It is 335 kms from Arusha, stretching north
to Kenya and bordering Lake Victoria to the
west. Vegetation is grassy plains, savannah
with acacias, wooded hills and mountains are
the backdrops for an extraordinary concentration
of animals which reaches its peak during the
wildebeest migration which generally takes
place between December to May in the south
of the park and from June to October to the
west and the north.
A million wildebeest each
driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling
their instinctive role in the inescapable
cycle of life: a frenzied 3 week bout of
territorial conquests and mating: survival
of the fittest as 40 kilometres long columns
plunge through crocodile infested waters
on the annual exodus north. This is also
a very good time to see the cats.
This is the land of the Maasai, of their
cattle and of the fauna; this protected
area is located in the Great Rift Valley,
gigantic fracture of the earth’s
crust. Volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes,
forests and archaeological sites form this
magnificent landscape. At 1600 meters altitude,
the bottom of the crater (265km km2) dotted
with water holes shelters almost 30,000
animals in an area naturally enclosed by
the slopes of the volcano. It is the eighth
wonder of the world.
Since most of the Crater floor is grassland,
grazing animals predominate: gnu, zebra,
gazelles, buffalo, eland, kongoni and warthogs.
The swamp and forests provide additional
resources for hippos, rhinos, elephants,
waterbucks, reedbucks and bushbucks, baboons
and vervets . The steep inner slopes provide
a habitat for dikdiks and the rare mountain
reedbuck. With so many prey animals’ predators
such as lions, hyenas and jackals are also
present. Birds commonly found in this area
re Stonechat, Augur Buzzards, Schalow’s
Wheatear, Fiscals Shrike, white Verreaux’s
Eagle and more.
The conservation area also covers Olduvai
Gorge and Laetoli, which give us fascinating
glimpses of our own evolution through
the past four million years. This may be
one of the places where we all began.
Cradled
in the glory of its surrounding below the
sheer majesty of the Rift Valley wall, Lake
Manyara lies serene, spreading in a heat
haze backed by a thin green band of forest
and the sheer 600 metre red and brown cliffs
of the escarpment. There are several different
types of forests with a variety of fauna-hippopotamuses,
giraffes, elephants, lions sleeping in trees,
zebras, monkeys. The park hosts 400 varieties
of birds, including thousands of red billed
quelea flitting over the water like swarms
of giant insects; pelicans, cormorants and
pink streaks of thousands of flamingo on
their perpetual migration.
You enter Manyara from the village of Mto
wa Mbu, an eclectic market town where several
tribes converge to form a lingustic mix that
is the richest in Africa.
It is the vast number of baobabs that first
capture the eye as you enter Tarangire National
Park. The gently rolling countryside is dotted
with these majestic trees, which seem to
dwarf the animals that feed beneath them.
The Park is spectacular in the dry season
when many of the migratory wildlife species
come back to the permanent waters of Tarangire
river. Huge herds of wildebeest, zebras,
elephants, eland and oryx gather to stay
in Tarangire until the onset of the rains
when they migrate again to good grazing areas.
The swamps are the focus for 550 bird varieties,
the most breeding species in one habitat
anywhere in the world. On drier ground you
find Kori bustards, the heaviest flying bird,
the stocking thighed ostrich, the world’s
largest bird, and ground hornbills that bluster
like turkeys. Tarangire’s pythons climb
trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging
in the branches where the fruit of the sausage
tree disguises the twitch of a tail.
The
largest African reserve is crossed by
the Rufiji River and its tributaries,
which form a network of lakes ideal for
boat safaris. Wildlife observation and
bird watching (350 species) take place
in a superb natural setting. Respecting
nature’s rhythm, you can be assured
of close contact with the wildlife. You
can also participate in walking safaris
with a ranger and a 4 wheel drive safaris.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK Area –10,300
km2
Situated
in the center of the country, the second
largest National Park is bordered by the
Ruaha River and offers spectacular viewpoints.
From July to December the wildlife is concentrated
on the banks of the river and around the
watering holes. You will see herds of elephants,
giraffes, prides of lions and Great Kudus
without moving from the banks. Unique combinations
of animals co-exist here – both the
greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope – Ruaha
being the only protected area in the world
where the flora and fauna of eastern and
southern Africa overlap.
The setting is exceptionally well preserved.
The best way to get to Ruaha is by air.
