TANZANIA
Description
Wildlife
What to do
When to go
Highlights
Description
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa and includes the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia. About twice the size of California, this African country is bordered by the Indian Ocean and eight countries: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Mount Kilimanjaro, once an active volcano, is the highest point in Africa and is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest.
Wildlife
There is an abundance of wildlife in Tanzania. The largest remaining elephant populations in the world are in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve, but they are still being killed for their ivory tusks.
Some of the most well-known African mammal species are native to Tanzania: wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. They are endangered due to poaching. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses can be found along riverbanks and lakeshores, and giant turtles live off the coast. The Gombe National Park is a well-known chimpanzee sanctuary where Jane Goodall did research on chimps in their natural habitat.
Tanzania is famous in the whole world for the Great Migration, the annual migration of giant herds of grazers across Northern Tanzania and Kenya, a truly spectacular event. Over two million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles move through the Serengeti ecosystems in search of green pasture, in a regular pattern. This is surely one of the greatest wonders of the natural world.
Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s oldest and most popular park and is home to over 1.7 million wildebeest, and about a million other animals.
What to do
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Wildlife Safaris
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Trekking / Climbing on M. Kilimanjaro
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Balloon Safaris
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Beach Holidays on Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia Islands
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Birding Safaris
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Boating and Canoeing Safaris
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Cultural Tourism
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Diving and Snorkeling
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Cycling and Mountain Biking
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Cultural Tourism
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Fishing
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Historical Sites
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Museum and Monuments
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Shopping and Nightlife
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Walking Safaris
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Paragliding
Highlights
Serengeti National Park
Serengeti NP is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, unparalleled for its natural beauty and scientific value, with the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa. It is home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth: the great migration of wildebeest and zebra.
Selous Game Reserve
Located in the south, the Selous forms the basis of the biggest wildlife sanctuary in Africa, covering 46,500 square miles of virgin wilderness. It is a unique and untouched habitat offering an interesting mixture of riverine forest, woodland, palm groves and open grasslands interspersed with steep wooded hills, lakes, marshes and sand rivers.
Mahale Mountains National Park
The park like its northerly neighbor Gombe is home to some of Africa’s last remaining wild chimpanzees, a population of roughly 900, they are habituated to human visitors by a Japanese research project founded in the 1960s. Tracking the chimps of Mahale is a magical experience.
Katavi National Park
An unspoilt wildlife viewing in a remote location, far off the beaten track: Katavi National Park is Africa at its most wild and unadulterated bush settings, with spectacular views and rich wildlife. The wildlife in Katavi is equally famous for its enormous crocodile and hippo populations: the huge pool is home to just under a thousand hippos at its peak.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa, is Africa’s tallest mountain at about 5,895 meters. It is the largest free-standing mountain rise in the world, meaning it is not part of a mountain range. It has three main volcanic peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. The name itself "Kilimanjaro" is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Every year thousands of people come to Tanzania to climb the Kilimanjaro Mountain.
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Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area
The jewel in Ngorongoro's crown is a deep, volcanic crater, the largest unfloded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20km sq wide, 600 meters deep and 300 sq kms in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder.
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s famous wilderness area where one can have a rare experience of game viewing spiced up by the fascinating landscape. The park is rich of plants and animals which can not be found in any other park. The park boasts of its almost untouched and unexplored ecosystem, making visitors’ safari experience very unique.
Kitulo National Park
Locals refer to the Kitulo Plateau as Bustani ya Mungu – The Garden of God – whereas botanists have dubbed it the Serengeti of Flowers, host to ‘one of the great floral spectacles of the world’.
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is the longest and second-deepest in the world (more than 1436m). At somewhere between 9 and 13 million years old, it’s also one of the oldest. Thanks to its age and ecological isolation it’s home to an exceptional number of endemic fish, including 98% of the species of cichlids, popular and brightly-colored fish that make Tanganyika an outstanding snorkelling and diving destination.
Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia Islands
Tanzania's islands are all strong contenders for the perfect beach getaway.
Zanzibar, the best known island, is the home of idyllic beaches, balmy weather & warm tropical waters.
Mafia, surrounded by a stunning barrier reef, is a perfect under-water destination for snorkelling and diving.
Pemba, known as “Green Island” for its lush terrain with fruit and spice trees, remains largely undiscovered by tourists and offers an authentic tropical experience.