For other overviews over places of interest in Tanzania see:
Arusha National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 552 sq km
Arusha National Park lies close to Arusha and can conveniently be reached for a one day safari into its diverse habitats. In addition, Arusha National Park also encloses Mount Meru offering a rewarding four day trekking tour on one of Africa’s highest mountains.
Despite its relatively small size, Arusha National Park features three distinct vegetations. Most of the national park is covered with forest. On a safari or short trekking tour through this area you can see various animals, such as the famous black-and-white colobus monkey. A spectacular sight and viewpoint in this habitat is the Ngurdoto Crater from where you have a great view over the wetlands inside the crater. In the forest clearings, you enter the realm of the savannah. There are great numbers of giraffe, zebra and buffalo. In the North Eastern part of the national park, there are the alkaline Momella Lakes fed by underground streams. They are home to hippos, lesser and greater flamingos and many migrant birds between May and October. Finally, Mount Meru rises in the West of Arusha National Park to 4,562 m. On its slopes the forests give way to moorland before the alpine desert definitely reveals Mount Meru’s origin as an ancient volcano. This change of habitats is one of the major attractions in climbing the mountain as well as the big chances of meeting some animals close up along the way. |
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Bagamoyo
Location: Eastern Tanzania
Today, Bagamoyo, a town on the shore of the Indian Ocean, lives principally of fishing and tourism. However, for centuries Bagamoyo was the most important town on the Tanzanian mainland. It was the crossroads connecting trade from the continent to the overseas (via Zanzibar). The remnants from this time can still be found in and around the town: the ancient Kaole ruins with two mosques dated from the 13th century, the old Arab fort, the customs house and the former mission with its church. Thanks to these buildings you can still get an impression of Tanzania’s colonial history.
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Crater Highlands
See ‘Ngorongoro Highlands’.
Dar es Salaam
Location: Eastern Tanzania
Dar es Salaam is a modern, bustling African city. It is the largest city in Tanzania and its economic and, despite not being the capital, political centre. In addition to its modern life, Dar es Salaam also offers a view into traditional life with some colonial buildings, its museums and on its colourful markets.
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Empakaai Crater
Location: Northern Tanzania
Empakaai Crater is a smaller crater with a diameter of about 6 km situated in the Northern part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its slopes are covered with dense forests and most of the crater floor is covered by an alkaline lake that is home to hundreds of flamingos. As a result, the trekking tour down into the crater feels mystical.
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Gombe Stream National Park
Location: Western Tanzania
Size: 52 sq km
Gombe Stream National Park, located on Lake Tanganyika, is famous for its chimpanzees. The forests of Gombe Stream National Park are one of the few places where these primates can still be seen in their natural habitat.
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Katavi National Park
Location: Western Tanzania
Size: 4,471 sq km
Despite its vast size, the life of Katavi National Park is dominated by the river Katuma. During rain season, big floodplains are immersed and attract thousands of water birds. By contrast, the plains and most of the river dry out during the dry season. As a result, the park’s hippos and great numbers of animals, such as elephants, elands, sabre antelopes, buffalos or lions, are drawn to the remaining waterholes.
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Kilimanjaro
See ‘Mount Kilimanjaro National Park'
Kitulo National Park
Location: Southern Tanzania
Size: 412.9 sq km
The Kitulo Plateau at an altitude of about 2,600 m offers an incredible variety of flowers. During the rain season from November to April, more than 300 different species will flower and change the colour of the grasslands. In addition to this spectacular variety of plants, Kitulo National Park is home to many different birds.
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Lake Manyara National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 325 sq km
Thanks to its location on the edge of the Rift Valley Lake Manyara National Park offers most idyllic scenery. Moreover it contains five vegetation zones: ground-water forest, marshland and reed beds, open grasslands and acacia woodlands. At the same time, this great variety of vegetations provides habitats to many different animals: elephant, giraffe, zebra, lions, blue monkeys, baboons, hippos and over 350 bird species.
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Lake Natron
Location: Northern Tanzania
Lake Natron is a shallow lake in the Great Rift Valley on the border to Kenya. Its reddish water, coloured by the special algae growing in the strongly alkaline water, and the hot, arid surrounding give it an almost lunar atmosphere. But thanks to the algae, Lake Natron is the most important breeding ground for Lesser Flamingos in Eastern Africa. Tens of thousands of Lesser Flamingos as well as Greater Flamingos come to Lake Natron to breed.
For more information see:
Wikipedia on Lake Natron
Tanzania Tourist Board on Lake Natron
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Lake Tanganyika
Location: Western Tanzania
Size: 39,200 sq km
Lake Tanganyika stretches for an immense 677 km on Tanzania’s Western boarder to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Zambia. It is the world’s second most voluminous freshwater lake and is home to about 250 cichlid species, most of which are endemic, and about 150 other fish species.
