Parks found in Northern Tanzania : Tarangire National Park is a well-liked destination for day trips from Arusha, situated 120 km south of the town along the Great North Road. Tarangire’s 2,850 square kilometres are home to a diverse range of species. The kinds of vegetation and animals you see are strongly connected, as is the case in all ecosystems. The park’s primary features are the flood plains and the grassland, which are mostly home to different kinds of acacia trees. There are also a few solitary baobab, tamarind and sausage trees. The only source of permanent water for wildlife in the area is the Tarangire River, which gives the park its name. Due to the migratory species’ return to the Tarangire River in June, when the Maasai Steppes dry up due to the end of the lengthy rains, Tarangire National Park has the second-highest concentration of wildlife, behind Ngorongoro. The best time to see wildlife in Tarangire is during this time, which runs from June to October. Zebras, wildebeest, lions, leopards, waterbucks, giraffes, elephants, gazelles, impala, gerenuk, lesser kudu, and the stunning fringe-eared oryx are among the most often seen creatures in the park. The park is well-known for its tree-climbing pythons, and you might be fortunate enough to see them there along with uncommon species seen in Northern Tanzania, such as roan antelope and larger kudu. In the Park, over 550 different bird species have been identified.
Lake Manyara National Park
One of the most well-known and ancient sanctuaries in East Africa is Lake Manyara National Park, which is situated 125 km west of Arusha town and nestled against the Great Rift Valley wall. The park’s diverse range of habitats allows for the support of an abundance of wildlife in a very limited area. The primary habitats are the rift wall, open grassland, acacia woodland, ground water forest, and the shallow soda lake itself, which makes up 77% of the 330 sq. Km. National Park. The most well-known sight in the park is the tree-climbing lions, which are sometimes spotted on the acacia tree branches. The park is home to a variety of other creatures, including as buffalo, ostriches, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and baboons.
Known as a birding safaris in Tanzania destination, Lake Manyara National Park is home to more than 400 bird species that may be found in most of East Africa’s river and savanna ecosystems. Pelicans, spoonbills, Egyptian geese, hammerkops, and migratory flamingos—which arrive in their hundreds of thousands to create one of Africa’s greatest natural spectacles over the soda lake—are common aquatic species to see here.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
On a Tanzania safari, it is situated between Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Parks, approximately 190 kilometres west of Arusha, is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, an International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site. The Ngorongoro Crater, the Olduvai Gorge and Ndutu, the Empakai Crater, and the Oldonyo Lengai Mountain make up the 8,292 square kilometre Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a ground-breaking example of multipurpose land use, where wildlife, cattle, and the Maasai people live side by side in the same protected ecosystem. Similar to national parks, wild animals are protected. Animals, people, and cattle share the remainder of the Conservation Area, with the exception of the craters of Ngorongoro and Empakai, which are designated solely for wildlife. The Maasai, who make up the majority of Ngorongoro’s population, are pastoralists who travel far in search of pasture and water with their herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. The Maasai have been urged to cultivate the land and add to their customary diet of meat and milk in recent year. The primary attraction in the region is the Ngorongoro Crater, the biggest complete Caldera in the world. The Ngorongoro Crater floor is 304 square kilometres in size and has a diameter of 19 km. It is a vertical drop of 610 metres below the crater rim. The Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking sight. There is nothing that can truly compare to the size and beauty of the Crater, thus it is impossible to describe in words. One of the World’s Wonders, as Professor Bernhard Grzimek once stated. Tens of thousands of plains animals, such as wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, elands, and a sizable population of lions, hyenas, and jackals, can be seen up close on the crater floor. Here you can see the endangered black rhino, and if you’re lucky, you can also spot a cheetah and a leopard. The months of November through May are when it rains. At the crater rim, which is approximately 2286 metres above sea level, evenings can get extremely chilly, especially from May to September.
