly good spots for diving and snorkelling, as well as locations and details about deep-sea and inland fishing in the country.
Our ‘Mountain Climbing’ section has a detailed description of the routes up Mt. Kilimanjaro, as well as trekking information for the less-travelled locations, including the peak of Mt. Meru and longer trips into the Crater Highlands. Boating and canoeing trips, as well as short ballooning safaris, are also covered - some of the many adventures on option during a trip to Tanzania.
Safari Options
When choosing a safari operator, be sure to specify what kind of safari you want. Trips can be tailor made according to your travel preferences, the time of year, and what you want to see, so don’t hesitate to let your operator know exactly what you want. While the quality of safaris can vary according to what you’re paying, all visitors should expect the best of their safari team, from competent, well-informed guides to good food and comfortable accommodation. Remember that many of these multiple safari options are available in the same areas and parks, and that what differs is only the level of accommodation, not the wildlife and the scenery that you will see
Safaris in Tanzania have something to offer everyone. Experience the adventure of budget camping or the opulence of luxury camping safaris. Enjoy a truly memorable lodge safari, or take it one step further and go fly camping. Hunting safaris are also possible.
Diving and Snorkelling
 Tanzania offers divers world-class reefs and plentiful schools of tropical fish just offshore of popular beaches and secluded locations.
Dive courses are offered at many of the hotels and lodges on the mainland coast as well as Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia islands, and is a rewarding skill to learn while on holiday, but the surface swimmer need not despair – most of the reefs are accessible to snorkellers and equipment is easily rented from dive shops and lodges.
Diving can be done year-round, but during the rains visibility can be limited.
Fishing
Deep-sea Fishing
The deep waters of the Indian Ocean along Tanzania’s coast are rich in big-game fish, from marlin and tuna to swordfish and biting barracudas. All the same, the waters of Tanzania are only just beginning to gain the world-wide fame of the Kenyan coast, so the waters are less populated and fishing at its most pristine. Tuna and other pelagics migrate through the Pemba Channel on a yearly basis, but can be found in smaller numbers throughout the year. Besides the big-game fish, grouper, red snapper, and other local species are populous along the coastal waters. Deep sea fishing in Tanzania is best organised through private companies that specialise in boating and ocean trips, or through lodges and hotel properties that offer day excursions throughout the coast.
In the Zanzibar Archipelago, resorts and lodges along the northern and eastern parts of Unguja and the island of Pemba offer fishing charters that venture into deep waters. Fishing is becoming a popular alternative to snorkelling and dive trips along the reefs, and boats take clients out into the Pemba Channel and surrounding waters.
Pelagics and big-game fish are abundant in the isolated waters around Pemba and Unguja, and reward the adventurous fisherman with their size and bounty.
Inland Fishing
Fishing is an economic mainstay of many parts of rural Tanzania and quickly becoming a popular activity for visitors along the country’s rivers and lakes. Although not permitted in national parks, fly and lake fishing in remote areas is a rewarding and peaceful way to experience the beauty of African scenery and enjoy the country at a leisurely pace. Private companies, tour operators, and lodges can arrange for day trips to nearby lakes and rivers, and longer fishing safaris around the region can be organised with travel specialists should you so desire. In addition to planned day excursions, local fishermen in the region will often gladly take you with them on their daily fishing trips and show you the best places to get started.
Fly fishing along the many rivers and large streams Tanzania is another rewarding experience for sportsmen wanting to experience remote areas at a leisurely pace. During the rainy season, rivers and their tributaries swell with fish and river life, and any time after the short and long rains is a good time to plan a fishing safari. Many adventure safari companies cater for international fisherman looking for the best fishing waters in East Africa, and everything from trolling through flood plains to fly fishing in mountain streams is possible.
Mountain Climbing
 Tanzania’s numerous parks and reserves offer many climbing options for the avid explorer. The most frequent expeditions are obviously to Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, but there are other destinations such as the Crater Highlands. Trekking companies will happily put together an itinerary that suits your preferencesand our 'things to bring' section will help make sure that you adequately prepared. It is advisable, especially when climbing at higher altitudes, to take things slowly and allow your body to acclimatize.
For more information, see the ‘Mountains and Volcanoes’ section under 'Places to Go'.
Boating and Canoeing
Boating and canoeing through the rivers, ocean bays, and waterways of Tanzania can be an exhilarating experience. River boating can take you past sleeping crocodiles and hippos sunning themselves with their mouths wide open, gathered in half-submerged herds. Taking to the water is also a welcome break from the all-day enclosure of a traditional vehicle safari, and allow visitors to experience the sights and sounds of Africa’s waterways up-close and unhindered. On Tanzania’s large freshwater lakes, boats are a popular means of transport and offer visitors the chance to see life on the water -- the fishermen bringing in their catch, the bustling colours of the lake shore towns, the sharp movements of small fish in shallow waters. On the Indian Ocean coast, boating takes visitors deep into the fish-filled waters of the Pemba Channel, and through the hundreds of islets strewn across the Zanzibar Archipelago and Mafia Island. Along the coast, boating offers visitors a chance to travel the way the Swahili people do -- by wooden dhow sailboat, the wind slowly filling the boat’s sails, the smell of the surf and the swell of ocean waves drifting over the horizon.
Ballooning
At this time, only the Serengeti National Park has a company that operates hot-air balloon safaris. Especially during the months of the Great Migration, this is often the highlight of visitors’ trips to Tanzania. The journey takes a little over an hour and sets off before dawn, flying low over the plains as the sun comes up and turns the grasslands from blue to gold. After landing, guests have a champagne breakfast complete with crystal glasses and white linen tablecloths in the middle of the African bush, as zebra and antelope graze nearby. Although expensive, the experience is well worth the treat. |
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