|
National
Parks of Tanzania - Safaris in Tanzania National Parks of
Tanzania Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Serengeti National Parks,
Ruaha, Mikumi National Park Tanzania National parks
Serengeti
National park
Serengeti is
easily Tanzania’s most famous national park, and it’s also the
largest, at 14,763 square kilometres of protected area that
borders Kenya’s Masai Mara Game ParkIt
is the Migration for which Serengeti is perhaps most
famous. Over a million wildebeest and about 200,000 zebras flow
south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the
short rains every October and November, and then swirl west and
north after the long rains in April, May and June. So strong is
the ancient instinct to move that no drought, gorge or crocodile
infested river can hold them back. The Wildebeest travel through
a variety of parks, reserves and protected areas and through a
variety of habitat. Join us to explore the different forms of
vegetation and landscapes of the Serengeti ecosystem and meet
some of their most fascinating inhabitants.
Lake
Manyara National park
Located
beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the
Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied
ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views.Lake
Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions are another reason to pay
this park a visit. The only kind of their species in the world,
they make the ancient mahogany and elegant acacias their home
during the rainy season, and are a well-known but rather rare
feature of the northern park. In addition to the lions, the
national park is also home to the largest concentration of
baboons anywhere in the world -- a fact that makes for
interesting game viewing of large families of the primates.
Ngorongoro
crater
The
Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and the ‘8th
Natural Wonder of the World,’ a visit to the crater is a main
drawcard for tourists coming to Tanzania and a definite
world-class attraction. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA)
is home of Ngorongoro Crater. It was formed some 2.5 million
years ago from a volcanic mountain sinking due to inactivity,
and was initially thought to be higher than Tanzania’s famous
Kilimanjaro. The crater has evolved into a unique and integral
part of Tanzania’s eco-system. The crater is actually a caldera,
measures 22.5 km’s across and the rim walls stand 600m high.
Views from within and from the rim are breathtaking (as can be
seen from the picture). The crater houses 30,000 animals, and a
large variety of birds, which rarely move from the area due to
the availability of water through wet and dry seasons
Tarangire
National park
Tarangire
National Park, one of the hidden jewels of Tanzania. This park
measures 2,600 sq km’s and boasts a concentration of wildlife
second only to Ngorongoro Crater. It features an impressive
amount and array of bird life and plant life. Situated only
160km’s from Arusha, the park is nestled to the south of the
large open grass plains of southern Maasailand. It is named
after the Tarangire River, which runs directly through the
center of the park and is the only permanent water source for
the animals. Along the banks of this river you will find herds
of wildebeest (or gnu) and zebra, followed by Grant’s Gazelle,
Thomson’s Gazelle and many others. Lurking in the background
lion and leopard keep a watchful eye on a possible meal. The
park offers views of grass and floodplains with impressive
baobab and flat topped acacia trees scattered throughout. During
the dry season the park may look quite ordinary, but activities
continue even more earnestly due to the now increased
competition.
Ruaha
National park
At 12
950km˛, Ruaha is only marginally smaller than the Serengeti, and
is pristine and untouched Africa, unsullied by minibus tourism
and large lodges with electric lights, discotheques and glitzy
curio shops. Infested with tsetse fly, Ruaha is bordered in the
north by the Kizigio and Rungwa River Game Reserves, and
together they form a 26 500km˛ conservancy, one of the biggest
in East Africa. By road, it is a five hour journey from Iringa,
but there is also an airstrip at Msembe for fly-in safaris. The
best months to visit are from July to November when the animals
congregate around the water holes, but the park is stunning all
year round. Ruaha is visually a treat, with rocky outcrops and
mountain ranges giving it a topography that ranges from 750m to
1 900m on the peak of Ikungu Mountain, and the focal point of
the reserve is the Great Ruaha River, with its deep gorges,
swirling rapids – and excellent fishing. With over 10 000
elephant, 30 000 buffalo, 20 000 zebra and huge populations of
lion and leopard (not to mention more than 400 bird species)
Ruaha is a naturalist’s paradise.
Mikumi
National park
This small
park measures 1,300 km2 and is located closeby to Dar
Es Salaam. There is not that is offered to visitors although it
is a pretty park. Mostly used by residents of Dar Es Salaam for
a weekend getaway. The park has resident game species which can
be seen throughout the year.
Arusha
National Park
Located on
the outskirts of Arusha. Not many visitors visit the park during
the year which is surprising due to the concentrations of
wildlife that are found in the area. Although it is not on any
path of the major migration routes of the wildebeest it still
has an attractive array of wildlife and birdlife. Mount Meru
(4566m) also forms part of this national park. Mount Meru is the
3rd highest mountain in Africa (The highest being Mount
Kilimanjaro and second is Mount Kenya). Many hiking trails are
available up Mount Meru and spectacular views can be seen from
the top. If you want to visit this park, we suggest that you
only spend a day at the most here
Selous Game
Reserve
There are so many reasons why the Selous is remarkable. With an
area of 55,000 sq km, or 5% of Tanzania's land surface, the
Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest protected areas of the
world. To give you an indication of how large it is, it is
larger than Switzerland or Denmark and is uninhabited and little
touched by human interference. The wildlife is spectacular and
it houses the largest mammal populations in Africa. Nowhere else
can you make boat safaris through more spectacular wildlife
concentrations. Visitors are also permitted to take walking
safaris with an armed ranger, which is not possible in Tanzanian
National Parks.
Outstanding features include Rufiji, Beho Beho and Ruaha River.
These provide the eco system with the much needed water and also
contribute to the marshy conditions found within the Reserve.
The Rufiji River splits the eco-system into two distinct parts.
Stiegler's Gorge which is 100, deep and 100m wide is a
magnificent natural feature with a rickety and gut wrenching
cable car that ferries safari vehicles across the the river.
This is not for the feint hearted.
The reserve is home to over half of Tanzania's elephant
population, as well as significant numbers of buffalo, wild dog
and hippo, as well as lion, leopard and plenty of lesser game.
This is a bird lover's paradise with over 350 species of bird.
To give you an indication of the numbers - 120 000 buffalo, 150
000 wildebeest, 50 000 zebra, an estimated half the African
population of wild dog, about 4 000 and 50 000 impala. This is
only seen by about 2000 visitors per year, which shows that this
is untouched Africa as it was hundreds of years ago. |
