For most of People, Tansania is the first dream land of Africa. Galloping with the wind on an endless grassland, the beautiful landscape, herds of gazelles, elephants and giraffes, thousands of wildebeests and zebras running freely, this sight stays in the memory of countless tourists.
But Tansania is more than just Wildlife on the grassland. Beaches, volcano mountains, preserve area, lakes and valleys, friendly people, fascinating cultures – Tanzania has all of them.
【Top National Parks for Safari in Tanzania】
1. 【Tarangire National Park】
Tarangire National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Tansania. Some people even think that her beauty is even better than Serengeti. In addition to the various wild animals and birds in Africa, she has an unusually spectacular herd of elephants and huge baobab forest.
There are often elephants, giraffes, lions, antelopes, etc. roaming under the baobab trees, what a wonderful scene! This is Africa, a paradise-like nature land reserved for us because of the "backwardness" of mankind.
Large baobab trees, dense shrubs and tall weeds dot the hills. It is also famous for its large expanse of termite mounds. Those abandoned mounds often become new homes for mongooses. The scenery and vegetation here are quite diverse and perfectly blended together, which is a very rare sight even in other parts of Africa.
Here, you may lucky to see endangered animals too: the striped-eared sword antelope with elegant horns, the tall kudu, and the tiny Aspen starling. whether it is dry or wet season, it is easy to see herds of elephants also.
In addition to natural scenery and animals, here you can visit Maasai village and Barabaig village also, learn the cultural and history of old tribe; or go to Kolo (Kondoa Irangi Rock on the Dodoma Road.) to watch hundreds of ancient rock paintings.
2.【Lake Manyara National Park】
Lake Manyara National Park is located in northern Tanzania, it is a shallow alkaline lake created by a depression within the Great Rift Valley. Hemingway once admired "This is a adorable place in Africa."
Marshlands, saline flats, and grasslands surround the lake. A small forest featuring fig and mahogany trees are near the entrance to the park. Baobab trees are also found within the park boundaries.
The national park encompasses an area of 125 square miles (325 sq km). it is a great place for wildlife, The migration of wildebeests, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and Grant’s gazelle travels through the area. Other wildlife include bushbuck, baboon, buffalo, badger, elephant, giraffe, warthog, and zebra. Some of the predator species include African wild cat, African golden cat, bat-eared fox, Cheetah, civet, hyena, jackal, lion, and leopard. One of the unique features of the park's wildlife is the tree-climbing lions. Lake Manyara is also home to 1.9 million flamingo that leverages the shallow alkaline lake for feeding on algae.
It is a bird watcher's haven. In addition to the abundance of flamingo and waterfowl, there are 40 different species of predatory birds with over 390 species of birds altogether.
3.【Serengeti National Park】
Tanzania is the safari paradise. More than one third of the country's land is the national parks and nature reserves, and the Serengeti is the most famous one among them.
Serengeti is "the boundless plain" in Maasai. She has the largest animal community: countless wildebeests, zebras, Thomson gazelles, Grant gazelles, spotted hyenas, giraffes, and numerous lions, elephants, black rhinos, buffaloes and cheetahs. The five great beasts of Africa and more than 300 species of birds constitute the world's largest natural animal ecosystem.
The most famous animal migration took place on this land, and the mighty animal army formed a magnificent landscape that attracts travelers from around the world yearly. the sight of wildebeests fight to crossing the Mara River was a highlight of the great safari tour.
The protagonists of the Migration are more than 1.7 million heads of wildebeests, about 400,000 Thomson gazelles, 300,000 zebras, and 20,000 antelopes.
Where there is water in the Serengeti, you can encounter hippos and Nile crocodiles. But you must not be deceived by the simple appearance of hippos, they are the wild animals that pose the greatest threat to tourists. so follow the advice of your tour guide when you are traveling on this land.
