Tanzania Christmas Holidays

What to expect for Christmas in Tanzania?

Beer, and lots of it. Many locals make their own beer (picture a microbrewery in each village) and many tribes even have their own brands. On Christmas Eve, feast on freshly prepared and cooked meat washed down with a local beer or two (or more if you want to live like a local) and sit back and relax as the festivities unfold around you. The little ones can enjoy a brand-new rainbow hued wardrobe, as is customary in Tanzania, each item adorned with hand-sewn patterns as traditional Swahili Christmas songs erupt joyously around them. No Christmas day would be complete without a festive feast, and this goes without saying during Christmas in Tanzania. Gorge on traditional Swahili pilau – rice ‘n’ meat – as well as freshly slaughtered goat and deliciously moreish chapatis.

Where to go for Christmas in Tanzania?

As soon as you arrive in Tanzania, you will be greeted with a rich and exotic culture. Going on a safari is of course at the top of the agenda to seek out all of the weird and wonderful wildlife that Tanzania has to offer. With warm sunny days filling December, creatures will be out in full force, so make sure to keep your binos at the ready. The Ngorongoro Crater is home to everything from perched pelicans and flamboyant flamingos to bumbling buffalos and honking hippos. Serengeti National Park is the place to head if the Great Migration is on your agenda and the Big Five (lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos and elephants) may even make an appearance. The Zanzibar coast is a great place to go when bodies are weary from sunrise safaris. Little ones can splash around in the warm shallow waters and the grownups can sip refreshing beers from the comfort of a palm-slung hammock. For one last splash of adventure, head for the waves with a snorkel and mask (or even dive gear if the youngsters are old enough) and explore the warm Indian Ocean’s coral reefs and all that inhabit them.