Category: Tanzania Destinations

Lake Manyara National Park

Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park, which spans along the 50km broad floor of the great east African rift valley, is a picturesque treasure on the country’s northern tourism circuit. The best time to see the rare tree-climbing lions of Tanzania, which can only be seen in Lake Manyara national park and Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda, is when you visit Lake Manyara park.

Despite the park’s small size, it is something you do not want to skip while on a safari across Tanzania’s northern region. The national park is situated along the floor of the huge east African rift valley, beneath the Manyara Escarpment. One of Tanzania’s smaller national parks, Lake Manyara is located in the country’s northern region. It has a total area of about 330 square kilometers, of which the vast Lake Manyara occupies around 220 square kilometers.

Through the Kwakuchinja corridor, the park—a protected region rich in wildlife—is alternated with the renowned and serene Tarangire national park. Animals can now roam freely from Tarangire to Lake Manyara National Park as a result. Numerous animals can be seen along the main northern access route, especially in the direction of Lake Manyara and Serengeti national parks. Despite the national park’s tiny size, it includes several diverse ecosystems that serve as homes for numerous creatures, including birdlife, and also provide an amazing perspective.

When traveling to Serengeti National Park, the national park is situated along the northern road. The 126 kilometers south-west of Arusha that make up Lake Manyara National Park are reasonably accessible by road, but if you want to get there quickly, you should use air transportation. The extensive marang forest reserve, which is situated on an escarpment, borders the park. The Kwakuchinja animal migration corridor from Tarangire National Park borders Lake Manyara to the east. Lake Manyara Park is bordered to the west by Lake Mayara and to the north by the Engaruka Basin.

An alkaline soda lake makes up the national park, and its tree-climbing lions, which are rare in the northern circuit, may also be found in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda.

Activities in Lake Manyara National Park

Game viewing

The most popular and frequent activity in Lake Manyara National Park, as well as other national parks in the northern circuit, is game viewing. Because it is the only park on the northern circuit with a few tree-climbing lions, the park is special. On the Game Drive Safaris, the tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara National Park can be seen hanging out in the enormous, ancient mahogany and the old candelabrum acacia trees with wide branches.

Tree Climbing lions

In addition to the lions that can scale trees, the Lake Manyara national park is also home to a variety of other animals, including giraffes, elephants, impalas, zebras, and baboons. During the big migration of the wildebeest, you may even be able to see some of them while on a game drive. Wild cats including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas that prey on the tiny herbivores live in the park. For safety concerns, it is preferable to use an armed ranger during wildlife drives in the Lake Manyara national park.

bird watching

Since Lake Manyara is home to a variety of bird species, including swamp birds, water birds, and forest birds that populate the lake’s shores, you may also enjoy bird watching there. The groundwater forest of this Manyara park is home to over 350 different bird species, including common flamingos, various storks, herons, egrets, cormorants, pink glossy ibis, sacred ibis long-crested eagles, spoonbills, and grey crowned cranes.

Guinea pigs, raucous silver cheeked hornbills, and crown eagles are among the other birds that live in the forest of Lake Manyara National Park. The dry season, which lasts from November to July and is when many migrating birds from southern Europe and northern Africa arrive in the park, is the greatest time to watch birds in Lake Manyara.

Canoeing

Another intriguing thing to do while visiting Lake Manyara park is canoeing. Despite being a salt lake, canoeing is allowed in Lake Manyara National Park on the lake itself. You can view several fascinating elements connected to this enormous lake when canoeing on Lake Manyara. Along the Lake Manyara shoreline, you may get a chance to witness the large silver bowls of salt deposits. While canoeing around Lake Manyara, you’ll get to see the stunning escarpment covered in a thick forest, as well as many water birds soaring above the lake.

Camping

Another activity you may engage in in Lake Manyara Park is camping, which is a really epic journey in the wilds of Africa. The park offers a large number of campsites in some of the most breathtaking locations. Five campgrounds in all are well-known, three of them are private and the other two are public. Bring your best camping equipment if you plan to camp in Lake Manyara; it will give the impression that you are on a true wilderness experience. All of the park’s camping areas are equipped with restrooms, running water, and a fine restaurant where visitors may savor delectable dishes made with a touch of African culture.

Guided nature walks

The park’s guided nature walks start from the woodlands perched atop the escarpment’s bluff. A knowledgeable park guide who knows the area well leads the way via the walking trails previously built in the national park during the nature walks. The guided nature walks will take you to some of the park’s most interesting locations, and they also give you a chance to see a variety of plants, trees, and birds, as well as Lake Manyara among other things. These excursions into the park’s natural surroundings are known as guided nature walks in Lake Manyara National Park.

Picnics

In the Lake Manyara National Park, picnics are truly epic, but the park also provides magnificent picnic sites that are free from all predators and tsetse flies. You must bring a packed lunch that you may eat while admiring the park’s natural environs, which include flora, warthogs, and birds. The park includes three main established picnic areas that are well-equipped with restrooms.

