Tarangire National Park, situated within Tanzania’s spectacular Manyara Region, is an awe-inspiring national park comprising of granite ridges, river valleys, mixed vegetative landscapes and free-roaming wildlife. During the annual dry season, the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly, predators follow. With lion being among commonly spotted animal, it is a rare day that a visitor does not spot this majestic animal. Tarangire is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx, lesser kudu and gerenuk are seen on occasions. This expansive area is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, its breathtaking views of the Masai Steppe and the wondrous mountains to the south.
The Ngorongoro Crater is game viewing gone crazy and it is not surprising that with is one of Tanzania’s major tourist draw-cards. Within the crater rim a daily wildlife drama is played out as large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby lions, leopards, elephants and black rhinos. Outside of the crater a similar drama continues in a more spread out manner with Masai herdsmen thrown into the mix.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Authority area is part of the larger Serengeti ecosystem, it adjoins the Serengeti National Park, merging into the Southern Plains. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands including Lake Natron ,the active volcano Ol Donyo Lengai and the lesser known Empakai Crater; the southern and eastern boundaries are defined by the rim of the East African Rift wall.
It is most famous for the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most well-known wildlife areas in the world. The Crater itself is the world's largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera, formed when it exploded and collapsed in on itself some two to three million years ago. The floor of the Crater covers 260 km2 (100 square miles) and is mostly covered by grasslands with two small wooded areas and a seasonal salt lake in the centre of the crater; the lake is known by two names, Lake Magadi or Lake Makat. The other major water source is the Ngoitokitok, near the eastern crater wall.
The rich acacia-dotted plains of the Eastern Serengeti are home to abundant wildlife. Visitors flock here to view the world-renowned wildebeest migration. Some of the best game-viewing can be enjoyed from Lobo on the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park along the Grumeti River. Popular activities include: taking a guided walk through the spectacularly scenic terrain of the wild Serengeti, jumping on a hot air balloon safari, picnics in the bush, and learning about Maasai culture and history. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the world famous Gol Kopjes for the best cheetah viewing in Africa.
Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in East Africa, covering an area of about 20,200 square kilometres in what's called "the southern circuit”. It's in the middle of Tanzania and part of an extensive ecosystem which includes the Rungwa Game Reserve, Usangu Game Reserve and other protected areas.
The great Ruaha River runs through the park, flowing along its south-eastern margin; it's here where the game viewing is at its best with the river being the main source of water at certain times of the year. The landscape is vast and wild with hills dotted with baobabs, rocky escarpments and open savannah; it also has less camps and lodges than most other parks, despite its size.
Ruaha is famous for its large population of elephant, with about 10,000 roaming in the park, and this is believed to be the highest concentration of elephant in East Africa . You can also see both the Greater and Lesser Kudu here, Sable and Roan antelope, as well as other plains game like giraffe, zebras and eland. Other animals in the park include lion, leopard, cheetah, bat-eared foxes and jackals and you might see the endangered wild dog. Crocodiles inhabit the Ruaha and Mzombe rivers, as well as a number of other reptiles.
It is a paradise for birders, with more than 571 species, some of them known to be migrants from within as well as outside of Africa. Migrating species from Europe, Asia, the Australian rim and Madagascar have been recorded in the park.
