Featuring -National Parks | Climate| History & People | How to get to Tanzania
Essential Info (Visa, Health, Money)| What to bring

Why visit Tanzania?

The reasons for visiting Tanzania are innumerable, but the main list includes the following:

· Over one quarter of it’s land mass is dedicated to National Parks, Game Reserves and Game Controlled Areas, which gives Tanzania more land dedicated to National Parks than any other country in the world and ensures:
· The finest game viewing potential anywhere.
· From the largest Game Reserve in Africa (The Selous, 19,293 square miles), declared a World Heritage Site in 1982, to one of the smallest (Gombe Stream, with it’s chimpanzee population) and from one of the best known (the Serengeti) to the least (Mahale Mountains).
· The highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro, 19,340 feet (and the eighth highest, Meru (14,979 feet)
· The Serengeti ecosystem (just the Park itself covers 5,700 square miles, which gives some scale to the Selous!) and it’s attendant migration.
· The collapsed caldera, wildlife miracle and World Heritage Site of the Ngorongoro Crater, often said to be the Eighth Wonder of the World!
· Olduvai Gorge - the “birthplace of Man”.
· Very varied habitats and vegetational zones.
· A wonderful 497 mile coastline on the Indian Ocean, and three main tropical islands: Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.
· Zanzibar is a draw in itself.
· An excellent climate.
· The second deepest lake in the world (Lake Tanganyika, 4,725 feet) and the largest lake in Africa (Lake Victoria).
· The Great Rufiji river.
· A substantial portion of the Rift Valley, see “Geography” below. (Kirurumu Tented Lodge is on the lip of the Rift).
· Political stability - see Politics & Religion, below.
· Exceptionally friendly peoples.
· English (and KiSwahili) as the main languages.
· Relatively low levels of tourism.

Location, Geography & Climate

Tanzania is bordered on the south by Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia; on the west by Zaire, Burundi, and Rwanda; on the north by Uganda and Kenya; and on the east by the Indian Ocean. Tanzania is the largest of the East African nations, and it possesses a geography as mythic as it is spectacular.

In the northeast of Tanzania is a mountainous region that includes Mt. Meru (14,979 ft/4,566 m) and Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft./5,895 m), the latter of which is the highest point in Africa and possibly the most breathtaking mountain imaginable. To the west of these peaks is Serengeti National Park, which has the greatest concentration of migratory game animals in the world (200,000 zebra, for example). Within the Serengeti is Olduvai Gorge, the site of the famous discoveries by the Leakeys of fossil fragments of the very earliest ancestors of Homo sapiens. The Serengeti also contains the marvelous Eden of Ngorongoro, a 20-mile-wide volcanic crater that is home to an extraordinary concentration and diversity of wildlife.

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Moving west from the Serengeti, one reaches the shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake on the continent and one of the primary headwater reservoirs of the Nile. Southwest of Lake Victoria, and forming Tanzania's border with Zaire, is Lake Tanganyika, the longest and (after Lake Baikal) deepest freshwater lake in the world. It was at Ujiji, a village on the Tanzanian shore of Lake Tanganyika, that H.M. Stanley presumably encountered David Livingstone in 1871. Livingstone had fallen ill while searching for the source of the Nile, and despite his illness he refused to leave. Instead, he persuaded Stanley to accompany him on a journey to the north end of Lake Tanganyika. The region that they passed through has since become famous as Gombe National Park, the site of Jane Goodall's chimpanzee research station.

Southeast of Lake Tanganyika is a mountainous region that includes Lake Malawi (previously Lake Nyala), the third largest lake on the continent. East of Lake Malawi is the enormous expanse of the Selous Game Reserve, the largest in Africa with over 21,000 sq. mi. (55,000 sq. km.) and perhaps more than 50,000 elephants.

Moving northeast from Selous brings one to Tanzania's low, lush coastal strip, the location of its largest city, Dar es Salaam. Dar Es Salaam is the embarkation point for Zanzibar, the fabled emerald isle that lies off the Tanzanian coast.

