Tanzania Game Reserves and National Parks

Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park nesting under the wall of the Great Rift Valley is like a perfectly cut gemstone. It contains a variety of habitats and diverse animals and birds. It covers an area of 319sq Km, altitude 945 meters. Lake Manyara has 5 distinct zones.

Ngorongoro Crater
The largest intact crater in the world and second largest extinct volcano in the World has a spectacular concentration of wildlife. The crater rim is wooded with mountain forest vegetation. Its oval in shape and 20Km in diameter, 100sq miles in area, 2000 feet deep and 2286metres above sea level. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – sometimes referred as ‘African Eden’ boasts the finest blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and archaeological sites in Africa. The crater alone supports over 20, 000 large animals. The attractions in this crater include the soda lake, Lake Makat, the Lerai forest and the archeological site at Laetoli.

Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s first and most famous park. Each year more than 6 million hooves pound legendary ‘haven’ Serengeti endless plains. This migration is usually triggered by the seasonal rains whereby more than a million wildebeest, 200, 000 zebra and 300, 000 Thomson’s gazelle undertake this trek. As the herds move to new grazing grounds they are followed by predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals and hunting dogs waiting for weak prey, while vultures soar overhead waiting for their share of the kill. It is also known for its wealth of leopard and lions. This famous plain is interspersed with wooded hills, towering termite mounds, monumental rocky kopjes, and rivers lined with elegant acacia. One of the most unique wilderness areas of the world, fantastic in its natural beauty and unequalled in its scientific value. It occupies 14763sq Km. This Park is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in the world.

Arusha National Park
This park is remarkable for its range of habitats – miniature volcanic craters, highland rainforest, acacia, woodland and a string of crater lakes (The Momella lakes). In addition, on clear day there are spectacular views of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. Arusha National Park offers many beautiful panoramic views. An opportunity to visit this park is not to be missed.

Tarangire National Park
This park is wooded savannaland with baobab trees alternating with open acacia woodland. Open plains, swamps are also a part of this beautiful game reserve that is also home to rivers along which stand palm trees. Big game and birds abound. Among the wildlife that can be seen are lions, elephants, zebras, oryx and many more. The bird-life is also extremely rich and varied.

Mt Kilimanjaro
This is the highest Mountain in Africa is just three degrees south of the equator and its two peaks, the KIBO (5,893m) and MAWENZI (5,149m) are permanently snow-capped. Ascent and descent takes five days and can be climbed by any normal, fit person with the assistance of experienced mountain guides and porters. Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of the year except during the long rains April and May.

Olduvai Gorge
Within Ngorongoro conservation area is the Olduvai Gorge, some 180 Km west of Arusha, the northern tourist capital of Tanzania. The remains of Homo Habilis or "Handy Man" regarded as mankind’s first step on the ladder of the human evolution. Guides operate lecture tours on the archeological sites.

Mikumi National Park
Mikumi, the most accessible park from Dar es Salaam. Prominent features here are the Mikumi flood plain and the mountain ranges that rise on two sides of the park. And all the usual suspects of wild Africa have their home here, not to mention a few peculiar ones such as yellow baboons. Mikumi is located 300 km for Dar es Salaam and is the most accessible park for those departing from Tanzania’s capital. Prominent features of the park are the Mikumi flood plain and the mountain ranges that rise on two sides of the park. You will encounter elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, wildebeest, eland and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest. Lion and wild dogs are among the carnivores common here. Towards the southern end of the flood plain live families of yellow baboon. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Many are Eurasian migrants who stay between October and April.

Ruaha National Park
Ruaha is the largest elephant sanctuary in the country. The lifeblood of the park is the Great Ruaha River with its spectacular gorges. It is host to numerous plain animals and the predators that follow them -lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. Ruaha National Park is an unspoilt wildlife park in central Tanzania. It occupies 10,000 sq km and carries 8000 tuskers making it the biggest elephant sanctuary in the country. The Great Ruaha River with its spectacular gorges flows along the parks’ eastern border and is host to hippo and crocodile. The river is the parks lifeblood and provides drink for waterbuck, reedbuck and buffalo. This in turn attracts the predators: lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. Plain animals thriving in the grasslands of the Ruaha include: greater and lesser kudu, impala, sable and roan antelope, giraffe, zebra, dik-dik and Grants gazelle. Birds are plenty too- over 370 species have been recorded.

Selous National Park
The largest protected wildlife sanctuary in the whole of Africa. Selous, a UN World Heritage site, is a pristine wilderness of rolling savanna woodland, grassland plains with a network of lake and rivers. You have the chance to view game in a novel way, while sailing or rafting down the Rufiji River. Then to unspoilt Ruaha, home to thousands of elephants and numerous plain animals and the predators that follow them -lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. Then you head to Mikumi, where all the usual suspects of wild Africa have gathered, not to mention a few peculiar ones such as yellow baboons. Selous Game Reserve occupies an area larger than Switzerland and is the largest protected wildlife sanctuary in the whole of Africa. This UN World Heritage site is a pristine wilderness of rolling savanna woodland, grassland plains with a network of lake and rivers. The lifeblood of the Selous is the Rufiji River and sailing or rafting down the river is a novel way of seeing game. You will find an amazing concentration of wildlife including elephant, lion, buffalo, crocodile, hippo, and wild dog. Other species resident here are zebra, baboon, giraffe, greater kudu, baboon, bushbuck and impala.