SIGHTS TO SEE:
Tanzania is a country with great national parks where you can see some of the finest African flora and fauna.
WILDLIFE VIEWING:
- Serengeti National Park, made famous by numerous Discovery channel specials, hosts a wide range of wildlife including lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippopotamuses, elephants, zebra, buffalo, water buck, gazelle, warthogs, and wildebeest. One major attraction is the wildebeest migration, which occurs continuously between Serengeti and Masai Mara. Park fees are $50/person/day as of July 2007, and a guide with 4 wheel drive vehicle is required.
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area also hosts an abundance of wildlife, particularly in the Ngorongoro crater. Formed by the same volcanic activity that formed Kilimanjaro and the Great Rift valley, Ngorongoro consists of the highlands around the crater (rich in elephants) and the crater itself (similar animals to Serengeti, but at higher densities and with a small population of black rhino). Park fees are $50/day/person as of July 2007, plus $200 per vehicle for a six hour game drive in the crater.
- Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve are far less popular but very enjoyable. You won't find quite the volume of wildlife you would in the Serengeti, but if you're looking for a destination with fewer tourist, greater range of wildlife and animals that are not so tame, these parks are for you. Additionally, Selous is the only other place besides Ngorongoro where you may see a Rhino. You can also visit the Uduzungwa mountains park for a truly wilderness hike through untouched spectacular scenery. There are few places left in the world like this.
*When visiting wildlife parks be sure to stay as close to the viewing areas (center of the parks) as possible and leave as soon as you can in the morning as animals are typically most active soon after sunrise.
ISLANDS:
- Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania which includes both Zanzibar and Pemba. Zanzibar has beautiful beaches and historical Stone Town. Zanzibar is great for scuba diving, snorkeling, and swimming with dolphins. Other attractions include spice tours and Jozani forest, which has a small population of red Colobus monkeys.
- Mafia Island Marine Park is south of Zanzibar and boast some fantastic scuba diving and snorkeling, and if you're lucky you may get to swim with whale sharks. This is one of the few areas in the world where they congregate annually.
MOUNTAINS:
- Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa and one of the highest freestanding mountains in the world. Many people travel to Tanzania just to climb this mountain. You can either organize your trek up the mountain from your home country through a travel agency, but you'll pay a lot more for this convenience, or if you've got a bit of time, hop on plane and save some money by organizing it in Arusha or in Dar. Be advised that there are as many incompetent and dishonest trek organizers as there are good ones. Ask around to make sure your guide will deliver on his promises.
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