Amazing Africa Wildlife Safaris - Discover Tanzania's Top-Five National Parks

Last Updated (Wednesday, 31 December 1969 15:59) Written by Andrew Muigai Monday, 30 November 2009 16:59

Tanzania is one of the greatest travel destinations in Africa especially for wildlife safaris. The country's game parks host a rich variety of wild animals offering you one of the best game-watching experiences in the African wild. Five of these national parks stand out from the rest.

Tanzania is one of the greatest travel destinations in Africa especially for wildlife safaris. The country's game parks host a rich variety of wild animals offering you one of the best game-watching experiences in the African wild. Five of these national parks stand out from the rest.

Ruaha National Park

Occupying 12,950 sq km, Ruaha national is Tanzania's second largest national park. It is situated 128 km from the Tanzanian town of Iringa, and is home to zebras, roan and sable antelopes, giraffes, greater and lesser kudu, impalas, leopards, wild dogs, lions, water bucks, and reed bucks among many other animals. The park derives its name from the great Ruaha river, which itself hosts many crocodiles and hippos, and also draws many thirsty animals to its banks creating a great wildlife spectacle. What makes this national park unique is the fact that it hosts plant and animal species found both in southern Africa and Eastern Africa.

Ruaha's topography is ideal for hiking and walking safaris. In the rainy season between March to April and October to November, the bird population peaks to a high of over 350 bird species - including some Eurasian migrants. Ruaha's climate is hot and dry, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in October. The Ruaha is was until recently totally inaccessible, but there is now a year round road access to the park. From Dar es Salaam, road travel takes 10 hours while a charter flight takes 1 and and half hours. The best time for a safari is over the dry season- May to December.

Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is situated between Lake Manyara and the wall of the Great Rift Valley - rising 610 metres above. The park supports a thriving population of birdlife and hence it is one of Tanzania's best birding destinations. Common birds in the park include waterfowl as well as some migrants. The lush green vegetation of the national park offer some of the best places to view leopards. Tree-climbing lions can also be spotted on the grassy shores of the lake.

The periods between December and February and between August and September constitute the best times for going on safari in Lake Manyara national park. However, it is still possible to see animals throughout the year. Most parts of the park are easily accessible, making it possible for you to see all its major attractions in two hours. Lake Manyara National park has three habitats: groundwater green forests, acacia woodlands, and open floodplains.

Tarangire National Park

Named after the Tarangire River, Tarangire National Park is also part of the northern tourism circuit. The park area is approximately 2,600 sq km and has a high concentration of wildlife during the dry seasons as well as a high number of elephants. With over 570 bird species, the place is surely a birdwatchers' paradise.

Visitors who want to take game drives around Tarangire should do so during the dry season from June to September. This is the best time to view wildlife as animals tend to congregate while drinking the waters of River Tarangire. In addition the vegetation is not so dense, unlike the case during wet season. While at Tarangire chances of spotting python seem to more than even for some or other reason maybe because they have taken to climbing the trees in the area.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in'79, Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers an area of over 7,000 square miles in Northern Tanzania. At the north-west, Ngorongoro conservation area joins up with the Serengeti plains, an area through which the wildebeest horde during their great migration between Masia Mara in Kenya and Serengeti.

At the center of this conservation area lies the 264 sq km Ngorongoro crater, whose floor is inhabited by a great array of wildlife. Since the crater provides one of the greatest and very satisfying game watching experience, it is not a big surprise that it remains one of the most popular Tanzania destination for wildlife safaris.

When you visit Ngorongoro conservation area, you are likely to experience both surprise and shock, as you get to hear lions' roars echoed off the crater walls, and also spot prides of the lazy king of the jungle idling under the shades of trees. You will also see herds of many herbivores like zebras, antelopes and gazelles grazing in the river shores, as well as huge herds of elephants roaming from one corner of the park to the other. Birdwatching is a good adventure at Ngorongoro. Lake Ndutu, for instance, has a huge population of birds that makes it popular among birding enthusisats. Some of the common birds species around the lake include ducks, flamingos and stocks.

Serengeti National Park

The name Serengeti comes from the Maasai word "Siringit" meaning unending plains - aptly describing the open grassy plains that make up the national park. The 12,950 sq km national park is part of an ecosysytem that spans across the Kenya - Tanzania border into the Masai Mara game reserve. Serengeti's diverse habitat enables the park to support more than 30 species of large mammals and about 500 species of birds.

The "great wildebeest migration" takes place in the Serengeti. This event is the largest and longest overland migration of mammals in the world, earning it a recognition as the world's most spectacular wildlife show. Together with the mighty Victoria falls and the Ngorongoro crater, the migration is also recognized as one of the ten natural wonders of travel in the world.

Although the migration from Serengeti to the Mara is not specifically predictable, the event occurs between July and August . The journey back to Serengeti takes place around October. During the event, nearly 2 million herbivores travel between the northern hills and the southern plains, crossing the Mara River in search of greener pastures.

Serengeti is reached by both road and air. The road trip from Arusha, situated some 320km from the park, takes approximately 8 hours. International visitors to Serengeti are served by the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha. From there, the visitors can travel by road to the park or take either scheduled or charter flights to Serengeti airstrips like Kirawira or Seronera.