TANZANIAN FLAG
All the colors in the Tanzania flag have a special significance and meaning attached to it. The green color in the flag of Tanzania represents the nature’s beauty , the fertility of the land and the agricultural activity. The blue color represents the Indian Ocean, which forms a coastline with the exotic country. The black stripe represents the proud people of Tanzania, while the two yellow strips are representative of the country's mineral treasures.

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK (#5)
In the foothills of Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest peak, is Arusha National Park. At 137 square kilometres, it is one of the country’s smaller parks but is a great introduction to Africa’s game viewing.

A visit to this park often starts with a morning hike in the company of a park ranger. This is a perfect way to recover from a long international flight and is a great opportunity to see wildlife from the ground level vantage point.

There are some wonderful places to enjoy a picnic lunch in the park. Visitors can also travel to the Momella Lakes for continued game viewing. The park features leopards, giraffe, Cape buffalo, monkeys and baboons. This is also one of the only places where you can find the black and white Colobus monkey.

The Momella Lodge was featured in the John Wayne classic movie Hatari and remains much like it was during that time. There is also another small lodge in the park. However, the park is only an hour from Arusha itself and closer yet to lodges in Duluti and Usa River.

Weather permitting; you might also see the snow cap of Mount Kilimanjaro from the park.

One of Africa's most magnificent attractions is the continuous movement of more than one and a half million wildebeest. The world's largest migration of mammals has been featured for years on television programmes, with vivid images of wildebeest after wildebeest leaping into the Mara River. Equally thrilling is the site of new calves being born and struggling to get their footing with the threat of predators always nearby.
Many travellers hope to include the opportunity to view the migration as part of their safari. Our map below helps provide a typical cycle of migration movements. It is important to note that the cycle is dependant on rainfall and growth of grass and may not be exactly as shown.

This movement is constant and exact locations cannot be guaranteed, for the migration simply follows the annual rains in search of good grazing pastures. The following guide is a general overview for reference only. Please contact us for the latest migration
update, as our guides on the ground can provide more accurate positions.

January to April/May
The animals congregate on the short grassy plains of the southern and eastern Serengeti, which includes the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Calving generally occurs between February and March.

April/May
Following the end of the rains, the migration gradually heads north west towards the western corridor and Grumeti. During this time is “The Rut” where the wildebeest mate. The members of the herd that did not mate, often break away from the main group and head north through the Seronera Valley.

June/July/ August
During these months most of the migration heads north and east, overflowing into Masai Mara towards the beginning of August.

September/October
Some stragglers remain behind in the northern Serengeti but most spend these months in Masai Mara.

November/December
With the arrival of the short rains, the herds move south and east returning to southern Serengeti and the northern area of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Some of the herds will make this journey to the east of Serengeti along the Loliondo area.

The most popular activity in the park is tracking chimpanzee. Most visitors plan at least two days for this activity to be sure that they are able to spend some time observing these amazing primates. Other activities include nature hikes, snorkelling, and fishing.

Accommodation is in two luxury tented camps.

The movement of the resident herbivores – impala, wildebeest, zebra, and buffalo – is closely tracked by the resident carnivores. These being the large lions that will sit atop termite mounds, perched in trees, or using the tall grass as cover. They survey this daily walking buffet waiting for one that catches their eye as being particularly tasty.

Game viewing is by vehicle or guided walks. Access is generally by road, about a four hour drive from Dar es Salaam. There are also scheduled flights available from Dar es Salaam that continue to Selous and Ruaha from Mikumi. You will find both lodges and luxury tented camps providing accommodation in the park as well as guest houses in the town near the park’s gate.

Walking safaris are offered in Ruaha giving an exceptional opportunity to experience this true wilderness area on a one to one basis with nature. Naturally, vehicle based game viewing is also possible and the park features an extensive game trail network.

If you are looking for elephants, Ruaha National Park is the place to be. With more than 10,000 elephants, the park has the largest population of any in East Africa.

The best time to visit the park is between June and December. Accommodation includes a riverside lodge and a few luxury tented camps.

Those visiting the reserve are amazed at the undisturbed beauty and variety of wildlife. Boat trips along the Rufiji River can include sightings of crocodiles and hippopotami as well as hundreds of bird species. Some, such as the yellow crested barbet are generally only found in the southern parks of Tanzania.

The full range of African wildlife can be found in the reserve. Everything from antelope to zebra, both predator and prey are frequently sighted. The reserve boasts one of Africa’s largest elephant populations.

Activities include boat excursions, walking safaris, and game drives, often in fully open 4x4 vehicles. More adventurous travellers might consider fly camping for one or two nights.

Accommodation is available in a variety of luxury tented camps. Access to the reserve is by scheduled or charter flight from Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha.

Arusha
Arusha is the staging point for most of the safaris we provide in northern Tanzania. Most of our trips from Arusha travel through the Rift Valley and Maasai Steppe so safari travellers are quickly immersed into the life of Africa, with small thatched huts and herdsmen tending their cattle. Not long after, safari participants are looking out for the big five as they begin game viewing.

Dar Es Salaam
The commercial capital of Tanzania is the busy port city - Dar es Salaam. The coastline to the north and south offers pristine sandy beaches along the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean. These areas are less developed and offer a chance for relaxation mixed in with the rich Swahili culture of this region.
Bagamoyo, farther to the north of Dar es Salaam, was the staging point for the great expeditions of the nineteenth century. You can almost feel the presence of Stanley, Livingstone, Speke and Burton as you explore the town before returning to your lounge chair and listen to the sound of the gentle waves.
Further north, Pangani's golden beaches are protected by Pemba Island. This is a great place to truly escape the bustle of daily life and enjoy warm Indian Ocean water and Swahili hospitality.

