Tanzania · best-of list
The 8 Best Outdoor Spots in Tanzania
All 8 outdoor spots our route editors picked in Tanzania, across 2 destinations, gathered in one list. 1 spot on this list appears on more than one of our routes.
Our curated picks
8 outdoor spots in Tanzania, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Ngorongoro 4 picks
Lake Magadi
Ngorongoro · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Shallow soda lake on the crater floor where flamingos feed and hippos wallow.
Photo: Dr Mary Gillham Archive Project · CC BY 2.0
Lerai Forest
Ngorongoro · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Yellow-barked acacia forest on the crater floor, a good spot for elephants and bushbuck.
Photo: Banja-Frans Mulder · Google
Ngoitokitok Springs
Ngorongoro · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Spring-fed pool on the crater floor used as a picnic stop, with hippos nearby.
Tip: Keep food inside the vehicle; black kites swoop on picnics.
Photo: Cory W · Google
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Caldera about 20 km across, home to lions, buffalo, flamingos and one of the best chances to see black rhino.
Tip: Descend at opening time (6am) to beat the vehicle crowds.
Photo: THOMASE MAHENGE · Google
Serengeti 4 picks
Seronera Valley
Serengeti · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route + 1 more
River valley in the central Serengeti with year-round water and dense leopard, lion and cheetah sightings.
Tip: Scan the sausage trees along the river for leopards.
Photo: Alain Caillat · Google
Moru Kopjes
Serengeti · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Granite outcrops south of Seronera with rock paintings and the Maasai Gong Rock.
Photo: 松崎竜也 · Google
Retima Hippo Pool
Serengeti · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Pool at the junction of the Grumeti and Seronera rivers packed with hundreds of hippos.
Photo: Giorgio Cavaggion · Google
Serengeti National Park
Serengeti · On our Kenya & Tanzania Safari route
Tanzania's flagship park, 14,750 sq km of plains and kopjes supporting huge herds and predators.
Tip: Park fees are charged per 24 hours; confirm they are in your safari price.
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in Tanzania?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 8 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Tanzania has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Ngorongoro and Serengeti lead with 4 each; the other picks are spread across 0 more destinations.
More lists for Tanzania
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Ngorongoro 4 on this list
- Serengeti 4 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.