The hot air balloon trip in Serengeti is one of the most fascinating air balloon trips. If you are a photography enthusiast, and relized drone shooting is not possible, then you can't miss the hot air balloon trip here. The shooting angle here is impossible to achieve at land. If you can’t experience the angle of flying birds. , That would be a great regret in life.
【Recommended Safari Rustic Luxury Accommodation】
1. Serengeti National Park: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
This safari hotel is really an oasis. There are outdoor terraces all over the place, and the beautiful swimming pool offers a good view of the Serengeti Plain. The food is great and there is a buffet everyday. The shower room is spacious and clean. The house of hotel room looks like the home of elves or dwarves. Everything is as dreamy as in a fairy tale.
2. Ngorongoro Crater: Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge
Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge is located in Karatu District, surrounded by the Tanzanian highlands and the World Heritage site of Ngorongoro Crater. It features a swimming pool with sundeck and a spa.
Fresh air and sunny back garden. It feels like the fragrance of the earth can also be smelled indoors too. you will be awakened by sunlight and singing of birds; sleep with the sounds of insect everyday.
While drinking coffee and reading book quietly, waiting for the sun to rise or set. With such a good view and scenery, you can just sit and enjoy for a day.
Recommended Modes of Safari
- 【Trekking Safari】In addition to watching animals from the window of a safari vehicle, trekking safari is more thrilling. Guides with guns are escorted one after another. You travel through the jungle, grasslands and river beaches all on your feet, relying on fresh animal footprints, hair remains, and feces to track animal footprints along the way, which is very expeditionary. The feeling of the "white hunter" in the novel.
- 【Hot Air Balloon Safari】The morning sun shines on the vast grassland, and the oil painting-like morning scenery is amazing. The grassland is very quiet and fresh in the early morning, and the hot air balloon flies at a low altitude of about 25-50 meters. In front of you is the vast African savannah, endless, as wide as the sea, as if the whole world is within your sight. Thousands of zebras and antelopes, lions and leopards are just right under your feet. The hot air balloon trip in Serengeti National Park is one of the most fascinating hot air balloon trips on earth. If you are a photographer, you can't miss it at all. The photo shooting angle here is impossible to achieve from land. If you come to Serengeti without experiencing it, that may be a great regret in life.
Tips on Safari in Tanzania
1. "Big five" refers to the lion, the African elephant, the African cape buffalo, the leopard and the rhino. The ranking is based on the difficulty of hunting them.
2. The hairy head of the giraffe is the female, and the one with two smooth horns is the male. The giraffe is the tallest terrestrial animal in the world. The male is 4.8 to 5.5 meters tall and weighs 900 kg; the female is generally smaller. The most common giraff in Tanzania is the Maasai giraffe.
3. The skin of hippos is fragile and easy to get sunburned, that's why they are always in the water during the day and only come out at night.
4. Leopards are always sleeping. They wake up and hunt only when they are hungry. It usually takes three or four days. However, they are super smart and hang their prey on the tree where he sleeps.
5. The zebra and the wildebeest always migrate together. The wildebeest has sensitive nose, it can always find water. And zebras are very smart & alertness, they always stand crosswise to observe the enemy and alarm the group when they find the danger; they will guard the baby zebras in the middle of the team, the baby zebras are brown and grow up to have patterns; zebras have four stomachs, so they can eat hard grass very well.
6. The antelope will choose the leader through a duel, the leader owns all the ewes, and the loser has nothing. that's why you will find that they fight a lot.
7. The dead trees on the grassland are not killed by lightning, but the land is infertile and they dry to death.
8. Cheetahs are weak acturally, except the speed that no one can win. Although the leopard is shorter than the cheetah, but it is much stronger.
9. Lions are lazy during the day, but their eyesight at night is seven times of human's.
10. The gray ostrich is a female and takes care of baby during the day; the black ostrich is a male, they takes care of children at night. what a lovely couple!
11. Cheetahs are a posterity of cats and other animals, their claws are close together. Other cats, such as lions, can stretch their claws.
