When people ask me the best place to go on their first trip to Africa, Tanzania wins hands down. The Serengeti provides the quintessential safari experience, complete with the highest density of animals on the planet. The wide open landscapes, the Great Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater - it's just classic Africa. AND, for those interested in more than just safaris, climbing Kili is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Zanzibar has some beautiful white-sand beaches.