Best Time to visit Lake Manyara national park

The entire “to-do list” can be enjoyed at Lake Manyara at any time of the year. The dry season, which lasts from June to October, is the ideal time to visit the park. The greatest time to see wildlife in Lake Manyara park is during the dry season. For birdwatchers, however, the season lasts a long time, from November to July (for migrating birds). For the best Lake Manyara park excursions, you can make reservations with your preferred tour operator.

Tarangire national park

A unique national park and one of Tanzania’s must-see locations, Tarangire National Park is situated in the Manyara region, some 118 kilometers from Arusha, the region’s principal city, and about 70 kilometers from Lake Manyara. Tarangire National Park is located on the Northern Safari Circuit and is conveniently located between Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater, making it an ideal layover location.

The 2,850 square kilometer Tarangire National Park is home to a diverse ecological system, including vegetation, animal life, bird life, and termite molds. The magnificent Tarangire River, which runs through the park and divides it in two, gives the area its name. Tarangire National Park was first established in 1957 as a national reserve and was later designated a national park. The topography of Tarangire National Park is peppered with the well-known sun-blistered termite mounds, grassy savannah plains, and wetlands. Tarangire River, the park’s sole permanent water supply, feeds the ecosystem and park itself. Thousands of animals, including over 3,000 elephants, wildebeests, zebras, impalas, and gazelles, flock to the Tarangire River to drink water, especially during the dry season (June to November). These animals travel to the river in quest of both water and green pasture.

Tarangire National Park is home to 58 species of large mammals that may be easily discovered in different parts of the park. During the dry season (June to November), the area also undergoes an annual elephant migration. Over 3000 elephants migrate into the park in search of green grass and water; this spectacular event is witnessed on the plains of the park and along the Tarangire River as they meander beneath baobab trees. As wildebeests, hartebeests, elands, impalas, zebras, and buffalo swarm into drying lagoons in quest of water, Tarangire National Park also hosts the highest number of species outside the Serengeti environment. Leopards, lions, cheetahs, elands, impalas, wild dogs, antelopes, fringe-eared oryx, grant’s gazelles, vervet monkeys, banded mongoose, olive baboons, larger kudus, and many other animals can be found at Tarangire National Park.

One of Tanzania’s most significant birding regions, Tarangire National Park is home to more than 550 different bird species. Birds in the park typically congregate among wetlands, forests, and the Tarangire River’s banks. These birds include Hoopoes, hornbills, yellow-necked spur fowl, crested francolin, lilac-breasted rollers, stripped swallows, swifts, cordon bleus, owl’s plovers, bee-eaters, starlings, kori bustards, bateleur eagles, steppe eagles, tiny pygmy falcon, white-faced whistling ducks, red-billed teals and many more.

The beautiful Baobab trees, one of the biggest trees on earth and known by a variety of names, are the reason Tarangire National Park is so well-known worldwide. Locally, Baobab trees are referred to as Mbuyu in the Swahili language. They are also known as bottle trees, rat trees, and monkey-bread trees. The entire Baobab tree in Tarangire National Park grows to a height of 30 meters, with trucks reaching 11 meters in diameter, and has a life expectancy of 6000 years. It has an unusually thick robust trunk with stunted root-like branches.

Safari activities to do in Tarangire national park

Game drives

There are five routes that can be utilized for game drives in Tarangire National Park: the Lemiyon route, the Gursi route, the Lamarku route, the western Lake Barungi route, and the Kitibong hill route. The park is home to a large concentration of animals. Game drives in Tarangire national park are offered as morning, afternoon and evening game drive, on this experience you are to spot numerous animals such as leopards, lions, cheetah, elephants, buffaloes, wildebeests, hartebeests, elands, impalas, wild dogs, antelopes, fringe-eared Oryx, grant’s gazelles, vervet monkeys, banded mongoose, olive baboons, greater kudus and many more.

Bird watching

More than 500 different bird species, both migratory and permanent, can be found at Tarangire National Park, making it a great place to go bird watching. In Tarangire national park the best spot for viewing birds are savannah woodlands, swamps along Tarangire River and Lemiyon triangle situated in the northernmost end of the park, birds spotted on this experience include martial eagles, bateleur eagles, long crested eagles, spotted eagle owls, fish eagles, ostriches, great white pelicans, tawny eagles, white-faced whistling ducks, superb starlings, white headed babblers and many more.

Nature walks

The picturesque environment and different vegetation zones of Tarangire National Park make for a wonderful nature walk experience. The park offers nature walks in the morning and evening that last between one and three hours. The magnificent baobab trees, a variety of birds in swamps like hoopoes, hornbills, yellow-necked spur fowl, crested francolin, lilac-breasted rollers, stripped swallows, swifts, and a variety of animals like elephants, antelopes, lions, and many more can all be seen by tourists during this safari experience along the Tarangire River’s banks.

Sightseeing

One of the most memorable safari activities is sightseeing in Tarangire National area, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding natural environment, including the numerous swamps like Silale Swamp and the majestic Baobab trees that dot the area. A fantastic place to go sightseeing in the park is the 30 square kilometer Silale Swamp, which is home to a variety of wildlife including zebras, gazelles, elephants, and other bird species. Tarangire River, which is encircled by enormous baobab trees and wetlands, is another spectacular site to see in Tarangire National Park.

