Tanzania Tanzania, south of Kenya on the African continent's
Indian Ocean coastline, lays claim to the title "Home of the Safari,"
since the word itself is taken from the Swahili word that means "journey."
Lion. (Serengeti, Tanzania)
While Tanzania's Kenyan neighbors may dispute
that claim, there is no doubt that Tanzania offers one of the best environments
in the world for an enriching wildlife experience. The country's game
viewing opportunities are considered by many to be the best in Africa.
Tanzania boasts beautiful beaches and hundreds of miles of palm-fringed
sands. Its game parks are populated with many of the world's most exotic
creatures, including all of the "Big Five." Its lakes are huge
and bountiful with fish. Its cities are relaxed and friendly. Its islands
of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia live up to their exotic spice island images.
Yet, to a greater degree than is true of many of its neighbors, this sprawling
county, the largest in East Africa, remains untouched by the vacationing
hordes.
Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, is
located on the Indian Ocean coast. It has one of the largest natural harbors
in the world. The city itself is full of life, boasting an international
airport that makes it a convenient point from which to begin a southern
circuit safari or a visit to the offshore islands of Pemba, Zanzibar or
Mafia. Some of Tanzania's best beaches can be found along the coastline
just south of Dar es Salaam.
Arusha Arusha is a small African town nestled in the
shadow of Mount Meru, with commanding views of mighty Mount Kilimanjaro.
Although Dar es Salaam is a larger city, Arusha is a more popular destination,
owing to its status as the gateway to the northern safari circuit and
the beginning point for most Kilimanjaro treks. Most of our Tanzanian
trips start in Arusha for these reasons.
Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest freestanding
peak in the world and the highest mountain in Africa.
Mount Killimanjaro. (Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania)
It is Africa's representative on the prestigious
listing of the world's "seven summits." For the adventurous,
a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the things in life that you just
must do. A trek through the mists of equatorial jungle and the summit's
steep approaches is richly rewarded by the breathtaking views from the
top. Although Mount Kilimanjaro lies close to the equator, its peaks have
a permanent covering of snow and ice. There are several routes to the
summit, most notably on the western flank of the mountain. The Marangu
route is the most popular, and the Machame and Shira routes are the most
demanding and physically challenging. Kilimanjaro consists of three distinct
summits. To the west is the Shira Plateau, while Mawenzi Peak lies to
the east. Between the two is Uhuru Peak, the snow-capped summit that reaches
19,340 feet (5,895 meters) into the equatorial skies. Our treks do not
require any technical mountaineering equipment or skills, and we strive
to attain Uhuru Peak, literally the "roof of Africa."
Serengeti
National Park The Serengeti National Park is one of the world's
last great wildlife refuges. It is a land of vast grassland plains, acacia-studded
savannas, wooded hills and mountains. Contiguous with the
Cheetahs. (Serengeti, Tanzania)
Masai Mara park on the Kenyan side of the border,
the Serengeti is home to a breathtaking array of wildlife. At any point
in time, the park's vast grassland plains and savannas will be strewn
with pockets of grazing zebras, giraffes, gazelles, wildebeest and topi.
The acacia forests will abound with birdlife and monkeys. Elephants and
buffaloes will be wallowing in the swamps, and the rivers will be brimming
with hippos and crocodiles, watched over by the storks that stand on the
sandy riverbanks.
The extraordinary concentration of animals in the park
reaches its peak during the annual wildebeest migration, when the promise
of rain and new grass in the north, in the Masai Mara, leads as many as
1.5 million wildebeest and their zebra fellow travelers to pick up roots
and set off on a 600-mile (1000-kilometer) migratory circuit. Millions
of animals coalesce into a single massive herd and surge northward in
a pulsing column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon. The lions
and other predators of the park are on high alert during the migratory
season.
The Serengeti's name is derived from the apt Masai
word Siringet, which means "endless plains." The Seronera Valley
in the Serengeti is famous for its abundant lions and leopards.
Ngorongoro
Crater The Ngorongoro Crater, a gigantic fracture in
the earth's crust, has been referred to as the "eighth wonder of
the world." This massive caldera is located in the heart of Masai
land in the Great Rift Valley. Volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes, forests
and archeological sites combine to form its magnificent landscape. At
an altitude of 5,200 feet (1,600 meters), the bottom of the crater (which
Ngorongoro Crater. (Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania)
covers more than 100 square miles, or 265 square
kilometers) is dotted with watering holes. The floor of the crater shelters
as many as 30,000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes
of the volcano. The crater houses, but doesn't confine, elephants, rhinos,
buffaloes, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, hippos, wildebeest and many more of
Africa's most spectacular game animals. Strangely enough, most of the
crater's elephants are bulls. A small number of black rhinos also inhabit
the crater floor. Birdlife is largely seasonal and is affected by the
ratio of soda to fresh water in Lake Magadi on the crater floor.
Olduvai Gorge Located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
is the Olduvai Gorge. It was in Olduvai that Dr. Louis Leakey first discovered
the fossilized remains of Homo Habilis, widely regarded as one of mankind's
earliest steps on the evolutionary ladder. Olduvai has also been the site
of many other important archeological finds, including fossils of prehistoric
elephants, giant horned sheep and enormous ostriches.
Nestling at the base of the Great Rift Valley
escarpment, Lake Manyara National Park is noted for its famous tree-climbing
lions, which prefer to rest among the branches of the region's acacia
trees. The landscape of Lake Manyara National Park, which covers an area
of approximately 150 square miles (390 square kilometers) is comprised
of lush forests, woodlands, grasslands, swamps and a soda lake. The lake
is sanctuary to more than 350 species of birds, including pelicans, storks,
sacred ibis and flamingos. The park also houses numerous buffaloes, elephants,
hippos, giraffes and a great variety of smaller animals.
