10-Day Tanzania Big Five & Cultural Safari

The best time to go on a safari in Tanzania largely depends on what you want to see. Generally, the dry season from late June to October is ideal for wildlife viewing. During this period, animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot. Additionally, the Great Migration in the Serengeti, where millions of wildebeest and zebras move in search of greener pastures, peaks around June and July for river crossings and from late January to February for the calving season.

A typical day on safari in Tanzania often starts early, around sunrise, to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and increased animal activity. After a light breakfast, you'll embark on a morning game drive, returning to camp for brunch or lunch. The midday hours are usually spent relaxing at the lodge or camp, as wildlife activity slows down in the heat. In the late afternoon, you'll head out for another game drive, returning by sunset. Dinner is typically enjoyed at the camp, followed by time to unwind and share stories of the day. Some lodges also offer evening activities such as stargazing or cultural performances.

The cost of a safari in Tanzania can vary widely depending on factors such as the length of the safari, the type of accommodations, the level of luxury, and the time of year. Budget safaris, which often involve camping or staying in basic lodges, can start at around $200-$300 per person per day. Mid-range safaris, with more comfortable lodges and additional amenities, typically range from $400-$700 per person per day. Luxury safaris, offering high-end lodges, private guides, and additional services, can cost upwards of $1,000 per person per day. These costs usually include accommodation, meals, park fees, and game drives, but may not cover international flights, visas, or personal expenses.

The cost of a safari in Tanzania can vary widely depending on factors such as the length of the safari, the type of accommodations, the level of luxury, and the time of year. Budget safaris, which often involve camping or staying in basic lodges, can start at around $200-$300 per person per day. Mid-range safaris, with more comfortable lodges and additional amenities, typically range from $400-$700 per person per day. Luxury safaris, offering high-end lodges, private guides, and additional services, can cost upwards of $1,000 per person per day. These costs usually include accommodation, meals, park fees, and game drives, but may not cover international flights, visas, or personal expenses.

There are three kinds of Maasai village. One is a roadside ‘village’ that has been set up to introduce passing tourists to Maasai culture and traditional life. Some of these are excellent, replicating both the architecture of a genuine Maasai village and with cultural performances that illustrate some aspects of Maasai traditional life. Others are tourist traps that bear little resemblance to Maasai tradition and where the main purpose is to extract money. Make sure that your tour operator is taking you to the former.

A second form of Maasai village is a modern village where the majority of people are Maasai. These are found in the areas around Amboseli National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve, and many offer homestays with Maasai families. While these are not traditional Maasai villages, some are excellent and offer a wonderful (and thoroughly authentic) window on modern and traditional Maasai life.

The third kind of Maasai village is the traditional manyatta. These are fenced, roughly circular enclosures out on Maasai grazing lands, which are always outside the national parks and reserves (but they may lie within the conservancies in the Amboseli and Masai Mara areas). The central open area is for cattle to stay at night to protect them from predators, with basic rooms around the perimeter where the Maasai sleep. The cattle are let out to graze early each morning, and they often roam far from the manyatta, before being corralled back inside at night. This is the most traditional form of a Maasai village.

You should try and spend as long as you can in the village: a flying visit that lasts long enough to take some photos and leave is unlikely to make either party feel as though they’ve had a genuine or meaningful encounter. Take the time to sit down and talk with your Maasai hosts, and don’t take out your camera immediately. Always ask permission before taking photos. The best encounters are those where neither party feels as though they have to perform, and where both parties learn something about each other. Above all, treat your hosts with respect, do a little research before you visit, ask questions and always listen to the answer.

The best time to visit a Maasai village is during the Dry season, which, in Maasailand, runs from June to October. During the Wet season, it can be difficult to get off-road to where the manyattas are located, and conditions are generally more difficult after rain. If you are able to visit a manyatta, they can be quite empty during the day as the cattle graze and the community goes about its business of herding, gathering water and so on. Manyattas are best visited in the early morning and late afternoon when they’re busy community hubs.

Traditionally, a young Maasai man had to kill a wild lion using a spear in order to gain the respect of his peers and demonstrate his readiness to become a warrior. Although this tradition continues in some areas, falling lion numbers and a ban in Kenya on all forms of hunting have significantly reduced this practice.

The Maasai have traditionally had (and, in many cases, still have) a strict social structure. Maasai women are very often restricted to roles as wives and mothers, but are considered bastions of strength and stability within their communities. This is slowly changing, especially with young women becoming more involved in tourism. Elders occupy positions of great respect in Maasai communities. Cattle are the foundation of Maasai life, and the wealth and status of a Maasai family is most often calculated based on the number of cattle owned. A traditional Maasai meal consists of blood and meat.