Tanzania

Zebra family in the Serengeti, Tanzania

When I set out to East Africa, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was my first time in this part of the world and my first time photographing wildlife. I would eventually venture out to Zanzibar and Kenya to explore more of this part of Africa.  When I witnessed a herd of elephants crossing in front of our path to get to a waterhole, or hippos fighting for territory in a small lake, or a lion waiting patiently for the right moment to go for a kill, it reminded me that I was in their territory.  I would catch myself staring out into the endless plains of the Serengeti and realizing how beautiful our planet is and how important it is to protect it.

This post is a dedication to the beautiful wildlife found in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara.

Serengeti

The Serengeti is what draws many people to Tanzania. The big draw here is the abundance of many big cats, from lions to cheetahs and many leopards. In fact, the Serengeti is one of the best places in eastern Africa to see lions, which I saw from quite up close.

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Female lion in the dry grass of the Serengeti, TanzaniaElephants and zebras crossing a river in the Serengeti, TanzaniaMale lion in the Serengeti, TanzaniaFamily of zebras at sunset on the plains of the Serengeti, TanzaniaHippo pool in TanzaniaLeopard climbing down a tree in the Serengeti, TanzaniaA leopard sleeping in a tree in the Serengeti, TanzaniaLilac breasterd roller in TanzaniaWildebeest and zebra on the run during the great migration in Serengeti, TanzaniaA male lion hiding for its prey in the grasslands of the Serengeti, TanzaniaClose-up of two zebras in TanzaniaGolden jackal in the Serengeti, TanzaniaHippos getting into the water in the Serengeti, TanzaniaA rock hyrax in Serengeti, TanzaniaA kingfisher on a branch in Serengeti, TanzaniaA lion on the hunt on the plains of Serengeti, Tanzania

Tarangire

The Tarangire National Park is most known for its large herds of elephants (some as large as 50 elephants) as well as the large baobab trees that are scattered throughout the park. The Tarangire river runs through the park and is the lifeline for may animals, forming a green landscape compared to some of the other parks in the area.

Elephants in the water at Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaClose-up of an elephant in Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaElephants taking a bath in Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaClose-up of an elephant eating in TanzaniaA big herd of elephants along a river bank in the Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaBaobab tree in Tarangire National ParkOstrich and zebras in the Tarangire National Park of TanzaniaVultures eating the scraps of a dead Zebra in Tarangire National Park, TanzaniaWarthog in a national park in TanzaniaClose-up of a zebra during a travel photography Tanzania safariVervet monkey during a safari in TanzaniaBaboon family walking in the Tarangire National Park in Tanzania during a safari travel photography tripAntelopes grazing during a safari trip to TanzaniaA baboon posing for the camera in Tanzania Zebras in the water in Tarangire National Park, Tanzaniaan African fish eagle on a branch in Tanzania

Ngorongoro crater

The Ngorongoro crater is a place that should not be skipped when planning a safari trip through Tanzania. This large crater is home to a high concentration of wildlife, and the setting is truly unique as well. As you descend down the crater walls, the landscape becomes more and more lush and the crater itself is booming with wildlife. It’s not uncommon to see black rhinos, giraffes and zebras on a safari trip. One of the highlights was observing a lioness chase a wildebeest after waiting patiently for one hour. I watched the whole process from beginning to end, though luckily for the wildebeest, it managed to escape.

A male lion on the hunt in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaDark clouds over the plains of the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaA male lion hunting for prey in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaA male lion hunting for wildebeest in the Ngorongoro crater, Tanzaniatravel photography in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaA hippo in a pool in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaWildebeest in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaFemale lion getting ready for hunt in the Ngorongoro crater, TanzaniaA female lion chasing a wildebeest in the Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania

Lake Manyara

The main attraction at Lake Manyara National Park is the large salt lake that’s filled with flamingos, hippos and the massive cape buffalo. It’s also home to tree climbing lions, but I was out of luck when I visited the park.

Cape buffalo and flamingos in Lake Manyara, TanzaniaCape buffaloes and flamingos in the Lake Manyara National Park of Tanzania during a travel photography trip

© 2025 Dario Endara