Climate
On account of its extremely varied topography, the weather in Tanzania can vary between regions, but generally it has two dry seasons split by two rainy seasons as described below:

DECEMBER - MARCH This is when the north of the country is usually at its driest with hot, clear days and pleasantly warm nights. On average daytime temperatures rise to around 90F and then fall to a balmy 65F at night. The coastal region can experience more tropical temperatures with the influence of the 'kaskazi' monsoon wind that can push temperatures up to a humid 95F or higher. Whilst the north of the country is predominantly dry during this time, the southern areas of Selous and Ruaha usually experience their green season with intermittent rainfall.

APRIL - MAY As the end of March beckons, daytime temperatures and humidity begin to increase significantly with the onset of the long rains, although the effects in the northern highlands are normally tempered on account of the altitude. The long rains can sometimes cause temporary flooding as a result, but are usually short and heavy, with rainfall typically lasting for an hour or two before the sun shines again.

JUNE - OCTOBER This is the coolest time of the year although daytime temperatures remain high at about 80F, contrasting significantly with the nights when the temperature can fall to 58F or cooler in the highlands. As September and October approach, so it starts to warm up again prior to the short rains in November. These months are generally dry although some rain may be encountered.

NOVEMBER This month sees a rise in temperatures as the hot and dry season approaches, but this is also the time of the short rains which can last into early December. Storms are generally short, sharp and very sporadic with travel arrangements little affected.

Climate - at a glance

Arusha

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Temp (F)

93/ 62

93/ 62

90/ 61

86/ 62

82/ 62

80/ 61

80/ 61

81/ 58

84/ 59

90/ 60

91/ 62

92/ 62

Rain (in)

2.0

2.0

5.0

14.5

9.0

1.0

1.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

4.5

4.0

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History & People

The history of human habitation in Tanzania goes back almost two million years, and the fossils found at Olduvai Gorge by Louis and Mary Leakey now stand among the most important artifacts of the origins of our species. Artifacts of later Paleolithic cultures have also been found in Tanzania. There is evidence that communities along the Tanzanian coast were engaging in overseas trade by the beginning of the first millennium AD. By 900 AD those communities had attracted immigrants from India as well as from southwest Asia, and direct trade extended as far as China. When the Portuguese arrived at the end of the 15th century, they found a major trade center at Kilwa Kisiwani, which they promptly subjugated and then sacked. The Portuguese were expelled from the region in 1698, after Kilwa enlisted the help of Omani Arabs. The Omani dynasty of the Bu Said replaced the region's Yarubi leaders in 1741, and they proceeded to further develop trade. It was during this time that Zanzibar gained its legendary status as a center for the ivory and slave trade, becoming in 1841 the capital city of the sultan of Oman.

In Tanzania's interior, at about the same time, the cattle-grazing Maasai migrated south from Kenya into central Tanzania. Soon afterward the great age of European exploration of the African continent began, and with it came colonial domination. Tanzania fell under German control in 1886, but was handed over to Britain after WWI. Present day Tanzania is the result of a merger between the mainland (previously Tanganyika) and Zanzibar in 1964, after both had gained independence. Tanzania has like many African nations experienced considerable strife since independence, and its economy is extremely weak. However, political stability does appear to have been established in recent years.

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How To Get Here
NEAREST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS TO NORTHERN TANZANIA:

Note: All costs are approximate and change without notice, please contact us for the latest information.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JO):
Flights which operate are LM Royal Dutch Airline, Ethiopian Airline and Air Tanzania.
Transfer time: Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha town: An approximate 1hour drive.
Airport transfer cost: From US$85 per vehicle - sits up to six people.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) - Nairobi
Flights operating are British Airways, Sabena, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Ethiopian Airline, Emirates Airline, Gulf Air, Swiss Air, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Regional Air and South African Airways.
Transfer time:
Airport to Nairobi City - Approximate 20minutes.
Airport to Arusha town - By road: Approximate 4 and a half hours drive with 30minutes clearance at the Namanga Border (Kenya / Tanzania Border)
Airport Transfer Costs:
Private Transfer from the Airport to Nairobi City: From US$40 per vehicle (sits up to 6 people).
Private Transfer Nairobi to Arusha Town: From US$290per vehicle -sits up to 6 people. Express Shuttle Bus from Nairobi to Arusha - Two departures daily, at 08h00 and 14h00. Cost: US$20 per person

