Archive for the 'Tanzania' Category
The country of Tanzania is one of the outstanding tourist destinations in the world. It offers two unique and unrivaled attractions in Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, and has numerous additional national parks that feature great wildlife and scenery. The northern park circuit of Kilimanjaro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti form a chain of northern national parks that are reasonably spaced, accessible and are sure to provide you with outstanding and unforgettable wildlife experiences. You can have a self-drive safari if you so desire, and can go where you want and do it on your own schedule. I would recommend it if you have a little adventure within you. You can drive in your own rented 4-wheel-drive vehicle across the entire northern portion of Tanzania from Kilimanjaro to Lake Victoria and back, or leave your vehicle at Serengeti and fly back . My wife and I did it in two weeks, and it was one of our most memorable trips. We did it in early June after the rainy season was over, and when the wildebeest were migrating north. We did not want to miss that sight, and we didn’t!
You can fly into Kilimanjaro airport and stay at the lodge that is right there while you pick up your vehicle and visit the mountain that is only an hour away. Even if you don’t attempt to climb Kilimanjaro (add another week if you plan to try it), you can drive up about 6000 feet to the Machame trailhead for some great closeup views of the peak. If you want to hang around for a couple of days there is a nice Protea Hotel right there with a beautiful view of the peak.
Later in your trip you can stay in a Bush Camp just outside the northern park boundary and watch the wildebeest go around your camp on both sides, all the while (24 hours per day) making their odd, grunting sound. I highly recommend that, as it was another experience that we will never forget. In between Kilimanjaro to the East and Serengeti in the West, are two outstanding sites … Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Do not miss them! You will see more elephants (and baby elephants) in Tarangire two hours than you will see in a week in most other African countries. Ngorongoro Crater is unique; you will never see anything else like it. Stay in a lodge on the crater rim for great views during your dinners.
Each Park has a selection of outstanding lodges that really take care of you (Sopa, Wildlife, etc). You don’t need to be in a canned tour to book those lodges. Tanzania is very safe (we never felt threatened even once), and the weather is fantastic. Blue skies and nice temperatures every day even though it borders the equator. Yes, it is true that it is not cheap to spend a couple of weeks in Tanzania … bring lots of money … but you will be rewarded with some of the best wildlife views and experiences on the planet, and it will be ingrained in your memory forever. See the slideshows on the destinations in Tanzania for more information.