Safari Experts Rate Tanzania ‘Best Safari Country in Africa’

Written by Thomson Safaris

For the second time, Tanzania took the title of Best Safari Country in Africa by a panel of experts and over 2,500 other reviewers.

The panel included over 950 expert reviewers and 22 renowned guidebook authors from Frommer’s, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and other publications. This is important because guidebook authors and expert reviewers are very well traveled. Whereas other reviewers may be first-time safari-goers, the experts bring strong comparative knowledge to the table. They can tell you with certainty that one country is better than another for wildlife viewing, scenic beauty, or whatever means the most to you.

From that standpoint Lonely Planet travel writer Tim Brewer, who has written guidebooks for 10 African countries, is a particularly credible reviewer.

“Tanzania is home to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater; and this fact alone makes a solid case for declaring it Africa’s best safari country,” Brewer writes in his review. “And when you consider all the other options available to mix up your African experience – scuba diving and beach bumming on Zanzibar; mingling with proud traditional tribes like the Maasai, Barabaig and Sandawe; and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, to name a few – it becomes clear why it doesn’t get any better than Tanzania.”

 

Tanzania is the African Wildlife Gold Standard

Dozens of countries across the world can claim titles for natural beauty, but reviewers agree Tanzania is in a league of its own for African wildlife viewing.

Is elephant-watching your main goal? Tarangire National Park has one of the densest elephant populations on the continent.

What about the Serengeti migration, with over 2 million roaming wildebeest and zebras? Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park makes up 85% of the migration cycle.

Are lions your main goal? Tanzania is home to more lions than Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia combined.

The fact is, a huge proportion of safari travelers expect elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, giraffes and all the other creatures that make wildlife viewing famous in Africa. From big cats to the Big Five, experts believe Tanzania is the most reliable area to do that.

 

The Only Drawback: Too Much to do

Perhaps the most telling piece of Tanzania’s full travel guide review: The only negative quality on its pros and cons list is that there are “too many highlights to fit in one safari.” We couldn’t agree more!

In fact, we put together a list of 35 Reasons to Travel to Tanzania as part of our own “digital safari” experience on our 35th anniversary. Check it out if you need any more convincing!