TANZANIA

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The country’s game viewing experiences are widely regarded as some of the best in Africa. The country has three World Heritage Sites – the awe inspiring Ngorongoro Crater, the endless Serengeti plain and in the south, the massive and untamed Selous National Park.

NGORONGORO CRATER
The crater, some 20km across and 600m deep, has the greatest permanent concentration of wildlife in Africa including elephant, lion, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo. Large flocks of flamingos are usually to be seen on the lake. Game viewing drives are by 4x4 safari vehicles and the rough one-way road takes you down through forests to the crater floor. Temperatures can be cool at this altitude (2,375m) but you must take care due to the intensity of the sun.

OLDUVAI GORGE
From Ngorongoro a stop is usually made at the Olduvai Gorge en route to the Serengeti. The gorge runs for 55km from the foot of Mt. Olmoti, to the north to Lake Ndutu, with the visitors centre and view point a quarter of the way along. Olduvai has been called the ‘The Cradle of Mankind’ as it was here that Dr L.S.B. Leakey found human remains dating back 1.75 million years.

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The Serengeti simply means ‘open space’ which is a very good description of the landscape. The northern boundary adjoins the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya, whilst to the west, it stretches to within a few miles of Lake Victoria. Whilst staying in the Serengeti there will be the opportunity, subject to weather conditions, for an optional balloon ride. You are transferred before dawn to the launch site and as the sun rises you float over the savannah watching the animals below.

When travelling from Arusha to Ngorongoro 2 other game reserves are often included in safari itineraries; Lake Manyara National Park, which takes in the northern half of the lake, lies at the foot of the impressive escarpment of the Great Rift Valley and Tarangire National Park with its grasslands and flood plains which attract a wide variety of wildlife.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Dominating the border between Tanzania and Kenya is Africa’s highest mountain, the majestic snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaroat 5,985m. Climbing the mountain does not require any special skills, although participants must be reasonably fit and not suffer from any health problem that might be affected by the altitude. There are various routes with different degrees of difficulty – the easiest being the popular Marangu Route which takes 7 days including a night at the base hotel before and after the climb.

SELOUS & RUAHA
The remote Selous Game Reserve, named after the English explorer Frederick C. Selous, is in the south east of the country and is the largest in the world. It offers superb game viewing and varied terrain, ranging from bush to rivers and lakes. A safari to the Selous is usually combined with a visit to the Ruaha National Park.

ZANZIBAR AND PEMBA
Zanzibar, lying some 25 miles off the coast, is 60 miles long and20 miles wide. It is characterised by beautifully sandy beaches with fringed coral reefs and the magic of historic Stone Town. The island supports a fascinating mixture of Arab and African culture with Islam being the dominant religion. The modern beach resorts are located about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours drive from Stone Town or the airport. The island of Pemba is about15 miles north of Zanzibar and is reached by air from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar. It has its own distinct character and the main town of Chaka Chaka is situated in the middle of the island. The Pemba Channel offers some of the finest game fishing and diving in the world.

THE MIGRATION
The Migration follows the annual rains in search of grazing pastures. As the movement is constant and influenced by the rainfall, exact timings and locations cannot be guaranteed. Nov – April / May …. the animals congregate on the grassy plains of the southern & eastern Serengeti. April / May – June …. at the end of the rains, the migration gradually heads northwest towards the western corridor and Grumeti .June – July / Aug …. the migration overflows into the Masai  Mara .Aug / Nov …. the migration stays in the Masai Mara until the new rains prompt the move southwards again.