National Parks of Tanzania

The Serengeti is home to the Wildebeest Migration Phenomenon. The name 'Serengeti' comes from the Maasai language and means an 'extended place'. The National Park alone covers an area of 13,000 sq km. The Serengeti ecosystem, which includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Grumeti Reserve, the Maswa Game Reserve, the Masai Mara Game reserve (in Kenya) and numerous concession areas, is roughly the size of Sicily. It lies between the shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. Normally, the best time to see the animals here is during January and February. Heading north into the Park, the grass becomes noticeably longer, and it is usual to see Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, as well as the occasional small groups of topi and kongoni. Towards Seronera, the park headquarters, the landscape becomes more varied. Hills rise out of plains crisscrossed by small rivers. Umbrella acacia trees appear, elegant and serene, contrasting with the twisted commiphora trees. The Serengeti is also synonymous with the annual wildebeest and zebra migration that encompasses a vast area of both the Serengeti and the neighbouring Masai Mara National Park. It is the home of the Great Wildebeest Migration for 9 months of the year. Serengeti National Park is one of the best-known wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and symbolizes the classic African safari. With more than 2 million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelle, and a quarter of a million zebra, it has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most magnificent tourist destinations in Africa. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to approximately 30,000 animals at any one time. The Crater rim is over 2,200 meters high and experiences its own climate. From this high vantage point it is possible to make out the tiny shapes of animals making their way around the crater floor far below. Swathes of cloud hang around the rocky rim most days of the year and it's one of the few places in Tanzania where it can get chilly at night. A population of about 25,000 large animals, including the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa, lives in the crater. These include black rhinoceros, hippopotamus which are usually very uncommon in the area. There are also wildebeest, zebra, eland, Grants and Thomson's gazelles. The crater has the densest known population of lion. On the crater rim are leopard, elephant, mountain reedbuck and buffalo. Lake Magadi, filled by the Munge river in the centre of the crater is, like many in the rift valley, a soda lake supporting flocks of flamingo and a variety of other water birds. More than a 100 species of bird not found in the Serengeti have been found in the crater including; ostriches, kori bustards, secretary birds, and crowned cranes as well as vultures, egrets, herons and geese. The rainy season lasts from November through to May, with the dry season running from June through to October. June and July are the coldest months of the year. The rim of the crater is often shrouded in dense cloud that pours over the crater into the vastness below. The crater floor consists of a number of different habitats that include grassland, swamps, forests and Lake Makat (Maasai for 'salt') - a central soda lake filled by the Munge River. All these various environments attract wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb. 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 (combined with fairly steep crater sides) tend to incline both grazers and predators to remain throughout the year.

Day after day of cloudless skies. The fierce sun sucks the moisture from the landscape, baking the earth a dusty red, the withered grass as brittle as straw. The Tarangire River has shriveled to a shadow of its wet season self. But it is choked with wildlife. Thirsty nomads have wandered hundreds of parched kilometers knowing that here, always, there is water. On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest world-flying bird; the stocking thighed ostrich, the world's largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys. More ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colorful yellow-collared lovebird, and the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver and ashy starling - all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania. Disused termite mounds are often frequented by colonies of the endearing dwarf mongoose, and pairs of red-and yellow barbet, which draw attention to themselves by their loud, clockwork-like duetting. Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches where the fruit of the sausage tree disguises the twitch of a tail. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It's the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators - and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed. During the rainy season, the seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq km (12,500 sq miles) range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire's mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry. The swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world.

Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600-metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as 'the loveliest I had seen in Africa'. The compact game-viewing circuit through Manyara offers a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience. From the entrance gate, the road winds through an expanse of lush junglelike groundwater forest where hundred-strong baboon troops lounge nonchalantly along the roadside, blue monkeys scamper nimbly between the ancient mahogany trees, dainty bushbuck tread warily through the shadows, and outsized forest hornbills honk cacophonously in the high canopy. Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania's birdlife. More than 400 species have been recorded, and even a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. Contrasting with the intimacy of the forest is the grassy floodplain and its expansive views eastward, across the alkaline lake, to the jagged blue volcanic peaks that rise from the endless Maasai Steppes. Large buffalo, wildebeest and zebra herds congregate on these grassy plains, as do giraffes - some so dark in coloration that they appear to be black from a distance. Inland of the floodplain, a narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favored haunt of Manyara's legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. Squadrons of banded mongoose dart between the acacias, while the diminutive Kirk's dik-dik forages in their shade. Pairs of klipspringer are often seen silhouetted on the rocks above a field of searing hot springs that steams and bubbles adjacent to the lakeshore in the far south of the park.