Ndutu
Ndutu is situated in the southeast plains of the Serengeti environment, inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Large herds of migratory animals cluster on the plains of Ndutu, where they stay for over four months, from December to April, before beginning their journey across the Serengeti in search of water and greener pastures. The Ndutu region is crucial to the Serengeti ecosystem because of its short grass plains, which serve as calving areas for migratory species like wildebeest.
Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park is both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. Situated between the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya to the north, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the southeast, and extending nearly 10 km along the shores of Lake Victoria to the west, the Serengeti National Park occupies 14,763 square kilometres, making it the third largest national park in Tanzania. The largest national parks, Nyerere and Ruaha, are located in southern Tanzania and span 30,000 and 20,380 square kilometres, respectively. The grandeur of the south-eastern plains of the park is immediately apparent as you come from the Ngorongoro highlands. The plains are aptly termed Endless Plains, Siringet in Maasai. Established as a protected area in 1921 and officially designated as a national park in 1951, Tanzania’s Serengeti is the oldest national park and unquestionably one of the most well-known wildlife sanctuaries globally.
The Serengeti is home to the greatest herds of wildebeest, zebra, cape eland, lion, cheetah, hyena, and gazelles in the world, according to the Tanzania National Parks website. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, the Great Serengeti Migration, is the world’s only remaining great mammal migration, and it takes place in Serengeti National Park.
Mkomazi National Park
Mkomazi, a game reserve that was established in 1951 and borders Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park in north-eastern Tanzania, was gazetted as a national park in 2008. About 190 kilometres from Arusha, Mkomazi National Park is situated east of the Pare Mountains, close to Same town. It is situated along the edge of a semi-arid savanna arc that stretches into Kenya’s Tsavo West and is a part of the Mkomazi-Tsavo Ecosystem, the second largest trans-boundary ecosystem in East Africa after the well-known Serengeti – Maasai Mara. Mkomazi, which covers an area of 3,245 square kilometres, was governed by the government as a game reserve prior to being under Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA )control. As a national park, Mkomazi has the potential to grow into a magnificent sanctuary where tourists can discover more of Tanzania’s undiscovered natural beauties.
The park is abounding with small and large species, including silver-backed jackals, lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, buffalo, elephants, and zebras. The uncommon gerenuk, lesser kudu, and fringe-eared oryx are also sometimes spotted. The Umba River, which borders Mkomazi to the southeast, and other water holes keep the park bustling. Within the national park, there are two sanctuaries established to save rare species: one for the endangered black rhino and another for wild dogs. In addition to providing tourists with opportunities for viewing and education, the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary has gained international recognition for its work rehabilitating rhinos. With over 450 bird species, including some Eurasian migratory species, Mkomazi is an exciting place for bird lovers.
Mkomazi offers a wide range of activities, such as bird watching, walking safaris, mountain treks, and game drives. Mkomazi National Park is easily integrated into the Arusha – Usambara – Tanga – Pangani – Saadani – Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar circuit, or it can be visited as a stand-alone destination from Arusha or after climbing Kilimanjaro. Late June to early September is the best time to visit for large mammal and bird watching.
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s smaller but most exquisite national parks, covering an area of 137 square kilometres. Just 37 kilometres separate the park from Arusha town, making day visits there highly popular. The park’s four main characteristics are the craggy Mount Meru (4575 m above sea level), the highland montane forest, and the Ngurdoto Crater. On clear days, several spots within the park offer views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which rises to a height of 5895 metres to the east. Combining a wildlife drive with a nature walk at one of the park’s many locations where guests can get out of their safari vehicles and enjoy some fresh air is one of its most distinctive features. The Abyssinian black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red forest duikers, hippos, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, bushbucks, and occasionally leopards are the most frequently encountered creatures in this area. The park is home to about 400 different species of birds, including Eurasian migrants, which are visible from October to April. You may climb Mount Meru, which is 4575 metres high, in three to four days, spending the night in mountain lodges as you go up and down.
