1. TANZANIA
Overview – Tanzania
Tanzania has three safari circuits, and each one of them, in its own right, would make
Tanzania a top wildlife destination. The popular Northern circuit with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater offers one
of the best classical safaris in Africa, especially if timed with the annual
wildebeest migration.
Pros and
Cons
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Superb wildlife viewing, including the annual wildebeest
migration in the Serengeti
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Off-the-beaten-track safaris in Selous and Ruaha parks
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Several wildlife viewing circuits for repeat visits
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Best chimp tracking in Africa in Gombe and Mahale Mountains
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Beach holiday extensions in Zanzibar
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Traditional indigenous cultures
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Too many highlights to fit in one safari
Wildlife
You’ll have few problems spotting the more-prominent African animals
in Tanzania, including the lion, elephant, giraffe and buffalo. For big cats
like the leopard and cheetah, you’ll want to head to the Serengeti, while
Ngorongoro Crater is where you want to be for a chance of seeing a black rhino.
Other wildlife highlights include chimpanzee tracking, checking out African
wild dogs, and being awestruck by the several million wildebeest, gazelle and
zebra on their annual migration.
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More About the Wildlife
Weather & Climate
In equatorial Tanzania, the humidity lessens noticeably the
further away from the coast you get. Heat is a mainstay of the country
everywhere except for the central region, where things cool quickly once the
sun goes down. The Dry season (June to October) sees the temperature vary
between 20°C/68°F and 30°C/86°F. It’s useful to remember, the higher the
altitude, the cooler it will be. The Wet season (November to May) kicks off
with showers (the ‘short rains’), followed by a drier interlude and then heavy
downfalls (the ‘long rains’) from March.
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More About the Weather and Climate
Best Time to Visit
To see the incredible spectacle of the great migration, you need
to visit during the Dry season (June to October). Wildlife watching across the
country is also at a premium at this time. There’s far less rainfall and
therefore bush to impede your view, and not so many mosquitoes to bug you. That
said, the northern-circuit parks still have productive game drives in the Wet
season (November to May). And January and February is the time when wildebeest
calving in the Serengeti attracts lots of predators.
13 National
Parks and Game Reserves
Arusha National ParkGombe National Park
Katavi National Park
Lake Manyara NP
Mahale Mountains NP
Mikumi National Park
Mkomazi National Park
Ngorongoro CA
Ruaha National Park
Saadani National Park
Selous Game Reserve
Serengeti National Park
Tarangire National Park
N.B To be continue