Wildlife safari in Tanzania
Wildlife safari in Tanzania : Tanzania is a destination which is known for its amazing safaris and for amazing wildlife viewing experiences across different destinations in the country.
Some of these destinations include Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park, Ngorongoro conservation area (in northern Tanzania). Southern parks of Tanzania include Ruaha national park and Selous game reserve and the western wildlife parks of Tanzania include Mahale national park and Gombe stream national park.
The beautiful landscape around Tanzania such as the open savannah plains and woodlands and also the numerous wildlife species found in these destinations make up the safari experience in Tanzania.
The best time to see these different wildlife species around destination of Tanzania is during the dry season from June to October. Tourists can however visit Tanzania at any time of the year to engage in wildlife viewing safaris.
The different wildlife species which can be seen during safaris around Tanzania include elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos, giraffes, elands, hyenas, cheetahs, zebras, kudu, gazelles, antelopes, impalas, wildebeests, hippos, klipspringers, warthogs, colobus monkeys, baboons and many others.
Northern Tanzania destinations
Big 5 can also be seen around safari destinations of Tanzania such as in Serengeti national park and the Ngorongoro conservation area. The big 5 include elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos.
The wildebeest migration can also be seen during a safari around Tanzania such as in Serengeti national park where the migration takes place and over 1.5 million wildebeests can be seen as they move across the savannah plains.
This migration takes place annually and in different months of the year the wildebeest herds can be seen in different locations across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Some of the highlights during the wildebeest migration include river crossings along the Grumeti river and the Mara river.
During wildlife viewing experiences in Serengeti national park which is located in the northern part of Tanzania, a number of activities are carried out and these include game drives to look out for the different wildlife species, guided nature walks to experience the beauty of the national park on foot, bird watching experiences, hot air balloon safaris and also community tours.
- Another wildlife viewing destination in the northern part of Tanzania is the Ngorongoro conservation area. This destination is known for the world’s largest inactive and unfilled volcanic caldera which is the Ngorongoro crater.
Many wildlife species can be seen around the Ngorongoro crater and they include the endangered black rhinos. Flamingos can also be seen around the alkaline lake in the Ngorongoro crater during safaris.
The Maasai people also live in the Ngorongoro conservation area with their livestock like cows, sheep and goats. Interactions with the Maasai are also carried out during visits to the Maasai villages and other activities carried out during the community tour include watching traditional dance performances, seeing local arts and crafts like beaded jewelry, shukas among others.
Activities which are carried out during safaris in the Ngorongoro conservation area include game drives along the crater floor (from 6am to 6pm), guided nature walks, bird watching, visiting ol duvai gorge and also Maasai experiences.
- Lake Manyara national park is another safari destination where different wildlife species can be seen during safaris. Tree climbing lions are among the wildlife species that can be seen around this national park.
The national park also consists of diverse habitat for the wildlife species as well as Lake Manyara which covers about two thirds of Lake Manyara national park. Wildlife species in the national park include hippos, buffalos, elephants, waterbucks, zebras, baboons, monkeys among others.
Night game drives are among the activities which are carried out during safaris around Lake Manyara national park. Other activities include day game drives, guided nature walks, canoeing, canopy walks along the treetop walkway and also bird watching.
- Tarangire national park is also found in the northern part of Tanzania and is a wildlife viewing destination that has a high concentration of wildlife species.
This national park is named after the Tarangire river which flows through the national park and is also a major water source for wildlife species at the destination such as elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalos and many others. Tarangire national park also has numerous bird species.
Activities carried out on safari around Tarangire national park include game drives, nature walks, and bird watching among others. Baobab trees are also part of the scenery which can be seen as tourists explore the destination.
Southern Tanzania destinations
Wildlife viewing in the southern part of Tanzania is carried out in destinations which include the following;
- Ruaha national park is home to numerous wildlife species such as buffalos, antelopes, kudu, lions, leopards, cheetahs, gazelles among others.
Safari activities carried out around Ruaha national park include walking safaris, game drives, and bird watching. This national park is also the largest national park in Tanzania covering about 20,226 square kilometers.
- Selous game reserve located south of Tanzania is among the largest protected reserves of Africa.
This game reserve can be accessed by flight, driving or by rail. Selous game reserve is crossed by River Rufiji and also consists of northern Selous and Southern Selous.
Numerous wildlife species which can be seen in Selous game reserve include buffalos, hippos, zebras, giraffes, impalas, hartebeests, waterbucks, elands, bushbucks among others. Numerous bird species can also be seen around Selous game reserve during safaris.
Activities carried out around Selous game reserve include guided nature walks, bird watching, game drives, boat rides among others.
Western Tanzania destinations
- Gombe stream national park is in western part of Tanzania is known for being home to chimpanzees.
Many other primate species can also be seen around Gombe stream national park and these include olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys among others. The national park is made up of forest, and is located close to the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
- Mahale national park is another destination in western Tanzania which is found on the slopes of Mahale mountain and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.
Apart from the wildlife viewing destinations mentioned above, there are many other destinations to visit during safaris around Tanzania such as Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro and many others.