Cultural tours

The Masai tribal people and their own culture, norms, and traditions are fascinating to discover during cultural trips in Tarangire National Park. On cultural tours, you may learn about the nomadic lifestyle of the Masai people and see them producing beaded necklaces, anklets, earrings, and bangles as well as other local goods. The Masai settlements can be found along the park’s borders and the park itself is located next to a Masai valley. When doing cultural tours, you will come across the Masai people, who have a distinctive way of building their homes that are in circular shapes. They also have a stunning clothing code of colorful, brilliant shukas.

How to get to Tarangire national park

There are many lodging options in Tarangire national park, including luxury, midrange, and budget options. These include Nimali Tarangire tented camp, Acacia Tarangire luxury camp, Sanctuary Swala camp, Lemala Mpingo ridge lodge, Ecoscience Science center and luxury lodge, Tarangire safari lodge, Tarangire Sopa lodge, Ang’ata Tarangire camp, Kikoti tented camp, and Sangaiwe.

Accommodations in Tarangire National Park

The majority of safaris to Tarangire national park originate from Arusha city, and both road and air methods of transportation are used to reach to the park. Tarangire national park is situated on the northern safari circuit and readily visited through routes connecting to Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti national park. Public and private transportation is available from Arusha City to the park, and chartered flights are also available from Arusha Airport to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Ngorongoro conservation area

Located in the northern region of Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans 8,292 square kilometers and is home to the largest inactive, empty caldera in the world. The Ngorongoro conservation region is home to a number of wildlife species, including the “big 5,” which consists of elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinoceroses. In this region of Tanzania, there are numerous different kinds of wildlife.

One of the astonishing facts of the Ngorongoro conservation area is that the volcano was almost as tall as Mount Kilimanjaro before it erupted over 2 million years ago, creating the Ngorongoro crater.

Another intriguing aspect of the Ngorongoro crater is the absence of giraffes from the diverse animals seen there. Giraffes cannot be observed on safaris surrounding the Ngorongoro crater because of the crater’s steep walls.

The Maasai people live in the Ngorongoro protected region and can be seen grazing their animals, including cows, goats, and sheep, in the highlands and on the green plains.

The Maasai are renowned for their distinctive culture and way of life. Interactions with the Maasai are part of the experience on safaris around the Ngorongoro conservation area, which also includes visiting the Maasai villages and homes made of mud, watching traditional dances, viewing local art and crafts, and learning more about the Maasai culture.

Ngorongoro conservation area-Tanzania

In addition to being a UNESCO world heritage site, the Ngorongoro conservation area features stunning scenery including savannah grasslands, woodlands, and forests. Another feature of the Ngorongoro crater is an alkaline lake in the center, where groups of flamingos and numerous other bird species can be seen.

Safaris to the Ngorongoro conservation area cost around 71 USD for park entrance fees and 295 USD for crater expenses.

Activities carried out around the Ngorongoro conservation area

Safaris around the Ngorongoro conservation area involve a variety of activities, including the following;

Visiting Maasai villages

The Maasai people, who live among the diverse wildlife species in the savannah of Ngorongoro, call the Ngorongoro conservation area home.

In the Ngorongoro reserve region, which is also home to the Datoga and the Hadzabe, the Maasai make up a sizable portion of the local population. While on safaris, visitors can engage with these natives and discover more about their traditions.

The Maasai are noted for their reliance on their livestock and for living as nomads. However, agriculture is also practiced by the Maasai who live close to the Ngorongoro protected area. The Maasai are employed as tour guides and also work in the hotels near Ngorongoro, where they play a significant part in the tourism industry.

The Maasai evaluate wealth in terms of the quantity of cattle that a person owns, which is an intriguing truth about them.

Game drives

Safaris in and around the Ngorongoro conservation region often include activities like game drives.

The adventure is a 600-meter descent into the Ngorongoro crater, where a variety of wildlife species can be viewed. Elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, black rhinos, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, antelopes, waterbucks, hartebeests, kudu, hyenas, and warthogs are just a few of the animals that can be seen during game drives around the Ngorongoro conservation area.

Ngorongoro conservation area-Tanzania

Various periods of the year are suitable for game viewing in the Ngorongoro conservation area. For seeing animals at the location, the dry season from June to October is advised.

Crater rim experience

During safaris near the Ngorongoro conservation area, exploring the crater rim of Ngorongoro is an additional experience.

Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the crater and encounter a variety of wildlife species while on safari by participating in guided nature walks around the crater rim. This excursion is done with a ranger guide and can be done in the morning or the evening.

Hiking

Hiking tours of the Ngorongoro highlands are part of safaris in the Ngorongoro conservation area.

This activity can also be done in the vicinity of nearby craters, such as the Empakaai crater, which is located to the northeast of the Ngorongoro crater. Volcanic activity also contributed to the formation of the Empakaai crater.