Tarangire National
Park The animal population in Tarangire National Park
rivals that of the Serengeti. On the east bank of Lake Manyara, the Tarangire
River crosses the park from north to south. Acacia trees and baobab forests
shelter animals seeking refuge near the river. The local population includes
wildebeest, zebras, elands, elephants, hartebeest, buffaloes, gerenuks,
fringe-eared oryx and flocks of birds of many different species.
Zanzibar The spice island of Zanzibar lies off of Tanzania's
Indian Ocean coast, northeast of Dar es Salaam.
Relaxing on a dhow cruise. (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
Zanzibar is famous as the fabled commercial center
of East Africa and the last hold-out of the slave trade. Today, Zanzibar
combines ancient Islamic ruins and noble Arabic houses with miles of white,
sandy, palm-fringed beaches and coves. The lush island landscapes open
to reveal clear blue waters, idyllic off-shore islands, excellent snorkeling
and diving reefs, and fantastic deep sea fishing and other water sport
venues. Of course, opportunities for enjoyment also await in the delicious
fresh fish and foodstuffs of this spice island paradise. The island also
boasts spice plantations, where cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom
and others spices are produced. Most visitors enjoy a visit to the Central
Market, where remarkable wood carvings are offered for sale.
Stone Town Its name may not be particularly romantic, but
Stone Town is the old city and the cultural heart of Zanzibar, little
changed over the past 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling
bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with
one another to see who could construct the most extravagant dwelling.
This one-upsmanship is particularly noticeable in the brass-studded carved
wooden doors of the old city. Stone Town contains more than 500 different
examples of this handiwork. Many idle hours and days can be spent wandering
through Stone Town's fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and
Windows of Stonetown. (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
alleyways.
Paradise Beaches Zanzibar's brilliant white beaches, lapped by
the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, provide an exotic place
to relax, soak up the sun and take a break while surrounded by the history
of the spice islands. Zanzibar's beaches are interspersed here and there
with picturesque fishing villages, where the residents live a simple life,
unchanged through the years. Zanzibar boasts more than twenty-five beaches,
some so peaceful and remote that the silence will be broken only by the
gentle surging of the turquoise sea.
Tanzania's population is comprised of more than
100 different tribal groups, mostly of Bantu origin. There
is a strong Arab influence on the coastal islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.
Asians and Europeans make up significant minorities in many parts of the
country. The Masai people in the north comprise the largest non-Bantu
segment of the population. Tanzania has several native languages, but
Swahili and English are the official ones, with English serving as the
principal language of commerce. That being said, English is less widely
spoken in Tanzania than in Kenya. The principal religions of Tanzania
are Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. As is the case in Kenya, the majority
of Muslims are concentrated along the eastern coast and on the offshore
islands. Many Tanzanians still follow local spiritual traditions.
Travel Tips If your primary reason for traveling to Africa
is to experience an abundance of African wildlife in an unspoiled wilderness
setting, then Tanzania should be your destination of choice. The concentrations
of exotic game in Tanzania's parks and reserves simply cannot be beat.
Tanzania's
Group at the Serengeti. (Serengeti, Tanzania)
wilds are inhabited by vast herds of wildebeest
thundering across the Serengeti plains, huge populations of elephants
and buffaloes, and a wide variety of plains game and their predators,
including lions, leopards and cheetahs. All of these animals roam and
interact freely, much as they have for thousands of years. Tanzania offers
an incredible diversity of ecology, and visitors will likely find the
vegetation and bird life as fascinating as the big game. Tanzania is home
to more than 1,000 species of birds.
Distances in Tanzania can be deceptive, and travel
by road can be tiring. The best itineraries allocate more time to fewer
parks. You will see more without feeling that you have to return home
exhausted. Visitors to the parks are always advised to maintain a safe
and respectful distance from the animals and to keep quiet to avoid distressing
them in their natural habitats. Visitors should always follow the instructions
of the rangers and guides. While in the parks, visitors should leave their
vehicles only in designated places and should stay on the recognized tracks
so as to avoid damage to the vegetation.
Temperature/Weather Tanzania, located just below the equator, is truly
a land without winter. Between May and October,
King of the jungle. (Serengeti, Tanzania)
temperatures in the northern tier of Tanzania
range from 60° to 75° F (15-24° C) during the day and from
40° to 50° F (4-10° C) at night. From November through March,
the daytime temperatures range from 70° to 90° F (21-32° C),
and the nighttime temperatures range from 60° to 75° F (15-24°
C). Tanzania's weather is notoriously unpredictable, but visitors can
generally count on two rainy seasons each year. The "long rains"
typically last from the end of March until June and the "short rains"
typically occur in October and November. The conditions in the mountains
can become more difficult during these rainy seasons. Accordingly, the
dry months of June through September and December through February are
usually the best months for trekking. However, with the country's varied
riches, any time of the year is a good time to visit Tanzania.
Reading List In order to make the most of your trip to Tanzania,
the following reading lists will help you gain a better understanding
of the landscape, culture and people. Here you can also purchase any books
you might need for your Global Adrenaline trip!
Global Adrenaline, Inc.
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Chicago, Illinois 60602
USA
Tel: +1-866-884-5622 (toll free in USA)
Tel: +1-312-863-6300 (outside USA)
Fax: +1-312-873-4440
Email: info@GlobalAdrenaline.com
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