The complete guide
22 National Parks in Tanzania
From the world-famous Serengeti to the chimp forests of Mahale — a complete guide to every national park in Tanzania.
Tanzania has 22 national parks — more wildlife territory than any other country in East Africa.
From the world-famous Northern Circuit — Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire — to the remote western chimpanzee forests and the southern highlands, each park offers a different window into one of Africa's most diverse wildlife countries. This guide covers all 22, with what makes each one worth visiting.
Northern Circuit
9 Parks in the North
Tanzania's most visited region — the classic safari experience with the highest wildlife density and best infrastructure.
Serengeti National Park
Great Migration, Big Five, endless plains
The Serengeti is Tanzania's crown jewel — a 14,750 km² wilderness of open plains, riverine forests, and granite outcrops that hosts the largest wildlife migrati...
From $3,200/person for a 7-day Serengeti safari
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Big Five, UNESCO World Heritage, caldera viewing
The Ngorongoro Crater is a natural fortress — a collapsed volcanic caldera 19 km wide and 600 m deep that contains one of the highest concentrations of wildlife...
From $2,800/person for a 6-day Ngorongoro and Northern Circuit safari
Tarangire National Park
Elephant herds, baobab trees, birding
Tarangire is the elephant park. During the dry season, herds of up to 300 elephants gather around the Tarangire River, making it the highest concentration of el...
From $2,200/person for a 5-day Tarangire and Lake Manyara safari
Lake Manyara National Park
Tree-climbing lions, flamingo, groundwater forest
Lake Manyara is a small but phenomenally biodiverse park. Its groundwater forest — fed by underground springs from the Rift Valley wall — is one of the most bea...
Often combined in a single itinerary with Tarangire
Arusha National Park
Mount Meru views, canoeing, walking safaris
Arusha National Park is Tanzania's most accessible park — a 30-minute drive from Arusha town — and its most overlooked. The park is dominated by Mount Meru, Tan...
From $350/person for a full-day Arusha National Park tour
Kilimanjaro National Park
Africa's highest peak, snow-capped summit, climbing routes
Mount Kilimanjaro — Africa's highest peak at 5,895 m — is one of the world's most accessible high-altitude mountains. Unlike the wildlife parks, Kilimanjaro is ...
From $1,800/person for a 7-day Machame route climb
Rubondo Island National Park
Sitatunga antelope, lake wildlife, fishing
Rubondo Island is Tanzania's most unusual park — an island in Lake Victoria, accessible only by boat, where the emphasis is on tranquility and specialised wildl...
Often combined as an add-on to Northern Circuit safaris
Mahale Mountains National Park
Chimpanzee trekking, Lake Tanganyika, forested peaks
Mahale Mountains is Tanzania's most remote park — a 1,600 km² block of mountain forest on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, accessible only by boat or small aircra...
From $4,500/person for a 10-day western Tanzania itinerary including Mahale
Gombe Stream National Park
Chimp habituation, Jane Goodall's research site
Gombe Stream is Tanzania's smallest national park at just 52 km² — a narrow strip of mountain forest on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. It is world-famous as the...
Typically combined with Mahale Mountains in a western Tanzania itinerary
Southern & Western
7 Parks Off the Beaten Path
Remote wilderness, chimpanzee forests, and vast landscapes with almost no other vehicles.
Nyerere National Park
Walking safaris, boat safaris, wild dog, largest park in Tanzania
Nyerere National Park — formerly part of the greater Selous Game Reserve — is the largest national park in Tanzania at 50,000 km². It is also one of the wildest...
From $3,500/person for a 7-day Nyerere and Ruaha combination
Ruaha National Park
Wild dog, remote wilderness, ancient baobabs
Ruaha is one of Tanzania's most remote major parks — a 23,000 km² wilderness of rugged hills, ancient baobab trees, and the Great Ruaha River. The park is known...
From $3,800/person for a 7-day Ruaha and Nyerere combination
Katavi National Park
Hippo aggregations, remote wilderness, buffalo herds
Katavi is Tanzania's most remote major park — a 4,471 km² park in the far west of Tanzania where the only sounds at night are hippo grunts and the distant roar ...
From $4,200/person for a 7-day fly-in Katavi safari
Mikumi National Park
Big Five, easily accessible from Dar es Salaam
Mikumi is Tanzania's most accessible park from Dar es Salaam — a 3,230 km² park bordering Selous to the south that offers a genuine safari experience without th...
