Tanzania is the land of the ultimate safaris. In it’s beautiful National Parks it is possible to see incredibly large numbers of wildlife in a short time. World famous are the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater. In addition to the famous Big Five, the extensive National Parks guarantee great landscapes. The annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras is one of the largest migrations of wildlife on earth.
Tanzania is also known for its rich culture, the snowy mountaintop of Kilimanjaro and exotic Zanzibar.
The super friendly population, divided into 120 different tribes and cultures, lives in harmony with each other.
A Tanzania trip means seeing wildlife, sleeping in a tented camp with western comfort in the middle of a National Park, encounters with local people, hiking & cycling in nature and relaxing on tropical beaches. A trip through Tanzania is a once in a lifetime experience.
Facts
- Capital - Dodoma
- Largest city - Dar es Salaam
- Currency - Tanzanian Shilling
- Population - about 56 million (the figures vary considerably)
- Tribes - 120 tribes of which the Maasai is the most famous tribe
- Languages - Swahili and English
- Land area - 945,087 square kilometres (23x the size of the Netherlands, 31x Belgium)
- National Parks - 17
- The country has measured the highest animal density in the world per square kilometre
- Neighbouring countries - Kenya, Uganda, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique
- Highest point - Kilimanjaro 5,895 meters
- Time difference – Tanzania is GMT/UTC +3h Standard Time
- Most famous attractions - Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar
Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding area which includes majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from the safari circuit as it features a temperate climate and lush surrounds. Visitors can look forward to exploring the wildlife-abundant Serengeti National Park; the magnificent Arusha National Park; and taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.
Designated by the Maasai people, Randilen is a community wildlife management area of 327 km², which extends organically from Tarangire National Park's north-eastern boundary and adheres to strict ecological principles that benefit both wildlife and the community. In the dry season between July and October, wildlife is concentrated around a few water sources, particularly the Tarangire River Valley. Wildlife moves into the surrounding hills during the green season, which comes alive with lushness, flowering blooms, epic skies, and exuberant wildlife. Aside from elephant and buffalo, species most likely to be seen are giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, bushbuck, impala, lesser kudu, eland and warthog. Among the predators are lion and leopard, as well as jackals and mongoose.
Bordering Kenya to the north, the Ngorongoro Region is known for its abundance of beautiful natural features. It encompasses the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, and the active Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano. Visitors can look forward to a variety of activities such as viewing the epic Serengeti wildebeest migration, visiting a local Maasai village, soaking up the remarkably diverse scenery and catching a glimpse of the magnificent bird and wildlife including over 500 bird species, all of the Big Five, as well as crocodile, hippo, zebra, antelope, lion, leopard, and cheetah. Don’t miss the opportunity to join a walking safari, enjoy thrilling mountain biking adventures and scenic trekking.
The Serengeti together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park form Africa’s most famous wildlife park. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture, and the conversation need go no further. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti plains has become almost essential, and you can even do a horse riding safari.