The closest national park to Arusha town - northern Tanzania's safari capital - Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by safarigoers, despite offering the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours. 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 warthog. But it is Kilimanjaro's unassuming cousin, Mount Meru - the fifth highest in Africa at 4,566 meters (14,990 feet) - that dominates the park's horizon. Its peaks and eastern foots lopes protected within the national park, Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbor, while also forming a rewarding hiking destination in its own right. Passing first through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are frequently encountered, the ascent of Meru leads into forests aflame with red-hot pokers and dripping with Spanish moss, before reaching high open heath spiked with giant lobelias. Everlasting flowers cling to the alpine desert, as delicately-hoofed klipspringers mark the hike's progress. Astride the craggy summit, Kilimanjaro stands unveiled, blushing in the sunrise. Further north, rolling grassy hills enclose the tranquil beauty of the Momela Lakes, each one a different hue of green or blue. Their shallows sometimes tinged pink with thousands of flamingos, the lakes support a rich selection of resident and migrant waterfowl, and shaggy waterbucks display their large lyre-shaped horns on the watery fringes. Giraffes glide across the grassy hills, between grazing zebra herds, while pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik dart into scrubby bush like overgrown hares on spindly legs. Although elephants are uncommon in Arusha National Park, and lions absent altogether, leopards and spotted hyenas may be seen slinking around in the early morning and late afternoon. It is also at dusk and dawn that the veil of cloud on the eastern horizon is most likely to clear, revealing the majestic snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, only 50km (30 miles) distant.

Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the wachagga, don't even have a name for the whole massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, the summit of Africa. But there is so much more to Kilimanjaro than her summit. The ascent of the slopes is a virtual climatic World tour, from the tropics to the Arctic. Even before you cross the national park boundary (at about 2700m), the cultivated foot slopes give way to lush montane forest, inhabited by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered abbot's duiker, and other small antelope and primates. Higher still lies the moorland zone, where a cover of giant heather is studded with other worldly giant lobelias. Above 4,000m, a surreal alpine desert supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Then, finally, the last vestigial vegetation gives way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow - and the magnificent beauty of the roof of the continent. Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the World, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding savannah elevation around 900 metres - to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet). Kilimanjaro is one of the World's most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the World. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, Stella Point or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates. And their memories.

Ruaha in southern Tanzania is one of the most awe-inspiring and untouched African safari destinations. An incredible total of 64 mammal species inhabit the park, including varied predators and prey. Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania is one of the most awe-inspiring and untouched East African safari destinations. It covers an area more than many small European countries like Cyprus, Malta, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg etc. with great variation in terrain from mountains to swamps and from forests to sand rivers. Its unspoiled character results from its inaccessibility which contributes to the tremendous range of wildlife to be found on an active-adventure tour in Ruaha, not in vast herds of single species, but in diverse and widespread fauna communities. The eco-tourist industry, relatively new here, makes it possible to fund projects to preserve the unique heritage of Ruaha for the enjoyment and wonder of visitors on a bush tour in Tanzania from all over the world. Apart from a small number of tented camps and tourist lodges, no human settlements are permitted. Being a national park, no off-road driving is allowed; although, night game drives are available at select camps in Ruaha e.g Jabali Ridge, Kwihala. But since the wildlife have not learned to fear mankind, your Tanzanian wondrous safari starts at home. Warthogs and giraffes are frequent visitors as are elephant and buffalo. Hyraxes, like cuddly stuffed toys, inquisitive mongooses and bounding dik-diks congregate on terraces. Hippos and crocodiles bask on river banks. Zebra and giraffe stroll only yards from the camps. Troops of baboons and monkeys groom each other and frolic while lion prides snooze in dry grass within binocular or camera zoom range. Since the park straddles the convergence zone of lush highland riverine forest with ferns and orchids and dry, arid valley floor with palms, baobabs and miombo woodlands, an incredible total of 64 mammal species inhabit the park, including 17 species of antelope, 6 types of mongoose and 6 cat genera including prides of lions, families of cheetahs, well-camouflaged leopard, African wild cats, caracals and cervals, not to be confused with genets and civets which are also common. Many species, such as the African wild dog and greater kudu exist too but are threatened or absent from other parks and conservation areas. Ruaha boasts over of thousands of elephants in dissected herds, and also buffalos, hundreds of crocodiles and hippopotamus, diverse kinds of fish in the Great Ruaha River, and one of the largest bird checklists ever to delight any twitcher's heart, with over 570 recorded species. The park covers over 20,000 square kilometers (7700 sq. miles) which overlap the limits of migration from all four points of the compass. Its isolation and rugged nature afford an unrivaled Africa Mecca nature holiday experience, humans alone in a largely unexplored paradise with new marvels to be found at every turn. There are over 1650 known plant species, compared with only 410 in the Serengeti. Such richness deserves conservation.

