Tanzania is home to some of Africa’s most iconic national parks, offering incredible biodiversity, stunning landscapes, and rich wildlife experiences. Here’s a list of the major national parks in Tanzania, categorized by region:
🦁 Northern Circuit (Most Popular for Safaris)
- Serengeti National Park
- Famous for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras
- Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Includes the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken caldera in the world
- Excellent for viewing the Big Five in a compact area
- Lake Manyara National Park
- Known for tree-climbing lions and large flocks of flamingos
- Diverse habitats: groundwater forest, lake, and savanna
- Tarangire National Park
- Renowned for large elephant herds and baobab trees
- Excellent birdwatching and seasonal wildlife concentrations
- Arusha National Park
- Close to Arusha city
- Features Mount Meru, Momella Lakes, and Ngurdoto Crater
🐘 Southern Circuit (Less Crowded, Very Wild)
- Ruaha National Park
- Largest national park in Tanzania
- Offers a raw, off-the-beaten-path safari experience
- High density of predators and elephants
- Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve)
- One of Africa’s largest protected areas
- Boat safaris on the Rufiji River
- Rich in hippos, crocodiles, and birdlife
🦓 Western Circuit (Remote and Pristine)
- Katavi National Park
- Untouched wilderness with large buffalo and hippo populations
- Very remote—ideal for experienced safari-goers
- Mahale Mountains National Park
- Famous for chimpanzee trekking
- Scenic beauty with forested mountains meeting Lake Tanganyika
- Gombe Stream National Park
- Small park made famous by Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee research
- Accessed via boat from Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika
🏞️ Other Notable Parks
- Saadani National Park
- The only park in East Africa that borders the ocean
- Unique mix of beach and savanna
- Kilimanjaro National Park
- Encompasses Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak
- Popular for trekking, not traditional safaris
- Mkomazi National Park
- Rhino sanctuary and part of a transboundary ecosystem with Kenya’s Tsavo
- Lesser-visited but important conservation area