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TANZANIA
SAFARIS
Although Tanzania shares the Rift Valley and the great
Serengeti Plain with its northern neighbour, Kenya,
it has a magic of its own. From its golden plains
to the eternal snows on Mount Kilimanjaro, nowhere
is there such an abundance of wild animals as in Tanzania.
As your eyes move from the curved horizon upward,
they meet the majestic snow-covered peak of Mount
Kilimanjaro nestled in the clouds.
An essential destination on Tanzania safaris is Serengeti
National Park, or "endless plain" as the
Masai call it, which is the country's largest and
most famous reserve. With 5,700 square miles of plains
stretching as far as the eye can see, the Serengeti
is an open plain broken by small hills, patches of
acacia woodlands, swamps and lakes which is home to
one of the most diverse wild animal populations on
Earth. The famous migration generally begins in May,
with wildebeest, zebra, eland and gazelles moving
from the south and reaching the Seronera area by July.
From July through September the highest concentration
of game is in the northern sector, which includes
Kenya and in October, the migration reverses direction.
The greatest density of wildlife found on Tanzania
safaris is in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, known
as "Africa's Eden.", which is the world's
largest intact caldera, located in an exceptional
geographical position, forming a spectacular bowl
of about 265 square kilometers with sides up to 600
meters deep, creating the perfect stalking ground
for up to 30,000 wild animals at a time. The crater
floor consists of a number of ecological environments
that include grassland, swamps, forests and Lake Makat,
a central lake filled by the Munge River. These various
habitats attract a variety of wildlife to drink, wallow,
graze, hide or climb. Safari participants descend
nearly 2,000 feet into the Ngorongoro crater to observe
large herds of zebra, wildebeest, gazelle and their
predators because of the rich volcanic soil, lush
forests and spring-source lakes on the crater floor.
The endangered Black Rhino can be sighted here too.
South of Lake Manyara is Tarangire National Park,
which is a beautifully unspoiled national park covering
2,600 square kilometers of grassland and floodplains,
and a large proportion of tall acacia woodland just
south of the large open grass plains of southern Maasailand.
Drives through the park enjoy wide views to distant
variously purpled formations of volcanic mountain
ranges. The land is hilly and dominated by the impressive
valley of the Tarangire River, which attracts good
numbers of migrant animals especially a large elephant
population during the dry months, especially between
July and September.
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A great trekking experience can only be found at Mt.
Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet) which is Africa's highest
mountain. Five different routes can be followed to
the summit. Three of the routes require technical
climbing skills, and the other two routes require
very little or no technical climbing skills. On the
ascent to the summit you pass through forest, alpine,
semi-desert and snow-covered landscapes that offer
the opportunity to see elephant, buffalo, eland, black-and-white
colobus monkey and leopard. These climbs are for those
who are up to the physical challenge.
Tucked inconspicuously on the western shore of Lake
Manyara, is a relatively small (325 square kilometers)
Lake Manyara National Park that has only one road
The park has a striking variety of trees and a large
lake where over 380 species of aquatic birds have
been recorded. The vegetation in this area is ideal
for buffalo, giraffe, rhino, zebra and impala. Manyara
is also famous for its lions, which have the unusual
habit of napping in trees.
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Located in eastern Tanzania, is Selous Game Reserve
a scenic area that boasts an impressive variety of
game, birds and wildflowers. Much of the Selous is
low lying, with altitudes ranging from 110 to 1,200
meters. Running through its center, flows the vast
Rufigi River, East Africa's longest river basin. An
unusual combination of steep wooded hills, open Miombo
woodland and grassy plains and marshes interlace with
lakes and dry sand rivers make up this Game.
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In addition to wildlife viewing, Tanzania safaris
might provide opportunities to interact with the country's
indigenous peoples. A few safari itineraries venture
to the island of Zanzibar, off Tanzania's coast. Tanzania
safaris are available year-round. The most massive
game migrations occur in April through June and October
through December. The best months to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
are the milder spring and fall months of August through
October and January through March.
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