Tanzania: Safari to Coast

The farmhouse at the heart of Legendary Lodge has stood on this coffee estate since the early 1900s, where rows of coffee plants and broad tropical gardens create a pocket of calm that feels entirely removed from the bustle outside. On the edge of Arusha, with Tanzania's northern safari circuit stretching out beyond the garden walls, it is exactly the right place to begin. Garden cottages are connected to the main lodge by winding footpaths through the grounds, each one designed around the cosy charm of the original farmhouse. Fireplaces cast a warm glow across the sitting rooms in the evenings, deep-soaking bathtubs sit alongside rainfall showers in en-suite bathrooms, and private verandahs look out over the tropical gardens. Wander the estate on foot or by bike, join a guided tour of the neighbouring Burka Coffee Estate to follow the bean from bush to cup, or head into Arusha for the Maasai Market and the Cultural Heritage Centre. The garden spa offers treatments among the trees, and croquet on the lawns has a way of filling an afternoon. When the safari circuit calls, day trips to Arusha National Park, Tarangire and Ngorongoro are all within easy reach. Insider's Tip: The art-in-the-garden experience offers a unique change of pace. Spending a morning painting among the coffee plants is a creative way to slow down between the intensity of a safari.

Located on the banks of the Endabash River in the south of the park, at the bottom of a huge waterfall, the setting provides beautiful views of the park down to Lake Manyara. The pools in the rocks below the waterfall provide the perfect reprieve for a safe swim on hot African afternoons. Manyara Camp comprises eight square en-suite eco-tents on raised platforms. Each tent can be set up as a double, twin, or triple for families. Adjoining tents with an enclosed walkway are ideal for families with older children. Simple luxuries, comfortable beds, crisp linen, low flush toilets and classic bush showers ensure complete relaxation after a full day enjoying the wildlife. The stylish central mess tent has lounge chairs and a small library. All Wayo Green Camps operate in the most environmentally sustainable manner and are 100% plastic-free, using solar-powered lighting and recycling all applicable materials. INSIDER’S TIP: For some parts of the year, the Endabash River is the only source of water for miles, attracting thousands of animals – including elephants and buffalos – creating breathtaking scenes.

The Ngorongoro Crater is justifiably renowned as one of the epicentres of the East African safari experience. Few places can rival the density or variety of game to be found in the Crater, nor the visual impact of seeing black rhino and other species with vertical cliff walls as the backdrop. Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp offers exceptional access to this unique location – it could not be closer to where the wild things are. Morning and afternoon game drives explore the rim – itself a rich wildlife habitat – and descend into what was once a volcano and is now a ‘lost world’ with thriving populations of many iconic species. The style of the camp is classic safari – the modern amenities aside, the elegant guest tents would have been equally at home here a century ago. INSIDER’S TIP: Take a stroll with a local Maasai warrior as your guide to gain a whole new perspective.

Imagine endless horizons, skies stretching over the grassland as far as the eye can see … Every species in the Serengeti lives in perfect harmony with the one beside it. It is this balance, ‘usawa’ in Kiswahili, that ensures this phenomenal ecosystem functions in perfect symbiosis. In northern Tanzania, Africa’s greatest spectacle unfolds. Two million wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, eland and other migratory animals graze, breed, and birth on the Serengeti’s plains; following the rains, moving as one. Prides of lion split the herds, taking down wildebeest and zebra. Cheetah chase down and tyre out gazelles while crocodiles prey on the brave; those who dare to cross the rivers first. This scale of wildlife, of predator-prey interaction is found nowhere else on Earth. Far from the crowds, Wilderness Usawa Serengeti's mobile camps are strategically located, moving to areas where the herds are as they follow the rain. With a number of sites available, positioned as close as is feasible to the action, in luxurious safari tents that leave no impact on the plains. Insider's Tip: Pack your walking shoes. All Wilderness Usawa Serengeti sites are positioned within designated walking zones, allowing walking safaris to begin right from camp.

Fanjove is its own world. The smallest island in the Songo Songo Archipelago, it sits off the southern Tanzanian coast beneath the gaze of a 19th-century German-built lighthouse. The beach is a curve of white sand, lapped by water so clear it’s hard to judge the depth. Villas here are built from local materials throughout: teak flooring from Tanzanian plantations, walls in coral stone, makuti roofs, and doors carved by Zanzibar craftsmen. The Beach Villas sit at the water's edge with direct sand access, while the Coral Villas perch above the reef, perfectly angled for the sunset. Family Villas accommodate parents and children in separate rooms, and the singular Villa N°16 occupies its own category entirely, tucked between coral rocks with a private beach that appears and disappears with the tide. The water is the main event here. Dive or snorkel 11km of intact reef, join a marine safari in search of spinner and bottlenose dolphins, or time a visit between October and March for the chance to swim with whale sharks off nearby Mafia Island. Back on the island, a traditional dhow sets sail at dusk, while the UNESCO World Heritage Site ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani are a short boat ride away for those who want a peek into the history of the Swahili coast. Insider's Tip: Breakfast and lunch are served on the terrace of the lighthouse itself, where the setting adds a sublime layer of flavour to your meals.