Other National Parks in Tanzania

Tarangire

Welcome to the Tarangire National Park, one of the hidden jewels of Tanzania. This park measures 2,600 sq kms and boasts a concentration of wildlife second only to Ngorongoro Crater. It features an impressive amount and array of bird life and plant life. Situated only 160kms from Arusha, the park is nestled to the south of the large open grass plains of southern Maasailand. It is named after the Tarangire River, which runs directly through the center of the park and is the only permanent water source for the animals. Along the banks of this river you will find herds of wildebeest (or gnu) and zebra, followed by Grants Gazelle, Thomsons Gazelle and many others. Lurking in the background lion and leopard keep a watchful eye on a possible meal. The park offers views of grass and floodplains with impressive baobab and flat ped acacia trees scattered throughout. During the dry season the park may look quite ordinary, but activities continue even more earnestly due to the now increased competition.

Sadani

Sadani National Park is Tanzania's most recently gazetted National Park. Unfortunately access to the park is very limited. However it does have potential to offer beautiful beaches in one section and safaris in the other section. At present we do not know of any safaris operating in this park.

Mikumi

This small park measures 1,300 km2 and is located closeby to Dar Es Salaam. There is not that is offered to visitors although it is a pretty park. Mostly used by residents of Dar Es Salaam for a weekend getaway. The park has resident game species which can be seen throughout the year.

Gombe

This park is a chimpanzee lovers haven. Used for Jane Goodall's chimpanzee project, chimpanzees are easily seen in their natural habitat. The park lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and is set in the beautiful Mahale mountains. This is a good sover for keen photographers, where you can take magnificent pictures of sunsets over Lake Tanganyika and eastern Zaire. The park is quite remote, and the best time to visit is between May and October.

Rubondo Island

Rubondo Island National Park  is in the North-west of Tanzania on Lake Victoria and can be reached from Mwanza. The region covers an area of about 240 sq km, which includes the main island and eight smaller ones. There are a number of different vegetation types on the island which provide differing habitats for a variety of animals and with a high water table the island is able to support dense forest. Ninety per cent of the Park is humid forest, the rest is coastal grassland and papyrus beds.

Mkomazi

This is a purely conservational park with no tourist facilities whatsoever. The Tanzanian government introduced it in an attempt to revive the populations of the black rhino, with animals being brought in from South Africa.

Ruaha

At 12 950km, Ruaha is only marginally smaller than the Serengeti, and is pristine and untouched Africa, unsullied by minibus tourism and large lodges with electric lights, discotheques and glitzy curio shops. Infested with tsetse fly, Ruaha is bordered in the north by the Kizigio and Rungwa River Game Reserves, and together they form a 26 500km conservancy, one of the biggest in East Africa. By road, it is a five hour journey from Iringa, but there is also an airstrip at Msembe for fly-in safaris. The best months to visit are from July to November when the animals congregate around the water holes, but the park is stunning all year round. Ruaha is visually a treat, with rocky outcrops and mountain ranges giving it a ography that ranges from 750m to 1 900m on the peak of Ikungu Mountain, and the focal point of the reserve is the Great Ruaha River, with its deep gorges, swirling rapids and excellent fishing. With over 10 000 elephant, 30 000 buffalo, 20 000 zebra and huge populations of lion and leopard (not to mention more than 400 bird species) Ruaha is a naturalist?s paradise.

Udzungwa

This beautiful and little visited national park is a prime area for hiking, with mountainous terrain and pristine forest, with a high diversity of wildlife.

Mahale Mountains

This beautiful park is situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and provides spectacular chimpanzee viewing for guests. The park is very remote and expensive to get there.

Katavi

With only one camp in a million hectares of park, Katavi is about as wild as you can get. At the foot of the Mlele escarpment, excellent savanna grasslands support large herds of antelope, buffalo and elephant, along with good lion, leopard and hyena.