Bird watching

Bird viewing is another activity that is done while on safari in the Ngorongoro conservation area. Flamingos, starlings, black-winged lapwings, vultures, Livingstone turracos, rufous-tailed weavers, secretary birds, ostriches, and many other wildlife species can be spotted in the vicinity of the crater.

Visiting Ol duvai gorge

A popular destination near the Ngorongoro conservation area, the Ol duvai gorge is also known as the “cradle of mankind.”

Ol Duvai Gorge is an archaeological site in northern Tanzania where findings of fossils and stone artifacts that show human evolution have been made. Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey were the ones who made these discoveries.

Visitors to safaris can also visit the Ol Duvai Museum, where some of the discoveries are on exhibit and more details are provided during the museum tour.

How to get to the Ngorongoro conservation area

Both a route from Arusha town and a flight from Kilimanjaro international airport can be used to reach the Ngorongoro conservation area.

Luxury lodges, midrange lodges, and budget lodges are all available for travellers to stay at when on safari in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro conservation region. These lodging options can also be found in nearby cities like Karatu.

The lodges and tented camps around the Ngorongoro conservation area include Ngorongoro Serena safari lodge, Ngorongoro wildlife lodge, andbeyond Ngorongoro crater lodge, Ngorongoro Sopa lodge, Rhino lodge Ngorongoro, Elewana the manor at Ngorongoro, Neptune Ngorongoro luxury lodge, Lemala Ngorongoro tented camp, Ngorongoro crater camp, Eileen’s tree inn, Hhando coffee lodge among others.

Travel to Tanzania and experience a wildlife safari while touring the Ngorongoro conservation region.

Arusha National Park

One of Tanzania’s most remarkable national parks, Arusha National Park is situated in the country’s northeast, close to Arusha Town and the Kenya-Tanzania border. It is 35 kilometers by car from Arusha City, 58 kilometers from Moshi, and 35 kilometers from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). The second-oldest national park in Tanzania, Arusha International Airport, is spread across an area of 552 square kilometers and features a variety of scenery in all directions. These landscapes include the funnels of the Meru crater, the Jekukumia River, and Mountain Meru’s peak in the west; the savannah-dominated Ngurdoto crater in the south-east; and the shallow, alkaline Momella lakes in the north-east.

Mount Meru, the second-highest peak in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro, is part of the Arusha National Park. It is a volcanic cone that is thought to have erupted 3 million years ago. A spectacular crater called “Ngurdoto crater” is located atop this mountain, which is one of the most outstanding features in Arusha National Park. It is located at an elevation of 4,566 meters. The Ngurdoto crater, also known as the Little Ngorongoro, has a diameter of 3.2 kilometers and a depth of 300 meters. It is shaped like a basin and has extremely steep sides that are covered in dense jungle. Inhabitants of the marshy grassland at the bottom of the crater include buffalo, elephants, antelopes, baboons, leopards, monkeys, and many different species of birds.

Together with Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha National Park is the second-oldest park in Tanzania. The park owes its founding and existence to Count Teleki of Hungary, who visited the Momella region in 1876. When he first arrived, the area’s large population of hippopotamuses and black rhinos captivated him. The Trappe family also visited the area in 1907 and later built a farm there that they utilized as a cattle ranch. The farm and Ngurdoto crater were included in the territory of the park when it was formed as a national park in 1960, and in 1967 Mount Meru region was also included to the park. The Warusha locals who formerly lived in the region that now bears the name of Arusha National Park are the source of the park’s name.

In addition to its stunning scenery and natural features, Arusha National Park is home to over 400 different kinds of birds and a variety of mammal species. Arusha National Park is one of the top 6 places to visit in the world for wildlife viewing due to the high concentration of animals there. Some of the animals in the park include buffalo, zebras, warthogs, hippos, reedbucks, duikers, bush pigs, giraffes, dik-dik, leopards, elephants, wildcats, spotted hyenas, blue monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. The greatest places to see these creatures include the Mount Meru slopes, dark montane woods, the area around the Ngurdoto Museum, and Momella Lakes.

the number of birds Over 400 species, including forest species, migratory species that are present from November to April, woodland species, and water species along the Momella lakes’ coasts, may be found at Arusha National Park. These birds include flamingos, hammerkops, pelicans, white crested Tilt, African paradise flycatchers, grey headed bush shrikes, red-billed Oxpeckers, bronzy sunbirds, pied Avocet, black-winged stilt, African jacanas, African spoonbills, black-headed herons, Jacobin cuckoos, Levaillant’s cuckoos, crowned eagles 1690

Tourist activities in Arusha national park

Game viewing

One of the most memorable safari activities in Arusha National area is game viewing. The area is home to several kinds of large mammals that live in different vegetation types such savannah grasslands, woods, and along the Momella Lakes’ banks. During a game watching drive in an open-roofed vehicle, you can see a variety of creatures, including waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, dik-dik, zebras, and many others. There are three game viewing experiences available: morning, afternoon, and evening.

