Tanzania is not as popular as a travel destination as other countries on the continent but absolutely nobody can deny the fact that wildlife watching is simply awesome in Tanzania. There are so many great places that can be visited and so many animals you can spot. Consider the following as being the best wildlife watching opportunities in Tanzania. In no particular order, here are the main animals that you can see and where you have to go.
Lions
The king of animals is present in basically all the Tanzania game preserves. All concessions and national parks in the country have a high lion population. Even if you do not see the large animal, you will hear its roar in the distance while you move around. Grab your camera to immortalize the moment.
Cheetahs
The fastest animal in the world is capable of reaching a speed of 110 kilometres per hour. Blink and it might disappear. You will not be able to see this large cat often in Tanzania because the animal is both endangered and pretty solitary. Cheetahs are diurnal animals. They love hunting at sunset and sunrise. You can see them all around the country but you want to arrange safaris at those times.
Crocodiles Snacking
You need to go to Serengeti to see crocs. There are basically thousands of animals that are plunging into the waters that are filled with huge crocodiles, some of the largest in the continent. The spectacle is simply tremendous. You have migration that happens across Grumeti River during July or June. At the Mara River, you can see continual crossing happening from the month of June to the month of September.
Whale Sharks
Whale shark watching is possible in the area around Mafia Island. Whale sharks can reach a weight of 15 tons and a length of over 14 meters. Officially, the animal’s classification is that of a shark but the nature of the animal is one that is really gentle. The Swahili name of the whale shark is papa shilling, basically meaning shark that is covered in shillings. Whale sharks are harmless and you will love seeing them, mainly around the month of November till February.
Wildebeest Watching
The most abundant antelope in the east of Africa, really vocal during the night and really popular among wildlife enthusiasts, the wildebeest are simply beautiful in the Serengeti region. What is interesting is that wildebeest migration does happen all around the year. Herds seem to pop up in different regions based on where they want to move to. If you really want to see them, you want to first see where they will be found so that you can book accommodation appropriately. The best time for a visit is December to January since there are around 1.5 million wildebeest that can be found close to Lake Ndutu.
Chimpanzees
You can see many in the Southern Tanzania at Gombe National Park and various other regions are available for those that want to see them. Go to the Mahale Mountains National Park for the best possible experience. Hiking will be tough but the wildlife watching offer that is present is always great.
