What Animals Will You See on a Tanzania Safari?

The Big Five get most of the attention, but a Tanzania safari brings you face to face with far more than five species. Here is a fuller picture of what you may see.

The Great Herds

Wildebeest and zebra appear in numbers that are hard to believe until you see them. More than a million wildebeest circle the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem each year, alongside hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle.

More Predators

Besides lions and leopards, look for cheetahs on the open plains, spotted hyenas almost everywhere and, very occasionally, African wild dogs.

Monkeys and Baboons

Olive baboons and vervet monkeys are common in most parks. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are a special highlight in the forests of Arusha National Park.

Birds

Tanzania has more than a thousand recorded bird species. Lake Manyara is a favorite for birdwatchers, with flamingos when the lake conditions are right.

Giraffe, Hippo and Crocodile

You will see these in most parks. Giraffes are especially common in Arusha National Park and Tarangire, and hippo pools are found at nearly every river and lake.

Season Matters

What you see changes with the season and the park. A good guide and a well-planned route take that into account instead of promising a fixed checklist.