Understanding
Tanzania is well known as the land of Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and Zanzibar due to the popularity of the mentioned attraction although the country has other various attractions to offer such as Gombe and Tarangire National Parks and Mafia Island to mention the few. In these parks you will meet the big five animals, vast number of bird species and nice beaches. Therefore the reason why many people visit Tanzania is for trekking adventure, wildlife safari and beach holiday in Zanzibar and Mafia.
Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro.....
Serengeti national park is a vast plain of millions of animals living there and a famous place for annual wildebeest migration and African big five animals and almost 500 bird species has been recorded there. Serengeti national park is the second largest national park in Tanzania attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year. The best time to visit Serengeti national park is around December and June where by the rain period extend from March to May with the coldest period from June to October. The annual migration of over 1.5 million of wildebeest and hundreds of zebras and gazelles takes place in May up to early June. This migration is one of the magnificent natural event and the main attraction for many tourists.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa with five thousand eight hundred and eighty five (5895) meters above the sea level and the highest free standing mountain in the world. Kilimanjaro National Park unlike other northern national parks in Tanzania is not visited for wildlife but for its beautiful snow cap at the top of the mountain. The best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is during the dry season although you can climb it any time. Kilimanjaro is also a world heritage site formed over many years ago by volcanic eruption in which resulted to the birth of three volcanic cones thousands years ago which are Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi. The highest peak is Uhuru peak on Kibo and is the one among the seven peaks in the world. The mountain rises from agriculture land to the level below the rain forest and alpine metals then to the barren lunar landscapes at the peaks. The slopes of rain forests are the home of buffalos, monkeys, leopards and elephants. The alpine area is where birds’ watchers will find the abundance of birds of prey. Before planning a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro, you will have to prepare yourself for the extravagant personal challenge of trekking the highest mountain in Africa and free Standing Mountain in the world.
It is also known as Unguja. The island of Zanzibar is major destination in Tanzania and well known for its beautiful white sand beaches and variety of spices. Zanzibar Island is an archipelago part made up of two major islands known as Unguja and Pemba. Stone town is historic town of Zanzibar and located at the center of Zanzibar Island. Zanzibar Island is an ideal place for honeymoon, wedding and bare foot beach vacation.
It is located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara national parks. The ngorongor crater is one of the Tanzania’s most popular wildlife viewing area, the huge volcanic crater thanks to its permanent water supply attracts thousands of animals to stay here rather than migrate. Tourists go there to observe birds, you can see thousands of animals seen on the bottom of the crater includes lions, elephants, Thomson gazelle, but wildebeest and zebras make up of more than half animals that are in a habitat of ngorongoro crater. The Oldpai Gorge is also of interest for the ngorongoro crater.
Tarangire National Park was created in 1970 and it is an ideal place to observe the wildlife. The park is known for its large population of elephants and vast landscapes of baobab trees. The best time to visit Tarangire National Park is during dry season around July and September when animals congregate around the river. The national park is also an ideal place for bird watching with over 200 species of birds has been recorded there.
It is the main city of Zanzibar, consist of large owned of the Arabs houses lining in the narrow street and own its unique trump in the winding alleys. The majority of the houses in the Stone town were built on 19 century when Zanzibar was one of the important Swahili trading cities in the Indian Ocean. Being the Oldest Swahili city in the world most of the Stone town monuments have regained their original glory. Today some of the historic buildings are museums and tourist attraction. The city also has interesting old churches of historical significance. A straw along quick road takes visitors to the original Stone town districts and the location of Darajani market, beit el Amani city hall and Anglican cathedral. Other highlights includes the Forodhani garden, the old Sultan House known Beit el Sahel, Amani Persian house built in 1888 and the city oldest Stone structure ‘the Old Fort'
It is in this national park where mass number of elephant, tree climbing lions and hippos lives and can be observed at much closer distance than in other parks. It is also a home to plenty concentration of baboons in the world. Lake Manyara national park includes forests, woods, meadows and swamps, what covers the two third of the park and Lake Manyara is home to thousands of famingos at certain time of the year as well as other diverse birds. Most popular activities in Lake Manyara national park are wildlife walks, canoeing when water level are high enough, mountain bike tours and bird watching.
It is a perfect place for diving novels and attracts divers and snorkels from all over the world to the underwater world protected by Mafia Island Marine Park. The best month for diving are recommended from October to March and the best weather under Island of Mafia is from March to October while March and April are amount of heavy rain. Mafia Island Marine Park has coral garden, wide variety of fish and relax diving atmosphere. There are countless birds and over four hundreds species of fish. The Island of Mafia is also a traditional breeding site for the unfortunately endangered green sea turtles. Moreover, it is privilege place for deep sea fishing especially tuna, selly fish and big game fish diving. It is an Island Paradise.
Gombe national park is primarily intended for those who want to get away from forbidden track to see Chimpanzees. Being one of the smallest national park in Tanzania it is famous for the work of Jane Good all. This British researcher who arrived in 1960’s to study world Chimpanzees, her work turned into work would become longest behavior research program of this type in the world. Gombe national park includes spices of primates and mammals. More than two hundreds spices of birds have been recorded in the rain forest including staling, sunbirds, crowned eagles and palm vouchers. Other popular activities includes hiking, swimming with a path leading into the forest to a waterfall in the valley. In addition, guided walks takes visitors into forests to observe Chimpanzees.
Although smaller than most national parks in Tanzania, Arusha national park has a range of habitats that consists of the Mount Meru forest, the Ngurdoto crater in the south east section of the park and Mommela Lakes, a series of seven crater lakes. This is where the black and white colobus monkeys are spaded in the wooden area while the marsh bottom of the crater is started with herds of buffalos, zebras and warthogs. The Mommela lakes are home to a large selection of resident of migrants water birds. It is here the visitors come to see the wildlife and to climb Mount Meru which is one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Africa and second highest mountain in Tanzania. The summit of Mount Meru is reached by narrow reach which offers magnificent views of volcanic cone lining several thousand feet lower in the crater. It is a park that offers moving experiences.