(Loading test, there is a cross-site cookie issue on my dev server)Let’s explore Tanzania and the best safaris!
This is an excerpt from a longer article
Before diving into my itinerary, a few considerations:
- English is the Lingua Franca in the region, but in Rwanda many people speak french instead
- I actually came from Ethiopia, crossing through Kenya using the Moyale border
- Backpacking is not a big thing in East Africa
- It might be dangerous at times, I don’t recommend going alone
- It’s by no mean a cheap destination
- Info is hard to get online, I’ll try to bring as much useful intel I can
- Prices date from 2023, might have hiked up in the meantime
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Note: This article detailing logistic can be a nice read as well
Tips on how to travel Africa
I got this one too, for Cheap safaris!
Tips for Cheap Safaris
Itinerary done quick
🇹🇿 TANZANIA
| Day | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arusha | Arrival, Safari prep |
| Day 2 | Arusha - Tarangire | Safari - Tarangire |
| Day 3 | Arusha - Ngorongoro | Safari - Ngorongoro |
| Day 4 | Arusha - Manyara | Safari - Manyara |
| Day 5 | Moshi | Transfer |
| Day 6 | Moshi | Hike foot of Kilimanjaro |
| Day 7 | Lushoto | Scenic drive |
| Day 8 | Lushoto | Hiking |
| Day 9 | Zanzibar | Long bus Dar + ferry |
| Day 10 | Zanzibar - Stone Town | Stone Town |
| Day 11 | Zanzibar - Prison Island | Prison island + sand beach |
| Day 12 | Zanzibar - Spices | Spice tour + boat in the evening |
| Day 13 | Kilwa Masoko | South coast |
| Day 14 | Kilwa Kisiwani | Ruins visit |
| Day 15 | Kilwa Kivanje | Around Kilwa |
| Day 16 | Dar es Salaam | Return + visit |
| Day 17 | Bagamoyo | Stopover |
That’s it! Do click on the links (destination name) to learn more!
Tanzania
Day 1 Arrival in Arusha
Most travelers land at Kilimanjaro Airport and reach Arusha by shuttle, some cross the border from Kenya (There are border transfer services, it last around 6 hours and it was an easy border. Be prepared to have a lot of people selling you stuff) And other takes a long bus from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania’s capital. Apparently it’s a gruesome 10 hours. Otherwise, it’s a bit less than 3 hours from Moshi.
I actually came by land from Moyale in Ethiopia. It took me two days and a half, in retrospect, that was a stupid move. (For those interested (???) I went Konso -> Yabelo -> Moyale -> Slept at the border -> Marsabit -> Nairobi -> Slept in the streets -> Arusha) I saw a lot of landscapes along the way and did encounter funny people, strange locals and saw tribes out and about, it’s part of the adventure.
Anyway, use the afternoon to get oriented, withdraw a good amount of cash, VERY IMPORTANT TO DO buy a local SIM (Vodacom or Airtel), and check a few safari agencies. I like to do my “shopping” with local agencies, even though prices are pretty much aligned.
More tips here (I’m lazy, I won’t C-Paste my content): Tips for Cheap Safaris. Join a group with a local operator: it’s easy to arrange last minute, and you can get three-days safaris under 500€.
Arusha isn’t the prettiest city, there aren’t a lot of sights: a few Hindu temples, gardens and a couple of art centers; I’d say that it’s more than enough for an afternoon.
Welcome to Africa btw.
Day 2 Arusha – Safari (Tarangire)
I went on a three days safari with the local agency linked to the Arusha Backpackers hostel, (I don’t remember the name), A Tunisian guy, Bessa - owner of the first hostel in Tunis helped me, out with the negociations. It’s always better negociating with a friend.
Safaris starts early. Expect a long drive into Tarangire, a forested area famous for its elephants (see the picture). The day was kinda long, but it was a blast, very reminescent of Thoiry back home (it’s a drive-in Zoo). It was my first real safari and that was really exciting, I was beaming!
