LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Lake Manyara National Park nestling under the wall of the Great Rift Valley is like a perfectly cut gemstone. It is one of the most popular and attractive National Parks. Though small in area, it contains a variety of habitats and diverse animals and birds. Gazing eastwards from the Great Rift wall, one looks up into the horizon where water and sky dissolve into shimmering heat waves.

Area: 319 sq. km.
Altitude: 945 metres
The wall of the Great Rift Valley forms the back drop, before which lies the ground forest
teeming with animals, areas of open grasslands, the lake foreshore and the loveliest soda lake.

Lake Manyara has 5 distinct zones;
1. Ground water forest with towering mahogany and fig trees.
2. Extensive marshland reeds
3. Plains of Savanna grassland
4. Outbacks scattered with acacia trees
5. Scrubland on the face of the rift wall.

The hotels/lodges are built on the rift walls at high altitude, thus offering a magnificent view of Lake Manyara and the park.

NGORONGORO CRATER the Eden of Africa; Truly the eighth wonder of the World
The largest intact crater in the world and second largest extinct volcano in the world has a spectacular concentration of wildlife. Ngorongoro was an active volcano some eight million years ago whose cone collapsed, leaving a Crater. The Crater rim is wooded with mountain forest vegetation. It is oval in shape and 20 km in diameter. It is blooming in acres of flowers like blue, pink and white lupines, candle white lilies, blue hyacinth and many more.

Located in Northern Tanzania to the west of the Great Rift Valley which runs from the Red Sea to Lake Nyasa in southern Tanzania.
The crater is oval in shape, 100 sq. miles in area, 2,000 feet deep and is 2,286 metres above sea level.
The Lodges/Hotels are situated on the Rim of the Crater.

THE SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
One of the most unique wilderness areas of the world, fantastic in its natural beauty and unequalled in its scientific value. This park is one vast expanse of land with a large concentration of plains animals. It also contains a wide variety of bird-life inhabiting a diversity of habitat and vegetation. One of the most remarkable scenes in this wildlife sanctuary is the annual migration of wildebeest, zebras, giraffe, gazelle, buffalo and other plains animals. As the herds move to new grazing ground, they are followed by predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals and hunting dogs waiting for weak prey while vultures soar overhead waiting for their share of the kill.

Occupying 14,763 sq. km. the Serengeti is as big as Northern Ireland. This park is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in the world. Serengeti's low vegetation means that game viewing is relatively easy. It varies from grass plains in the south, Savannah with scattered acacia trees in the centre, hilly wooded grasslands in the north, to extensive woodland and black clay plains to the west. There are many small rivers, lakes and swamps scattered about. Animals live in absolute freedom on the endless plains.

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
This park is remarkable for its range of habitats - miniature volcanic craters, highland rain forest, acacia woodland and a string of crater lakes (The Momella Lakes). In addition, on clear day there are spectacular views of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. Arusha National Park offers many beautiful panoramic views. An opportunity to visit this park is not to be missed.

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
This park is scattered with Baobab trees alternating with open acacia woodland, open bush, plains, swamps and rivers along which stand palm trees. Big game and birds abound. Among the wildlife that can be seen are lions, elephants, zebras, oryx, and many more. The birdlife is also extremely rich and varied.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO (The Crown of Tanzania)
This, the highest Mountain in Africa is just three degrees below the equator and its two peaks, the KIBO (5,893) and MAWENZI (5,149M) are permanently snow capped. Its breathtaking beauty has to be seen and experienced by one personally. Ascent and descent takes 5 days and can be climbed by any normal fit person with the assistance of experienced mountain guides and porters. Kilimanjaro can be climbed at any time of the year except during the long rains in April and May.

OLDUVAI GORGE
Within Ngorongoro Conservation area is the Olduvai Gorge, 180 kilometres from Arusha. It's here that Dr. Louis Leakey discovered the remains of Homo habilis or "Handy man" regarded as mankind's first step on the ladder of human evolution. But many more fossils have been discovered here including those of prehistoric elephants, giant horned sheep and enormous ostriches. Footprints of humanoids believed to be three million years old have also been found. Guides operate lecture tours of the sites.