Selous is Tanzania's richest, yet little known and unfrequented wilderness area, where it is still possible to feel the isolation, the vastness and the splendor of authentic travel in Africa as it once was. Nyerere National Park in southern Tanzania is part of the Selous Game Reserve that covers 55,000 square kilometers of pristine wilderness designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. In 2019, Selous was split into Nyerere National Park in honor of the founder and first president of Tanzania, and had over 30,000 square kilometers allocated to it. It has been recognized as an important wildlife sanctuary since 1905. Four game reserves in the area were conjoined in 1922 to form the pioneering Selous Game Reserve, named after an English hunter, naturalist and soldier, who died in action there in 1917. After Tanzanian independence, the reserve was expanded to include elephant migration routes and now boasts arguably having one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. No permanent human settlements are allowed within its boundaries although Tanzania cultural village tour activities are encouraged outside the Selous reserve boundary. It joins the stately Rufiji River with its navigable network of stunning oxbow lakes and tributaries forming an inland delta which rejoins to become a mighty waterway running to the Mtemere Gate and Airstrip to the east. The flora is also special with flat-headed acacias in the savannah giving way to wide-trunked mahogany and root-headed baobab trees in deciduous forests, and doum palm trees rearing above spectacularly scenic Lake Manze, where flotillas of gray-green-eyed crocodiles float with lazy flicks of their powerful tails, or bask on the banks in noonday sun. The rest of the area is deciduous miombo, riverine forest and palm groves, haunted by packs of round-eared, brightly patched African wild dogs, not to be found in such numbers anywhere else on expedition safaris in Tanzania. It is Tanzania's richest, yet little known and unfrequented wilderness area, where it is still possible to feel the isolation, the vastness and the splendor of authentic travel in Africa as it once was. Apart from its massive herds of thousands of elephants and Cape buffalos, the reserve boasts a varied population of large mammals including huge pods of hippos and prides of lions as well as packs of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus in Latin) and families of black rhinoceros, both fast disappearing in other parts of East Africa. The greater game reserve wilderness is centered within the 90,000 square kilometers of the Selous ecology which includes other conservation areas, notably Kilombero Game Controlled Area to the west and Mikumi National Park to the north. This is very varied terrain. Disdainful giraffes feed delicately on acacia trees in deciduous miombo woodlands. Herds of wildebeest and antelopes graze on the lightly wooded grasslands north of the majestic Rufiji River, ever alert for prides of lions snoozing in the sun. The Great Ruaha River runs into Nyerere National Park (Selous) near the Matambwe Gate, north of Beho Beho Hills, through a landscape of volcanic hot sulfur springs, fast running rapids and river gorges where long-crested eagles hunt for shrews or even baby monkeys: dropping feet-first from the skies with high, keening shrieks. Over 440 bird species have been recorded on this stretch and others expanses, making it a Mecca for twitchers on an avian-seeking trip in Selous.