Your guide will help you spot all the wildlife, but they will normally remain pretty far from the animals, especially if they are a licensed guide that respect this very same wildlife.
I slept in a tent in a camp, where I listened to Jambo Bwana for the first time. It was fun and simple.
The big five can be spotted right from the first day, if ya lucky
Day 3 Arusha – Safari (Ngorongoro)
Wake up before sunrise to enter the Ngorongoro Crater.
It’s a long descent into a massive bowl of wildlife, in the coldest of morning.
When I went it was overly misty: Visibility was shit.
The first few hours were rough and we missed the migration by weeks, changes in weather patterns messed things up…
See the picture for the view/weather. Not that bad, actually, right? We spotted wildlife every 5 minutes or something, it felt like a railshooter. Anyone played Pokemon Snap before? That’s the feeling.
We camped near the Crater’s rim. You can hear the animals at night, noice.
Fact: Technically, the Ngorongoro is part of the Serengeti, even though it’s a different NP
Fact 2: The name is supposedly the sound of a bell
Day 4 Arusha – Safari (Manyara)
Final day of my safari, visiting Lake Manyara National Park.
Fewer crowds and good birdlife + Monke.
It was my less favorite. I got tired after the first few hours. Safaris are not for me, they get exhausting after a while/
Manyara is home to the tree climbing lions, have fun trying to spot them!
Day 5 Road to Moshi
In the morning, I went to see the waterfalls near Arusha. It wasn’t worth it, folks try to make you pay every half hour and they are
boring.
So… Take a morning bus or shared minivan to Moshi (2–3 h).
They are easy to find near the main bus station in Arusha, people will propose you the bus even if you don’t ask anyway.
The town of Moshi sits at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. That’s the target. If you’re lucky, you might see it in its full glory.
I went in the later afternoon, it was a hard mistake. Always arrive at your destination during day time.
Story time: I came at night, had no sim card (I forgot) and my hostel (Mad Vervet Moshi) was a junkie nest where someone kidnapped me and forcefully brought me to an hotel with naked guys. So… Avoid, be careful, don’t go alone. Be safe. This is no joke.
Day 6 Moshi
Shaken by the event of the day before I just went on a half-day hike around Materuni Falls, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
I met a nice man, that helped me immensely and spent time with his family. A nice “tuk-tuk” driver with a heart of Gold.
I also switched hotel and found a safer place.
Story time 2: I had been with the police the night before. Had a contact with them, but they were off. In a restaurant, far from the crime, Another policeman talked to me, heard about the case, gave me his phone number and all. Said it was just in case, to keep me safe, as the police deals in dark trades. Actually, he just wanted to you-know-what. I had to block him due to the almost nude pictures of himself he sent me. Thrice. He called with different numbers and tried to find me in the city.
Day 7 Road to Lushoto
I took a bus, early in the morning, trying to escape the dense gay policeman.
It was a long ride (6–7 h) through the mountains toward Lushoto in the Usambara Hills.
That part of my trip is blurry. I can’t recall much.
I slept in a new hostel by the road, a bit higher than the town. A man named Emanuel and his family settled there
and do honey keeping. I shared meals with them as well as watch a few show on the local TV.
Day 8 Lushoto
A view of Lushoto from the heights
I Spent the day hiking to the Irente Viewpoint. The trail was nice, going through nature fror some bits and through local villages with nice kids greeting you at every opportunity. All of this was still a blur for me.
Day 9 Road to Zanzibar
Dar-Es-Salaam seen from the dock
I caught a morning bus toward Dar es Salaam (6 hours?), then the ferry to Zanzibar (2 hours?).
To get the bus, I asked Emmanuel, the hostel owner to call the company and they picked me up in front of the hostel.
It was super late and took forever to reach Dar, more than it was supposed to.
I arrived around 3:30/4:00 PM and caught a ferry by taking a motorbike from the first bus station, I was scared of being late…
But, I made it in time, with half an hour of earliness to validate my ticket and everything.
