40 Best Hotels in Tanzania

Light, delicate linens, fantastic dining, and touches of romantic Africa scattered all around the campsite make Olakira one of the finest mobile camps in the Serengeti. The location in the north (July–November) sits atop a hill right near a popular wildebeest crossing where you can watch the excitement with relative ease and return to the comfort of your lounge area. When in the south (December–March) it faces the grassy Ndutu plains. Each tent has a king-size bed, large shower area, and canvas chaise lounge on a private verandah. You will be immersed in the African plains without sacrificing any comforts.

Check ahead when booking. If the camp is full they may place you at Olakira Kimondo—lovely, and run by the same company, but does not have the stunning location like Olakira.

It's not often that you'll stay in a marquee-shaped tent elegantly furnished with silk curtains, antique furniture, stylish African artifacts, and a/c, but that's what you'll get at this ultra luxurious camp set among green lawns adjacent to the Great Migration route. The game-abundant terrain ranges from open plains and rocky outcrops to riverine forest and woodlands in this 350,000-acre Grumeti concession in Serengeti's western corridor. At night, glowing gas lamps transform the tents raised on polished wooden platforms into a bush fairyland, although the only winged creatures you'll see will be the night birds and the fluttering moths. For a soothing experience, have a spa treatment on your verandah as you gaze out at the never-ending plains. At night, enjoy the brilliance of the night sky before or after a superlative meal.

Deep in the southwest corner of Nyerere National Park, this lodge is just about as isolated and exclusive as you can get, but the attentive service and home-away-from-home atmosphere is unlike any other lodge in the park. Located just above a wide bend in the Rufiji River, the stone and thatch lodge and chalets are open to the surroundings, each with a incredibly comfortable king-size bed, elegant natural wooden furniture, cream and white soft furnishings, carefully chosen African artifacts, and great river views. In front of the main lodge, shaded by a 1,500-year-old baobab tree, there's a deck that curves along the riverbank, where you can sit and watch cavorting hippos and dozing crocs. Apart from its game drives and fun fishing safaris, the lodge prides itself on its walking safaris; you don't have to be super fit, but a ramble through the surrounding wilderness with some of Tanzania's best guides is something you'll never forget.

Located in the Grumeti Reserve, a 350,000-acre concession in Serengeti's western corridor, this superlative lodge is built in the style of a glamorous 1920s East African farm ranch. Guests stay in one of the honey-color stone suites, each elegantly furnished with hand-carved furniture and copies of antique animal prints lining the high walls. Private patios with soft, wicker lounge chairs and heated pools offer up perfect views for game spotting. There are game drives here—the game is as good as it gets as it is on the migration route—but there is also horseback riding, visits to anti-poaching stations, and fine china dining at its best.

Overlooking the Mara River in Serengeti's northwest, where the park borders Kenya's Masai Mara National Park, this mid-size tented camp is perfectly poised for watching the river crossing when in season—hundreds of thousands of wildebeest plunge into the crocodile-infested water on their relentless journey north. The spacious en suite tents, with hot water safari showers and flush toilets, colorfully decorated with handwoven rugs and wall hangings, are only a few hundred meters away from the river. Two lounge and dining tents exude classical safari charm with modern comfort. The horizon pool with lookout sun deck has plenty of space to take in the surrounds.

This attractive camp on Lake Mzizimia's shores nestles among borassus palms and riverine bush with views over the Rufiji. Tents on wooden platforms raised on stilts, each with its own en suite bathroom and private verandah, have comfortable African-theme soft furnishings and rich, handmade wooden furniture. Join other guests in the main thatch lounge, which is also raised on a platform with magnificent views of the river, for meals and sundowners. If you're here in the dry season between June and October, you'll see plains game galore as the animals come to drink at the perennial river. Go for a guided game walk with an armed ranger, a game drive, or a boat safari; try fly camping or just chill out at the bar overlooking the river at this wonderfully comfortable and unpretentious camp.

Set high on a bluff above Tanzania's biggest river, the mighty Rufiji, Mivumo lodge hosts a beautiful location with relaxing river views. There are 12 large thatch-roof suites with wall-to-ceiling windows, a big en suite bathroom with chandelier, his-and-her marble basins, a claw-foot bath, and a hand-carved wooden screen and mirrors. You even have a private plunge pool (and rainshower) from where you can watch hippos snooze or crocodiles sunbathe. Spread over three levels, there is a pool deck, a viewing deck, and thatch-sheltered sitting and dining area overlooking the river. Daylong drives into the middle of the reserve where giraffe and lion abound are spectacular. A boat trip up the Stiegler Gorge (named after a famous early-1900s elephant hunter) is a must.

Found in northeast Serengeti among the rocky Ndasiata Hills, it's hard to believe that the accommodation is actually tented because it looks so luxurious. These spacious tents have hand-carved wooden furniture, big window-like screens, en suite bathrooms, and a verandah that faces the Grumeti River, which gives you a ringside seat of the migration. The main areas with their deep leather chairs, sofas, handsome rugs, and elegant fittings seem more like a gentlemen's club you'd find in London or Washington, D.C., than a tent. Game is good all year round, but when the migration passes through it is awesome. Need a change of pace? You can laze by the pool or take a balloon safari over the Serengeti.

This Nomad camp delivers a classic mobile safari camp experience that does not compromise on comfort and quality. Guests are welcomed into a well-appointed lounge area filled with plush couches, charging stations, and delicate drapery; it feels as if you've walked into a peaceful space that really seeks to deliver on being part of the migration experience. Views open up at every angle so you never have a moment to miss out on any action. Tents are simple in layout with some lovely local touches and flourishes that lend themselves to being more than a simple far-flung safari. For the remoteness of the camps, the food is delicious and effortlessly prepared. Game drives are full-day events and depending on the site location you can come across herds of elephants, giraffes ambling past, and plenty of antelope---you may feel like you're in a National Geographic special as the wildlife moves right through the camp.

Upendo in Swahili translates to "love", and guests will certainly fall in love with this small boutique beach hotel. On the quieter beach of Michumvi, Upendo Beach has three luxury villas tucked into the swaying palms. Each of these spacious double-level hideaways comes with its own private butler, upper floor plunge pool, and lounge areas. Four separate suites are within a private family villa and come with the same flair and jovial quirk that is found throughout the property. Pops of vibrant color, local artisanal touches, and modern amenities are present throughout the communal lounge and bar areas. Thursday evenings have live music around the infinity pool.