Udzungwa is the largest and with most biodiversity and a chain of a dozen large forest-swathed mountains that rise majestically from the flat coastal scrub of eastern Tanzania. Known collectively as the Eastern Arc Mountains, this archipelago of isolated massifs has also been dubbed as the African Galapagos for its treasure-trove of endemic plants and animals, most familiarly being the delicate African violet. Brooding and primeval, the forests of Udzungwa seem positively enchanted: a verdant refuge of sunshine-dappled glades enclosed by 30-metre (100 foot) high trees, their buttresses layered with fungi, lichens, mosses and ferns. Udzungwa alone among the ancient ranges of the Eastern Arc has been accorded the national park status. It is also unique within Tanzania in that its closed-canopy forest spans altitudes of 250 metres (820 feet) to above 2,000 metres (6,560 ft) without interruption. Four bird species are peculiar to Udzungwa, including the forest partridge, first discovered in 1991 and more closely related to an Asian genus than to any other African fowl. Of six primate species recorded, the Iringa red colobus and Sanje Crested Mangabey both occur nowhere else in the world – the latter, remarkably, remained undetected by biologists prior to 1979. Undoubtedly, this great forest has yet to reveal all its treasures: ongoing scientific exploration will surely add to its diverse catalogue of endemics.

Mikumi has been partly compared to the northern parks of Tanzania for its vast floodplain grassland, shrubland and forest areas, populated by herds of ponderous elephants, hump-backed wildebeests, aggressive buffalos, coquettish zebras, giant elands and graceful impalas, with their attendant predators, from lions, leopards, hyenas to the rarer wild dogs. Numbers are not as large as Serengeti because there are no migratory movements here, but you are not as crowded on an intimate Mikumi tour with Kiang African Specialist Safari by game-viewing jeeps as you would be if your Tanzanian wildlife vacations were based in the Ngorongoro Crater and central Seronera parts of Serengeti. Wild African painted dogs course their prey for great distances, working co-operatively and communicating by high, birdlike yelps. They rarely fail to bring down their selected victim. Threatened elsewhere in East Africa, few of them thrive on the Mkata flood plains despite the Tanzam Highway which transects the park. In the wet season, driving is difficult on the saturated black cotton soil of the plain, but in the north of the park, hippo pools are fringed with hundreds of wading birds. In the south, families of yellow baboons groom each other on the murram roads and vervet monkeys' swing and play in the undergrowth. As at Selous, there is as wide a range of habitats for a great number of rare or endangered species, but here, you can track them better, since Mikumi is more easily accessible and crossed by many trails, which originated infamously as caravan tracks on slave routes and the paths of ivory traders, long before Burton and Speke explored them, to pronounce Mikumi one of the most beautiful places to be seen on journey in Africa. In the dry, from June to October, the plains teem with ungulates and you may spot tree-climbing lions that have learned to get a higher vantage point as a hunting strategy, and also to keep away from tsetse flies. Grass-foraging elephants are smaller than those in other parks, probably because the larger males were repeatedly culled for their ivory at the peak of the yesteryear trade before than global ban. A possible subspecies of giraffe seldom seen on safari in Tanzania's northern parks is also found here, distinguished from the Maasai and reticulated giraffes by its unusual markings. In the foothills to either side of the plain, miombo forest shelters many rare and endangered species, including the majestic, deep-chested sable antelope with its thick, burnished chestnut coat and great arcs of horn. Goat-like roan antelopes, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, with the rear-end of a horse and the horns of a cow, and the greater kudu, stiff-maned and softly bearded with striped haunches to camouflage it in sun-dappled shrubland are all to be found on an outback safari.

Locals refer to Kitulo Plateau as Bustani ya Mungu or The Garden of God, and its amazing floral display lives up to this name. Colors erupt across the plateau in the form of 350 species of vascular plants. This number includes 45 varieties of terrestrial orchid. The rainy season that extends from late November to April turns the plateau into a magical world of jewel-like color. Botanists refer to the plateau as 'the Serengeti of flowers.' Africa’s big game is not common on the plateau, though a few mountain reedbuck and eland roam across the grassland. What Kitulo lacks in large animals, however, it more than makes up for in plants, birds, and butterflies. It is home to Tanzania's only population of the rare Denham's bustard, and the park also supports a breeding colony of the endangered blue swallow. These birds and colorful butterflies flitting through the rainbow carpet of flowers make Kitulo a botanist's and hiker's paradise. It truly is God's Garden. Kitulo Plateau National Park rests at 2,600 meters (8,500 ft) and is nestled between the rugged peaks of the Kipengere, Poroto, and Livingstone Mountains. The well-watered volcanic soils of the plateau support the largest and most important montane grassland ecosystem in Tanzania. Kitulo is best known for the vast number of flower species that bloom across the plateau. Stunning orchids and yellow-orange red-hot poker grow with a myriad of aloes, proteas, geraniums, giant lobelias, lilies, and aster daisies.

