Tanzania wildlife parks are found across the different parts of the country including the north, south, west and central region. Wildlife viewing brings many tourists to Tanzania all throughout the year and the most sort of after wildlife species during safaris around the parks include the big five like elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos.
The wildebeest migration is another attraction which brings tourists to Tanzania during wildlife safaris across the country. This migration takes place in Serengeti national park which is also a prime wildlife viewing destination in Tanzania. Over 2 million wildebeests can be seen during this migration which takes place in different parts of Serengeti national park during the year.
The different Tanzania wildlife parks include the following;
Serengeti national park
Wildlife viewing in Serengeti national park can be done throughout the year and the national park is known for being one of the oldest national parks in Tanzania and it is found in the northern part of the country.
Game drives, guided nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, cultural tours, bird watching among others are the activities which can be done during wildlife viewing experiences around Serengeti national park.
Numerous wildlife species are found in Serengeti national park and they include the big five (rhinos, elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards), waterbucks, impalas, kudu, hartebeests, elands, giraffes and many others. These wildlife species can be seen in different parts of Serengeti like northern Serengeti where the river crossings along the Mara river take place, the central part of Serengeti national park also known as Seronera area is also popular for wildlife safaris, the western part of Serengeti national park can also be visited during tours to the park and the southern part of Serengeti is another part of the park where safaris are carried out.
Ngorongoro crater
The Ngorongoro crater is another wildlife viewing destination in Tanzania and it is also the world’s largest inactive caldera. The big five can also be seen during tours around the crater when visiting Tanzania.
The Maasai can also be encountered during tour around the Ngorongoro conservation area and cultural tours around this destination involve visiting the bomas and getting to know more about the way of life of the Maasai and their culture.
During safaris around Ngorongoro, nature walks, hikes, cultural tours, hot air balloon safaris and game drives are carried out.
Tarangire national park
Tarangire national park is another wildlife park in the northern part of Tanzania which can be visited during safaris and it is known for being home to many elephants.
Other wildlife species which can be seen during tours around Tarangire national park include giraffes, cheetahs, lions, buffalos, zebras, leopards, gerenuk, gazelles, warthogs, waterbucks and many others. The national park is also home to over 450 bird species.
Tarangire national park is located about 120 kilometers from Arusha town and activities to do around the park include game drives, guided nature walks, bird watching, community tours and also hot air balloon safaris.
Nyerere national park
Nyerere national park is the largest national park in Tanzania and it is found in the southern part of the country.
Wildlife species which can be seen during tours around Nyerere national park include lions, leopards, zebras, buffalos, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, hyenas, warthogs, cheetahs, kudu, waterbucks and many others. There are also various bird species in Nyerere national park such as giant kingfishers, pink backed kingfishers, yellow billed storks, fish eagles, herons and many others.
Activities to do around Nyerere national park include game drives, nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, boat safaris, cultural tours. Bush meals, sundowners and fly in safaris can also be organized during tours to the national park.
Nyerere national park can be accessed by driving from Dar es Salaam which takes about 6 hours and another way to get to the national park is by taking a flight which takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Ruaha national park
Another destination to visit when in Tanzania is Ruaha national park which is also found in the southern part of Tanzania.
Ruaha national park is a wildlife park is good for off the track wildlife viewing experiences and it is home to wildlife species such as gazelles, cheetahs, lions, leopards, waterbucks, impalas, jackals, bushbucks, hyenas, hartebeests, elephants and many others.
Activities which can be seen during tours around Ruaha national park include game drives, bird watching among others. The game drives are carried out in the morning, afternoon and also in the night.
Lake Manyara national park
Lake Manyara national park is another place to visit during tours around Tanzania. This park is found in the northern part of Tanzania and it is home to the rare tree climbing lions.
When exploring the diverse habitat of Lake Manyara national park, activities which are carried out include game drives in the morning, afternoon or night. Guided nature walks are also done during safaris around the park which is also a good place to engage in canopy walks along the treetop walkway.
Cultural tours are also carried out during tours to Lake Manyara national park in places such as Mto wa mbu town and another activity to do when visiting the national park is canoeing which is carried out when the water levels are favorable.
Lake Manyara national park is not very big in size but offers amazing wildlife viewing throughout the year and it is also a good place to see flamingos during a safari in Tanzania. You can also enjoy views of the Great Rift Valley escarpment during tours to the national park.
Tanzania has many other wildlife parks which can be visited and they include Mikumi national park, Katavi national park, Kitulo national park, Saanane island national park, Burigi-Chato national park, Rubondo island national park, Gombe national park, Ibanda Kyerwa national park, Mkomazi national park, Kilimanjaro national park, Udzungwa mountains national park among others.
There is a lot to in Tanzania apart from wildlife viewing and the country can be visited at any time of the year.