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Lake Victoria
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 68,800 sq km
Despite Lake Victoria’s immense size, it is Africa’s largest lake by surface, there is only little tourism on the lake and its shores. The main attraction is Rubondo Island National Park. In return, significant fishing activity, by fishing communities as well as by commercial operations, profit of the big but endangered diversity of Lake Victoria’s fish.
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Mahale Mountains National Park
Location: Western Tanzania
Size: 1,613 sq km
In Mahale Mountains National Park live some of the last groups of wild chimpanzees. In particular a studied group, habituated to humans, can be observed. However, in addition to the forest, Mahale Mountains National Park also has savannah with game such as kudus, sable antelopes, buffalo, elephant and lion. Finally, it also encompasses shores of Lake Tanganyika with many of its endemic fish.
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Mikumi National Park
Location: Southern Tanzania
Size: 3,230 sq km
Mikumi National Park, easily accessible from Dar es Salaam, is dominated by the Mkata Floodplain. In this savannah, that can be flooded during the rain season, live many different animals such as lions, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and elephants.
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Mkomazi National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 3,245 sq km
Mkomazi National Park protects an area of hilly semi-arid savannah on the Northern border of Tanzania. In this habitat live animals such as zebras, elephants, hartebeests, buffalos or elands, but also lesser known specialists to this semi-arid area such as gerenuks and fringe-eared oryx. Moreover, wild dogs and rhinos have been reintroduced to the park.
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Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 1,668 sq km
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is dominated by Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. It reaches far above the surrounding plains to an altitude of 5,895 m. Due to this size there are three distinct vegetation zones on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro: tropical forest, moorland and alpine desert. On the summit, there are even snow and ice.
Mount Kilimanjaro has been revered for centuries. However, nowadays most tourists dream of climbing it. Despite its impressive size this can be done without any mountaineering experience. Nonetheless, general fitness and stamina are required. |
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Mount Meru
Location: Northern Tanzania
Mount Meru is situated in Arusha National Park. Although, with an altitude of 4,562m, it is not as high as Mount Kilimanjaro, it also has the same three vegetation zones: tropical forest, moorland and alpine desert. However, there is no snow on Socialist Peak, the summit of Mount Meru. In return you are more likely to see wild animals on Mount Meru thanks to surrounding Arusha National Park.
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Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 8,288 sq km
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers a vast area to the South-East of the Serengeti National Park that encompasses the famous Ngorongoro Crater as well as the Olduvai Gorge and the Ngorongoro Highlands with Olmoti Crater and Empakaai Crater. While the plains adjacent to the Serengeti National Park are still part of savannah, the Ngorongoro Highlands are taken over by grasslands and around the crater rims lush forests dominate. This fertile environment not only attracts many wild animals, in particular in the Ngorongoro Crater, but is also used by the Maasai who live there in their traditional lifestyle in harmony with nature.
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Ngorongoro Crater
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 260 sq km
Ngorongoro Crater has the reputation of being the 8th natural wonder of the earth and is considered a Garden of Eden. In the 610 m deep caldera with a diameter of 20 km live an incredible density and variety of wild animals. All Big Five are present: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. In addition, there are many more animals, such as zebra and wildebeest. Although there is always a great number of animals present, their numbers may even increase during the dry season, when they are attracted by the water and fertile grasslands in the Ngorongoro Crater. |
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Ngorongoro Highlands
Location: Northern Tanzania
The Ngorongoro Highlands, also known as Crater Highlands, are an integral part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. At an altitude of about 2,500 m they provide fertile grasslands to wild animals and to the Masaai and their livestock who live in harmony with nature. Thanks to this environment, the Maasai are able to maintain their traditional way of life, although they are adapting where they are in close contact to tourism. |
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Oldoinyo Lengai
Location: Northern Tanzania
Oldoinyo Lengai, also written Ol Doinyo Lengai, is an active volcano at the edge of the Great Rift Valley just South of Lake Natron. The Maasai venerate the 2,886 m high mountain as the mountain of God.
The last major eruption of Oldoinyo Lengai occurred in July 2008 and there is constant smaller volcanic activity in the crater. As the only volcano on earth Oldoinyo Lengai sometimes emits natrocarbonatite lava. This lava is highly fluid but has a much lower temperature than regular, basaltic lava. Thus, its glow can only be seen at night. |
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Olduvai Gorge
Location: Northern Tanzania
Olduvai Gorge, also called Oldupai Gorge, is situated in the Western plains of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is the site of spectacular paleoanthropological finds, among them some of the most important hominid fossils like bones of the primitive hominid forms of Paranthropus boisei and the first discovered specimens of Homo habilis. A small museum at the gorge provides information on these finds.
