Africa Travel Blog

Category: Tanzania

  • Visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar

    Visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar – Suggestions for hotels, transportation, and sightseeing from someone who has lived and traveled extensively in Africa. Don’t book travel until you read through this site!

    Ngorongoro Crater Safaris

    The Ngorongoro Crater is a popular destination for Tanzania safaris. The crater is a hollowed-out volcano that forms a natural self-contained safari park that is 20km wide.

    The Ngorongoro Crater boasts of having one of the most populous game areas in Africa. With over thirty thousand animals, the Crater makes for a great place to see rare animals like rhinos.

    The Ngorongoro Crater is 180 km from Arusha, Tanzania, and is about a 4-hour drive on a mostly dirt road.

    The gates of the Ngorongoro Crater park open at 7:00 am and close at 4:00pm. All vehicles must be out of the crater before 6:00 pm.

  • Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge, Zanzibar

    Akuna Matata Beach Lodge
    Chuini Ruins/Bububu, Box 4747, Zanzibar, Tanzania
    Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge Phone: +255 (0) 777 45 48 92

    Zanzibar’s Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge is located on the west coast of Zanzibar, about 12km from Stone Town. Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge offers private bungalows and spa treatments and is located right on a secluded beach.

    The Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge’s restaurant serves up fresh cuisine in its beautiful beach-front outdoor dining area, and owners Fritz and Rose are kind and helpful in setting up trips to town and tours of the island.

    Room rates at the Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge range from 65-130USD per person per night (double room including breakfast), depending on the season.

  • Stone Town, Zanzibar

    Stone Town is the main city on Zanzibar island in Tanzania. Although small in size, Zanzibar’s Stone Town is rich in culture and history and is a beautiful place to explore.

    Visitors can wander through Stone Town’s narrow, crooked streets, stopping to browse local artisans’ shops or to sip tea in an open-air cafe. Water enthusiasts can visit Stone Town’s beach or sail in a dhow in the Indian Ocean. There is no shortage of restaurants in Stone Town, including the outdoor beach-front restaurant at the Tembo House Hotel in Stone Town.

    For those interested in the history of Zanzibar, visitors can view part of the old Zanzibar slave market, which was sadly once a vital part of Zanzibar’s economy.

  • Zanzibar Serena Inn Hotel

    Serena Hotels are famous for their high quality and beauty, and the Zanzibar Serena Inn hotel is no exception. Dont’s let the simple exterior of the Zanzibar Serena Inn fool you; the interior of the Zanzibar Serena Inn hotel is a stunning blend of Arabian, Persian, and European styles.

    Located in the heart of Stone Town, Zanzibar, the Zanzibar Serena Inn hotel is one of the best luxury hotels in Zanzibar.

    Mangapwani Beach Zanzibar

    One of Zanzibar’s best beaches, Mangapwani beach is on Zanzibar’s northwest coast. Mangapwani beach is known for its many sheltered coves and rock outcroppings, as well as its secluded beauty.

  • Best Restaurants in Zanzibar

    Zanzibar is known for its spices and wonderful fresh fruit, so it’s no wonder that there is no shortage of great restaurants in Zanzibar.

    Here is my list of the best restaurants in Zanzibar:

    Tower Top Restaurant

    Tower Top Restaurant, Zanzibar
    Address: 236 Hurumzi Street, Zanzibar Tanzania
    Phone: 255-(0)77-7423266

    The famous Tower Top Restaurant, which is located in the Emerson & Green Hotel in Zanzibar, is one of Zanzibar’s best restaurants.

    Guests at Tower Top Restaurant in Zanzibar enjoy live music while dining Arabian Nights-style on carpets and beautiful pillows. With ocean views to match the food, Tower Top Restaurant is well worth a visit.

    Sweet Easy Restaurant

    Sambusa Two Tables Restaurant

  • Ngorongoro Serena Hotel

    The Ngorongoro Serena Hotel and Safari Lodge is located right on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

    Like all Serena hotels, the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel is luxurious and has all the amenities of a world-class safari lodge. The hotel blends into the earthy backdrop of the crater edge, and is a perfect jumping-off point for your safari game drives in the crater.

    Rooms at the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel are decorated in neutral tones with all the attention to detail one would expect from a Serena destination. The hotel offers an array of meals, including BBQ lunches, as well as spa facilities and a boutique.

    Room rates at the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel are $555USD/night for a double room during the high season (Jun 1-March 31), $335USD/night for a double room during the low season (April 1-May 30).