Mahale Mountains National Park in western Tanzania is an outstanding African wilderness on many counts. The park is justly famous for over 800 wild chimpanzees, more than any other park in Africa. Mahale Mountains National Park in western Tanzania is an outstanding African travel wilderness on many counts. It is inaccessible by road and must be reached by boat along the coast of Lake Tanganyika, the longest, deepest, oldest in Africa, and second largest freshwater lake in the world. The park comprises of 623 square miles (1613 sq. km), and begins with an idyllic coastal strip of silver sand approached through a shallow lagoon where the lake ferry, 100 year old MV Liemba, cannot venture but must transfer passengers and cargo to smaller boats to land. In a rare and highly inaccessible third area of flat savannah grasslands, plump zebra, impudent warthogs and supercilious giraffe are prey for prides of lordly but extremely rare lions. Fishing is permitted in the deep waters outside the offshore lake conservation area and away from the Mahale park lake boundary. In the dark night, lamp-lit flotillas of sardine fishing dhows make a romantic picture seen farther out from the shore. These can often be seen on a Mahale chimpanzee tour with Kiang African Specialist Safaris, but since they are vulnerable to many human diseases, strict rules are in place for the safe conduct of primate safaris in Tanzania. Behind the beach, the Mahale Mountains range rises to a dramatic peak at Mount Nkungwe, almost 2500 meters above sea level. Above the cliffs stretch high altitude plains carpeted with wild flowers at first seasonal rainfalls. Cold air at the summit meets warm, moist air rising from the lake. Beautiful waterfalls tumble from the heights, cutting deep ravines filled with lush flora, stunning butterflies and rich avian life. This produces a complex range of eco-zones which accounts for its great diversity of mammalian life. Amongst these are tropical rain forest dwellers: Giant forest squirrels, scaly giant pangolin, shaggy red and the other black and white Colobus monkeys, brush-tailed porcupines and Sharpe's grysbok. Chimpanzees use tools such as grass stalks to poke in termite mounds for edible insects, make improvements, stripping straight sticks for the same purpose, and additionally pass on their evolved experience to others. In a second isolated habitat, extensive Miombo woodland with brachystegia and acacia, mammals include magnificent chestnut sable and stocky roan antelopes with thickly banded horns are hunted by highly elusive mountain leopards.

Gombe Stream National Park is legendary for the Kasakela community of wild chimpanzees which were studied by Dr. Jane Goodall for over 50 years, contributing to the drive to combine the preservation of primate wildlife habitats with the development of eco-tourism and the beneficial involvement of indigenous human communities in Tanzania. Set in a fringe of tropical rainforest on the fringes of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, Gombe is a dream Kiang African Specialist Safari chimpanzee tour destination pioneered by the works of Dame Goodall, where it is possible to take guided forest treks to watch the chimps both at play and interacting socially. Apart from the chimps, Gombe Park boasts many other attractions. The tanned sandy beaches of Lake Tanganyika, one of Africa's oldest, largest and deepest lakes, at the end of an arm of the Great African Rift Valley, is one of the most stunning places to relax and enjoy sailing, snorkeling, fishing and simply chilling in the ambience of this incredibly beautiful East African holiday wilderness venue. During her research time at Gombe, Jane made many new discoveries about chimpanzees, detailing their social hierarchy, their calls and previously unsuspected behavior. They hunted other primates such as red colobus monkeys for meat, communicated purposefully with one another and made and used simple tools. In 1960, when she was 26 years old, she observed one male she had named David Greybeard prodding in a termite mound with few straws of grass, to retrieve it laden with termites which he proceeded to eat. Later she saw him with another male, preparing twigs to use as tools to 'fish' for termites.

