Anyone who's been on a Tanzani safari can tell you it's like no other experience you'll ever have. Jessica Bruder, travel writer for The New York Times, took a trip there last year and soon found herself in Mother Nature's lap, where wildlife takes center stage and humans are merely spectators, leaving beasts to roam freely and without worry.
When Bruder and her tour group were hiking through the Simanjiro Plains, they were almost immediately surrounded by an entire herd of zebra, which circled around them with curious eyes.
"They want to keep an eye on you and see what you are," Mark Thornton, a New York native who now calls Cape Town home, told Bruder. "This trip isn't just about seeing the animals. It's about seeing how things fit together."
During a safari in Tanzania, you'll have a similar experience, if not something even more profound, so you can bring home more than just a pile of souvenirs - you'll have a plethora of memories you won't soon forget.
Hiking in the Simanjiro Plains
The Simanjiro Plains contains 100,000 acres of grasslands, which stretch in the southwestern direction from Mount Kilimanjaro. Animals like zebra and lions typically migrate to the plains during the wet season to raise their young.
Located within the Tarangire ecosystem, the Simanjiro Plains are an oasis for African animals that rarely encounter humans, even those on safari tours. Unlike much of Tanzania, this region is under the jurisdiction of local villages, making it a real treat for anyone who happens to be granted access to the idyllic savannah. While the human population in the country is swiftly increasing, animals are still given free reign around the plains, particularly herds of African elephants and rhinos.
The Great Migration
Massive herds of lion, zebra, elephants and giraffes are only some of the animals that migrate through Tanzania with the changing seasons. When the weather shifts, these droves of beasts come through like a fleeting breeze, munching on the rich and delicious grasses before traveling further along to their final destination.
Seeing these mass migrations on your Tanzania safari will leave you breathless and may inspire you to come back for more.