Dar-es-Salaam International Airport (DAR):
Flights operating are British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airline, Ethiopian Airline, Emirates Airline, Gulf Air, Swiss Air, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania and South African Airways.
Transfer time:
Airport to Dar es Salaam City - An approximate 30 minutes drive.
Airport to Harbour (Sea port for Hydrofoil Boats to Zanzibar) - approximate 30minutes drive.
Dar es Salaam to Arusha by road takes 8 to 9 hours with the Luxury Express Tourist Bus.
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar with a Hydrofoil Boat takes approximate 90minutes.
Airport Transfer Cost:
Airport to Dar es Salaam City Centre or the Harbour (Sea port for Zanzibar Hydrofoil Boats) From US$30.
Dar es Salaam to Arusha by road - Tourist Bus from US$25 per person one way.
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Hydrofoil Boat - From US$40 per person one way.

Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ):
Flights which operate, are Ethiopian Airline, Gulf Air, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Zan Air, Precision Air, Eagle Air and Coastal Air.
Transfer time:
Airport to Zanzibar Stone town or Harbour (Sea port for Pemba or Dar es Salaam Hydrofoils) - approximate 20minutes drive.
Airport to Beach Resort - Approximate 1 hour.
Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam by Sea - Hydrofoil Boats: 90 minutes.
Airport Transfer Cost:
Airport to Zanzibar Stone town or Harbour (Sea port for Zanzibar Jetfoil) From US$35. Airport or Stone town to Beach Resorts From US$65 per vehicle - sits up to 6 people Dar es Salaam to Arusha by road Tourist Bus from US$25 per person one way.
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar by Hydrofoil Boats - From US$40 per person one way.

DOMESTIC AND INTERNAL FLIGHTS:
Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Eagle Air, Zan Air, Coastal Air, Regional Air run scheduled from between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha and to the various Regional airports and National Park airstrips.

AIR FARE ONE WAY

COASTAL AIR:
Arusha - Selous : from US$310
Arusha - Ruaha : from US$490
Selous - Dar es Salaam : from US$120
Selous - Zanzibar : from US$130
Selous - Ruaha : from US$270
Ruaha - Zanzibar : from US$300
Ruaha - Dar es Salaam : from US$300

REGIONAL AIR:
Arusha - Seronera : from US$145.
Arusha - Manyara : from US$55
Arusha - Grumeti / Lobo : from US$170

PRECISION AIR:
Arusha - Zanzibar : from US$170.
Zanzibar - Dar es Salaam : from US$55
Arusha - Dar es Salaam : from US$170

OUR RECOMMENDATION
If you are going on a Safari or Trekking Mount Kilimanjaro, its best to book your arrival and departure from Kilimanjaro International Airport ( JRO) or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

If you are going on a Northern Tanzania Circuit Safari or on a Mount Kilimanjaro Climb with a combination of Southern Tanzania Safari or Beach Holiday to Mafia Island or Zanzibar, it is advisable to book arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport ( JRO) or Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) and departure from Dar es Salaam International Airport (DAR) or Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ).

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Essential Info
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do require a visa for entry into Tanzania and you should have a full passport with at least six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. The current cost of a single entry visa from the Tanzanian High Commission is £38 and remains valid for up to 3 months. Please note that World Odyssey offers an express Visa service for all our destinations. Non-British passport holders should check their visa requirements with their local Embassy or High Commission.

Health Requirements - A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter Zanzibar. There are no other mandatory vaccinations required although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meninogococcal Meningitis are recommended. Malaria is present in many parts of Tanzania and it is therefore essential that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention. We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 606 2782 for all professional medical advice.