Bird watching

One of Tanzania’s most significant birding regions, Arusha National Park is home to over 400 different bird species, making birdwatching there a memorable experience. Flamingos, hammerkops, pelicans, white crested Tilts, African paradise flycatchers, grey-headed bush shrikes, red-billed Oxpeckers, bronzy sunbirds, pied Avocets, black-winged stilts, African jacanas, and African s The savannah grasslands, the shores of Momella Lake where flamingos congregate, and the slopes and base of Mount Meru all make excellent locations for bird watching.

Mountain Meru climbing

lovers of mountain climbing Mount Meru, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania and a magnificent mountain for mountain climbing adventure, is the ideal mountain for you to climb in Arusha National Park. The mountain’s Ngurdoto crater, inner wall cliffs, and steep rise from a circular base are just a few of its exquisite aesthetic features. Mountain climbing on Mount Meru is done by the Momella route, which is the only path leading to the mountain’s summit. This route begins at Momella gate on the mountain’s eastern flank and travels along the northern arm of the horsehoe crater. Utilizing the Momella route, Mount Meru may be climbed in 4 days, 3 nights.

Walking safaris

The Ujambo Wa Mbogo, also known as “the buffalo glade,” is the ideal place to conduct a walking safari in Arusha National Park. This area is dominated by marsh, bushes, and numerous streams that serve as a feeding ground for warthogs, buffaloes, and giraffes, all of which can be seen in this area. Walking safaris are a grand adventurous retreat that allow you to explore parts of the park that are not accessible by vehicle. Walking safaris are also conducted on a number of the park’s paths, including those that pass beneath Mount Meru and along the rim of Ngurdoto Crater.

Canoeing

Arusha National Park offers two sessions of canoeing on Momella Lake, each lasting about three hours and featuring beautiful scenery, wildlife, and a cool lake breeze. The morning session starts at 7:30 am, and the evening session starts at 4:00 pm. While canoeing, you can see Mount Meru clearly, as well as other wildlife including buffalo, bushbucks, giraffes, and hippos, as well as a variety of waterbirds like huge kingfishers, cattle egrets, and storks.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding takes about 5-7 hours, and while you’re on the back of the horse, you’ll see beautiful sights like Mount Meru and a variety of animals like elephants, leopards, buffaloes, and more. Horseback riding is a thrilling safari activity as well as an environmentally friendly way to tour and enjoy the adventure. A horseback riding excursion provides a wonderful opportunity to get up close to creatures like giraffes and to travel along areas that are inaccessible by car.

Accommodations in the Arusha National Park

The Arusha National Park is littered with several lodging facilities that provide travelers on safari with a place to stay. These facilities are available in luxury, midrange, and budget categories. Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, the Africa Tulip, Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort and Spa, Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, Momella Wildlife Lodge, Mount Meru Game Lodge, Hatari Lodge, Itikoni Seasonal Camp, and many more lodging options are available in Arusha National Park.

Accessing Arusha National Park

About 35 kilometers to the north-east of Arusha, the region’s capital, is where you’ll find Arusha National Park. Both plane and road travel are required to get to Arusha National Park, which requires a about 40-minute journey. Both private and public transportation are available by road. There are multiple daily buses that travel from Arusha city to Ngare Nanyuki village and stop at Ngongongare gate. Kilimanjaro International Airport serves as the landing point for flights to Arusha National Park; the park is 46 kilometers away from the airport.

Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park

Tanzania is home to Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park. situated in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro area, 190 kilometers towards the southern hemisphere. It has a boundary with the city of Moshi and is 1,688 square kilometers in size. Mountain Kilimanjaro, one of Africa’s seven natural wonders, is situated close to Kenya’s northern border and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tallest peak in Africa is included in the national park. With its highest point at 5895 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro, also referred to as “the mountain of light,” is the highest point in all of Africa. The park is divided into five unique zones, one of which is the arctic zone, where there is a lot of snow over 5000 meters.

In 1973, it was gazetted as a national park. The German colonial rulers classified Mountain Kilimanjaro and the surrounding forest as a game reserve during the colonial era, when Tanzania was still known as Tanganyika. Up until 1973, when the Tanzania Parks Authority (TANAPA) designated it as a national park.

ANIMALS IN THE PARK

Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park is the ideal location for a traveler interested in wildlife safaris because it is home to a variety of unique wildlife creatures. The African big five can be found in the park.

ELEPHANTS

The elephant, or Loxodonta Africana as it is scientifically termed, can weigh between 6000 and 7000 kg and stand about 3 meters tall when fully grown. While female elephants are typically found in groups headed by a matriarch and surrounded by younger females and their children, male elephants prefer to live alone. The herds, which are headed by matriarchs, can have up to 110 individual female elephants, including moms, daughters, sisters, and aunts. Elephants live in the sub-Saharan flora and savannah grasslands. Elephants use extremely low frequencies that are inaudible to human ears to communicate over great distances. The mother elephant surrounds its offspring to protect them when they are in danger. Elephants can outpace humans despite their enormous size, and they are typically peaceful and kind until they are startled.

