RSSWild Wild Africa – Incomparable African Safaris in the Top Game reserves in Tanzania
Nov 23
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Tanzania national parks and game reserves are home to an amazing diversity of wildlife, making for incomparable Africa game watching safaris. Among these game reserves, the five parks below stand out as the best of the best.
Ruaha National Park
Named after the Great Ruaha River, The Ruaha National Park is the second largest national park in Tanzania and the biggest elephant sanctuary in the world. The 12,950 sq km park, located some 128 km from Iringa town, is home to a wide range of wild animals including zebra, greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope, impala and giraffe which can be found on the plains stretching from the rivers edge. The Ruaha river hosts numerous hippos and crocodiles and it also draws huge numbers of thirsty water buck, reed buck, leopard, wild dogs, hyena and lions. Indeed Ruaha is unique in that it boasts plant and animal life found in both eastern and southern Africa.
Ruaha’s topography is ideal for hiking and walking safaris. In the rainy season between March to April and October to November, the bird population peaks to a high of over 350 bird species – including some Eurasian migrants. Ruaha’s climate is hot and dry, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in October. The Ruaha is was until recently totally inaccessible, but there is now a year round road access to the park. From Dar es Salaam, road travel takes 10 hours while a charter flight takes 1 and and half hours. The best time for a safari is over the dry season- May to December.
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National park is home to an unrivaled abundance of bird species, making it the greatest birding destination in Tanzania. The park hosts many resident and migratory birds. It is also one of the best places for viewing leopards, which can be spotted in the lush green vegetation. At the grassy shores of Lake Manyara, you can also spot the famous tree-climbing lions. This national park is situated between the walls of the great rift valley – which rise up to 610 meters above from the floor – and Lake Manyara.
The periods between December and February and between August and September constitute the best times for going on safari in Lake Manyara national park. However, it is still possible to see animals throughout the year. Most parts of the park are easily accessible, making it possible for you to see all its major attractions in two hours. Lake Manyara National park has three habitats: groundwater green forests, acacia woodlands, and open floodplains.
Tarangire National Park
Named after the Tarangire River, Tarangire National Park is also part of the northern tourism circuit. The park area is approximately 2,600 sq km and has a high concentration of wildlife during the dry seasons as well as a high number of elephants. With over 570 bird species, the place is surely a birdwatchers’ paradise.
Visitors who want to take game drives around Tarangire should do so during the dry season from June to September. This is the best time to view wildlife as animals tend to congregate while drinking the waters of River Tarangire. In addition the vegetation is not so dense, unlike the case during wet season. While at Tarangire chances of spotting python seem to more than even for some or other reason maybe because they have taken to climbing the trees in the area.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in’79, Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers an area of over 7,000 square miles in Northern Tanzania. At the north-west, Ngorongoro conservation area joins up with the Serengeti plains, an area through which the wildebeest horde during their great migration between Masia Mara in Kenya and Serengeti.
The main focal point of the conservation area is the 264 sq km Ngorongoro crater. Every year, more than 350,000 tourists visit the crater, whose floor is home to many different animals. Wildlife watching in the crater remains a richly rewarding experience, which is perhaps why Ngorongoro conservation area is one of the most popular destinations for an African safari in Tanzania.
When you visit Ngorongoro conservation area, you are likely to experience both surprise and shock, as you get to hear lions’ roars echoed off the crater walls, and also spot prides of the lazy king of the jungle idling under the shades of trees. You will also see herds of many herbivores like zebras, antelopes and gazelles grazing in the river shores, as well as huge herds of elephants roaming from one corner of the park to the other. Birdwatching is a good adventure at Ngorongoro. Lake Ndutu, for instance, has a huge population of birds that makes it popular among birding enthusisats. Some of the common birds species around the lake include ducks, flamingos and stocks.
Serengeti National Park
The name Serengeti comes from the Maasai word “Siringit” meaning unending plains – aptly describing the open grassy plains that make up the national park. The 12,950 sq km national park is part of an ecosysytem that spans across the Kenya – Tanzania border into the Masai Mara game reserve. Serengeti’s diverse habitat enables the park to support more than 30 species of large mammals and about 500 species of birds.
The “great wildebeest migration” takes place in the Serengeti. This event is the largest and longest overland migration of mammals in the world, earning it a recognition as the world’s most spectacular wildlife show. Together with the mighty Victoria falls and the Ngorongoro crater, the migration is also recognized as one of the ten natural wonders of travel in the world.
Although the migration from Serengeti to the Mara is not specifically predictable, the event occurs between July and August . The journey back to Serengeti takes place around October. During the event, nearly 2 million herbivores travel between the northern hills and the southern plains, crossing the Mara River in search of greener pastures.
Serengeti is reached by both road and air. The road trip from Arusha, situated some 320km from the park, takes approximately 8 hours. International visitors to Serengeti are served by the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha. From there, the visitors can travel by road to the park or take either scheduled or charter flights to Serengeti airstrips like Kirawira or Seronera.
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