Time - GMT + 3 hours (+ 2 hours during British Summer Time)

Money - The currency is the Tanzania Shilling. Travellers cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks, hotels and lodges. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing and they are generally accepted in some of the larger hotels and lodges, but an alternative payment source such as cash is sensible, especially in remote areas.

What to Bring

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS
All supplies are available for purchase in Tanzania, although the quality is sometimes second rate.

SAFARI
Light cotton clothes, woolen sweater or jacket, comfortable shoes, hat/ cap, comb, camera, film, binoculars, tele-photo lens, deodorant, insect repellent, sun block, after sun cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, Vaseline, moisturizer, soap, torch, sunglasses, water bottle, Swiss Army Knife, towel, sleeping bags, toilet paper and heavy duty plastic bags.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
Anorak, fleece, water-proof jacket/ pants, gloves, shirts, shorts, trousers, skirts, emergency foil blanket, thermal underwear, sun hat balaclava/ woolen hat, water bottle, socks, gaiters, sun glasses, snow goggles, trainers, walking boots, torch / flash light, water purification kit, walking pole, toiletries, sun cream, sun block and salve, whistle, penknife, towel, camera, film, four-season sleeping bags, day park, toilet paper and heavy duty plastic bags.

FIRST AID KIT
Ascetazolamide (Diamox) 250mg tablets, plain killers e.g. paracetamol, antacid tablets, Antibiotics for diarrhoea ect. Antimalarial tablets, antiseptics, bandages and plasters.

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Featuring - Serengeti | Ngorongoro | Lake Manyara | Tarangire | Kilimanjaro

and from the south - Gombe | Katavi | Mahale | Mikumi | Ruaha | Selous

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

A million wildebeest each driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling their instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life: a frenzied 3 week bout of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40 kilometre long columns plunge through crocodile infested waters on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion that produces more than 8000 calves a day before the 1000 kilometre pilgrimage beings again.

More than 6 million hooves pound the legendary plains of the Serengeti. Every year, triggered by the rains, more than a million Wildebeest, 200,000 Zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s Gazelle gather to undertake the long trek to new grazing lands. Tanzania’s first and most famous park, the Serengeti, is renowned for its wealth of Leopard and Lion. The vast reaches of the park help the Black Rhino to fight extinction and provide a protected breeding ground for the vulnerable Cheetah. Witness predator versus prey and the fundamental interdependence of the Serengeti’s abundant species, from more than 500 varieties of bird to 100 types of dung beetle.

The Serengeti is a sense of seeing to the ends of the earth, the sunburnt savannah shimmering to the horizon. Yet, after the rains this golden horizon is magically transformed into an endless green carpet flecked with wildflowers. But there are also wooded hills towering termite mounds and rocky kopjes, rivers lined with elegant stand of Fig trees, Ebony and Acacia, stained orange by dust. It is so vast you may be the only human audience when a pride of Lions masterminds a siege, focussed unswervingly on their next meal.

Please Note Our recommendation spend minimum of 3 days in Serengeti for best game viewing. Wildebeest migration is unpredictable and its up on weather and rain to be assured of seeing them on your visit – stay longer and if you want to see the main Big cats and Predators as well.

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Ngorongoro Crater
The famous Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact caldera in an exceptional geographical position, forming a spectacular bowl of about 265 square kilometres with sides up to 600m deep, the stalking ground of around 20,000 to 30,000 wild animals at any one time. The crater floor consists of a number of ecological environments that include grassland, swamps, lerai forest (small patches of forest made up of yellow barked acacia or ‘yellow fever tree’), and Lake Makat, a central soda lake filled by the Munge river. All these various habitats attract various wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb, and although animals are free to move in and out of this contained environment, the rich volcanic soil, lush forests and spring source lakes on the crater floor tend to incline both grazers and predators to remain. Ngorongoro Crater is also presently one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, and a small population are thriving in this idyllic and protected environment – which is one of the only areas where they continue to breed in the wild. And so the crater forms an astonishing microcosm of East African wildlife within its boundaries, and is said to be the most densely packed wildlife concentration in Africa.
As such, it has achieved world renown, and attracts a growing number of visitors each year, who come to experience this ‘eighth wonder of the world’. even if time is limited this natural but accessibly small caldera ensures a rewarding safari.