Careful at the docks, there are many places selling fake tickets, hundreds of scammers and weirdoes. I had to fight my way through, it was physical.
The trip is relaxing and comfy, the waves hadn’t started yet. Expect to arrive by evening to visit the beautiful Stone Town after dark; it’s safer and lively.
Day 10 Stone Town
The dispensary in Old town, it’s a medical center
Explore the maze of Stone Town by daylight: the Old Fort, the markets, and the sea promenade.
I ate at Forodhani Gardens, where locals grill food every night, it’s overrated.
For lunch I went to a local shop and had much better food. Small hole in the wall without a name. Ate there for
most meals afterwards.
I recommend seeing the Jail for some hardcore history, the fort to see the activities (it’s lively), the palaces,
eventually Freddy Mercury house, and… just enjoy!
I liked Stone Town quite a bit.
I saw the sellers in the famous market shit behind their stall, close to the merchandise 🤮
Day 11 Prison Island and Beach
For the beach lovers
Take a boat/tour to Prison Island to see the giant tortoises and the jail
then spend the afternoon on one of the nearby sandbanks or beaches.
I found a local agency at the fort with good tours, they were a blast to speak with (Jambo tour or smth like that) and where
neatly organized.
(If you want more comfort and relaxation, base yourself in Nungwi or Paje for the next days. I heard good things, except for the male prostitutes)
Day 12 Spice Tour
Join a spice tour inland! I went with the same tour company as the day before. It’s a bit touristy, but worth it for the smells and samples (Plus, I was alone, so I had my very own private tour to the farm) That’s a good half day spent for something important.
In the evening, hop on a small dhow boat for sunset and/or return to Dar. I did the later as my bus left very early.
Day 13 Road to Kilwa Masoko
Ferry back to Dar, then catch a southbound bus (8–9 h) toward Kilwa Masoko.
There were two bus to Kilwa: One leaves at 5:30, the other at noon. There might be other companies, but I have no intel on those. To get the bus I mototaxied to the station Mbagala Rangi Tatu and caught the bus at 7AM (Might have been late). At the bus station, there were those balls snacks that the Malagasy often make, it’s bloody delicious!
The road was long and without any major sight, everything looked the same until the azure coast. Onward it’s just villages, with a lovely pace of life.
After a long time I reached the hostel: The Slow Leopard. Absolutely amazing quality! They also have another location in Dar, I definitely recommend it.
I spent the evening relaxing and shopping for tours to Kilwa Kisiwani. I ended up going with the tourism information center, this was the most obvious choice.
Day 14 Kilwa Kisiwani
I’m bad at taking pictures, and the sun wasn’t nice to me.
Visit the Kilwa Kisiwani ruins: once a major Swahili trading port and a World Wonder in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI. Yes, that’s why I went.
We got a boat for two (I met a scientist along the way) We were only two tourists!
It’s calm, scenic and pictures can’t do it justice… It was expensive, quite a detour and exhausting, but I don’t regret it.
Day 15 Kilwa Kivanje
I visited the nearby Kilwas with the guide from the tourism bureau. It’s not particularily interesting, but I was a much cheaper visit and it was relaxing. I then spent the evening relaxing at the beach. You’ll need that before continuing your way south to Mozambique or back north to Kenya.
Day 16 Back to Dar es Salaam
Return north (6–7 h).
If you haven’t yet, explore Dar-Es-Salam a bit.
I didn’t really like the city, it had no soul.
But I had to waste a day here (So two days of transport wasted to See Kilwa, do what you want)
Dar is known for being a bit unsafe, be careful if visiting alone
Day 17 Bagamoyo
Short bus from Dar (1h 30 min).
Bagamoyo is a small coastal town with colonial buildings, it’s like Lamu or Tanga:
A typical Swahili coast city.
A quiet final stop before crossing into Kenya and a good way to slightly break the trip. To sleep, either: In Bagamoyo, back to Dar, or in Tanga, a bit more north.
