The Safari Journal
Field notes from Tanzania
Stories, guides and quiet observations from the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and beyond.
More from the journal
Planning
Best Time to Visit the Serengeti — A Month-by-Month Guide
The Serengeti is a year-round park, but the animals move. Here is when to go for the Great Migration, calving season, river crossings and quieter shoulder months.
5 Jan 2026 · 7 min read
Planning
Sample Tanzania Safari Itineraries — 3, 6 and 10 Days
Three complete Tanzania safari itineraries — a short getaway, a classic Northern Circuit and a full Migration and Zanzibar journey. Copy them, or start with them and tailor.
20 Dec 2025 · 9 min read
Wildlife
The Great Migration: When to See the Mara River Crossings
Two million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebra, and one narrow window of drama on the Mara River. Here is how we time it.
14 Jul 2025 · 6 min read
Planning
Why a Private Land Cruiser Changes Everything
A safari lives or dies by the vehicle. Here's why we insist on private 4×4 Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs, and never a minibus.
30 Jun 2025 · 5 min read
Wildlife
Birding the Serengeti — A Quiet Obsession
Everyone comes for the Big Five. Then, somewhere around day three, they notice the lilac-breasted rollers. Here's a beginner's guide to Tanzania's 1,100+ bird species.
12 Jun 2025 · 7 min read
Wildlife
Raising Lions: Inside a Serengeti Pride
Cubs are born blind, hidden, and outnumbered by threats. Watching a lioness raise them in the open Serengeti is one of the most affecting scenes on any safari.
28 May 2025 · 6 min read
Wildlife
The Tree-Climbing Lions of Lake Manyara
Lions aren't supposed to climb trees. In Lake Manyara and southern Serengeti, they do — draped along acacia branches like leopards. Nobody quite knows why.
5 May 2025 · 5 min read
Planning
What to Pack for a Tanzania Safari (and What to Leave)
You need less than you think. A short, honest packing list from a guide who has seen every over-stuffed suitcase in Arusha airport.
18 Apr 2025 · 4 min read