Top 5 Destinations to See Lions in Tanzania
The majestic African lion is one of the reasons why people book African safaris. And Tanzania is the ultimate destination for lion safaris. Numbers don’t lie! This East African nation is home to around 15,000 lions, which is about half of Africa’s lion population. This is also the world’s largest lion population. However, there are places where encountering a lion pride is just normal. We’ve rounded up five top places for lion sightings.
- Ruaha National Park.
As the masses congregate in the North, Ruaha, one of the best-kept secrets in Southern Tanzania, remains unexplored. Few parks offer the level of privacy like this large wildlife expanse. As we bring predators into focus, Ruaha holds about 10% of Africa’s lions. “Lions of Ruaha form relatively large prides compared to Serengeti’s lions,” says our guide.
Lions can be seen in wide, stretched plains resting on rock outcrops and along the Ruaha River, where they wait for herbivores to come. There are other great animals to watch in Ruaha, including large elephant herds, buffalo, giraffes, cheetahs, and leopards. Hippos and crocodiles also make frequent appearances in riverine pools and swamps.
In addition to safari, Ruaha offers many other activities. These mainly include balloon safaris, walking safaris, boat rides on the Ruaha River, and fly camping, the opportunity to sleep under the stars.
- Lake Manyara National Park.
Most lions aren’t good at climbing trees, but not those found in Lake Manyara. This small national park hosts a healthy population of the tree climbing lions. People love to watch these predators relaxing on an acacia branch. Speculations suggest that they do that to avoid the heat and to gain vantage points.
Game drives in the groundwater forests are tailored to find these lions, found only in Lake Manyara and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Alongside these lions are large elephant herds, giraffes, buffalo, and monkeys. The lake shore teems with large flocks of lesser flamingos and hippos in the marshes nearby.
Like Ruaha, Lake Manyara offers a variety of add-on activities. You can canoe on this soda lake to watch wildlife and landscape from another perspective. You can also walk on a treetop canopy bridge suspended 15 meters off the ground. Or, book a night safari to discover the nocturnal species.
- Serengeti National Park.
Located in north-central Tanzania, the Serengeti is undoubtedly a top wildlife destination. There’s an incredible number of lions in this world-famous park, around 3,000. Serengeti is dominated by savannah plains, a favorite habitat for lions. They form social groups (pride) of around 15 members. Each pride controls and protects a portion of the plains. There are over 300 prides in the Serengeti.
Featured in The Lion King, lions are probably the most iconic and recognizable species in the Serengeti. They are full of drama. Nature lovers won’t forget the dramatic fights between males. A clear example of this is a fight between Bob Junior, the then king of the Serengeti, and two junior lions in March 2023. This lion never lost a battle at its prime time, but this one was very tough, given its old age. It died, and the throne was taken away.
Serengeti also hosts the Great Migration. Depending on the time of your visit, you can track any phase of this spectacular event. The best regions to see lions in the Serengeti are the Seronera (central), Namiri Plains (east), and Kusini Plains (south). Alongside lions are elephants, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, giraffes, and hyenas.
- Ngorongoro Crater.
No place on Earth matches the Ngorongoro Crater’s density of lions. With around 70 lions (and of course, the most studied lions), this crater has a density of lions per 3.8 km2. Loud, rumbling roars command their presence in this enormous caldera. There are around 6-8 lion prides in the Ngorongoro Crater.
There are other activities that you can add to your safari experience. Look out for black rhinos, elephants, buffalo, and leopards to complete the Big Five list. Walking around the forests surrounding this caldera is also worthwhile. And you can come across monkeys and leopards.
There are Maasai villages a few kilometers from the crater. Set five hours aside for a meaningful interaction with pastoralists. Watch them herd cattle or perform their captivating dance. It’s astonishing to know how they have lived with wildlife with no harm.
- Nyerere National Park.
Nyerere (Selous) is home to a significant number of lions. The park is extremely remote and may be difficult to encounter plain-loving lions. However, most game drives are more likely to reward you with the views of this wonderful predator. Estimates suggest a thriving number of between 1,700 and 6,900 inhabit Nyerere and the Selous.
In addition to lions, Nyerere has a thriving population of African wild dogs, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles. You can also join other adventures like balloon safaris, boat safaris, bush walks, fly camping, and wildlife photography. At Achieve Global Safaris, we’ll make sure you tick every single animal included in your bucket list. Let’s book you a safari then.
