The walks are guided and normally accompanied by an armed ranger. A walking safari is an excellent break from game drives, where visitors will learn some fascinating facts about nature, birds, reptiles, insects, and medicinal uses of local trees and shrubs, which you may not fully appreciate from the seat of your safari car. While the scents and sounds of the African bush are better sensed on foot, it’s, without doubt, an adventure and a thrilling experience especially when the walk extends into wildlife habitats where encounters with freely roaming animals are the norm like in the Selous, Ngorongoro including Ndutu and Tarangire game parks

Walking safaris are, for many that regularly return to Tanzania, the ultimate way to experience the bush. While countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe tend to steal the limelight for their walking itineraries, Tanzania does also, in fact, have some very good walking safaris and, when the troubles in Zimbabwe happened many of the top guides from there headed up to Tanzania to ply their trade and thus raised the bar as far as what you can expect.

On a guided walk, you are free to stop and inspect tracks left behind by a male lion as he makes his way back to his pride or scuff marks left by a dove having momentarily enjoyed a dust bath. Your guide may lead you to closer encounters with elephant taking a snooze or drinking at a watering hole, or on a challenging trek to a kopjie’s peak to discover what lies beyond it.

Take a break mid-walk, laying out a blanket to spend some time sharing a cup of tea and a muffin as your guide shares stories of their life as a walking guide. Know that when you step back onto your car for your afternoon game drive that you will head out more informed and versed in the hidden tricks and illusions of nature.