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Tanzania
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Tanzania hosts some of the world's most spectacular sights - Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest Mountain in Africa at 5895m above sea level; Ngorongoro Crater, one of the natural wonders of the world, and the Serengeti, scene of the annual migration of over a million wildebeest and their attendant predators. As well as safari, you can relax under blue skies on the islands of Zanzibar, Mafia or Pemba. There is also the largest game reserve in Africa - the Selous - named after the famous explorer.
Tanzania offers a diverse range of activities; hiking, cycling, horseback safaris, diving, chimp tracking or simply relaxing in the bush with your expert guide. There are many different types of safari, to suit different time scales, tastes, aspirations and budget! There are many hotels and safari lodges - ranging from basic to luxury, to tented. One of the best experiences is still an old-fashioned mobile tented safari.
The idea of a mobile camp experience in Tanzania may worry you, some may think they will have to work hard to enjoy the outdoors. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Mobile camps are temporary sites that are set up seasonally and located as close to the current herd location as possible.
In some instances tents are set up before you arrive and taken down after you leave. In other areas, a camp may be set up for 4 – 6 weeks in the same area, before being taken down and moved. They differ from permanent tented camps in that they are not set up on a base foundation, but they offer unparelleled intimacy with nature.
There are usually a variety of styles of mobile camping, but the luxury camp is the most popular. Tents are made of heavy - duty canvas with zippered windows and netting all around the tent for ventilation. Examples would be 8’ wide by 24’ long and over 7’ high. They have a private bathroom and shower area attached to the rear of the tent, allowing you access without going outside. Inside, the tent has hand-made wooden furniture including 7’ long beds with full mattresses. You may choose twin beds or a double bed. There are fresh linens on the beds daily and towels are provided as well.
Other features of the luxury tent include:
- Nightstand by each bed or side of the bed
- Woven mats
- Clothes rack for hanging up your clothes
- Dressing and washing area toward the rear of the tent. This can be converted into a sleeping area for younger children if needed.
- Flashlight
- Solar lighting in the evening
- Hot water bottles for colder evenings
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THE SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
One of the most famous wildlife areas in the world. The park’s 5,700 square miles are part of the 9,600-squire-mile Mara- Serengeti ecosystem, home to incredible herds of wildebeest and other grazing animals. It is the largest national park in Tanzania, with a staggering animal population of about 4 million within 14,763 km sq. It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world and the site of one of the most breathtaking events in animal kingdom-the migration of more than a million wildebeest.
The area consists of treeless central plain, savannah dotted with acacia and granite outcroppings called kopjes, and riverine bush and forest in the north. The park’s name is derived from the Maasai language “SIRINGET” which means endless plains. The famous “Migration” that people dream to experience, is actually a dynamic process taking a full year to complete. There are different ‘events’ that happen at different times of the year and in different locations in this park. The basic migration occurs in a clock-wise direction, but it is guided by rain and the growth of grass, so at any time the animals can ignore “tradition” and just follow rain clouds in a more haphazard direction.
There are three “seasons” in the Serengeti. They are short rains, long rains and dry season. During the start of the “short rains” of November and December, the large wildebeest and zebra herds leave the northern part of the Serengeti Eco-system (the Mara in Kenya) and travel east and south around the Gol Mountains and into the short grass plain of the southern and eastern Serengeti. The female wildebeest need to be in this area to begin the calving, the kind of grass is high in calcium and magnesium and they rely on this particular kind of grass for calving and milk production. Wildebeest calving can begin anytime between January-March. More than 750,000 females will drop their calves within a 3-week period of time, so predator/prey activity is at a peak. The short grass plains also offer some of the best protection against predators, as they are more visible to the herd animals.
Herd animals will remain in this area as long as there is decent rain that continues in the following months, although they only need short bursts of rain to be happy. April is usually the month of long rain, meaning it rains fairly constantly and heavily. At this time, the herd usually begins to move to the Central Serengeti and begins to prepare for the wildebeest rut of May and June. These are some of the most amazing herd sightings, as the male and female herds reunite for breeding.