MIKUMI
Located north of the Selous Reserve, some 300 kms from Dar es Salaam, is the Mikumi National Park. Because of its accessibility it is one of the most popular parks in Tanzania and offers a wide variety of wildlife in its 3,230 sq. kms. Main feature of the park is the Mikumi flood plain, with its open grassland that eventually merges with the woodland covering the foothills of the mountains that border the park on two sides. Baboon, buffalo, colobus monkey, hunting dog, eland, elephant, giraffe, hartebeest, hippo, lion impala, sable antelope, warthog, waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra and the greater kudu are amongst the species that can be seen here.

Over 300 species of birds have been observed in the park, some of which are Eurasian migrants who stay between October and April. Crocodiles, monitor lizard and python are resident here.

Weekend excursions are organized by tour operators from Dar es Salaam and the park is an importanteducational centre for young people studying ecology and conservation.

UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
This newly established National Park has a total area of approximately 1,000 sq. kms. Covering Mwanihana Forest Reserve in Morogoro region and West Kilombero Scarp Forest Reserve in Iringa region. In the Udzungwa Forest which forms part of the park, many rare plants have been identified which todate cannot be found elsewhere the world over. Apart from rare plants, the Udzungwa National Park supports a large number of games including elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, sable and species of primates two of which are endemic.

The area also is one of the richest bird watching localities in Tanzania. The park is about 10 kms. from Mikumi National Park.

SELOUS
The Selous Game Reserve is the largest in Africa, an uninhabited area the size of Switzerland. If visitors are looking for elephants this is the place, it has a large population of these giant mammals. It is a vast wilderness, untamed by man. The Rufiji River system, the greatest in East Africa, which flows through the reserve, floods it during the rainy season from February to end of March, making the reserve inaccessible to man. The tourist camps are closed down for the duration. This isolation from human contact accounts for its prolific wildlife population of more than a million.

As well as elephant, other species commonly seen are lion, wild dog, buffalo, bushbuck, impala, giraffe, eland, baboon, zebra and greater kudu. The river also attracts countless numbers of hippos and crocodiles.

Linked to the Rufiji is Lake Tagalala, where waterbuck, reedbuck and bushbuck can be frequently seen. Visitors may also be lucky enough to spot the beautiful but rare sable antelope.

The park gets its name from the hunter-explore Frederick Courtney Selous, whose books about his exploits were best sellers in Victorian England.

Walking safaris accompanied by an armed ranger can be organized together with game drives and boat trips. The best time to visit is from June to October.

Anglers will wish to visit the rivers of the Kilombero Game Controlled Area to the west to the reserve where tiger fish and vandu can be landed. Many fishermen consider the tiger fish here to be among the best freshwater fighters while the vandu, catfish, can be huge, exceeding 45 kilos.

MAFIA ISLAND
Only 40 minutes south of Dar es Salaam is one of the most exiting big game fishing and diving locations in the world. The waters off the island abound with a rich variety of fish of tremendous size and weight many of them being great fighters.

Catches include marlin, sailfish, shark, tuna, kingfish, barracuda, rock cod, dolphin, horse mackerel, wahoo, five fingered jack and fimbo. The main fishing season is from September to March although fishing is possible all year round inside the reef and channel.

Mafia Island Lodge offers comfortable accommodation.

RUAHA
Covering 13,000 sq. kms. of undisturbed wildlife area is Tanzania's third largest park and also the largest elephant sanctuary. It lies 130 kms west of Iringa and its name is derived from the great Ruaha River which flows along its entire border creating spectacular gorges and scenery. Hippo, crocodile, and fish inhabit the river.

The park is also known for its concentration of lesser and greater kudu, its Roan and Sable antelope and its rich bird life. Special photographic blinds have been built at strategic places where wildlife congregates. The best months for game viewing are July and November. The park has an airstrip for light aircraft on the western bank of the river. Ruaha Camp 10 kms. south of Msembe provides comfortable accommodation and camping is permitted at certain sites within the park.