With an amazingly large number of animal parks, white sand beaches, a beguiling island and very hospitable people, Tanzania is definitely a top destination for those that seek to have an unforgettable travel experience. The Solid standing mountains surrounded by dense tropical forests, bird havens and ancient sites are all the more a compelling reason to take up your vacation in this expansive East African country.
Serengeti National Park is to Tanzania what Maasai Mara is to Kenya and the Kruger National Park to South Africa. It covers a good 14,763 sq km (5678 sq miles) reaching up to the Kenyan border. Serengeti is claimed by many to be the best national park in Africa and I guess it’s as a result of the 35 species of plain-dwelling animals, including wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, cheetahs and lions, which feature in the spectacular Serengeti migration between November and May.
Indeed the migration of the wildebeests was included among the Seven Wonders of the World and rightly so. The phenomenal and instantaneous exodus of the wildebeests in their thousands finds root in the quest for grazing land and a chance to mate. With Vicious Predators either laying in wait or in hot pursuit, the weak, the old and the too young stand very little chance of survival.
Another famous attraction is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which rises high above the plains of the Serengeti. Ngorongoro spans from Lake Natron in the Northeast (the breeding ground for East Africa’s flamingoes) to Lake Enaysi in the South and Lake Manyara in the East. The still active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai meaning Mountain of God, and whose last major eruption was in 1983 rests on the Conservation area. A special place 610m deep, 20km in diameter and covering an area of 311sq km is at the focal point of the park. They call it the Ngorongoro Crater. It is a shelter to almost all the plains mammals except for the Impala, Topi and the Giraffe and has been said to have the densest population of predators in Africa. The endangered Black Rhino might be a good reason for you to take a hike in this area. The rich birdlife includes flamingoes which are attracted by the soda content in Lake Magadi on the crater floor.
Tanzania has many other amazing parks and it would be a great injustice if I didn’t say something about Selous Game Reserve- the park that is bigger than the entire of Switzerland and covers more than a sixth of the area covered by Tanzania, making it one of the biggest parks in the world. In terms of wildlife, the Selous Game Drive which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site has many elephants and lions too not to mention many many other wild animals.
Other parks in Tanzania include Lake Manyara, Gombe National Park, Udzungura Mountains, the Island of Rubondo, the Mahale Mountains, Katavi, Ruaha, Tarangire, Mikumi National Park and Arusha National Park. For those who are lovers of Marine life, Tanzania has many Marine Parks including Kilwa Reserve, Latham Island Reserve, Tanga Coral Gardens and Rufigi Delta. Tanzania also has got a number of proposed national Parks that include Saadani and Kizulo Plateau. As you can see, the options are many and no matter what your choices are, a trip to Tanzania will be most rewarding.
And now, how can the end of this article be neared without mentioning the challenge-tossing Tanzanian Physical feature that has attracted lots of tourists every year in the quest to climb the highest mountain in Africa? Mount Kilimanjaro, resting near Moshi with a spectacular snowy peak, is a good challenge for those who not only want to enjoy a spectactular view of Africa from the Peak but also have many tales thereafter of the wonderful experience in having conquering the highest mountain in Africa.
Also found in the Ngorongoro Area is the historical Olduvai Gorge which spreads across fifty Kilometers and is one hundred metres deep. The Gorge is the site where three species of hominid fossils were discovered with the age of the oldest fossil being estimated as being over three million years old. The hominid fossils were discovered by Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey after being exposed off the volcanic soil following rock in this area being eroded by a river. In this place too stands a museum that displays other ancient findings including those of a giant giraffe.
The world’s longest and second deepest fresh-water lake is Lake Tanganyika which is also found in Tanzania. This Lake is the main gateway to the Mahale Mountains and Gombe Stream National Parks and it’s at the heart of dhow fishing boats- building industry. When you are in Tanzania, don’t miss a chance to enjoy the awe-inspiring feeling that comes when you fix your eyes on an expansive body of water like Lake Tanganyika.
Within these lines, there is one more place that you must pay a visit to: Zanzibar. This is no doubt one of Africa’s most renown and remarkable islands. This Indian Ocean Tropical Island is well known world over for white sandy beaches and a slow -paced way of life. The traditional dhow boats drifting amidst gently-swaying palm trees in the Zanzibar blissful breeze is a feeling that can only at best be remotely expressed by words. This Island has the allure of a paradise and the mystery of an out-of -this-world experience. Built on its fishing and spice trade, Zanzibar has not changed much and Arabic Influence has left its mark on the island’s architecture moreso in the historical Stone Town. To sum it up, Zanzibar speaks for itself!
Many have visited this amazing country and taken back home with them the beauty that awaits you in this land. By all means, make Tanzania your next destination.
Visit the author’s website africapoint.com for useful resources regarding Tanzania Vacations including Tanzania Hotels and Flights. Africapoint is an online travel agency that also organizes tours safaris in Tanzania, Kenya, and many other African countries.
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