Serengeti National Park
Altitude 920 – 1850 m
Size 14,750sq.km
Best time of travel: June to July, January to February
It is the oldest and most popular national park in Tanzania famous for its annual migration, where Thomson’s gazelle and zebras join wildebeest in their millions trekking for fresh grazing. The park offers fascinating game viewing in the region. Grazers include giraffes, buffalos, elephants, topi, eland, kongoni, impala, and Grant’s gazelle. The big cats are in plenty; golden mane lions are found in the plains, elusive leopards found on acacia trees along the Seronera River while the cheetahs prowls the south eastern plains. The serval cat is also spotted on the plains. The three species of the African jackal and the spotted hyena are found in the park. Birdlife is abundant with over 500 species recorded.
Serengeti’s topography of mountains, rolling hills rivers and plains provide year round habitat for many of wildlife species.
Activities Hot air balloon safaris, Maasai rock paintings and musical rocks.
Tarangire National Park
Altitude 985 – 1528m
Size 2850 sq.km
Best time of travel: July to October
Popular stop for visitors travelling to the northern safari circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and Serengeti. The park has the highest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. It has large herds of elephants, long necked gerenuk,fringed ear oryz and the migratory zebra, giraffe,wildebeest, buffalo, impala, eland and hartebeest.Lions,cheetahs andleopards are also found in the park. During the dry season elephants are spotted around ancient trunks of baobabs trees and stripping acacia back from thorns for their meals. Over 550 bird species have been recorded. Pythons in the park are known to climb trees as lions and leopards do.The park is famous for the termite mounds that dot the landscape.
Activities include visits to maasai and baraaigvillages,as well as the ancient rock paintings , guided walking safaris
Ngorongoro Crater
Altitude 610 – 2286m
Size 8292 sq. km
Best time to visit: June - September
Africa’s most famous sites, also described as the eighth wonder of the world.Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, 265 sq. km with sides up to 600m deep. The crater rim is over 2200metres high and experiences its own climate. The crater has different habitats that include forest, grassland, swamp and a soda lake by Munge River.Rich volcanic soils, lush forests and spring source and lakeson the crater floors favor both predators and grazers to remain throughout the year.
Big five are spotted easily as you descend the crater. The endangered black rhino is found here. Other wildlife include elands, zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest, cheetah, jackal, hyena, bat eared foxes, grant and Thompson gazelle among others.
Activities Maasai village trips, visit to Olduvai Gorge
Lake Manyara National Park
Size 325 sq. km
Altitude 954 – 2055m
Best time to travel: July to October
Lake Manyara National park is located in the northern Tanzania and close to the MtowaMbu market town. It consists of forest, arid land and Soda Lake that covers more than half the park’s size. During the wet season flamingoes inhabit the edges of the lake. The park is a good spot for bird watching with over 400 species of birds recorded. Visitors can spot over 100 species in a good day. Larger mammals include lions, cheetah, leopards, giraffe, zebras, hippopotamus, elephants, blue monkeys, gazelles, baboons and many more. The park is also famous for tree climbing lions.
Activities: Night safaris, bird watching, hiking and trekking
