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Tanzania Game
Parks, Tanzania National
Parks, Tanzania Wildlife
Sanctuaries
TANZANIA NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
This National Park is 32km away from Arusha
town, which as an area of 137sq kms and was described
by Sir Julian Huxley as " a game amongst parks".
Arusha National Park, often overlooked, is in fat a
treasure, a rich tapestry of habitats, teeming with
animals and birds. It consists of three spectacular
features - the Ngurdoto Crater, the tranquil beauty
of the Momela Lakes, and the rocky alpine height of
Mount Meru, where the terrain of the peak is as varied
as it is interesting. The best time to visit Arusha
National Park is during the dry season from July-November,
or after the short rains from December-March. The best
time to climb Mount Meru is from June-February, and
the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro seen from December-February.
Mount Meru, is 4566 meters high scaling can be made
through a variety of landscapes, plains, forest moorland,
and a lava desert, it is compulsory to be accompanied
by am armed game warden because if wild animals. The
best month to climb Mount Meru is from July-February.
MOUNT MERU
Apart from organizing treks on Mount Kilimanjaro
and Kenya, we also plan for mount Meru trek in Arusha.
Like Mount Kilimanjaro and Kenya; Mount Meru is a volcanic
mountain with the height of 4566m, (14,000 ft) altitude
above sea level. It can be conquered with a little bit
hardship in three days. A four day ascent is however
achieved with less hardship and this is highly recommended
for a hiker who wants to attempt this mountain to the
summit. If you plan to conquer the highest point of
Africa-Uhuru Peak / Hans Mayer Peak, you may consider
Mount Meru in order to shape your body in attaining
your goal. The hiking is very exciting as you experience
many things on your way up including games such as Giraffes,
buffalos, warthogs, Zebras, Monkeys and birds.
Mt. Meru (4,566 m.) is the second highest
mountain in Tanzania and a much underrated mountain
to climb because of its close proximity to Kilimanjaro.
It is a horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater with a spectacularly
narrow ridge and superb all round views. The cliffs
of the inner wall below the summit are over 1500 m.
high, and inside the caldera is a subsidiary peak called
the Ash Cone (3,670 m.) that last erupted only 100 years
ago. There is an immense variety of tree and plant life,
adding considerably to the interest of the trek.
Mt. Meru is part of Arusha National Park,
and the lower slopes of the mountain shelter a variety
of wildlife. The routes below Miriakamba Hut are more
like walking safaris than mountain climbs and our guide
is an informed and armed park ranger (in case we get
too close to some of the animals!). You are almost certain
to see buffaloes, warthogs, monkeys, and a variety of
birdlife. Giraffe and elephant are also quite common.
Accommodation is the two well maintained wooden huts
that have spectacular views of Kilimanjaro rising above
the clouds. The climb of Mt. Meru is very much justified
on its own merits but is also a great way to get acclimatized
for Kilimanjaro. The view of Kilimanjaro from Meru ,
and that of Meru crater itself, gives plenty of inspiration
for another mountain climb!
Though often ignored in favour of its
big sister, Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru is a worthy trekker's
paradise. This massive volcano towers over 3,000 meters
above Arusha town, which lies at its foot on its south
side. The mountain endured a violent explosion about
200 million years ago. In its wake the explosion left
towering cliffs in a gaping U shaped ridge on the eastern
side. Today the crater stands in a protected amphitheatre
of a sort, thousands of feet below the summit rocks.
The craggy top lies at the western most point of the
summit ridge and juts boldly into the sky at 4566 mt.
(14,979 feet). From the top, one can look out at Kilimanjaro
from the highest perch possible.. Perhaps there is no
better vantage point to gaze at Africa's highest mountain,
approximately 80 kilometres to the northeast. The trail
to the summit follows the northern rim of the natural
amphitheatre which forms Meru Crater. The trail skirts
the ridgeline, and above the Saddle (between the summit
and Little Meru Peak (12,533 ft / 3,820 metres). The
route is quite steep, with sections of rock scrambling
on one side. At the summit, the cliffs drop almost 1200
meters to the crater floor.
NGORONGORO CRATER
Indisputably one of Africa's true wonders
of nature and an extraordinary place of haunting beauty,
with its grand majestic mountain ring and lake, pinkly
shimmering in the blue grey haze. Ngorongoro covers
an area of (264km/102m) and is the largest intact caldera
in the world, its enduring charm stems from its overwhelming
physical beauty and the abundance of wildlife permanently
resident on the crater floor. The beautiful Rosy-breasted
Longclaw, waders and flamingo can be seen around the
lake, whilst on the crater rim the Abyssinian Nightjar
is often seen at dusk.
