TANZANIA

The name Tanzania conjures up images of wildebeest stampeding across vast savannah, rain forests teeming with monkeys and birdlife, and great plains brimming with legions of game. All of these natural wonders and more are on offer in this exceptionally diverse African nation. Visitors typically visit Tanzania to partake in at least one of the four well known Tanzanian tourist experiences: a relaxing seaside vacation on the picturesque island paradise of Zanzibar, an underwater tour of some of the world’s most renowned dive sites around the gorgeous Spice Islands, a safari adventure in some of Africa’s most impressive game reserves, or a hiking excursion around Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Whichever of these incredible holidays you choose, you will undoubtedly be welcomed by some fabulously friendly and peaceful inhabitants who, despite being divided into 120 different ethnic groups and cultures, live in harmony with one another and provide some of the most wonderfully exotic local cuisine you could imagine. With all of this diversity on offer, the most difficult part of your Tanzanian holiday experience is likely to be deciding where to go!

Arusha
Arusha is the safari capital of Tanzania located at the foot of Mt. Meru, close to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. From there it’s only a short trip to the Serengeti. Just to the north, on the slopes of Mt. Meru is the Arusha National Park. Built by the Germans as a centre of colonial administration because of the temperate climate, Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from your safari.

Ngorongoro Crater
The largest intact caldera in the world, the Ngorongoro Crater shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens anywhere. A permanent population of more than 30 000 animals inhabit a mere 260 km² (100 square miles) in the 600 m (2 000 ft) deep crater, making this one of the few places in Africa where guests stand a great chance of seeing the entire Big Five in the course of a single game drive. Unique to the crater are the local Maasai grazing their cattle on the crater floor, sometimes, with a lion kill just a few hundred meters away

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is an extensive highland area along the eastern arm of the Rift Valley, with the world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater as its focal point. Not a national park in the strict sense of the word, the NCA was established to conserve wildlife and other natural resources, as well as to safeguard the interests of indigenous people and promote tourism. Thus, guests on safari have the unique experience of seeing Maasai herdsmen whose cattle graze side by side with the tremendous variety of wildlife found in the area. 

Serengeti
The Serengeti together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park form Africa’s most famous wildlife park. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further.

The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti plains has become almost essential and you can even do a horseback safari.

From July through to October the Migration is in the Northern Serengeti and this is where many of the most famous scenes of the Migration occur with almost daily crossings of the Mara River.

Tarangire National Park
After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania and in the dry season the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly the predators follow. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, and its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the mountains to the south.

Located just a few hours drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for safaris travelling through the northern circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game controlled areas and the wildlife are allowed to move freely throughout.

Lake Tanganyika
The second most voluminous freshwater lake on the planet, Tanganyika’s crystal clear waters are said to be among the world’s cleanest and provide a haven for a myriad of fish, including many colourful cichlid species. The lake is almost entirely surrounded by the mountains of the Great Rift Valley and bordered by two stunningly scenic nature reserves: the Mahale Mountains National Park and the Gombe Stream National Park, famous for its chimpanzees.

ZANZIBAR

Rising up from the Indian Ocean approximately 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, this idyllic archipelago consists of Zanzibar and Pemba islands as well as numerous smaller islets. Zanizibar Island (known locally as ‘Unguja’) is characterised by exquisite white sand beaches fringed by palm trees and lapped by turquoise waters lined with coral reefs brimming with an abundance of exotic marine life. This underwater paradise is a mecca for water sport enthusiasts who flock here for the excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, water-skiing and sailing on traditional local dhows. The island’s cultural heart is its old city, Stone Town – said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa – with its maze of narrow alleyways, lively bazaars, mosques and ornate Arab houses. Whether you choose to spend your time: exploring the charming boutiques, bars and restaurants of Stone Town; lounging in a deckchair by the pool of a luxurious resort on the exclusive private island of Mnemba, or hopping from island to island to snorkel or scuba dive, there really is never a dull moment in the island paradise of Zanzibar.

KENYA

Nairobi
Nairobi is Africa’s 4th largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place and although it has developed a reputation which keeps tourist visits brief there are some fascinating attractions: its café culture, unbridled nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum and most notably just 20 minutes from the city centre wild lions and buffalo roam in the world’s only urban game reserve.

Samburu National Reserve
Samburu is remote, hot and arid with rugged hills and undulating plains. And like most wildlife areas in such environments Samburu’s life blood is the Ewaso Ngiro River, and its riverine forests, which forms its boundary with the Buffalo Springs National Park. This is one of the few areas in Kenya where you can spot southern and northern dwelling species together with highlights being reticulated giraffe, the long necked gerenuk, Somali ostrich and Grevy’s Zebra. Samburu was one of the homes of Elsa the Lioness, star of the bestselling book and award winning movie Born Free.

Masai Mara
The Masai Mara together with Tanzania’s Serengeti form Africa’s most famous wildlife park. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Mara plains has become almost essential and you can even do a horseback safari.

Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is Kenya’s most accessible yet incongruous safari experience. Set within the city limits, Nairobi National Park has abundant wildlife, with generally large aggregations of antelope and buffaloes here year-round.

Meru National Park
Meru National Park is wild and beautiful, with diverse scenery and no less than 13 rivers. Game to view includes some of the less regularly sighted animals like oryx, Lesser Kudu duiker and Dik Dik and over 300 species of birds have been recorded. It is here that Else the famous lion from the book and movie “Born Free” lived out the latter part of her life and is buried.

Laikipia
Go north! there is much more to Kenya than the well-known Maasai Mara Game Reserve and Nairobi. North of the Equator, the Great Rift Valley and Mount Kenya lies the awe inspiring Laikipia Plateau, an area the size of Wales, still free from the hordes of game vehicles and flashing cameras that are found in more well-known regions. There is plenty of room here for tourists, abundant wildlife and intriguing tribes. Laikipia is where Kenya’s wild and semi-arid northern frontier country starts.

Amboseli National Park
The landscape of Amboseli is dominated by the snow cap of Mount Kilimanjaro, open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. Renowned for its excellent Masaai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah viewing and not surprisingly it is one of Kenya most popular parks. The birding is excellent especially near the lakes and swamps.

The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attraction of the park includes opportunities to meet the Maasai people and also offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Mount Kenya
The view of a snow capped Mt Kenya with an elephant in the foreground must be one of Africa’s most iconic. Africa’s second highest mountain (5199m) is an awe-inspiring sight and its forests, trout filled streams and game reserve are of great interest for those not wanting to summit the peak. Unlike Mt Kilimanjaro Mt Kenya is a technically difficult climb, although Point Lenana (4985m) requires no climbing can be easily reached by a fit hiker.

Chyulu Hills National Park
The Chyulu Hills National Park was formed between the Amboseli and Tsavo West National Parks to protect this unique habitat and because of its significance as a water catchment area. A magical land of open grass plains and tree covered rolling green with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. The Park is surrounded by miles of Masai land, dusty, dry and stalked by scarlet cloaked herders and dust plumed cattle.

Don’t forget to include your very own exclusive epicurean and wellness experiences and tours

on your vacation and safari journey!