Tanzania Travel Guide for Couples
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Why Couples should visit Tanzania
Tanzania is the perfect destination for couples who want to see Africa’s wildlife animals in their natural habitat. It is a famous safari destination, because of:
- its many national parks,
- different levels of comfort when it comes to safari lodges, and
- the option to do a group safari or private safari.
With so many options, Tanzania offers a safari for every couple’s budget!
Safari parks in Tanzania
There are no less than 22 national parks in Tanzania, of which we have only visited three during our 5 day safari: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti.
Although we only got to see four out of the Big Five animals, we’ve seen plenty of other wild animals that are not “Big Five”. And now we have a good excuse to come back: we still need to see the Rhinos.
We also got the chance to visit a Maasai village near the Ngorongoro crater national park, which I’d highly recommend.Β
Safari lodges in Tanzania
We chose to stay in mid-range lodges, which meant that we stayed either in apartments or in permanent tents with our own shower and bathroom.Β
Other options are budget lodges (which sometimes means you have to set up your own tent) or luxury lodges. Check out my “Romantic Accommodations in Tanzania” section to learn more about the different types of safari lodges in Tanzania.
Private or Group safari in Tanzania
We also chose to do a private safari rather than a group one, because this gives more flexibility on the day to day activities.
Group safaris are planned in advance and tend to stick to their schedule, whereas with private safaris it is easier to discuss your expectations with the driver. For example, if you really want to see lions, your driver will be on the look out for lions that day. It is also easier to do an early morning game drive on a private safari.
A safari in Tanzania is really easy to combine with a relaxing beach break on the island of Zanzibar – see my Zanzibar Travel Guide for Couples.
Things to do in Tanzania as a Couple
The obvious thing to do as a couple in Tanzania is to go on a safari. We left from Arusha to visit Tarangire, Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti.
Other things to do in Tanzania as a couple are:
- Dar es Salaam tour –Β We landed in Dar es Salaam, and spent the day there while we were waiting for our ferry to Zanzibar. While walking through the streets of Dar es Salaam by ourselves, we were stopped by locals every other minute as they were trying to sell us things. Only when we asked someone to be our tour guide did this stop, and we’ve actually got to see some nice sights in Dar es Salaam.
- Bongoyo IslandΒ – Bongoyo island is uninhabited, and it is only a 30-minute boat ride away from Dar es Salaam’s Slipway, which makes it a perfect day trip from Dar es Salaam. The small island has beautiful beaches and a forest with a small lagoon, so it’s worth hiking around for a bit as well.
- Visit a Maasai village – Make sure you don’t miss out on visiting a Maasai Village. It was such a unique experience to visit a Maasai tribe and have them explain about their culture. We even got to visit a Maasai school with little kids, so cute!
Also check out our Tanzania photo gallery!
Here's a selection of my favourite couple activities in Tanzania:
These are the couples things to do in Tanzania which we haven’t personally done, but which are still on our bucket list:
- Hot Air Balloon ride in Serengeti
- Trekking the Kilimanjaro mountain
Romantic Accommodations in Tanzania
Disclaimer:Β This section contains affiliate links, meaning that I will earn commission when you buy from my link. This comes at no extra cost to you, and supports me with sharing my best travel tips with you.
Accommodations we've personally stayed in:
These are the accommodations we personally stayed in when in Tanzania during our safari. We were on a budget, but at the same time we like to be comfortable, so we went for “mid-range” options.
Arusha
We stayed one night in Arusha before our safari, and one night after our safari. This allowed us to leave our suitcases behind at the hotel, and only bring our backpacks with us on safari.Β
Venus Premier Hotel
Venus Premier HotelΒ was an excellent choice – the room was clean and comfy, staff was friendly and the complimentary a la carte breakfast was delicious. Our room came with a mountain view, but you can also climb up to the rooftop to admire the views.
Safari
We started our safari at Tarangire National Park, and we spent our first night at Haven Nature Tented Lodge. We then moved on the the Ngorongoro Crater, where we stayed in the Rhino Lodge. From Ngorongoro we went to Serengeti.
Serengeti Wild Camps
Our tent at Serengeti Wild Camps had a private bathroom with shower, and we had breakfast and dinner at the communal tent. It was such an experience to sleep in a tent in the wild – we could even hear the hyenas laugh at night.
Accommodations we'd love to stay in:
These are the accommodations in Tanzania we’d love to stay in as a couple, based on pictures and other guests’ reviews:
Luxury accommodations
If we were going back to Tanzania for our honeymoon, these are the accommodations we’d be looking at:
- Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Watch the wildlife from the comfort of the communal infinity pool! Suite with private infinity pool and valley views. Other rooms have water hole views. Rooms come with bathtub and minibar. 24-hour fitness centre and spa services onsite.
- Melia Serengeti Lodge –Β Communal infinity pool with views, fitness centre and spa. Luxury rooms with private balconies and lagoon and mountain views. Minibar and deep soaking bathtub in the room.
- Elewana Tarangire Treetops – Your very own tree hut in Tarangire National Park, amazing views from bed and balcony, communal swimming pool. Private bathroom with hydro massage showerhead.
- Boundary Hill Lodge (Tarangire) –Β Private Bungalows with balconies, mountain views or valley views. Private bathrooms with deep soaking bathtub or rainfall showerhead.
- Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge –Β Private rooms with mesmerising valley views from rooms, private balconies and restaurant. In-room massage available.
- Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge –Β All inclusive private lodges with amazing valley views from balcony. Communal swimming pool, spa, sauna and garden.Β
Mid-range accommodations
- Morona Hill Lodge (Lake Manyara) –Β Private rooms with balconies and lake views. Two communal pools.
- Crater Forest Tented Camps (Ngorongoro) – Private tents with bathrooms, patios and views. 7-minute walk from the Ngorongoro Crater.
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Best time to visit Tanzania
There are a few things to keep in mind when planning a trip to Tanzania:
- Weather: rainy seasons
- Culture: Ramadan
- Safari: Wildebeest Great Migration
The best time to visit Tanzania is July to October, because this falls in the long dry season, and it is a good time to spot the Wildebeest Great Migration.
The Ramadan did not impact us at all during our safari, but if you are concerned, it is best to check when the Ramadan falls before booking your trip because it falls on different dates each year.
Weather in Tanzania
Tanzania has two rainy seasons: the “long rains” is the main rainy season that runs in March, April and May, and the “short rains”Β in November and December.Β
Likewise, Tanzania has a “long” dry season and a “short” dry season. The long dry season runs from June to October, and the short dry season is in January and February.
Weather-wise, the best time to visit Tanzania is during the long dry season, and the time to avoid visiting Tanzania is during the long rainy season. Check out Brilliant-Africa.com for a month-by-month overview of the weather in Tanzania.
Ramadan in Tanzania
It was Ramadan in Tanzania when we went on safari, but we barely noticed anything during the safari. All our meals were included, and our safari driver did not expect us to fast. He drove us to designated picnic areas inside the National Parks, where other tourists were also eating their meals.
However, outside of safari you might notice that some restaurants are closed during the day. Hotel restaurants will be open throughout the day and catering to tourists.
If you are concerned about being in Tanzania during the Ramadan, it is best to check before booking your holiday when the Ramadan is, as it falls on different dates every year.
Wildebeest Great Migration
The most spectacular thing to see on safari in Tanzania is when the Great Migration of Wildebeest crosses the Mara river.
Although it is never guaranteed that you will see the Great Migration on safari, the Wildebeest herds are typically located at the Mara area of Serengeti between July and October. To learn more about the Great Migration’s movements, check out the official Serengeti National Park website.Β
Our Tanzania Map
Save this map for future reference!
Our Tanzania Photo Gallery
Our 8 Day Tanzania Itinerary
To enter Tanzania in 2016, we needed a yellow fever vaccination passport (the “yellow book”) and we paid for an ordinary / single entry visa upon arrival. For the latest entry requirements, always check the official website of Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department.
Day 1 - Flying from Zanzibar to Arusha
The flight from Zanzibar to Arusha was quite an experience, as it was in the smallest aircraft we’ve ever been in. I think it only had about 16 seats and none of them were next to each other.
When we arrived at Arusha airport after a 1.5-hour flight, we were picked up by our safari provider who drove us to their offices and then to our hotel. When we returned from our safari, we stayed another night in this hotel. This way we could bring a small backpack for five days with us on safari and leave the rest of our luggage in the luggage room at the hotel.
Day 2 - Tarangire National Park
Our first encounters with the African wildlife were in Tarangire national park, which is about a 2-hour drive from Arusha. Compared to the other wildlife parks, Tarangire is relatively small so we saw a lot of wildlife very quickly. Already on our first day, we’ve seen zebras, wildebeest, ostriches, buffalos, elephants, lions and monkeys. We slept in a tented lodge with a private cook who made us dinner.
Day 3 - Ngorongoro Conservation Area
On our way from Tarangire toΒ Ngorongoro,Β we stopped at aΒ Maasai village, where we were welcomed by the tribe chief and his family. We then drove to the Ngorongoro crater, which is an amazing landscape with even more wildlife species than the ones we had seen in Tarangire, such as hyenas, pumbas, jackals and even flamingos. Unfortunately, we visited Ngorongoro on a windy day, so we didn’t see any rhinos. We did watch the most beautiful sunset from our Rhino lodge that night though.
Days 4, 5 and 6 - Serengeti National Park
Although we didn’t get to see the Great Migration of the Wildebeest during our time inΒ Serengeti, we did have our most precious safari moment in this park. Just as we arrived, we were welcomed by a mother cheetah with her four cubs playing around. We slept in a tent at night and could hear the hyenas “laughing” at night as they walked around the tented camp.
Day 7 - Flight from Arusha to Dar es Salaam
After all our safari adventures, we stayed one more night in Arusha. At this point we finally had internet and phone reception again, so we let our families know that we had survived the African wilderness. We walked around Arusha and went to the cinema before boarding our evening flight to Dar es Salaam.
Day 8 - Flight from Dar es Salaam to London
On our last night in Tanzania, we stayed in a luxury hotel in Dar es Salaam’s Oyster Bay. The hotel was within walking distance from the Slipway ferry terminal, from where we took a ferry to Bongoyo Island. We spent the day relaxing at the beach between our adventures in the wild, and our overnight flight back to London.
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Blogs I've written about Tanzania:
Meeting the Maasai tribe in Tanzania
One of my most unforgettable travel experiences is meeting the...
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