From $450/person for a 3-day Mikumi safari from Dar es Salaam
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Endemic primates, forest hiking, waterfall treks
Udzungwa is different from every other park on this list — it is a mountain forest park, not a savanna park. The 1,900 km² of forest covering the Udzungwa Mount...
From $350/person for a 2-day Udzungwa and Mikumi combination
Kitulo National Park
Wildflowers, endemic birds, "Serengeti of the South"
Kitulo is one of Africa's best-kept safari secrets — a high-altitude plateau in Tanzania's Southern Highlands that few tourists have heard of and even fewer hav...
Best as part of a southern circuit itinerary combining Nyerere and Ruaha
Coastal & Central
6 Parks at the Coast and In Between
Where the Indian Ocean meets Tanzania's wildlife — Saadani, Mkomazi, and the island parks.
Saadani National Park
Only park where wildlife meets the Indian Ocean
Saadani is the only Tanzania national park that borders the Indian Ocean — a unique combination where you can watch lion on the savanna in the morning and swim ...
From $600/person for a 3-day Saadani safari from Dar es Salaam
Mkomazi National Park
Black rhino sanctuary, Mount Kilimanjaro views, wild dog
Mkomazi is a 3,245 km² national park on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, sharing a border with Tsavo West in Kenya. The park is best known for its black rhino s...
From $500/person for a 2-day Mkomazi safari from Arusha
Hidden gems
Tanzania's most underrated parks
Underrated
Kitulo National Park
"The Serengeti of the South"
A high-altitude plateau that erupts in wildflowers from November to April — 400 species of orchid, herds of eland, and almost no other visitors.
Underrated
Katavi National Park
The wildest park in Africa
Remote beyond comprehension — 200-strong hippo aggregations, thousands of buffalo, and you may not see another vehicle in a full day of game drives.
Underrated
Saadani National Park
Where the bush meets the ocean
The only Tanzania park where you can watch lion on the savanna in the morning and swim in the Indian Ocean in the afternoon — just 3 hours from Dar es Salaam.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many national parks does Tanzania have?
Tanzania has 22 national parks covering a total area of approximately 142,000 km². The newest is Mjini (2023), a small marine park off the coast of Pemba. Together, Tanzania's parks protect some of Africa's most important ecosystems — from the Serengeti plains to the chimp forests of Mahale and the coral reefs of Mafia Island.
Which Tanzania national park is best for first-time visitors?
The Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire form the classic Northern Circuit and are the best choice for first-time visitors. The Serengeti offers the most dramatic wildlife spectacles (especially the Great Migration), Ngorongoro Crater delivers the highest density of Big Five viewing, and Tarangire adds elephant herds and beautiful landscapes. A 7-day Northern Circuit safari covering all three parks is the most complete introduction to Tanzania's wildlife.
Which parks are best for experienced safari-goers who want something different?
For travellers who have already visited the Northern Circuit, the Southern and Western circuits offer dramatically different experiences. Nyerere and Ruaha offer remote wilderness with almost no other vehicles. Mahale and Gombe give you chimpanzee trekking. Kitulo and Udzungwa provide mountain hiking and endemic primates. Katavi is the wildest park in Tanzania — and possibly in Africa. These parks require more time and a higher budget, but the experience is incomparable.
When is the best time to visit Tanzania's national parks?
The dry season (June – October) is the best general time to visit most parks — wildlife concentrates around water sources, vegetation is lower, and roads are more passable. The peak months are July and August for the Serengeti Migration and Ngorongoro. January and February are excellent for the calving season in the southern Serengeti. The wet season (November – May) brings green landscapes, fewer vehicles, lower prices, and exceptional birding — but some roads become impassable.
Do I need to fly between Tanzania's parks or can I drive?
For the Northern Circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha), driving from Arusha is standard — all are accessible by road. For Southern Circuit parks (Nyerere, Ruaha, Mikumi, Udzungwa), a combination of driving and scheduled flights is typical. For the Western Corridor (Mahale, Gombe, Katavi), flying is essential — these parks are genuinely remote. The most comfortable itineraries for the south use small aircraft between parks.
Can I climb Kilimanjaro alongside a safari?
Yes — combining a Kilimanjaro climb with a safari is one of the most popular Tanzania itineraries. A typical approach is to climb first (6-10 days), recover for a day in Arusha, then do a 4-7 day Northern Circuit safari before flying home. Both activities are within the same region — Arusha is the base for both — and the contrast between the physical challenge of the mountain and the wildlife spectacle of the Serengeti is extraordinary. We recommend the Lemosho or Machame routes for the best acclimatisation and scenery.
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