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.
With Lake Manyara on its east and the Manyara Escarpment to its west, the Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views and a large variety of habitats, like acacia woodlands, water forests, baobab-strewn cliffs, algae-streaked hot springs, swamps, and the lake itself. Thanks to this, the small park is able to support a large number of animal species and incredible bird life. Manyara has the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world, and the lions here are also renowned for their tree climbing.
Not to be confused with the Kenyan lake of the same name set only a hundred kilomtres away, the Tanzanian Lake Magadi is an exquisite soda lake in the Ngororongo crater, named the Swahili word for salt. This is a wonderful destination for nature photographers, a scene that changes exquisitely through the seasons, moving through lush greens into striking oranges and bright pinks. Along with the changes come captivating, changing groups of animals including rhino, eland and lion, as well as golden jackals who come to hunt the flamingos. Spread over 11.2 square kilometres, the lake cultivates a unique ecosystem with its blue-green algae, which nourishes the plants and small creatures here. The surrounding crater is filled with incredible other natural attractions and a much wider variety of wildlife.
The vast, rolling savannah of the Northern Serengeti, is known as the hub of the great migration. The landscape is characterised by vast stretches of savannah interspersed with acacia trees and riverine woodlands. Wildlife can be seen along the banks of the Mara River and visitors can view the annual spectacle of the half a million migrating wildebeest. Commonly spotted wildlife include: a multitude of plains game such as buffalo, zebra, gazelles, impala, giraffe as well as lion and leopard. Visitors can look forward to bird watching, hot air ballooning, game safaris and guided bush walks.