LEOPARDS

The leopard, often known as the “Panther Pardus,” is the best climber among the Big Five. The nocturnal carnivores emerge from hiding in the evening and night to search for prey, which they consume from the treetops to avoid attention from the lions and hyenas, as they spend the better part of their day hidden and finding it very difficult to do so during the day. Leopards frequently linger for a long time in one location. Because of the color of their skin, they can comfortably relax in the woods and caverns, which are their natural homes. They can readily catch prey thanks to their fast running speed of about 56 kph, their strength to jump over 3 meters in the air, and the fact that they are members of the cat family, which gives them keen eyesight. The leopards are excellent swimmers as well.

BLACK RHINOCEROS

The rhino is the second-largest mammal in terms of size, right behind elephants. As herbivores, rhinos live in meadows and travel in packs known as crashes. Their gestation period ranges from two to five years, and females usually give birth to single calves or occasionally twins. The bone calf is fed by its mother for roughly three years during its 18-month gestation period. Rhinos’ poor vision causes them to frequently knock things over. Rhinos have excellent hearing and smell senses despite having poor eyesight. When the female detects that the calf has been attacked, she can flee at a pace of 56 kph, weighing between 1800 and 2500 kg.

CAPE BUFFALOS

These animals are extremely deadly, always wandering alone. They are extremely hazardous because when they sense danger, they charge at breakneck speeds. The bulls stand when they are approached and then charge. The rainy season is when the buffaloes breed and give birth; the gestation period is 11.5 months. During its first five weeks, the baby is always hidden and cared for by its mother.

AFRICAN LION

The panther is known botanically. The most vicious animal in the jungle is the lion, Leo. These cats, who live in groups of up to 15, are gregarious creatures. Because to their strength, they are frequently referred to as the “king of the jungle.” Lions are significant in culture because they stand for power, bravery, and monarchy. While lions are gregarious creatures, they only prey on other animals when they need to survive. The thick mane and physical stature of the male lion help to differentiate it from the female, which appears to be smaller physically. Male lions weigh about 120 kg.

Giraffes, servals, hyenas, baboons, monkeys, antelopes, aardvarks, mongooses, honey badgers, tree hyraxes, and bush babies are among the numerous creatures in the park. Any traveler visiting the second-largest continent in the globe shouldn’t skip seeing some of the abundant wildlife that can be found there. The animals are divided into nocturnal and diurnal species. The majority of the animals eat and play throughout the day, making sunny afternoons the greatest time to watch them when they are forced to roam the park by the heat. The greatest time to see nocturnals is in the very early morning because they hurt during the night and have adaptations for that, making it dangerous for late-night game drives safaris.

BIRDS IN THE PARK

Because there are so many different flying species in East Africa, this area is known as a bird sanctuary. This is also true of Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park, which is home to several bird species that fill the air with music.

You can spot some of these common bird species when visiting the park.

TURACOS

These three species—Hartlaub’s Turaco, Schalow’s Turaco, and Violet Crested Turaco—are among those you might see at Kilimanjaro National Park. These sociable birds gather in groups of dozens and are frequently seen doing so. They mostly eat fruit and plant stuff for food. Gustav Hartlaub, a doctor from Germany, is the name of the Hartlaub. Hermann Schalow, a German financier, inspired the name Schalow.

AFRICAN PITTA

The “holy grail” of species, it is challenging to observe. It’s rare to catch a glimpse of it, despite its bursting bright colors. Their flanks, breast, and neck are mustard yellow, and their throat is a light salmon pink.Their dark green wings have accents of black, turquoise, and royal blue, while their underbelly and tail are scarlet.

CINNAMON CHESTED BEE EATER  

species is found near the edges of forests, on wooded hillsides, in clearings, and in gardens. Because it eats other flying creatures like honeybees, moths, butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles, it is sort of a predator.

NARINA TROGON

named for Frenchman Francois Le Vaillant’s mistress. The word for flower in Khoi Khoi is Narnia. The coloring of the sexes differs, with the soft brown and dull red of the females being less dramatic than that of the males.Males make a low, repetitive hoot when seeking to court females or protect their territory.

HORNBILLS

Additionally, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of these unique bird species. The omnivorous hornbill consumes fruits, insects, small birds, rodents, tiny reptiles, centipedes, and centipede eggs.Although they frequently roost in couples, they have also been observed in large flocks of hundreds of birds.

KINGFISHERS

such as the African pygmy Kingfisher and the Malachite Kingfisher. These beautiful blue or green birds are mesmerizing. These covert, quiet birds build their nests either into a ground termite nest or tunnels made by both sexes in sandy soil banks.Both parents provide for the children.

Numerous varieties of cuckoos, chats, barbets, woodpeckers, starlings, sunbirds, shrikes, and flycatchers are among the other bird species found in the park.

Mountain Kilimanjaro is the park’s other main draw. The mountain was home to the well-known volcanic cones “Mawenzi,” “Kibo,” and “Shira.” The highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, also happens to have the highest freestanding peak in the world at one of its summits. The Uhuru peak of the mountain is 5,895 meters high. The mountain Mount Kilimanjaro is also the most hiked. with a variety of unique ascent routes. This magnificent mountain’s presence gives the park extra flair.

