Suggested road trips in Tanzania
Need help planning your Tanzania itinerary? Tanzania is a huge country and a road trip paradise. We've set out some really nice routes, ranging from a short 8-day circuit - ideal for those who have limited time or want to combine a safari with a Zanzibar add-on, to exciting 21+ day circuits, showing you all the marvels and diversity that Tanzania has to offer.
Many people underestimate driving times, especially when planning a safari itinerary in Tanzania. Take a look at our suggested routes to get a better understanding of distances and driving times, and build your road trip from there. This way, you also make sure that you follow a logical route, with feasible distances, and have plenty of variation in your trip. As Tanzania is so much more than a safari destination.
For all roadtrippers, we've carefully compiled an overview of our favorite places to stay in Tanzania and Zanzibar, catering to all budgets. This guide, covering 24 towns and National Parks and 100+ places to stay, is the result of over 10 years of travel experience in Tanzania. We are happy to share our tips exclusively with you, so that combined with our suggested routes, you are able to explore Tanzania independently!
Suggested routes
- Follow a carefully designed route
- Accommodation Guide: 100+ tips covering 24 towns and National Parks
- 24 /7 roadside assistance
Taste of Tanzania
When following the Taste of Tanzania, you visit the most famous safari parks of the country: Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. This circuit is ideal for Tanzania first-timers, those who primarily come to Tanzania for safari, want modest driving hours a day, and have limited time. 6 to 8 days / 5-7 car rental days are recommended to follow this route.
Northern Circuit - Classic
Tanzania is truly gifted by Mother Nature, but its northern region really is the spoiled kid. You tumble from one legendary safari park to another. The Northern Circuit is the classic safari circuit of Tanzania: you visit Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. We recommend a minimum of 7 -9 days / 6-8 car rental days.
Northern Circuit - off the beaten track
This exciting circuit combines the premier safari parks in Tanzania with hidden gems. It contains scenic driving on back roads, the ability to do walks and hikes, and cultural encounters. You'll explore Tarangire, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and West Kilimanjaro. This route is among our favorites! We recommend a minimum of 11 -14 days / 10-13 car rental days.
Bush to Beach - Northern Route
The bush-to-beach Tanzania safari is the ultimate one-way road trip and righteously our most popular! Start in Arusha and hand over your car in Dar es Salaam (or vice versa). This itinerary is ideal for those looking to combine the classic safari experience with mountain scenery, culture, and a beach road trip, away from the crowds and resorts. It's also a great itinerary for family holidays, because of the variation. The Usambaras and Swahili coasts are not touristy and easy to explore on a budget. We recommend a minimum of 16- 22 days / 15-21 car rental days.
The wild South East
This roadtrip begins and ends in Dar es Salaam and takes you to the less visited national parks of south east Tanzania. Ideal for those that want to get off the tourist trail at friendly prices. Go on world class safaris in Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve, experience local village life in traditional Tanzanian highland villages, and go birding and chimp trekking in the Udzungwa Mountains.
Like to discover other countries?
Uganda
Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa. Beautiful nature, laid back culture and friendly people who will make you feel at home. The silverback gorillas are a true highlight. Often referred to as “Africa condensed”, Uganda has the best of everything the continent has to offer, packed into one small, but stunning, country. This means you can drive between almost all of the country’s tourism highlights in less half a day.
UgandaKenya
There is no better place in the world to watch herds of elephants than in Amboseli National Park, and Masai Mara is home to one of the highest concentrations of wildlife on the planet. From Kenya's national parks to the Indian Ocean at its Swahili coast, Roadtrip Kenya are here to help you drive your own adventure.
KenyaMadagascar
For the true 4x4 adventurer. Few places on earth offer such an intense kaleidoscope of nature and cultural heritage, and half the fun is getting to these attractions. The endless white, sandy beaches, rain forests, baobabs, the remarkable Tsingy and national parks that only see 100 visitors a year. Combine this with a cultural melting pot of mixed African and Asian cultures and the French influence on the cuisine, and you can understand why we happily obeyed your wishes of adding Madagascar as our latest Roadtrip Africa destination.
Madagascar