Unique and diverse, inside the famous Ngorongoro Crater a tardis like effect takes place as it is surprisingly small once inside and most people find that one day is quite sufficient to drive around. It’s size compared to the vast expanse of the Serengeti means that you may see many other vehicles. The descent road into the crater is closed from
Its rim, over 2,200 metres high, touches swathes of clouds for most days of the year, with cool high altitude vapours that seem to bring a clean lightness to the air, and also a chill. These highlands wake up to a misty fog in most months, other than the high dry season during December and January.

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Lake Manyara Safaris
Manyara is a small but scenic park, excellent for birdwatching and a good area to find elephant, and the potential excitement of spotting a legendary Lake Manyara tree-climbing lion. Manyara is often visited for an afternoon at the start of a safari and/or a morning at the end, as it lies on route to and from Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.

The park is awash with butterflies, particularly just after the long rains, at the end of May and through June. Manyara is a good soft introduction to the safari experience. It is a magical and pretty park that wends its way around a mainly forested driving route between the banks of soda water Lake Manyara and the impressive rise of the Great Rift escarpment. Elephant, giraffe, buffalo and wildebeest can be found grazing in unexpected clearings or heading towards the water to drink or wash, and the rivers and riverbeds provide scenic vistas for possible animal spottings. Warthog seem to thrive here, growing notably fat and tuskered, and it is a natural playground for baboons and monkeys. The legendary tree-climbing lion of Lake Manyara inspire extensive theorising as to the wonders of evolution, and are also notoriously rarely seen.

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Tarangire Safaris
To the south of the large open grass plains of southern Maasailand, Tarangire National Park covers 2600 sq km of grassland and floodplains, and a large proportion of tall acacia woodland. It is beautifully unspoilt, and wide views to distant variously purpled formations of volcanic mountain ranges along the drive are superb. Tarangire also has regions of quite dense bush, but with high grasses and huge old baobab trees instead of the green forests of Manyara. The land is hilly and dominated by the impressive valley of the Tarangire River, which attracts good numbers of migrant animals during the dry months, especially between July and September. During these months the concentration of animals around the Tarangire river is almost as diverse and reliable as in the Ngorongoro crater, but again ecosystem here is balanced by a localised migration pattern that is followed by most the animals other than lion, who don’t tend to abandon their territory. The animals mostly disperse during April and May, when there is widespread greenery, vegetation and standing water to encourage all the grazers further afield. In June the eland and oryxes begin to return, followed by elephant towards the end of the month. Tarangire has quite a reputation for elephant ‘pow-wows’, when different herds somehow agree to congregate in one area around the end of the rainy season, and the dominant males take advantage of the situation to sow seeds for future generations. The following 22 month gestation period should then be well timed to coincide with the rainy season two years later. Zebra and wildebeest return together through July, and by mid-August all animals are congregating around their last reliable water source, the Tarangire River. The calving season falls in the early months of the year, through January, February and March, and so makes the most of the fresh grass during the rainy season.
But there are always a fantastic number of colourful birds swooping and strutting along the rough paths in front of your vehicle in Tarangire, with likely spots including the Paradise Whyder and endearing Yellow-collared lovebirds. There are a few resident lion, which are easier to find when the migration arrives to excite their taste buds. In other months they look quite mean and lean and slip easily between the grasses.
It is worth remembering that the park has become a wildlife concern because of its resident tsetse fly population - domestic animals do not build the same resistance to typanosoiasis - sleeping sickness - as wild animals, who have become immune. They are a pest, with an irritating stinging bite, but tend to hang out in swarms and a well-planned ‘windows up’ approach seems to be the way to survive. They do not seem prevalent around any of the lodges...Recently the woodland habitat of fever trees, umbrella acacias along the Tarangire river has been made more open, primarily a result of fire and heavy utilisation by elephant.