ACTIVITIES

TREKKING AND HIKING MOUNTAIN KILIMANJARO

One of the primary activities at the Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park is this. This mountain may be hiked in a very daring fashion because hikers can witness a lot of wildlife along the way. Depending on your itinerary, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro can take you anywhere from 5 to 9 days. There are more than five ways to reach the top. Because this activity requires camping, it is typically done in groups. The mountain top is primarily covered in snow, and as the phrase goes, “the higher you go, the cooler it becomes.” Because of this and the fact that the temperature drops as you ascend, it is suggested to bring cardigans.

WILDLIFE  SAFARIS

The park is blessed with all five of the big African mammals as well as many smaller unique animal species. Through the regularly planned game drive safaris, visitors can see some of the park’s animals, some of which were already described. Through these wildlife safaris, visitors led by rangers and guides get a peek of the park’s creatures. The Shira Plateau and Chala Crater Lake are two noteworthy natural attractions that can be seen by tourists.

COMMUNITY WALKS AND NATURE WALKS

Because they bring you closer to the park’s animals, the nature walks are led by heavily armed professionals. Because the tourists experience nature up close, it is quite daring.

On the other hand, community walks are a great way to become more familiar with the area around Kilimanjaro National Park, especially the fascinating masai people. Any traveler should visit these because of their extremely intriguing way of life and social structure.

The Park is reachable by both land and air. The experience would be more exciting on the road. It takes about two hours to drive through Moshi Town from Arusha to the Kilimanjaro National Park. It is a 50-minute journey from Moshi. It is accessible to tourists throughout the year, though it is advised to go during the dry season, which lasts from June to October.

ACCOMODATION

In and around Mountain Kilimanjaro National Park, there are several excellent lodging options. The choices range in price from cheap to luxurious, depending totally on the traveler’s budget. The venues include Kaliwa lodge, Shu’mata camp, Kambi Ya Tembo camp, Fortune Mountain Resort, Ndarakwai camp, Snowcap Cottages, Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort, Babylon lodge, Aishi Machame hotel, Mount Kilimanjaro View lodge, Kibo Slopes Cottages, Kilimanjaro Halisi Retreat, Salinero Millie lodge, Kilinopark hotel, Kilemakyaro Mountain lodge, Kilimanjaro White House hotel among others.

Serengeti national park

The Serengeti National Park, often known as the animal hub, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fantastic place to see wildlife. This park, which is situated in northwest Tanzania, is connected to Masai Mar National Reserve in the north by a boundary that runs along Kenya. The Serengeti National Park is bordered to the south and east by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve, the Ikorongo and Gumet Game Reserves, the Loliondo Game Control Area, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The 14,763 square kilometer Serengeti National Park, a popular safari destination in Tanzania, is made up of rolling grasslands, savannah, riverine forest, and forests. The Masai word “siringet” means “endless plains” or “the place where the land runs forever,” and the Serengeti national park is a true representation of an African wildlife safari destination made up of these endless rolling plains.

According to history, the Masai people used the Serengeti national park’s lands as grazing areas for their livestock for more than 200 years while grazing on the wide-open plains of the eastern Mara region. Sir Stewart Edward White was the first American to enter Serengeti National Park, and his explorations are recorded in northern Serengeti in 1913. Until professional hunters began visiting the area to hunt a variety of animals inhabiting the lands, little was known about the plains of Serengeti National Park. He went back to the Serengeti National Park in 1920 and slept there for three months close to Seronera. He and his companions killed roughly 50 lions during their visit, and as a result of the intense hunting, lions are now becoming rare in the region. Due to this, the British Colonial Administration established a 3.2 square kilometer partial game reserve; the Serengeti National Park as a whole was fully established in 1952.

After Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael published the novel and the play “Serengeti Shall Not Due” in the 1950s, the Serengeti National Park gained considerable notoriety.

Serengeti national park comprises of a scenic landscape comprises of Lobo valley, Barfafu Gorge and Kopjes, Matiti plains, olduvai gorge, makoma hill, kusini plains, lake Ndutu, lower Grumeti woodlands, retina hippo pool, Seronera valley, Lamai triangle, upper grumeti woodlands and kopjes such as Moru kopjes, Masai kopjes, Gol kopjes and Simba kopjes.

One of the greatest places for Tanzania wildlife safaris is Serengeti National Park, which is home to a variety of mammals, including the full Big 5, carnivore species, monkeys, and reptiles. Numerous species of antelopes, including dik-diks, fringe-eared oryxes, and common elands, as well as aardvarks, aardwolves, bat-eared foxes, ground pangolins, crested porcupines, three species of hyraxes, cape hares, and many others can be found in the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is home to a variety of reptiles, including puff anders, black mambas, crocodiles, African pythons, black-necked spitting cobras, leopard tortoises, and serrated hinged teerapins.

One of the top tourist attractions in Serengeti National Park is the big wildebeest migration, which elevates the park to a top spot for wildlife viewing. The biggest population of large mammals observed anywhere in the world, the wildebeest migration involves the movement of over 1.5 million people, including over 500,000 wildebeests wandering the Serengeti-Mara environment, 250,000 plains zebras, and 300,000 Thomson gazelles.