The herd movement continues both west and north between May usually to the end of July. At this point, the herd disperses a bit and males without females may migrate directly north to the Mara, some may move to the famous Western Corridor and remain year round in the Serengeti. If rains are normal, we can expect the majority of the herd to leave the Serengeti by the middle to the end of July. The dry season of July-October still remains excellent for viewing cats of all kinds. In fact, some cats are easier to locate because they must remain more active during the daytime to search for dwindling food. During these months, clients usually stay in the Central Serengeti or the Western Corridor. The famous “river crossings”, which everyone hopes to see, are hard to predict and can occur in a short number of days. But, there are herd that cross at a few different locations on the Grumeti River in Tanzania and the Mara River bordering Kenya and Tanzania. Crossings typically occur October-November on the Mara River and July on the Grumeti River in Tanzania.
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| OLDUVAI GORGE Often referred to as the 'cradle of mankind'. It is here that Mary Leakey made her groundbreaking discovery of a Hominid (human like) skull dating back 1.8 million years. Since then other hominid species, possibly our early ancestors, have been found the in the area dating back as far as 3.7 million years. |
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NGORONGORO CRATER
One of seven World Heritage Sites designated in Tanzania, the world’s largest un-flooded caldera. This means the entire rim of the old volcano is intact. The Crater is a memorable experience. Only 100 square miles in total, it offers six distinct habitats: acacia forest, swamp, and short grass, long grass, riverine and woodland. Each habitat attracts a variety of animals. NCA is also the world’s first multi-purpose land use experiment, combining tourism, research, archaeology, wildlife management, grazing rights and farming.
The rim of the Crater sits at 7,800 feet in altitude and the Crater floor descends to 5,000 feet above sea leave. The Crater is home to almost 30,000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes of the volcano. The Crater is the best location for viewing black rhino and the huge old bull elephants. There is not enough vegetation to support the large cow and calf herds, but the old males “retire” to the Crater for the wonderful swamp grass and acacia forest. The only animals you will not see in the Crater are the impala and giraffe. It is not known why impala do not inhabit the Crater, but giraffe are unable to descend the steep grade without lowering their heads, which raises their blood pressure to dangerous levels
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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
The “Baobab Capital of the World”, is 120km and 2 hours drive from Arusha (75 miles). Tarangire is renowned for its wild landscapes and diverse habitats. The Tarangire River, from which the park derives its name, is the only permanent water source within 2600 square kilometres (1625 sq.miles) of protected wildlife area. In addition to numerous animals, the park has over 300 species of birds and has the highest recorded number of breeding bird species of any habitat in the world.
Tarangire is most famous for its elephants. There are 3,000 resident elephants in the park and another 3,000 individuals migrate into the park during the dry season of July-October. Elephants can begin to migrate into Tarangire as early as May and June as they follow the long rains. Elephant watching is excellent in Tarangire all year round.
During the dry season, herd animals of all kinds (elephants, wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and antelopes) migrate from the surrounding areas for the water found inside the park. This is the second largest migration of animals in Africa after the Serengeti Migration.
Tarangire has a very large swamp, called Silali Swamp that attracts animals and birds of all kinds. During the dry season, the famous giant rock pythons leave the swamp to avoid being stepped on by herd animals and live in the trees on the edge of the swamp. Tarangire is also home to the last remaining pack of wild dogs in northern Tanzania. They remain an extremely elusive find.
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LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK is a picturesque, narrow tract of land between the soda lake and Rift Valley wall, its lush ground-water forests, woodlands, open plains and sulphur-rich hot springs are home to nearly 400 bird species, including bee-eaters, kingfishers, pelicans and flamingos. Large mammals include giraffe, leopard, buffalo, olive baboons, hippo, elephants, and the famous tree- climbing lions.
SOUTHERN TANZANIA Ruaha National Park and the Selous Game Reserve are captivating wilderness areas where remote landscapes and abundant wildlife never fail to enthral. There are only a small handful of camps and they can be reached by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam, or, if time allows, by road. Between them, the Selous and Ruaha harbour the continent’s largest populations of buffalo, elephant, hippo, crocodile and the endangered African hunting dog. Other big game include lion, leopard, roan antelope, sable and both greater and lesser kudu.
