WILDLIFE TOURISM IN TANZANIA

Wildlife Tourism in Tanzania : Tanzania safari is a transcendent destination for wildlife tourism, which strongly suits a magnificent Tanzania safari experience. Tanzania safari destinations offer a variety of natural attractions including the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, and most tourists come to Tanzania for viewing wild animals and other wildlife-related adventures. Tanzania is home to Africa’s most famous national park, the Serengeti National Park, Africa’s largest national park, Nyerere National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the world’s largest intact ancient caldera is found. Other national parks with wildlife activities include Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ruaha National Park, Katavi National Park, and Gombe National Park to name a few. Most of the land in Tanzania is protected making her an incredible hotspot for wildlife Tanzania tourists. There are about 17 national parks as well as more than 20 Game Reserves. This gives you an opportunity to explore a variety of animal species in different parks and game reserves with accessible transport across all the national parks. Each national park is unique in that; some animal species are more concentrated in some parks than in others. Let’s have a look at the wildlife in different national parks.

The Great wildebeest Migration

In a nutshell, the Great wildebeest Migration is the largest mammal migration on earth. It is one of the impressive natural events where over two million wildebeest, 250,000 zebras, 200,000 gazelles, and sometimes elands migrate from the south of Serengeti to the north Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The migration is associated with the loss of lives due to many predators hunting them particularly the hungry crocodiles waiting for a kill in the Grumeti River and the mighty Mara River. The cycle begins in the Southern Serengeti where about half a million calves are born from December through April. At this period the southern part is greener due to frequent rains. From May through July the southern parts including the Seronera and Ndutu areas get dried up, forcing the herd to the Western region where it crosses the Grumeti River. A lot of lives are lost upon crossing due to excellent kills by the crocodiles.

Wildlife Tourism in Tanzania
The Great Wildebeest Migration

After crossing the Grumeti River, the herd moves northward where it encounters the wonderful Mara River. It is at this place where most beautiful scenes in animal movies are recorded. Hungry crocodiles do their kills thus reducing a reasonable number of animals. The herd crosses the river and enters the Maasai Mara National Reserve. This event happens around August to September.

When the rain resumes in the southern Serengeti around October to November, the herd crosses the Mara River and heads back to the south. Calving takes place and the cycle is complete.

Lake Manyara National Park

Famous for its largest concentration of baboons in the world, Lake Manyara National Park gives you an opportunity to explore diverse wild animal species such as Cape buffalo, African leopards, cheetahs, elephants, hippos, warthogs, and various antelope species. It is also famous for its pink appearance from afar look which is caused by huge crowds of pink flamingos decorating the lakeshore.

What makes a wildlife exploration at Lake Manyara National Park more rewarding is the unique lion species,   yes, the tree-climbing lions. You will spot them on trees when having a game drive. Lake Manyara National Park is also of the few national parks with the largest population of African tusked elephants, the world’s largest land animals. Other animals include Maasai giraffes, blue monkeys, and over 400 bird species.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

It is famous for its largest intact ancient caldera, Ngorongoro Crater with about three million years old. Ngorongoro Crater has a constant supply of water, thus hosting a huge population of animals and birds within its plain floor. This is one of the places where you will spot all the Big Five and other animals along with over 400 bird species.

Tarangire National Park

With over 550 bird species, Tarangire National Park accounts to have the highest number of birds than any park in Tanzania. It takes about a third of the avian population in Tanzania. It is an excellent site for birdwatchers and ornithologists. Birds nest in the baobab trees, which cover over half of the Tarangire’s vegetation. Examples of bird species found in the Tarangire include eagles, vultures, buzzards, herons, storks, and falcons. It is also one of the national parks with the largest population of elephants.

 

Wildlife Tourism in Tanzania
Birding in Tarangire National Park

Nyerere National Park

Previously known as Selous Game Reserve, it is the largest national park in Africa covering an area of about 30,000 square kilometers. It contains a broad range of wild animals including elephants, leopards, lions, cheetah, buffalo, giraffes, warthogs, wildebeest, hippos, and in rare cases rhino.

Arusha National Park.

Although it is mostly visited by Mount Meru trekkers, this park is a superb site for viewing wild animals. It is home to white colobus monkeys which are easily spotted in the Ngurdoto forest surrounding the Ngurdoto Crater, a swampy crater in the Arusha National Park. On the floor of the Ngurdoto Crater you will spot Cape buffalo, zebra, and warthog. The Momella lakes host many migratory water bird species while the Uwanja wa Mbogo and Mini Serengeti grasslands host a mixture of herbivores such as zebras, buffalo, and warthogs. It is at these hotspots where you will learn the mutual relationship between warthogs and buffaloes.

Katavi National Park

This park has unspoiled wilderness. Despite the fact that Katavi has unusual wild animals, it is famous for having spectacular hippos usually close to its seasonal lakes. The seasonal lakes are also homes to crocodiles and over 400 avian species.

 Ruaha National Park

It is also one of the remote parks with unspoiled wilderness. It is home to the largest population of elephants as well as the enormous herds of buffalo and gazelles. You will be able to explore over 400 species of birds.

Gombe National Park

Gombe national park is the smallest national park in Tanzania, which is famous for hosting an enormous population of chimpanzees in Tanzania. It was at this park, where Jane Goodall, the primatologist spent years studying the behavior of endangered chimpanzees. Other animals encountered include the leopard, over 200 bird species including starlings, barbet, crowned eagle, sunbirds, kingfishers, and palm-nut vultures to thrill on Wildlife Tourism in Tanzania .

See the Big Five animals.

Big Five animals are the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros. They are named “Big” not because of their size, rather on the danger they pose to hunters hunting them. It is hard to hunt them. In Tanzania, you will be able to spot them collectively in either one national park or see them in various parks. Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area are two places you can see all the Big Five on a safari. In other parks, you will find either three or four of the Big Five animals.

Wildlife Tourism in Tanzania
The Big Five Animals in Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The real tales of wildlife in Tanzania are in the eyes and minds of those who have visited. Plan a trip to these hotspots for viewing with your eyes the beautifulness of wild animals and possibly shooting a movie for yourself.

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