THE SAFARI CIRCUITS.

From the Serengeti to Selous.

The country's so called 'tourist circuits' were established largely due to the size of Tanzania, which encompasses a variety of distances, travel costs and times. To cover two or three circuits on one safari is not only possible but also frequently done.

Flying is the easiest way to move from one circuit to another. There are many air operators who offer a network of scheduled flights between the circuits. These same operators also offer charter flights.

THE NORTHERN SAFARI CIRCUIT.
The Northern Safari Circuit is the most frequented by tourists for two reasons: most of the destinations are fairly closed to each another and many of Tanzania's most famous sights, such as Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and mount Kilimanjaro are all a part of this circuit. Due to the fact that all the parks, towns and attractions are within easy reach of one another, one can tour this entire circuit by vehicle with only a couple of hours in between destinations.




THE SOUTHERN SAFARI CIRCUIT.
The national parks and game reserves of the Southern Safari Circuit are arguably, the hidden treasures of Tanzania's natural heritage. These parks are enormous, with some of the highest concentrations of animals anywhere in Africa and a spectacular diversity of wildlife including Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, African Wild Dogs, and a multitude of colourful birdlife. The lodges and camps of the south are small and intimate, with no more than 30 rooms or tents at the very most. This means there are far fewer tourists in the South compared to the North, which allows the area to hold true to the tenets of eco-tourism. The travel times between parks in the South are long as the parks are far apart. The parks of the South can be visited independently, or as a circuit combining various parks into one package. Packages can be arranged using scheduled air services or as road safaris using 4*4 vehicles.


THE GREAT LAKES CIRCUIT.
Lying in the Great Rift Valley are the inland lakes, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and further south, Lake Malawi/Lake Nyasa. All three national parks 'Katavi, Gombe and Mountains Mahale' in this circuit offer the only safe opportunities to see chimpanzees in the wild today. The habitats of these areas are a merger between Western Africa and East Africa therefore the cultures, rainfall and flora are unique to this small area. The western circuit is seldom experience on its own but is more often an addition to either the Southern or Northern Circuits, or both. The Great Lakes Circuit is so remote that travel by both aircraft and boat is necessary in order to experience this lovely side of Tanzania.


THE COASTAL CIRCUIT.
One of the great attractions of Tanzania is its fantastic 800km coastline with palm fringed beaches of white sand and the historic towns of Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, Kilwa, Lindi, Mikindani and Mtwara, along with the exotic islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. Swahili language and culture trace their roots to the Indian Ocean coastline. Many explorers and slaves traders encountered Africa for the first time along this history-steeped coast and contributed to the events that were to define modern Tanzania. The islands of Zanzibar Archipelago became principal stepping stones for the culture that was to mould Tanzania's people and their language.