Tanzania Photography safari experiences have over the years gained popularity. Tanzania is diverse and one of the leading destinations adventure lovers look out for photography safaris. It is located in East Africa with a land area of 947,303 square kilometers. Tanzania borders the Indian Ocean to the east with a coastline of 1,424 kilometers. It was the East African Community’s largest country before the Democratic Republic of Congo joined the regional integration block.
Tanzania’s large size gives it an advantage in diversity and wildlife numbers compared to countries like Rwanda and Burundi. It is therefore not surprising that the country has top wildlife safari destinations that are ideal for photography safari experiences.
Planning photography Discovery Journeys to Tanzania can be tricky when it comes to destination choice. In this article, we will be looking at the Top 5 Tanzania Photography Safari destinations.
Formerly known as Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park is one of the best southern Tanzania photography destinations. The park covers a total land area of 30,893 square kilometers and is the largest national park in Tanzania. It is home to various savanna wildlife species including elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards. Black rhinos and leopards are rarely seen.
Other notable safari animals in the park include zebras, wildebeests, wild dogs, cheetahs, hippos, and giraffes. Nyerere National Park’s location down south makes it less accessible and exclusive. This limited access gives an opportunity for the wildlife to thrive with minimal human disturbances. Wildlife safari adventures here are therefore as wild as they should be.
Such exclusivity, the park’s large size, and wildlife diversity make Nyerere National Park top the list of Tanzania photography Safari destinations. There is a section of the park that was reserved for wildlife photography safaris. If you are an avid wildlife photographer be sure to add Nyerere National Park to your Tanzania Wild South Adventure.
Serengeti National Park is the most famous and visited national park in Tanzania. It is located in Northern Tanzania covering a land area of 14,763 square kilometers. Serengeti together with Kenya’s Masai Mara form a great wildlife ecosystem where the renowned wildebeest migration takes place. The wildebeest migration is an annual animal movement over the Serengeti and Masai Mara open plains in search of pasture.
The wildebeest migration involves over 1 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and Thompson gazelles. These Serengeti ecosystem’s leading herbivores graze the open savanna plains attracting predators on their journey up north and back. Serengeti and Masai Mara have the highest predator concentration with lions, leopards, cheetahs, and carnivores like hyenas. These depend on the migration hunting their prey in groups of up to 10 individuals. Predators also take advantage of the young and defenseless calves and new borns.
Live action along the wildebeest migration journey is remarkable. Such moments are amazing and humbling to capture on camera and many safari photographers yearn for them. This in particular makes Serengeti National Park an outstanding Tanzania photography Safari destination.
Serengeti’s calving period is another great natural phenomenon to watch on a Tanzania Photography Safari. Over 5,000 calves are born daily and such births are often witnessed while on photography Safaris. This happens between January to March as migrating herds move from the Ndutu conservancy to southern Serengeti. Our 8-day Serengeti Safari is ideal for Serengeti National Park photography Safari and overall experiences. If you do not have all the 8 Days then, the 4 Days Serengeti Safari can work perfectly.
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is another incredible wildlife and Tanzania photography Safari destination in the south. Southern Tanzania safari adventures are our true kind of Discovery Journeys adventures because of exclusivity. It serves well for wildlife photographers because of the need to focus, listen, as one waits for the perfect moment.
Just like Nyerere National Park, Ruaha is truly diverse with large animals numbers. Four of the big five mammals are present here with Elephants, buffaloes, and lions in plenty. Hippos, zebras, and giraffes are also plenty and are perfect to capture giving one true African Safari vibes.
Ruaha’s vegetation is unique comprising baobab trees that are believed to be the oldest plant species on the planet. River Ruaha is the main source of water where animals gather on hot days to cool down. There are other leading safari destinations in southern Tanzania and our 10 Days Southern Tanzania covers them. This is the most recommended safari for photography safari experiences in the south.
If you are interested in unique experiences from the usual big five safaris then a fishing safari is ideal. Book the 5-day Tanzania fishing safari with a chance to catch the Blue Tigerfish, Tanzania’s most after fish. The 5 Days Southern Safari is also a good option to look at.
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s natural wonders located in northern Tanzania. Ngorongoro is the world’s largest unfilled caldera and a unique attraction in its own right. The crater has relief features including a Riverine swamp and a crater lake that are home to diverse wildlife species.
Black rhinos, elephants, lions, zebras, and wildebeests are often seen freely roaming on the crater floor. Ngorongoro is a birders’ haven with notable bird species including the Kori bustard one of the largest bird species.
Tanzania Photography Safari experiences in Ngorongoro are unique because wildlife is easily spotted within this natural enclosure. There are well-developed game drive trails giving one an opportunity to fully explore the crater. Ngorongoro is an ideal destination to explore even if you do not proceed to Serengeti if limited by time.
Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, Ndutu Conservancy, and Serengeti National Park are the top 4 Northern Tanzania destinations. They form the famous northern circuit that offers the ultimate Africa Adventure experience. One may wonder how Tarangire effectively competes with others, especially the Crater and Serengeti. Well, Tarangire is a one-stop safari destination with its own mini wildlife migration and the best place to see elephants in Tanzania.
Savanna’s favorite safari animals including elephants, zebras, and wildebeests migrate to Tarangire around June. This is one beautiful and unique wildlife migration that the famous wildebeest migration does not match. Migrating animals are incredible to capture on a photography Safari and give one an ideal Classic Safari Experience.
Tarangire is often ignored by many and the tourist crowds here as not as those in Serengeti. You therefore get to enjoy exclusive photography safari experiences while on tour. For the best of a Northern Tanzania photography safari it is better to do an extensive safari featuring all northern destinations. The 7-day Tanzania Safari and the 9-day Tanzania Safari options are ideal for that.
Other Photography Safari Destinations
We organize tailor-made safari experiences for other destinations. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. Each of these destinations is beautiful and Photography safaris there are as great as one’s in Tanzania.
For primate lovers, you can hike the forested mountains and meet the rare and endangered mountain gorillas. You can actually combine a gorilla trekking and Tanzania wildlife adventure on a photography expedition. A 3-day Uganda Gorilla Tour, a 3-day Rwanda Gorilla Tour, and a 5-day Rwanda Safari are some of those you can consider adding to a Tanzania photography safari. A Primate mountain gorilla trekking adventure and a savanna wildlife safari is the ultimate Discovery Journeys adventure.
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