OLDUVAI GORGE
Between Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti
National Park lies Olduvai Gorge. This remote spot has
become famous as the archeological site where Dr Mary
Leakey, in 1959, discovered Ausralopithecus Boisei,
the fossil skull of early man dated 1.75 million years
ago. Remains of prehistoric elephant, enormous ostrich
and giant-horned sheep have been painstakingly unearthed
in the high gorge wall, and there is an excellent small
museum, which explains the significance of the geology,
fossils and artifacts.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The Serengeti (14,500 sq.kms/5,600 sq.m)
is undoubtedly the most famous wildlife sanctuary in
the world, unequalled for its natural beauty and the
greatest concentration of plain game anywhere. It lies
between the shores of Lake Victoria in the East and
Kenya's "Serengeti" - the Maasai Mara, to
the northwest. Hills rising out of the seemingly endless
plain, riversand small lakes, magnificent rocky outcrops
and the occasional swamp all add to the park's fascination.
In addition to the vast herds of wildebeest, Zebra,
Thomson's Gazelle and other plain game, the Serengeti
is reknown for its lion and other plain predators, including
the wild dog, spotted hyena and jackal. Leopard may
often be seen along the Seronera River. The wealth of
bird and water fowl. During May and June, or sometimes
earlier, Lake Ndutu at the foot of the Ngorongoro highlands
is the starting point for one of the great natural wonders
nature, the serengeti migration. Nearly two million
wildebeest and a quarter of a million Zebra move in
winding columns several miles in length towards the
Maasai Mara to the north and west.
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
In earlier years, Lake Manyara (318Km/
123m) was a famous hunting ground, now it is one of
Tanzania's most attractive sanctuaries. Nestling into
the steep Rift Valley wall, its shallow alkaline lake
is surrounded by ancient baobabs, ground water forest
of fig and mahogany and open grassland. Buffalo feed
in the forest, zebra and wildebeest wander in small
group, whilst elephants and the famous tree climbing
lions sprawling indolently overhead, enchant all visitors
to this park. Birdlife is prolific, with breeding colonies
of pink- bellied pelican, ibis, herons and egrets occurring
when conditions are favorable.
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Originally a hunting area, Tarangire
lies just 60 km from Arusha, south of Lake Manyara.
It takes its name from the river which runs through
the Park and which attracts elephant, buffalo, lion
and the greater kudu. Tarangire is the only home of
the fringe eared oryx in Tanzania. This is a smaller
park, particularly attractive because of the lack of
tourist vehicles. There is a privately run safari lodge
and a new Sopa Lodge.
SELOUS GAME RESERVE
Selous Game Reserve covers over 50,000
square kilometers, it is the largest game reserve in
Africa, There are over 51,200 elephant, 109,000 buffalo
and big herds of other large and small animals found
in Africa, most importantly, some wild dog the Selous
is another park with all this hyperbole which is desperately
unsold. Selous is one of those places that calls you
back, one of Africa's great parks for sure we also think
is one of the most subtle. Selous Game Reserve is the
place where people enjoy dosing off to the sound of
a fish eagle as much as they do chasing around the bush
in search of big game, the winding Rufiji River, sunset
over the Beho Beho mountains is what makes Selous a
special place, especially when you compare it with the
typical race around the Northern Parks of Tanzania.
Unlike most of the other major safari
parks of Tanzania, Selous is at low altitude. Being
near to the coast, this means that the climate of the
area is similar to that prevailing in coastal circuit,
which is to say that it is a typical tropical climate,
hot and humid all year round. In Selous there are over
789,000 major mammals, 40% of the total in Tanzania
and perhaps 9% of the total world Elephant population.
Most of these elephant spend their time
in the inaccessible swamps which occupy the majority
of the park, but there are usually plenty in the game-viewing
areas to the North as well as 2500 - 3500 lion, there
are also wildcat, servalcat, caracal and leopard, there
are also so many giraffe in some areas, additionally
the rivers play host to large populations of hippo and
crocodile, as well as an elusive population of dugong
down in the Rufiji delta
Selous Game Reserve was first set aside
as a wildlife reserve as early as 1905, the park takes
its name from renowned hunter and soldier Frederick
Courtney Selous. In 1982 the Selous Game Reserve was
designated a World Heritage Site. One of the most attractive
aspects of the Selous is the incredible diversity of
the environments within its ecosystem, miombo woodland
(deciduous hardwoodland), open grassland, rocky acacia
clad hills, palm woodland, seasonally flooded sand rivers
and swamps, lakes and riverine forest. The miombo woodland,
second in biodiversity only to the rainforest, contains
a plethora of wonderful hardwood tree families such
as brachystegia, julbernadia, isoberlina, pterocarpus
(bloodwood), dalbergia (blackwood), combretum (leadwood)
in fact most of the 2,149 species of trees and plants
that are found in the reserve .
It is at its absolute best in the 'green
season' (December to June); all the trees have new leaves
and flowers; all the grasses and shrubs are luscious
and in bloom, and consequently almost every flower,
animal and bird that it is possible to see in the Selous
is there in abundance as such the reserve is ecologically
one of the most important habitats in Africa,
The fact that Selous remains a game reserve
rather than a national park is one of the main reasons
that walking safari is still permitted. This is fantastic
news, because to approach animals on foot is a completely
different experience than doing it in a vehicle. A lot
more scary for one, but very rarely dangerous so long
as you do what your guide says at all times. Don't necessarily
expect to see a great variety of large game whilst out
on a walk, you usually don't cover enough ground for
that, but enjoy the detail of the flora and fauna, whilst
bearing in mind there might be a huge bull elephant
around the next corner. The park is pretty seasonal,
although as we always say, "there is no bad time
to be in the bush.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
Ruaha National Park covers an area of
10,300 square kilometers, is the third largest game
conservation area after Selous and Serengeti. Located
in south central Tanzania, it is a remote a wild place
which is way off the routes taken by most visitors to
the country receiving a paltry number of visitors each
year.