The main feature of this park is the Mikumi
flood plain, along with the mountain ranges
that border the park on the two sides. Open
grasslands dominate in the flood plain, eventually
merging with the miombo woodland covering
the lower hills. Here you will find lions,
wild dogs and many other animals which retreat
to the miombo woodlands in wet season.
The
elephants here are more compact than the
rest of their Tanzanian cousins, but still
a lot bigger than any Land Rover. The rains
swell the park’s
bird population to more than 300 species as
Eurasian migrants seek refuge in Mikumi, joining
resident stars like lilac breasted roller.
Other animal species found here are zebra,
giraffe, hartebeest, wildebeest, buffalo and
more.
MOUNT KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK Area –755 km2
Kilimanjaro means Mountain of Light, Mountain
of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. It
consists of 3 summits: to the west, the Shira
plateau, to the east Mawenzi peak and between
the two the snow-capped summit of Kibo which
reaches 5,895 meters. There are several ways
to reach the top: Marangu route (to the west)
is the most popular, Machame (to the west),
Umbwe and Mweka (to the south) are more demanding.
Those who reach Uhuru point, the actual
summit, or Gillman’s Point on the lip
of the crater, will have earned their climbing
certificates and their memories. The journey
up the slope takes you through climatic world
tour from the tropic to the artic. The grassy
and cultivated lower slopes turn into lush
rainforest, inhabited by elusive elephant,
leopard, buffalo and antelope. Higher still,
heath and moorland, covered with giant heathers,
becomes surreal alpine desert and finally,
ice, snow and the magnificent beauty of the
top of the continent.
One should allow a
minimum of 4 nights, preferably 5 or even
more nights for the climb to increase your
acclimatization time and maximize your
chances of reaching the summit. Take your
time and enjoy the beauty of the mountain.
The historic
Stone Town of Zanzibar is a fascinating maze
of narrow streets with overhanging balconies
and huge intricately carved wooden doors.
The place is full of pungent perfume of exotic
spices. It was the ancient trading port of
the sultans of Oman in the 19th century.
This city is a medina: the only of its kind
south of the Equator. Zanzibar Island can
boast kilometers of golden beaches. Inland
the island is garden of Eden offering the
most exquisite tropical species.
A million wildebeest each
driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling
their instinctive role in the inescapable
cycle of life: a frenzied 3 week bout of
territorial conquests and mating: survival
of the fittest as 40 kilometres long columns
plunge through crocodile infested waters
on the annual exodus north. This is also
a very good time to see the cats.
Cradled
in the glory of its surrounding below the
sheer majesty of the Rift Valley wall, Lake
Manyara lies serene, spreading in a heat
haze backed by a thin green band of forest
and the sheer 600 metre red and brown cliffs
of the escarpment. There are several different
types of forests with a variety of fauna-hippopotamuses,
giraffes, elephants, lions sleeping in trees,
zebras, monkeys. The park hosts 400 varieties
of birds, including thousands of red billed
quelea flitting over the water like swarms
of giant insects; pelicans, cormorants and
pink streaks of thousands of flamingo on
their perpetual migration.
The
elephants here are more compact than the
rest of their Tanzanian cousins, but still
a lot bigger than any Land Rover. The rains
swell the park’s
bird population to more than 300 species as
Eurasian migrants seek refuge in Mikumi, joining
resident stars like lilac breasted roller.
Other animal species found here are zebra,
giraffe, hartebeest, wildebeest, buffalo and
more.
Those who reach Uhuru point, the actual
summit, or Gillman’s Point on the lip
of the crater, will have earned their climbing
certificates and their memories. The journey
up the slope takes you through climatic world
tour from the tropic to the artic. The grassy
and cultivated lower slopes turn into lush
rainforest, inhabited by elusive elephant,
leopard, buffalo and antelope. Higher still,
heath and moorland, covered with giant heathers,
becomes surreal alpine desert and finally,
ice, snow and the magnificent beauty of the
top of the continent.
The historic
Stone Town of Zanzibar is a fascinating maze
of narrow streets with overhanging balconies
and huge intricately carved wooden doors.
The place is full of pungent perfume of exotic
spices. It was the ancient trading port of
the sultans of Oman in the 19th century.
This city is a medina: the only of its kind
south of the Equator. Zanzibar Island can
boast kilometers of golden beaches. Inland
the island is garden of Eden offering the
most exquisite tropical species.