| Tanzania is one of Africa's top wildlife
| |
| | peaks and the park has over 370 bird
|
| safari destinations. Wildlife lovers have
| |
| | species, including some Eurasian
|
| a choice of two very different safari
| |
| | migrants. The flora is very diverse and
|
| routes- referred to as the northern and
| |
| | over 1650 plant species flourish here.
|
| southern circuits. The contrast is most
| |
| | The Ruaha has the unique distinction of
|
| obvious in the topography, habitat and
| |
| | having plant and animal life found in
|
| climate. On the color="#0000FF">northern
| |
| | both eastern and southern Africa. The
|
| Tanzania safari circuit, which I have
| |
| | climate here is hot and dry and
|
| talked about in another article, you
| |
| | temperatures can reach 40°C in October.
|
| visit such renowned wildlife havens as
| |
| | The Ruaha is located 128 km west of the
|
| Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake
| |
| | central Tanzania town of Iringa. It was
|
| Manyara. The southern safari route is
| |
| | previously inaccessible, but there is now
|
| anchored on Dar es Salaam, and covers
| |
| | year round road access. From Dar, road
|
| Ruaha, Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains
| |
| | travel is a backbreaking 10 hours while a
|
| National Parks and the Selous Game
| |
| | charter flight takes 1 ½ hours. The best
|
| Reserve.
| |
| | timefor a safari is over the dry
|
| The southern circuit is more discreet,
| |
| | season-May to December. Then, the Ruaha
|
| less accessible and has fewer visitors.
| |
| | River is magnetic to the animals and
|
| Adventure lovers and those who seek
| |
| | right at the banks, the drama of their
|
| closer contact with some of Africa's most
| |
| | daily life is on display- feeding,
|
| complex ecosystems will be rewarded. Here
| |
| | fighting, courting and mating. The
|
| you can view game in a variety of new
| |
| | accommodation is currently limited, but
|
| ways- walking, riding and boating. If you
| |
| | there is a luxury lodge, and a few
|
| have not had the privilege of getting up
| |
| | self-catering chalets and campsites.
|
| close to wild animals in their natural
| |
| | Selous Game Reserve is the star of the
|
| habitat, it is an exciting and refreshing
| |
| | southern safari circuit. The reserve is
|
| experience. For this encounter, the park
| |
| | named after the intrepid Fredrick
|
| authorities require that an armed ranger
| |
| | Courtney Selous, a celebrated Victoria
|
| escort you. It is therefore not as
| |
| | era explorer and aturalist. He met his
|
| dangerous as it may first appear.
| |
| | end here in a sideshow of the First World
|
| Mikumi National Park is the most
| |
| | War. The Great War had spilled over from
|
| accessible of the southerngame
| |
| | Europe as the Germans then ruled parts of
|
| sanctuaries. It is 283 km to the west of
| |
| | today's Tanzania. Located 500 km to the
|
| Dar es Salaam - Tanzania's coastal
| |
| | southwest of Dar, the reserve occupies a
|
| commercial capital. Occupying 3,230 sq
| |
| | staggering 55,000 sq km - larger than
|
| km, it carries a variety of wildlife
| |
| | Switzerland- and is the largest of its
|
| including elephants, lion, giraffe,
| |
| | kind in Africa.
|
| impala, warthog, zebra, buffalo,
| |
| | The Selous was designated a World
|
| wildebeest, hartebeest and eland. Wild
| |
| | Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982 due to
|
| dogs- considered an endangered carnivore
| |
| | the significance of both its flora and
|
| species -are found here in good numbers.
| |
| | fauna. This immense wilderness has a
|
| Other resident animals are crocodiles,
| |
| | diversity of habitats including savanna
|
| hippos, and monitor lizards. Birds are
| |
| | woodlands, swamps, open grasslands and
|
| most plentiful in the wet season when up
| |
| | forests. Over 2,100 species of tress and
|
| to 300 species gathers here. Many of
| |
| | plants have been recorded. The mighty
|
| these are Eurasian migrants, exercising
| |
| | Rufiji River is the lifeblood of the
|
| to the full, the freedom that comes with
| |
| | reserve and its numerous tributaries and
|
| wings.
| |
| | oxbow lakes are ideal for boat safaris.
|
| The Mikumi flood plain is the dominant
| |
| | The wildlife to see here includes
|
| feature of the park,which is bordered on
| |
| | buffalo, hippo,black rhino, lion and wild
|
| one side by the Uluguru Mountains and on
| |
| | dog. Elephants in particular are numerous
|
| another by the Lumango range. Mikumi
| |
| | and are estimated to number over 60,000.
|
| forms the northern border of the Selous
| |
| | Other inhabitants of Selous are bush
|
| Game Reserve and is part of a vast
| |
| | back, waterbuck, reedbuck, impala, eland,
|
| wilderness ecosystem covering 75,000 sq
| |
| | giraffe, baboon, zebra, and greater kudu.