Only a few hundred privileged and seasoned African safari enthusiasts can visit Katavi National Park each year. Arguably the most remote, finest and unspoiled wildlife haven in Tanzania. Only a few hundred privileged and seasoned African safari enthusiasts can visit Katavi National Park each year. Arguably the most remote and unspoiled wildlife haven in Tanzania, at 4471 square kilometers (1727 square miles) in extent, this is the third largest wilderness area dedicated to the conservation of spectacular concentrations of indigenous mammals, including thousands of Cape buffalo, various antelopes, zebras, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and predators such as leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals. At the end of an arm of the Great African Rift Valley, Katavi consists of linked flood plains of the meandering Katuma River and its fragile network of seasonal lakes and streams, contained within a tangled barrier of brachystegia miombo and acacia thorn trees to the east of Lake Tanganyika. A dramatic change in conditions from the wet season to dry results in the disappearance of lakes and marshes, and the gathering of water-dependent wildlife close to vanishing water sources. The ecosystem that in the early rains is lush and gentle, rich with flowers, birds, insects, reptiles and graceful ungulates, gradually changes to a harsh, raw battleground where tiny streams, that are all that remain of the wide-spread waters, heave with pods of hundreds of grunting hippo and nests of slithering crocodiles up to five meters in length, all competing viciously for a cool dip in the life-giving wallows. The endangered African wild dogs are also found here as well as many smaller felines, including the golden and wild cats, servals, caracals and civets. Smaller mammals include mongooses, hyrax, nocturnal bush babies and armored pangolins, as well as a rich diversity of lizards, snakes and frogs. Accessible only with great difficulty by road from Arusha, a journey of over 15-18 hours spanning over two days of driving, or conveniently by air from Arusha, a three-hour trip in a light charter aircraft, only the most determined and intrepid explorers make it to this last remnant of East Africa as it was known to our ancestors hundreds and thousands of years ago. In the heat of the midday sun, mud encrusted elephant step between boulders like tumbles of dormant prehistoric behemoths while lionesses sprawl on the cracked earth as if dropped from a great height. In the early morning and late evening, vast herds of grazing animals trek from their day-time forage grounds to brave waiting predators in a death-defying bid to find a sip of water to sustain them, making for spectacular photo safari opportunities as the daily drama unfolds. Because it is so remote, many more activities are permitted on an adventurous trip to Katavi than in other national parks in Tanzania. Off–road game driving, night drives, guided walks and fly-camping are all distinct ways to explore this fantastic, timeless Tanzanian dream tour destination.

The breathtaking, lush beauty of a forest refuge is combined with the relaxing tranquility of sandy beaches in Rubondo Island National Park. The island is located in the southwest of Lake Victoria and consists of eleven small islets in addition to the main island. The park offers a unique and unforgettable experience for visitors as this is the only national park that Tanzania has in Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is the second largest lake in the world. It is twice the size of The Netherlands. Rubondo Island is about 28 km in length and rests in the southwest portion of the vast lake. The more challenging two-night Mwanihana Trail leads to the high plateau, with its panoramic views over the surrounding sugar plantations, before ascending to Mwanihana peak, the second-highest point in the range. There is a wide variety of plant and animal life on Rubondo Island. Numerous invertebrates as well as plant species make it a fascinating place for naturalists to visit. Butterflies become flying rainbows darting amidst the scintillating shadows of the trees and spectacular seasonal displays of orchids, fireball lilies and red coral trees brighten the otherwise emerald forest. Visitors have the freedom to explore the forests and lake shore by foot or boat. Each person discovers his or her own magic on Rubondo Island and leave with a uniquely personal experience. The island is home to a unique diversity of plants and wildlife. It is the only place where a visitor may be sure to spot sitatunga in addition to small gangs of chimpanzees. Hippos, otters, bushbucks, and velvet monkeys are also commonly seen in the island's verdant forests. If you are lucky you may even see the more elusive genet, colobus, marsh mongoose, and suni antelope. The location of the island near the heart of Africa as well as the diverse habitats that range from open woodland to papyrus swamps and evergreen forest make Rubondo a sanctuary for bird life. Bird watchers may catch a glimpse of a number of the islands nearly 430 species and may revel in the highest density of fish eagles anywhere in the world. Other species include herons, storks, egrets, ibises, cormorants, kingfishers, flycatchers, hornbills, and birds of prey. The island is an avian paradise.