Tanzania
Welcome to Africa, the continent of diversity that will deeply inspire you. It is impossible to not be touched in some way by the magic of Africa.
Animals that you have seen many times on television can now be seen so close you could almost reach out and touch them.
Africa is going though its own evolution of eco-conservation. Photographic safaris are the best way of supporting conservation of wildlife through controlled tourism to witness the glory of nature without damaging its resources.
Tanzania being on top of the continent’s wildlife list, has set aside almost thirty percent of its total land mass of about 945,087sq2km for conservation of wildlife wetland forests.
Tanzania leads the continent of Africa by having more that 20% of Africa’s big animals population. Your visit to Tanzania’s national parks and other destinations is a great way donate to conservation efforts.
As a country, Tanzania is the union of two sovereign states, Tanganyika, which got its independence from Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar. After the revolution that overthrew the sultanate of Oman in Zanzibar in January 1964, the two countries united to form the United Republic of Tanzania.
The people of Tanzania are naturally full of hospitality, friendliness, and kindness; therefore, visiting Tanzania is like visiting the entire continent of Africa because of its cultural diversity with more than one hundred and twenty tribes and four major ethnic groups of Africa.
Apart from the African ethnic groups, Tanzania is a home to other ethnic groups like Europeans, Americans, and Asians, especially Indians and Arabs.
Tanzania welcomes the world and is the country full of opportunities and resources including enough land for agriculture pastoralism, minerals and fishing, as the country has the biggest share of Africa’s greatest lakes: Victoria ,Tanganyika, and Nyasa.
The country has several rivers as well and apart from being the source of world’s longest river the Nile River. Also, the country has one thousand four hundred Kilometres of ocean – favorable for an incredible beach holiday.
Tanzania is one of the most peaceful countries in Africa. The main source of the economy is farming and mining, including diamonds, gold, and Tanzanite, which is found only in Tanzania, hence its name.
The source of energy is mostly Hydroelectric and gas, though plans are underway to use solar energy and wind mills in the future.
Swahili is the official language of Tanzania, though English is widely spoken as well.
The following is information on Tanzania's National Parks. Please view our galleries for images:
Arusha National Park:
Size 542 sq2 km
The main attraction for this park is Mount Meru and Giraffes but also the Momela lakes provide good number of Flamingos too.
It is in Arusha National Park where you can walk on foot while accompanied by an armed park ranger. It is really a beautiful place to visit with Ngurdoto crater adding attraction.
The best time to visit is all year long.
Mount Kilimanjaro:
The highest mountain in Africa and one of the most beautiful mountains to see and climb, standing at 5,955m is one of the most climbed mountains in the world because it is easily accessible.
Tarangire National Park:
size 2,850 sq2 km
This park is only two hours drive from Arusha and is considered to have the highest concentration of elephants in East Africa. Other animals that can be seen include, large herds of wildebeest, zebras, buffalos, and big cats like lions, leopards, and cheetahs etc...
The best time to visit is all year long, but dry season is probably the best time as many animals come back from outside the park. End of June until early November is ideal.
Lake Manyara National Park:
Size 350 sq2 km of which the lake itself is about 200 sq2 km.
Nestled below the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara Park, though small provides the best view of nature and landscape. It is common to see lions sitting in the branches of acacia trees, mostly to have nice breeze above the dense forest.
It is also the home of many domestic and migratory aquatic birds like pelicans and best time to visit is all year long.
The Ngorongoro Crater & Conservation Area:
size 8,297 59km with altitude between 1,020m to 3,587m.
Ngorongoro conservation area is a multiple land use because there is wildlife and people and their domestic animals. These people are mostly Maasai and they have lived with wild animals for many years, though sometimes conflict is unavoidable as big cats, especially lions and hyenas hunt for weak prey – cows and goats or sheep.
The crater is a unique feature of land as it was formed when the volcanic mountain erupted about 2.5 million years go to this caldera.
The size of this crater is 19 km from east to west and 17 km from north to south.
The crater is about 600m deep. Here you can see many animals including the big five. The best time to visit is all year long.
It gets very cold especially at night in the months of June to August.
Serengeti National Park:
Size 14,763. 59km
Probably the most attractive of all wildlife parks in Africa and it has won many international awards for being the most beautiful national park in Africa.
The landscape is made of endless plains, hence the name itself which is made of grasslands and forests rock outcrops called kopjes, the annual migration of wildebeests and zebras, and the highest concentration of cats make Serengeti the place not to miss when you visit Africa. The park has an altitude ranging from 920m to 1,850m. Serengeti has rainy seasons from November until May. The amount of rain varies from 500mm in the east to 1,200mm in the north west. The best time to visit is all year long, except the peak of the rainy season, which is April. This is the place where you can see lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and the Cape buffalos. Also is the best place to see big herds of wildebeest, zebras, and cheetahs.
Ruaha National Park:
Size 20,226 sq2 km
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania's largest protected area and it is said to host almost ten percent of all lions in the world. It is found in Southern Tanzania.
The park has rivers that provides permanent life to the animals.
All animals can be seen except Rhino. The best time to visit is all year long, but probably dry season from June to November is the most favorable.
Nyerere National Park:
Size 30,893 sq2 km
The largest National Park in Africa.
Altitude – 35 – 1450 m above sea level
Temperature – 29oc- 21oc rainfall 750mm in the East to 1250mm in the west.
Nyerere National Park’s geography is made of golden grasses, savannah forests, and riverine marshes and lakes.
Rufiji river, the biggest river of inland waters in Tanzania cuts though the park and flows into the Indian Ocean. Apart from elephants, the park has the biggest concentration of hippos and Buffalos than any other wildlife parks in Africa. Other animals to be seen includes wild dogs, lion , impalas and many antelopes.
Other than game drives the park’s rivers offer several water activities including boat safaris, fishing etc.
Birdlife is diverse and abundant.There are about 440 species of birds, including Pel'sFishing owls and white backed heron. These species are found in sandbanks, oxbow lake and channels.
Best time to visit is between June and October. This is the time of the dry season which means the vegetation is thinner and the animals are easier to spot.
Mahale Mountain National Park:
Size 1613 sq2 km
This park is the best for chimpanzees. Two days is a good time explore the park. The park is in western Tanzania near lake Tanganyika.
The best time to visit is dry season between May and October.
Another park for chimpanzees is Gombe Stream National Park, also found near Lake Tanganyika.
Other national parks with similar animals include: Mikumi, Mkomazi, Saadani Katavi, Rubondo, Udzungwa.
These national parks give you all the African animals, but in a different environments.
