Serengeti National Park
The magic of Serengeti National Park is not easy to describe in words. Not only seeing, but also hearing the buzz of millions of wildebeest so thick in the air that it vibrates through your entire body is something you will try to describe to friends and family, before realising it’s impossible. Vistas of honey-lit plains at sunset so beautiful, it’s worth the trip just to witness this. The genuine smiles of the Maasai people, giving you an immediate warming glow inside. Or just the feeling of constantly being amongst thousands of animals – it doesn’t matter what season of the migration you visit the Serengeti National Park, its magical all year round.
Activities: Game Drives, Hot Air Balloon Safari, The Great Migration, Walking safaris, Olduvai Gorge, The Bologonja Springs, The Grumeti River, Retina Hippo Pool, The Masias, Cultural activities
The Ngorongor Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater in Northern Tanzania, once a gigantic volcano, is the largest intact caldera in the world. Some maintain that before it erupted, it would have been higher than Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Today, long since having collapsed and eroded, it is an extensive highland area with the famous 600 m deep Ngorongoro Crater as its focal point. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth.
Activities: photographic Safaris, picnics, nature walks, birding, visiting the Maasai villages, hot air ballooning, a tour of Olduvai Gorge, visiting the Empakaai Crater, hiking to the summit of the Gol Mountains and Oldoinyo Lengai.
The Olduvai Gorge
The Olduvai Gorge is found within the wider Ngorongoro conservation area. It is where some of the first fossils of the earliest humans were found. For this reason, it is sometimes known as the cradle of mankind. The site sits on a collection of fault lines which got exposed due to erosion allowing scientists to excavate fossils that are millions of years old. The first fossil was discovered in 1911 by a German professor while looking for butterflies in the area. Later, the Leakey family carried out more advanced explorations in the area where they unearthed bones and fragments of skulls believed to be about 2 million years old. The Leakey’s also unearthed hunting weapons and other tools which are believed to be 1 to 1.5 million years old. Perhaps the greatest discovery where the footprints of a woman, man and child that are believed to be over 1 million years old. These tools and bones are enough evidence to show that some of the oldest known humans lived in Olduvai Gorge and Tanzania for that matter.
Activities: An on-site Museum
Arusha National Park
Arusha is often referred to as the safari capital of Tanzania. The city is found on the slopes of Mount Meru and was constructed in the 19th century as a regional administrative capital by the Germans. It is where most tourists stop at while on their way to visiting the Ngorongoro crater, the Serengeti, Lake Manyara and other nearby national parks. If you happen to stop in the city on your way to or from the national parks, take time to discover the hidden attractions in Arusha.
Activities: There is a lot to discover in this beautiful city ranging from hot springs, cultural centers, souvenirs and night clubs.
Lake Manyara National Park
This park is found close to the city of Arusha. Much of the park is made up of 330 square kilometers of water and forest. Lake Manyara is a key feature in the park. The soda/alkaline lake is considered to be one of the best places for birding in East Africa. During the rainy season, over 300 species of migratory birds visit the lake including flamingos. Many of the birds leave during the dry season once the lake starts losing water due to evaporation. However, flocks of flamingos remain and so do the resident mammals. You can spot hippos, elephants, giraffe and wildebeest. Perhaps the greatest attractions of the park are the rare tree climbing lions of Lake Manyara.
Activities: Manyara Treetop walk, Birding, game viewing, whiff adventure, visit Massai Bombas
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park: Tarangire is the sixth largest park in Tanzania. It covers an area of about 2,850 square kilometers. The park gets its name from the Tarangire river which crosses the park and is a major source of water for the animals especially during the dry season. One striking feature in the park .What to see in Tanzaniaare the old baoba tree and countless termite mounds. Tarangire has one of the largest population of elephants in Africa and is home to tree climbing lions. Apart from lions and elephants, expect to encounter impala, giraffe, zebras and wildebeest. Tarangire National Park is a birders paradise with over 550 species. During the dry season, the park receives thousands of birds and animals from other nearby parks – especially the Manyara National Park.
Activities: Game drives, Nature walks, Bird watching, Cultural visits, Wildlife species, Bird species.
Selous Game Reserve
Selous Game Reserve is located in the southern part of the county. It covers an area of about 54,600 square kilometers and has additional protective zones outside its main boundaries. It was named after Sir Frederick Selous who died in 1917 while fighting against the Germans in the first great war. Frederick was a great game hunter who later turned into a passionate conservationist. By sheer size alone Selous Game Reserve is almost four times the size of the Serengeti National Park. Much of the park consists of typical savanna grasslands, bushes, forests and rivers. Since its establishment, the park has grown to become a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Activities: Birding, Walking safaris, Boat safaris, Cultural Tours to Mloka village
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro: At a height of 19,331 feet above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. It is also the highest free-standing mountain on earth. The “roof of Africa” as it is often called was formed by earth movements 1 million years ago in the tourism sports in Tanzania. Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro is surprisingly easier and safer compared too many of Africa’s mountains. One doesn’t need to be a seasoned mountain climber to reach the peak.
Activities: Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Visiting the Chala Crater Lake
