Tanzania

Three times the size of France, Tanzania is blessed with a remarkable concentration and diversity of wildlife and ecosystems and on the vast stage of the Serengeti's short grass plains, the greatest animal migration on earth plays out each year. The Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire are the other great wildlife areas in the north.

To the south are the less visited but equally fascinating tropical lowlands of the Selous, Africa's largest game reserve, and the mountains and plains of Ruaha. Over in the west, under the Mahale mountains are the shores of Lake Tanganyika where the pure water is crystal clear for snorkelling, and in the forested mountains themselves, rising steeply behind, chimpanzees proliferate and the largest herds of buffalo on the continent roam Katavi's wide plains.

On top of this, Tanzania has miles of pristine Indian Ocean coastline and idyllic islands such as those of the Zanzibar archipelago, home to ancient Islamic ruins and white sandy beaches. The romantic spice islands offer superb diving and world-class deep sea fishing. Finally, in the north and close to the Kenyan border, is Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. At 19,340 feet Kili is also the largest free standing mountain in the world and a fine challenge even if you are not a mountaineer, as it is a non-technical climb.