Tanzania

With unrivalled quantities of game and some of the most beautiful national parks on the continent, Tanzania is a safari dream come true.

On the limitless plains of the Serengeti, visitors witness the ebb and flow of the annual migration as millions of wildebeest cover thousands of miles in their constant search for water and grazing. Tanzania’s vastness encompasses a great diversity of habitats and each region is famous for particular species, from the chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, to the desert-adapted antelope of Ruaha, and the flamingos and famous tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara, to the crocodiles and hippo in the mighty Rufiji River in Selous. In Tanzania it is possible to stay in some of the more luxurious lodges in Africa, and herds of elephant and giraffe, as well as big cats, can be seen in both the north and south of Tanzania.

Zanzibar and its surrounding islands off the east coast of Tanzania have stunning white sand beaches and excellent coral reefs. The warm indian ocean makes Zanzibar a perfect relaxing getaway, and a stunning change of scenery from Tanzania's game reserves and national parks.

The Mahale Mountains is a beautiful national park on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Chimp tracking is the chief attraction here, and the guided walks offer a good chance of encountering them. Katavi National Park is a remote classic dry season reserve. It contains large tracts of forest crossed with rivers, and wide floodplains, which attract abundant game.

The Selous is the largest game reserve in Africa, covering 52,000 square kilometres of pristine wilderness. The park supports a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, crocodile and many antelope and bird species. The Rufiji River flows through the park and the terrain varies from forest and flood plains with oxbow lagoons, to low mopane forest.

The Serengeti, meaning ‘endless plain’, entirely lives up to its name. Famed for its abundance of wildlife, it’s perhaps best known for the annual migration of over a million wildebeest and zebra.

The Ngorongoro Crater was once a huge active volcano and now supports abundant game. Lake Manyara National Park is a small but stunning park in the edge of the Lake.

The south coast of Tanzania is a wild and beautiful region with miles of unspoilt beaches, spectacular coastal forest, river estuaries and ancient Arabic settlements. The islands of Zanzibar lie in the Indian Ocean. Stone Town, the capital, has a distinct Arabic feel, having risen to prominence as the ancient spice and slave capital of the East African Coast.

Scott Dunn: ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

Tanzania

Lake Tanganyika and western Tanzania

Selous and southern Tanzania

Serengeti and northern Tanzania

Zanzibar and the coast