Serengeti national park is also one of the top listed Tanzania birding safari destination habiting over 500 bird species, these birds include Masai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, kori bustards, secretary birds, oxpeckers, small finches, hartlaub’s turaco and many more.

Safari activities to do in Serengeti national park

Game drives

One of the most well-known Tanzania safari activities is going on a game drive through the Serengeti National Park, which has four main regions: Seronera and the south, Grumeti and the western corridor, central Serengeti, and northern Serengeti. The game drives available are

The greatest time to see big cats, such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs, is during a morning game drive, when they are most active and likely to be sunbathing.
Afternoon game drives take place right after lunch Full-day game drives provide visitors the chance to explore the entire park and see a variety of creatures, including zebras, leopards, elephants, and many more.
The greatest time to see nocturnal species like lions, leopards, cheetahs, and other big cats is during a night game drive that is conducted in the pitch-black hours of the night with the use of a spot light.

Generally game drives in Serengeti national park offers sights of many animals such aslions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, topis, elands, coke’s hartebeests, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, various species of antelopes such as roan antelopes, common eland, bushbucks, greater kudus, fringe- eared oryxes and dik-dik and many more.

Birding

Serengeti National Park is one of the top birding locations in Tanzania for birding safaris. The park is a refuge for birders and is home to more than 500 species of birds that thrive in its unique habitat. Birding in Serengeti national park offers sights of many species of birds such as Masai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, Kori bustards, secretary birds, Oxpeckers, small finches, Hartlaub’s turaco and many more.

The best time to go birding in the Serengeti National Park is from November to April, when most birds are in their breeding season and migratory birds from Europe and other parts of Africa are present in the park, though birding is possible throughout the year.

Hot air balloon safaris

As part of a Tanzania safari, hot air balloon safaris in Serengeti National Park are a spectacular and iconic way to view the park’s plains and attractions from the air. This breathtaking safari experience offers aerial views of Serengeti National Park’s wilderness, including animals like lions, elephants, buffaloes, and cheetahs as well as the magnificent landscape. Beginning as early as 6 am, hot air balloon safaris in the Serengeti National Park depart from authorized locations in the Seronera area. This experience lasts for about 1-2 hours and is followed by a champagne brunch in the bush.

Hot air balloon safaris designated sites in Serengeti national park are 3 sites and they include

Flying over the Seronera river valley in the center of the Serengeti allows you to see the animals congregating along the river.
For views of the wildebeest migration crossing the river in the months of June and July, fly above the Grumenti River in the Western Serengeti.
Flying above the southern Serengeti grasslands during the great wildebeest migration’s calving season can provide views of 8000 newborns.

Photographers who want to capture beautiful natural scenes can go on hot air balloon safaris.

Walking safaris

The best way to see every part of Serengeti National Park that a safari vehicle cannot access is to go on a walking safari. This thrilling experience gives views of Serengeti’s nature, including animals like lions, elephants, and many more. A game ranger and a guide provide guidance during walking safaris.

Cultural tours

The ideal experience if you wish to experience a traditional Maasai way of life is to take part in a cultural tour of the Serengeti National Park, which provides insight into the Maasai people’s traditional way of life. Before the parks were gazetted, the Maasai, a semi-nomadic people, lived in numerous areas of Kenya and Tanzania. Travelers have the chance to interact with the Maasai community when visiting Bomas, which are Maasai villages. Visitors can participate in typical Maasai activities including cattle husbandry and enjoy local dance and theatre. The practices, rituals, traditions, and more of the Maasai people are also made more accessible to tourists.

Where to stay in Serengeti national park

There are numerous safari lodges and camps in Serengeti National Park that provide lodging for park visitors. These lodges and camps are divided into three price ranges: luxury, midrange, and budget. They include Mwiba Lodge, Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Camp, Namiri Plains Camp, And Beyond Under Canvas, Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp, Olakira Camp, Serengeti Bushtops Camp, Ndutu Wilderness Camp, Woodlands Camp

How to get to Serengeti national park

Serengeti National Park is a very accessible Tanzania safari destination for many places, including Arusha City. The park is reachable by both road and air transportation. It is situated in a rural area in north Tanzania.

By road:

There are four primary entrances and exits to the Serengeti National Park: Naabi Hill Gate, Ndabaka Gate, Klein’s Gate, and Bologonya Gate. The drive to the park’s main gates from Arusha takes about 6-7 hours. It is highly recommended to have a 4X4 wheel vehicle when traveling to Serengeti National Park by road.

By air:

Both international and domestic airlines fly to the Serengeti National Park. Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is located between Moshi and Arusha towns and is the preferred point of entrance to the park via international air travel, is 200 miles from the Serengeti National Park. International flights from KLM, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and many more are available at this airport. Kilimanjaro National Park also offers connecting flights to Nairobi.

Regional airlines like Air Excel, Coastal Aviation, and Regional Air provide flights to Serengeti National Park that take between one and five hours to complete from Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha Airport to one of the park’s seven airstrips.