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Olmoti Crater
Location: Northern Tanzania
Olmoti Crater is a small crater in the Ngorongoro Highlands North of the Ngorongoro Crater. Its floor is covered with grass- and wetland the Maasai use, in particular during the dry season, to feed their livestock.
Munge Stream that drains the Olmoti Crater over a picturesque waterfall, is one of the main water sources of Ngorongoro Crater and its Lake Magadi. |
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Ruaha National Park
Location: Central Tanzania
Size: 20,200 sq km
Due to an expansion, Ruaha National Park has become the largest national park in Tanzania. It covers a vast area of semi-arid bush land typical to central Tanzania. At its heart is the Great Ruaha River that provides the vital water. However, during dry season, the Great Ruaha River will dry out to a large extent. As a result, the large numbers of antelopes, elephants and other animals are drawn the remaining waterholes where lions and leopards await them.
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Rubondo Island National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 457 sq km
Rubondo Island National Park is situated in the South-Western corner of Lake Victoria and encompasses ten islands, the most significant of them Rubondo Island. While sports fishermen admire most substantial catches in the waters of the national park, Rubondo Island attracts bird lovers. In addition, the forests of Rubondo Island are home to indigenous animals such as hippos, vervet monkeys and sitatunga antelopes as well as introduced animals like chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus monkeys, elephants and giraffes.
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Saadani National Park
Location: Eastern Tanzania
Size: 1,100 sq km
Saadani National Park lies on the shore of the Indian Ocean. It protects mangroves along the Wami River where hippos and crocodiles live together with a great variety of birds as well as bush land with elephants, antelopes and lions.
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Selous Game Reserve
Location: Southern Tanzania
Size: 54,600 sq km
Selous Game Reserve is one of the biggest game protected areas. It covers a vast area of savannah and forests in which a great variety of animals live, among them the largest population of elephants in Tanzania and endangered wild dogs. A particular magnet to these animals is the Rufiji River that meets with the Great Ruaha River before it flows through the Stiegler Canyon and then on to the Indian Ocean shortly after leaving the Selous Game Reserve.
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Serengeti National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 14,763 sq km
In the Maasai language, ‘Serengit’ means ‘endless plains’. This is a fitting description of the world famous Serengeti National Park. It covers a vast expanse of savannah in Northern Tanzania, bordering and continuing into Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. Besides the beauty of the endless plains, that cannot be properly comprehended without visiting them, Serengeti National Park is famous for its abundance of animals. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa, including more than three million large mammals. Needless to say that all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) are present; but a unique attraction is the Great Migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra in giant herds to follow the cycle of the rains and the grass in the Serengeti ecosystem.
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Stone Town
Location: Zanzibar
Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, has been the paramount trade centre on the East African coast in medieval times and the seat of the Sultan of Oman from 1840-1856. As a result, Stone Town is a unique blend of oriental and East African architecture and culture.
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Tarangire National Park
Location: Northern Tanzania
Size: 2,850 sq km
In the savannah and bush land of Tarangire National Park live a great number of animals. In particular during the dry season, when the water of the Tarangire River attracts animals from the entire area, their numbers are second only to the animals of the Serengeti. These animals include zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest, lesser and greater kudu as well as fringe-eared oryx. However, Tarangire National Park is in particular known for its great number of elephants and for the equally stately baobab trees. Moreover, it is a paradise for bird watching. With a variety of more than 550 species, Tarangire National Park has the most breeding species in one habitat in the world. |
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Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Location: Central Tanzania
Size: 1,990 sq km
Udzungwa Mountains National Park lies in the Eastern Arc Mountains that rise from the coastal plains. It encompasses habitats as diverse as grasslands and tropical forests and stretches from an altitude of 250m to more than 2,000m. Thanks to this diversity, Udzungwa Mountains National Park is home to an incredible variety of animals and plants, among them six species of primates, two of which are endemic, the Iringa red colobus and the Sanje Crested Mangabey.
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Zanzibar
Location: East of the Tanzanian coast
Size: 2,643 sq km
Zanzibar, the famous spice island, is only a few kilometres from the coast of the Tanzanian mainland and can easily be reached by plane or ferry. The island is very diverse. The narrow streets of Stone Town, the main city of Zanzibar, reflect the historical Arab influence in Zanzibar. In Jozani Forest live various wild animals such as the endemic Zanzibar red colobus and small forest antelopes. On the spice plantations, a great variety of spices such as vanilla, pepper, nutmeg and cloves are grown. Beautiful sandy beaches line the island and in the water there are dolphins and coral reefs.
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