Tanzania: 10 Moments We Love

“Tanzania inspires gratitude,” wrote Amelia Osborne Scott after a trip to the vast country in East Africa. “Visitors can't help but feel grateful to put their real lives on hold and focus on their place in the universe. With a feeling that can only be described as the opposite of homesick, we are in fact at home, on a remote island, on a mountainside or in the vast grass plains.”

Below are 10 of our favorite moments from this incredible country that inspires clarity and meaning.

Contact us for assistance planning a customized safari. Our team can match you with the destinations, accommodations and activities that are right for you and provide tips for planning a safe, seamless and rewarding experience.

1. A Serengeti Bush Walk With Teenagers

“My favorite memory in Tanzania started on an afternoon bush walk with two of my teenage sons in the Serengeti. At the end of the walk we climbed up onto a kopje where sundowners had been prepared for us. With the rocks behind us and the plains before us, we watched Buffalo and listened to stories from our Maasai warrior guide, including the one where a lion tried to attack his sheep and he chased him off with a spear. Our guide was so funny, engaging and down-to-earth, and my children adored him. Through his stories, my boys intuitively understood the similarities and differences in our cultures in a way that would be so hard to express. I knew that it would become part of how they saw the world.” - Eliza Harris, COO, Indagare

2. Sundowners at Singita Sabora

“Enjoying sundowners while at Singita Sabora Tented Camp, sipping my drink, sitting next to my friends and watching the sun dip below the vast, open plains, was a memorable moment from my trip to Tanzania. The beauty of my surroundings—the endless expanse of grasslands stretching out as far as the eye could see, the soft colors of the sunset painting the sky—was breathtaking. But it wasn't just the stunning scenery that made this moment so special. It was the sense of being completely immersed in the wild, of hearing the distant calls of animals with absolutely no distractions. And as the sun finally slipped below the horizon, I felt a sense of deep gratitude for this moment, for the opportunity to experience the majesty of nature in such a profound and meaningful way.” - Caroline Hansen, Trip Designer, Indagare

3. All Creatures Great and Small: A Walking Safari at Chem Chem Lodge

“After three days together, my guide Salima announced that he was going to take me to a special spot for coffee. We pulled up to the watering hole which was filled and surrounded by at least 50 animals across 15 species. Elephants dipped their trunks, tossing water onto their muddied backs while baby wildebeest suckled at their mother’s belly. Ostrich were dwarfed by giraffe, contrasted with all of the zebras. I fell into a meditative state, awed by nature unfolding on an average morning in front of my eyes.

Later that morning, a Maasai guide from a local village took me on a walking safari. Giraffe lumbered in between towering palm trees in the distance. After days in the car, it felt thrilling to be on foot, as if I were breaking a rule. The Maasai warrior drew my attention away from the horizon, down to the soil where he fished a scorpion out of its hole. His ability to track such a small creature and his passion for sharing its existence was profound. His appreciation for creation—all creatures great and small—and connection to mother nature’s rhythm was a learned language that he was generous enough to try to share with me during those few hours.” - Elise Bronzo, VP of Sales

4. Stellar Game Viewing: A Cheetah and Her Cubs

“My favorite moment from Tanzania was seeing a family of cheetahs playing together in the open plains. The mother with her fluffy cubs were adorable and it was so special to see this wildlife dynamic up close and personal in such a stunning landscape.” - Britt Giroux, Trip Designer, Indagare

5. Immersed in the Wild: A Serengeti Mobile Tented Camp

“While a lot of the camps we stayed at in Tanzania had one or more canvas sides that gave the feeling of camping in the bush, it was not until I was in bed in at a mobile tented camp in the Serengeti that I felt like I was truly immersed in the wild. As someone who loves animals and lives for the thrill of close—but safe—encounters, the hyenas whooping and lions roaring in the distance were the perfect soundtrack for a good night’s sleep.” - Rose Allen, Senior Director of Travel Product, African Safari, Indagare

6. Daily Rituals With the Datoga Tribe

“Tanzania offers incredibly memorable game-viewing, but I will always cherish my time spent with local communities. My first experience was with the Datoga people, a pastoral tribe in Southern Serengeti that claims to be the oldest in Tanzania. Less than an hour from Mwiba Lodge, we were welcomed into a boma of roughly 40 people, most of them family. The eldest wife, nicknamed Mama Mswahili, guided us around the boma, inviting us to help with the late afternoon chores of grinding maize and churning milk for the evening meal of ugali. The women shared their unique beadwork and dances; the men shared chants and songs that are a part of dating rituals for the next generations. We learned a few phrases in Datoga but the communication and connection transcended language. I left humbled by the warmth and generosity of this family, and in awe of the ability to connect across a great cultural divide.” - Lexi Polster, Trip Designer, Indagare

7. Learning From A Modern Hunter-Gatherer Tribe, the Hadzabe

“During our stay at Mwiba Lodge in the Maswa game reserve, we began a bush walk from the lodge with the hopes of linking up with the local Hadzabe tribe. The Hadza are a modern hunter-gatherer people who live in northern Tanzania. Not long into our walk, we heard voices in the distance and our guide led us to a group of nine men and women Hadzabe. Our guide introduced us to them—and, with him carrying handmade bows and arrows—we set off on a walk through the woods. The Hadza showed us how they find honey in the trees and when we stumbled upon a lone flamingo left behind by his migrating flock, one of the Hadza shot it with their bow and arrow. They folded the flamingo up into a side bag and we continued onwards.” - Rose Allen

8. Discovering True Stillness on Kilimanjaro

“For seven days, I completely disconnected and experienced true stillness, and it made me stop and think about what it is we are chasing. My first of the Seven Summits opened my eyes to a new way of travel, something I did not think was still possible after journeying to more than 50 countries. Instead of just crossing a sight off my bucket list, I traveled within and discovered more about myself than my surroundings. I had time to listen and be fully present. I focused on achieving a goal with a community that taught me oneness and perseverance. Kilimanjaro stripped away all distractions to show me that connection, mindfulness and wilderness make me happiest.” - Diana Li, VP, Business Development

9. Hot Air Balloon Over the Serengeti

“Lying down on the grassy ground, feet firmly tucked into the balloon’s compartments, with a chilly breeze dancing around our sleepy eyes, we were lifted upright and into the sky with each pump of hot air. As we rose, we saw the dark sky turn a rich, powdery blue, the perfect backdrop for the red and orange balloons bobbing up and down around us. Peering at the grasslands on the same level as the blue-crested starlings gave us just a taste of the expansiveness of the plains, and all its inhabitants sprinting or grazing below us.” - Ruchi Kirtikar, Industry Partnerships Associate, Indagare