Month by month, here is exactly where 1.5 million wildebeest are, what they are doing, and which camp positions you need to be in to witness it — from calving season in January to the Mara River crossings in August.
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Every article in this journal is written by our team in Arusha — the guides who drive the Serengeti daily, the specialists who know which Zanzibar coast swims best in which month, and the planners who have sent thousands of clients on Tanzania's northern circuit.
We publish guides that answer the questions we actually get asked — not generic Africa travel content. If you cannot find the answer here, email us directly. We answer within 24 hours.
Migration
12 min
The Great Wildebeest Migration is a year-round event — but different months deliver radically different experiences. This definitive calendar tells you where the herds are, what they're doing, and exactly which camps to be in for each phase — from calving season in January to the Mara River crossings in August and September.
Planning
8 min
Tanzania is open year-round — but each month offers a completely different experience. This guide covers weather, wildlife, migration position, crowd levels, and pricing for all 12 months so you can choose the exact moment that suits your priorities.
Destination
9 min
The world's largest intact volcanic caldera holds over 25,000 large animals within its 260 sq km floor. This guide covers the best time to visit, which lodges have the best crater views, what animals to expect, and how to make the most of a full day inside.
Planning
6 min
After hundreds of safari departures, we know exactly what clients wish they had packed and what they wish they had left at home. This is the definitive packing list — clothes, cameras, medications, and the one thing almost everyone forgets.
7 min
North, northeast, east, or Stone Town — each coast has a completely different character, tide situation, and type of resort. This guide explains the differences clearly so you can match the right coast to your travel style, whether you want swimming, diving, culture, or seclusion.
Destination
10 min
Both parks host the Great Migration. Both have excellent wildlife. Both have luxury camps. But the experience of being in each is completely different — in scale, in privacy, in what you're allowed to do, and in what you pay. This is our honest, side-by-side comparison.
Wildlife
8 min
Half a million wildebeest calves born in six weeks — and every predator in the ecosystem converging on the southern plains. Calving season is one of Africa's most sustained and dramatic wildlife experiences, yet it remains less visited than the river crossings. Here's why we recommend it.
Kilimanjaro
11 min
There are six routes up Kilimanjaro. Three of them are worth considering seriously. This guide compares Lemosho, Machame and Rongai on scenery, acclimatisation profiles, summit success rates, and what kind of trekker each route suits best. Plus why we never recommend 5-day climbs.
Lodge Review
9 min
We have stayed in or personally visited every luxury and mid-range lodge featured on this page. This is our honest ranking — which properties deliver on their photography, which ones disappoint, and which represent the best value for money at each price point in 2025.
Culture
6 min
Stone Town is not a tourist attraction you visit in a morning — it is a living, working city that reveals itself slowly to those who walk without a map. This guide covers the history, the best private walking tour routes, the rooftop bars, the spice market, and the Omani palaces.
Wildlife
7 min
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino — Tanzania has all five, though black rhino remain critically rare. This guide covers the best parks for each species, the optimal time of year to maximise sightings, and the specific behaviours our guides watch for to predict predator activity before it happens.
Planning
5 min
Tanzania now issues e-visas online — the process is straightforward but there are common errors that cause delays. This guide walks through the application step by step, lists the documents you need, and explains what to do at the airport if something goes wrong.
Every article in this journal is written by the same team that will plan your safari. Tell us your dates, your destinations, and your travel style — we'll have a personalised itinerary to you within 24 hours.