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Kilimanjaro
Once dismissed in the Western world as an impossible myth, the world’s highest free standing, snow-covered equatorial mountain has now been charted and climbed, and stories of her resident man-eating spirits are relegated to the realms of folklore. But Mount Kilimanjaro continues to preserve a mysticism that defies all recent knowledge of her slopes. Images of the towering snow-covered cone rising majestically from fertile green foothills have become a powerful motif for this land of extraordinary extremes. Few could deny a very distinct sense of awe when the cloud clears to reveal a glimpse of the towering peaks, shining bright in the equatorial sun. Kilimanjaro represents a powerful life force for the local Chagga people and all those who have made their lives around this mountain, providing rich volcanic soils for agriculture and an endless source of pure spring waters. One of the most amazing aspects of the mountain in the present day is the accessibility of its peak to climbers with no mountain climbing equipment or real previous experience of scaling such heights. The number of climbers has escalated to over a thousand a year during the last century, quite a development since Hans Meyer made history as the first European to scale the highest point of Kilimanjaro in 1889.

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in the world that every day tourists can climb, although it remains a considerable feat of human endurance. The breathable oxygen at the top is less than half the amount than is common at sea level, and climbers cover at least eighty kilometres on nothing but their own two feet over the five days it takes to reach the top and return.

The increasing number of climbers each year has made it necessary for the National Park to insist that all climbs are pre-booked, and passes are no longer issued at the last minute at the park gate.

Although it is possible to simply trek a route to the pinnacle of Kibo without relying on professional climbing equipment, it remains a hard and serious endeavour that requires a level of physical fitness, stamina and a realistic awareness of the potentially damaging effects of high altitudes. Many tour operators request that clients consult a doctor before attempting to scale the mountain, and have a physical check-up for overall fitness.

With most of the old lowland forest now cultivated and settled, the first experience of the mountain environment begins with the dense vegetation of tropical montane forest that surrounds the mountain between 1850m and around 2800m. Cloud condensation mainly gathers around the forest, so this area is regularly damp or drenched with rainfall, creating an intriguing mass of plant life and running rivers between endemic tree species such as the formidably tall Olea Kilimandsharo, that grows up to 30 m.. The area of heath just beyond the tree line also enjoys a relatively misty and damp environment as cloud clings around the density of trees. This is covered with heather and shrubs such as Erica Arborea and Stoebe Kilimandsharica, and a number of dramatic looking Proteas. Then from around 3,200m a wide expanse of moorland extends beyond the heath and the cloud line, so that here the skies are generally clear, making the sunshine intense during the days and the nights cool and clear. The climbing incline remains gentle, but thinning oxygen provides less fuel to energise the muscles and can dramatically slow the pace of walking. Hardy endemic species of Giant Groundsels (Senecio) and Lobelia (Deckenii) towering up to 4m high thrive in this moorland zone and give the landscape a strangely primeval atmosphere. Even higher, beyond 4,000m, this sensation intensifies as the landscape develops into a more bizarre ‘alpine desert’, with sandy loose earth and intense weather conditions and temperature fluctuations so dramatic that barely any plant species survive other than everlasting flowers, mosses and lichens. Only the odd lichen survives beyond 5000m, after Kibo Huts and beyond the Saddle, where the landscape is predominantly rock and ice fields as climbers experience the final steep push to the summit.

The easterly routes, Marangu, Mweka, Loitokitok and Rongai all converge west of the saddle near Gillman’s Point, between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo. Kibo’s crater is roughly circular with an inner cone extending to 5,800m, (100m lower than the summit at Uhuru Peak). At the centre an inner crater with walls between 12 and 20 m high contains another concentric minor cone, the centre of which falls away into the 360m span of the ash pit. This is the 120 metre deep central core of the volcano, and casts sulphurous boiling smoke from its depths despite the frozen, snowy outskirts.