In consequence Ruaha is considered to
be one of the great "undiscovered" wilderness
areas of East Africa, it is actually at the heart of
a much larger ecosystem, which extends across the Rungwa
and Kizigo game conservation areas (hunting blocks),
which totals an area five times the size, the main feature
of the park is the Ruaha river, which rises in the swamps
to the south and sweeps north and eastward through the
park, turning back south and passing through the Iringa
Highlands in deep-cut gorges to reach the Great Rufiji
in the region of the Beho Beho mountains in the western
Selous, it is the presence of this river which brings
life to the broad valleys that make up the main portion
of the park, sustaining the wildlife through the dry
season, along the northern border of the park runs the
Northern Escarpment.
Ruaha
is a wonderful place to visit, which if done correctly
can offer some superb game-viewing. One interesting
little feature down here is the little rope bridge spanning
one of the tributaries of the Ruaha, which when in flood
cuts off Ruaha River Lodge from the airstrip and was
thus installed to make sure that guests could arrive
and depart on schedule. It is a pretty precarious affair.
Across the centre of the park lies a seemingly
endless swathe of featureless dry scrub, made up of
combretum and comifora bushes ... which you may not
have heard of now, but you will get to know pretty well
out here. They are remarkable for their red flowers
and orange seed pods, which are the largest flying seed
pods that we've ever seen.
The area immediately around the Jongomeru
sand river is a particulary nice section of mature riverine
woodland, which presumably plays host to a wide variety
of game. Unfortunately everything is so shy down here
that it legs it at the first sight of you.One
particular highlight in the area is a good hippo pool,
with a few dozen chubby chaps and quite a few good sized
crocs too.
UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS
Centered on 30o - 41oE
and 7o - 48oS, the park falls
in the Iringa and Morogoro Regions of south-central
Tanzania. the park is bordered by the Great Ruaha River
to the north and the Mikumi-Ifakara Road to the east.
Park Headquarters are located at Mang'ula, 60km from
Mikumi.
The area of the park is 1900km2 or 199,000
hectares.
The park is easily included as part of
a visit to Tanzania's southern parks such as Mikumi
and Ruaha. The park gate is located at headquarters,
60km south of Mikumi village on the Mikumi - Ifakara
Road (see map)
Designated areas of the escarpment and
rainforest are currently open to visitors for hiking
and climbing.
Self-contained accommodation is available
near the park gate at the Twiga Resort. For those with
camping equipment, three campsites have been established
inside the park. Very basic supplies and a market are
available in Mang'ula village. You should bring other
supplies with you.
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
Mikumi National Park is located on the
northern border of Africa's biggest game reserve - the
Selous - and is transected by the surfaced road between
Dar es Salaam and Iringa. It is thus the most accessible
part of a 75,000 square tract of wilderness that stretches
east almost as far as the Indian Ocean.
The open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata
Floodplain, the popular centerpiece of Mikumi, draw
frequent comparisons to the more famous Serengeti Plains.
Lions survey their grassy kingdom - and the zebra, wildebeest,
impala and buffalo herds that migrate across it - from
the flattened tops of termite mounds, or sometimes,
during the rains, from perches high in the trees. Giraffes
forage in the isolated acacia stands that fringe the
Mkata River, islets of shade favoured also by Mikumi's
elephants.
Criss-crossed by a good circuit of game-viewing roads,
the Mkata Floodplain is perhaps the most reliable place
in Tanzania for sightings of the powerful eland, the
world's largest antelope. The equally impressive greater
kudu and sable antelope haunt the miombo-covered foothills
of the mountains that rise from the park's borders.
More than 400 bird species have been recorded,
with such colourful common residents as the lilac-breasted
roller, yellow-throated longclaw and bateleur eagle
joined by a host of European migrants during the rainy
season. Hippos are the star attraction of the pair of
pools situated 5km north of the main entrance gate,
supported by an ever-changing cast of waterbirds.
About Mikumi National Park
Size: 3,230 sq km (1,250 sq miles), the fourth-largest
park in Tanzania, and part of a much larger ecosystem
centred on the uniquely vast Selous Game Reserve.
Location: 283 km (175 miles) west of Dar es Salaam,
north of Selous, and en route to Ruaha, Udzungwa and
(for the intrepid) Katavi.
How to get there
A good surfaced road connects Mikumi to Dar es Salaam
via Morogoro, a roughly 4 hour drive.
Also road connections to Udzungwa, Ruaha and (dry season
only) Selous.
Charter flight from Dar es Salaam, Arusha or Selous.
Local buses run from Dar to park HQ where game drives
can be arranged.
What to do
Game drives and guided walks. Visit nearby Udzungwa
or travel on to Selous or Ruaha.
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