|
| km. Open grasslands stretch on the
| |
| | Birders will also find a trip to Selous
|
| plains, while the miombo woodlands cover
| |
| | worthwhile - over 420 species are on
|
| higher ground.
| |
| | record. In the very large game
|
| The park is accessible year round- unlike
| |
| | sanctuaries of the south - Ruaha and
|
| some of thesanctuaries in the southern
| |
| | Selous in particular, game is scattered
|
| circuit. To get to Mikuni from Dar, you
| |
| | and a slow pace is advised, with at least
|
| spend 4 hours on road or 1 hour by air.
| |
| | 3-4 days in each. Photographic safaris
|
| Budget travelers take a bus ride to park
| |
| | can be very rewarding here. Most visitors
|
| gate, from where game drives are
| |
| | take the time to visit to Stiegler's
|
| organised. There is limited accommodation
| |
| | Gorge, which also happens to be a spot
|
| at a few luxury lodges and tented camps
| |
| | favoured by leopards.
|
| and at 3 campsites. If you find yourself
| |
| | From Dar, you arrive after a 1-½ hour
|
| in Dar on a weekend, this is where you
| |
| | charter flight or bytraveling for 7 hours
|
| head to see wildlife.
| |
| | by road. Travel by road is not advised,
|
| The 1,990 sq km Udzungwa Mountains
| |
| | except for the most adventurous souls.
|
| National Park is 348 km west of Dar and
| |
| | Selous is near the coast and is just a
|
| 65 km southwest of Mikumi. The mountains
| |
| | few hundred feet above sea level. The
|
| are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains
| |
| | climate is hot and humid, particularly
|
| that fall southeast of Kilimanjaro. The
| |
| | between October and March. Part of the
|
| park is unique in Tanzania, having been
| |
| | reserve is closed in the wet season
|
| created primarily to conserve plant life.
| |
| | between March and May. The best time to
|
| The pristine mountain forest habitat
| |
| | visit is over the dry season period of
|
| hosts numerous rare plants. There are six
| |
| | June to October. Then on safari you can
|
| primate species, out of which two species
| |
| | walk, boat and ride a 4WD vehicle.
|
| are endemic - the Iringa red colobus
| |
| | Accommodation is limited to just a few
|
| monkey and the Sanje Crested Mangabey. At
| |
| | luxury tented and no-frills camps.
|
| the plateau area, you find elephants,
| |
| | The typical southern safari will usually
|
| lions, hunting dogs and buffalos, though
| |
| | combine Mikumi, Ruaha and Selous. After
|
| not in as large numbers as in some of the
| |
| | the safari, a stay in Zanzibar rounds off
|
| other Tanzania parks. Birds also do well
| |
| | an unbeatable holiday experience. It is
|
| here, and indeed the park ranks is one of
| |
| | generally recommended you take an
|
| Africa's most important bird conservation
| |
| | escorted color="#0000FF">southern
|
| areas. Scientists have in recent times
| |
| | Tanzania safari packagethat includes
|
| come across at least four previously
| |
| | transport, guide, park fees and
|
| unknown bird species. The best time to
| |
| | accommodation. Particularly in the large
|
| visit is over the dry season between June
| |
| | sanctuaries of the southern circuit, tour
|
| and October. The hiking trails over the
| |
| | guides bring valuable useful local
|
| wet season are slippery, which can be
| |
| | knowledge - where to find the animals,
|
| quite a nuisance.
| |
| | and how to get where you are going.
|
| The Ruaha National Park is rightly named
| |
| | On safari, avoid bright colours as this
|
| after its lifeblood- the Great Ruaha
| |
| | may get you in trouble with wild animals.
|
| River. Occupying 12,950 sq km, it is
| |
| | If you are wise you will pack brown,
|
| Tanzania's second largest national park
| |
| | beige and khaki clothing. It rarely gets
|
| and its biggest elephant sanctuary. Home
| |
| | really cold on the southern circuit and
|
| to numerous crocodiles and hippo, the
| |
| | short sleeve shirts, shorts and trouser
|
| Great Ruaha draws many thirsty waterbuck,
| |
| | for men are adequate. For ladies, short
|
| leopard, buffalo, reedbuck, wild dogs,
| |
| | sleeve blouses, slacks and skirts are
|
| lion and hyena to its banks. Plain
| |
| | ideal. But carry a jacket or sweater for
|
| animals such as zebra, greater and lesser
| |
| | possible chills in the evening and early
|
| kudu, sable and roan antelope, impala and
| |
| | mornings. Sunglasses will shield you from
|
| giraffe are found on the plains
| |
| | the at times harsh tropical glare; and a
|
| stretching from the rivers edge.
| |
| | hat can save you from sunstroke. Bring
|
| The topography is agreeable to hiking and
| |
| | along a sensible pair of shoes that will
|
| walking safaris are allowed. In wet
| |
| | allow you to walk comfortably in the
|
| season months of March to April and
| |
| | bush. Binoculars will come in very handy
|
| October to November the bird population
| |
| | for spotting animals.
|