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Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe is the smallest of Tanzania's national parks, but thanks to Dr. Jane Good all, one of the best known. Since 1960, Good all and colleagues have lived among the Gombe chimpanzees, making significant contributions to the study of primates. Travel to the Park is by water only from Ujiji or Kigoma. The forests are alive with the famous chimpanzee, red colobus and red-tail and blue monkeys. You can also spot bushbuck and bush pig and gray duiker. The lakeshore is home to the pied and giant kingfishers, the crowned eagle, the African broadbill, Ross's turaco and the trumpeter hornbill.

Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park lies south of the Mahale Mountains on a high flood plain surrounding Lake Katavi. It is one of the most difficult Parks to reach and is strictly for those of an adventurous spirit, but it has excellent game viewing with a real wilderness atmosphere. July to October are the best months to visit the Park.
The water of the Park shelters crocodile, hippo and large flocks of pelicans. The diverse woodland, acacia bush, lakes and swamps have attracted over 400 species of birds. Leopard, lion, elephant, eland, roan and sable antelopes, southern reedbuck and topi inhabit the short grasses and thickets. Kitavi is also home to one of the largest herds of buffalo, with as many as 1,600 animals.

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Mahale Mountains Park
Mahale Mountains, like Gombe, are home to some of the last remaining wild chimpanzees in Africa. The Park is reached by boat or plane, both of which are available for charter. May to October is the best time to visit. There are no roads and all game viewing is done on foot. Mahale is a unique ecological zone with lowland forest, moist and dry savannah, miombo and open woodlands. Animals range from elephant, buffalo, leopard and primates to roan and sable antelopes, giraffe, kudu, eland, leopard and lion.

Mikumi National Park
Mikumi, to the north of the Selous, is only 283 km away from Dar-es-salaam. The Park was established to protect the environment and resident animals and is also an important educational centre for students of ecology and conservation. The Mikumi flood plain is the main feature of the Park along with the bordering mountain ranges. Animals commonly found here include lion, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, hippo and elephant. The Mikumi elephants are mainly grazers and do not cause tree damage. Lions roam the Mikumi plains and will take refuge in the branches of trees. Wild dogs can be seen in packs here.
Mikumi's vegetation includes woodland, swamp and grassland with two water holes, Mkata and Chamgore. Apart from the saddle-bill stork, hammer kop and malachite kingfisher, you will also find monitor lizard and a deadly python inhabiting the pools.

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Ruaha National Park
The Kisigio and Rungwa River Game Reserves and Ruaha National Park total a protected area of 25,600 sq. kilometers. Ruaha is Tanzania's second largest national park and one of the wildest. Crocodiles, hippos and clawless otters soak and play in the water and on the banks of the great Ruaha River. Reedbuck, waterbuck and buffalo drink, ever watchful for lion, leopard, jackal, spotted hyena and hunting dog. The grassland borders of the River are home to greater and lesser kudu, a large elephant population,eland, impala, Grant's gazelle, dik-dik, zebra, warthog, mongoose, wild cat, porcupine and the shy civet.

There are plenty of Eurasian migrant birds on their outward and return journeys as well as resident kingfishers, plovers, hornbills, green wood hoopoes, bee-eaters, sunbirds and egrets. The best months to go are between July and November when the animals are concentrated around shrinking water holes.

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The Selous Game Reserve
Tanzania is home to one of the single largest remaining elephant populations in the world. Most of these elephants are found in the remote and wildly beautiful Selous Game Reserve, a World Heritage Site. The name derives from hunter-explorer Frederick Courtenay Selous, a keen naturalist and conservationist as well as a hunter. He was killed in the First World War in the Beho Beho region of the Reserve. Larger than Switzerland in size, the Reserve is the largest
in Africa and is second only to the Serengeti in its concentration of wildlife. The Reserve has a varied terrain of rolling savannah woodland, grassland plains and rocky outcrops. Buffalo, crocodile, hippo and wild dog can also be seen here.
The Reserve can be reached from Dar-es-Salaam by road, air charter, and rail (Tazara) and the best time to go is in the cool season between the end of June and the end of October. Walking safaris can be taken from the camps in the Reserve, in the company of an armed guard.

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