Watching Hippos and Crocodiles Safely on Safari

Wildlife Guides · 4 min read · By Ndovu African Expeditions

Rivers and pools in Tanzania are packed with hippos and crocodiles; here is where to watch them and the simple safety habits that matter most.

Hippo pools are some of the noisiest, smelliest and most entertaining stops on a Tanzania safari. Dozens of animals jostle for space, yawn to show off their teeth and grunt at each other, while crocodiles bask on sandbanks nearby. These are some of the most memorable scenes of any trip, especially for families.

They are also the places where visitors need to pay the most attention. Both animals are powerful and quick when it matters, and many safety rules on safari exist because of them. Here is how to enjoy river wildlife while staying safely on the right side of the waterline.

Why Hippos Demand Respect

Hippos look comical, but they are widely considered among the most dangerous large animals in Africa. They are territorial in water, protective of calves, and can move surprisingly fast over short distances on land. Most trouble happens when a person ends up between a hippo and the water, the animal's place of safety.

Hippos spend the day in water to stay cool and protect their sensitive skin, then come ashore at night to graze. That nightly habit is why many camps near rivers require an escort after dark, and why you should never walk to the riverbank alone in low light.

Crocodiles: Patient Predators

Nile crocodiles can lie motionless for hours, half submerged with only eyes and nostrils showing. They ambush animals that come to drink, which is why the river crossings of the Great Migration attract so much attention. Along the Grumeti and Mara Rivers in the Serengeti, crocodiles can be very large.

The main rule is simple: keep well back from the water's edge, even if you cannot see a crocodile. The murkier the water, the more cautious you should be.

Where to See Them in Tanzania

Good hippo viewing is available in most major parks. In the Serengeti, the Retima hippo pool north of Seronera is a well-known stop with a designated area where visitors may be allowed out of the vehicle under the guide's supervision. In Ngorongoro Crater, hippos gather in the pools and swamps on the floor.

In the south, Nyerere National Park is excellent for both species, and a boat safari on the Rufiji River or its lakes gives eye-level views. The Great Ruaha River in Ruaha National Park also holds hippos and crocodiles, especially in pools that remain as the river shrinks in the dry season.

Safety Rules Our Guides Follow

At Ndovu African Expeditions, our guides treat every river stop with care. Following their instructions is the most important thing you can do, but these principles apply everywhere.

• Leave the vehicle only at designated sites, and only when your guide says so
• Stay several paces back from riverbanks and never sit on the edge
• Never walk between a hippo on land and the water
• Do not wade, swim or rinse hands in rivers and lakes in safari areas
• On boats, stay seated and keep hands and feet inside

Reading the Warning Signs

A hippo's big yawn is often a show of dominance or a warning rather than a sign of tiredness. Repeated head-lifting, loud blowing and mock charges in the water are clear messages to back off. Crocodiles give fewer signals, which is why distance is the best defense. On a boat, the skipper will choose channels and speeds to avoid surprising hippos in shallow water, and you should not ask to move closer to a pod.