SELOUS GAME RESERVE The Selous covers around 50,000 km2, four times the size of the Serengeti and nearly the size of Ireland. This vast wilderness area encompasses diverse habitats: lakes, hot springs, acacia woodlands, gorges, riverine forest, and open grassland.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK Further west, Ruaha is in a transition zone where the species of southern and eastern Africa overlap and it is one of the last great, undiscovered wilderness areas. Naturalists and birders will delight in the 1600 plant and 450 bird species.
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WESTERN TANZANIA
Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains are extraordinarily beautiful national parks by the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Chimp tracking is the chief attraction. Thanks to Jane Goodall’s pioneering research in the 1960’s, the wild chimpanzees are habituated, and guided walks offer a good chance of encountering them. Both parks are accessible by boat from Kigoma, the main settlement on the lake.
Katavi National Park is a classic dry season reserve in remote western Tanzania. It contains large tracts of Miombo woodland crossed by a number of rivers, each with wide floodplains. Between May and November, these open floodplains attract abundant game, allowing for wildlife viewing unsurpassed elsewhere in Africa.
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MT. KILIMANJARO
Situated south of the equator, this is Africa's highest mountain and the highest "free standing " mountain in the world. Huge permanent glaciers flow down from the summit, and spectacular views and beautiful ice formations are the reward for the successful trekker, as well as the satisfaction of conquering this mighty peak.
It is not for the faint-hearted - this will test you to your limits, mentally as well as physically. The main problems encountered are altitude sickness, which can be countered by use of medicines, and lack of oxygen. The standard route is a hike - no climbing as such. It is very cold - correct kit is a must.
Good preparation and advice, as well as good guides on the mountain, are essential - this type of thing is a "once in a lifetime " challenge, and must not be taken lightly.
There are several principal hiking routes up the mountain: Marangu, Shira, Londorossi, Umbwe and Machame. The Shira plateau can be reached with a four-wheel drive vehicle up to 4 000 metres. All routes are marked and provided with simple bivouac huts and water. Most climbers choose to camp (except on Marangu which offers communal huts).
No mountaineering experience is needed to climb 5869-metre Mt Kilimanjaro, although the glacier-bound summit provides scope for technical climbs. The summit of Kilimanjaro can be reached by any reasonably fit person who enjoys walking.
THE TANZANIA COAST is largely undiscovered, unspoilt and fast catching the attention of travellers looking to avoid the hustle and bustle of the better known tourist destinations. Enjoy beautiful sandy beaches, offshore coral reefs and explore fascinating ancient ports steeped in the history of the slave and ivory trade.
THE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGO
Lies just 35 km offshore from Dar es Salaam, and the combination of fabulous beaches, distinctive culture, and excellent diving makes it a blissful place to unwind after a safari.
These islands have lured travellers for two millennia. Persian and Omani sultans, followed by Portuguese merchants, made this the slave and spice-trading capital of the world. The spice trade still flourishes, with clove and coconut plantations covering the interior. However, in the last decade tourism has emerged as a major commercial activity on these islands.
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The beaches of Zanzibar’s east coast are even more beautiful than they appear on postcards and in travel brochures. The sand is a brilliant white and powder fine, and stretches from Nungwi, at the northern tip of the island to Chakwa. Sunbathing visitors and traditional villages find shade beneath the coconut palms bordering the beach. The turquoise waters are warm, and a fringe reef lies less than a kilometre offshore. This coast attracts divers and fishermen, as well as couples in search of a tropical paradise.
Pemba is the second largest island in the Zanzibar Archipelago. It lies about 80km northeast of Unguja (Zanzibar) and about 80km east of the Tanzanian coast. Around 67km long and 22km wide, Pemba is less visited, less developed and more verdant, fertile and hilly than its more famous sister island.
Mafia Island With white sandy beaches, dazzling aquamarine waters and refreshingly few tourists, Mafia is the way Zanzibar was 30 years ago, the laid-back eco-alternative.
Chumbe Island Coral Park is located six km off the coast of Zanzibar, across the water from Stone Town. Accessible only by boat, the whole of this coral island is a nature reserve
Mnemba Island is an untouched atoll two km northeast of the island of Zanzibar. The island's 1.5 km circumference is pristine beach with brilliant, soft, white sand. The waters surrounding the island are protected to conserve the magnificent coral reefs where giant turtles and spectacular tropical fish drift through the lagoon.
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