Ngorongoro Crater
Called
the eighth wonder of the world and extend across some 8,300 sq
km, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania
boasts a blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and archaeology
that is unsurpassed in Africa . Ngorongoro Crater is one of
the world's greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting
and abundant wildlife. It borders the Serengeti National Park
to the north and west. A few hours drive to the east takes you
to the town of Arusha which nestles at the foot of Mount Meru,
within view of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Serengeti National
Park The name 'Serengeti' comes from the Maasai
language and appropriately means an 'endless plain'. The
National Park, with an area of 14,763 square kilometres, is as
big as Northern Ireland, but its ecosystem, which includes the
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve and the
Maasai Mara Game reserve (in Kenya); It lies between the
shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south,
and the Great Rift Valley to the east. As such, it offers the
most complex and least disturbed ecosystem on earth. The
Serengeti's climate is usually warm and dry. The main rainy
season is from March to May, with short rains falling from
October to November.
Lake Manyara
National Park. This is one of the most diverse of Tanzania 's
national parks, a tiny (325km²) combination of Rift Valley
Lake , dense woodlands and steep mountainside. Manyara was
established specifically to protect the elephant herds that
have made the area world-renowned. But heavy poaching in the
1970's and 1980's decimated the herds, although they are now
recovering and returning to their former strengths. Manyara is
a birding paradise (more than 380 species), especially for
waterfowl and migrants, and the forests are one of the best
places around to see leopards. Lions hunt on the grassy shores
of the lake, and also known for their habit of climbing trees,
although this behavior seems to have been dropped in recent
years. Best game viewing months are December to February and
May to July, tapering off in August and September.
Tarangire National
Park Tarangire National
Park is one of the finest parks in Tanzania . Located in the
Rift Valley, not far from the eastern shore of Lake Manyara,
Tarangire covers almost 2,600 square kilometers and contains
nine different vegetation zones, each supporting distinct
types of wildlife. The gently rolling hills are punctuated
with majestic Baobab trees, ( Adansonia digitata )
alternating with open acacia woodland, rivers, and stands of
palm treesIn the dry season (Aug-Oct), when many of the
migratory wildlife species return to the permanent waters of
the Tarangire River, the park boasts nearly as high a
concentration of animal life as Ngorongoro Crater. Large herds
of elephants, zebras, wildebeests, eland and Oryx congregate
here until the wet season allows them to migrate to fertile
new grazing land. The river and its surrounding watering holes
also attract numerous species of birds to the area. Over 300
species of birds have been recorded in the park, including
green wood hoopoes, green and yellow parrots, Fischer's and
yellow-collared lovebirds, as well as doves, mouse birds,
cuckoos, swifts, and swallows.
Arusha National Park
. The closest
national park to Arusha town – northern Tanzania 's safari
capital – Arusha National Park covering an area of 137 sq km
(53 sq miles). The entrance gate leads into shadowy montane
forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colorful
turacos and trogons – the only place on the northern safari
circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white colobus monkey is
easily seen. In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular
Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide
marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthogs.