Grumeti Game Reserve
Directly north of the Serengeti lies the Grumeti Game Reserve. This area is teeming with resident game and is part of the migration route between June and September. Accommodations include the luxurious Sasakwa Lodge and two intimate luxury camps.

Mafia
Though not part of the Zanzibar archipelago, Mafia Island is also a popular destination for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts. Deep sea fishing can also be arranged for guests staying on the island. The island lies 160 kilometres south of Zanzibar and can be reached by scheduled and chartered air service from Dar es Salaam. There are a couple of recommended places to stay on the island that offer a variety of water sports activities.

Lake Eyasi
Located to the south west of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Eyasi is an important part of the ecosystem of the region as well as the home to two fascinating tribes. The lake is at the base of the 800 metre Eyasi Escarpment which makes up part of the Great Rift Valley and was created approximately twenty-five million years ago during a period of extensive movements of tectonic plates and volcanic activity. In the dry season, the lake becomes more like mudflats, but most of the year, it provides nourishment to a variety of birds and other small wildlife.

The Hadzabe and Datoga tribesmen that dominate the area are among the few remaining hunter-gatherer tribes left on earth. Visitors can elect to spend time observing these natives practising their traditions that have been handed down over scores of generations.

The drive to the area is over roads that will be a bit bumpy. Accommodation is available at two tented camps. Many visitors make this a day trip from Karatu or Lake Manyara returning to their lodge after a full day excursion.

Lake Natron
A dramatic soda lake sitting at the Kenya border, Lake Natron is popular with visitors looking to get off the beaten path. The area is accessed by travelling around the Ngorongoro Highlands from Lake Manyara or south from Loliondo to the East of Serengeti. The area is in the heart of Maasailand and many keep their herds nearby for the benefits received by the minerals found in the soda lake.

Aside from the cattle, there are a number of game animals that can be found including Oryx, kudu, and gerenuk. Birders will find a variety of both waterfowl and other species to observe and all visitors enjoy the hundreds of thousands of lesser flamingos who come to the lake – the only known breeding ground in the area. In the background, the imposing Ol Donyo L’Engai towers above the flat land below. The combination of wildlife and culture in a surreal setting provides a perfect opportunity for breathtaking photographs.

The Ngare Sero River feeds a series of waterfalls that visitors can walk to. A short drive will bring you to an observation point for baboons and other wildlife. Accommodations are in a few luxury tented camps with varying degrees of service.

Lake Victoria
With an area of more than 70,000 square kilometres, Lake Victoria is the largest in Africa and second largest in world. However, the lake is best known as being the headwaters of the Nile River. The lake shares its shorelines with Kenya and Uganda.

Tanzania’s largest port city on the lake is Mwanza. This busy port caters to a number of freighters and local ferries. For visitors, many people view the lake from the Speke Bay Lodge overlooking the Speke Gulf, named after John Hanning Speke who, along with Richard Burton, extensively explored the lake in the mid 1800’s. The area is a few kilometres from western Serengeti’s park gate and is usually accessed by road from the Grumeti/Kirawira area of Western Serengeti.

Aside from the peaceful surroundings of the lake, many visitors enjoy canoeing and boat excursions, cycling in the villages, fishing and bird watching. The lake is a birders’ paradise with more than 200 species sighted in the Speke Gulf alone.

The lake is popular for fishing with the Nile perch reaching as much as 100 kilograms. Tilapia, a small but tasty fish, are also abundant and these two species account for a major fishing industry in the area.

Loliondo
Just outside Serengeti to the north east is the village of Loliondo. This area, a home to the Maasai for generations, sees the movement of the migration between December and January and offers resident wildlife viewing year round as well as opportunities for cultural exchange with the Maasai. There are both permanent and seasonal luxury camps available and scheduled flights to the Klein’s Camp airstrip.

Ol Donyo L’Engai
Ol Donyo L’Engai is the region’s only active volcano. It is also the world’s only active carbonate volcano. Near Lake Natron and just east of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the mountain dominates the landscape and has had minor eruptions on an average of every twenty years for the last century. The name is Maasai for “Mountain of God”.

Evening climbs starting at midnight can be arranged for people staying at Lake Natron. The climb takes about five hours and climbers should reach the summit in time for a spectacular sunrise. The climb is challenging as there are some steep areas to be covered. Climbers will need to be in good physical condition.

Another vantage point to view the mountain from is the eastern edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Volcanic activity in the region some 25 million years back left a series of craters including the popular Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser visited Olmolti and Empakai Craters. A walking safari can be arranged travelling from Empakai to the eastern edge of the conservation area and descending to Lake Natron below.

Pemba
Pemba is located to the north of Unguja. The island is less frequented by tourists and there are only a couple of hotels we would recommend. Both offer exceptional diving and snorkelling. The island is home to a bird sanctuary and is a hidden treasure for birding enthusiasts. There are daily flights to Pemba from Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Zanzibar
The archipelago of Zanzibar is a collection of two main islands and several smaller islands. Unguja Island is the most popular and many think this island alone is Zanzibar. It has earned the nickname of “The Spice Island” because of the long history of growing and trading in spices that dates back for centuries. The island’s most populous city is also called Zanzibar, but often referred to as “Stone Town” because of the many buildings built from coral stone.

Visitors to this island have a vast variety of activities and accommodation choices. Stone Town is rich with history and culture. Once a major Arab trading port with records of settlement as early as the 11th century, Moslem traditions are well intertwined with the Swahili culture. Zanzibar was also an important port in the slave trade from the 17th century until 1897. Visitors can see a memorial to the slave trade near the Anglican Cathedral that was built on the site of the slave market. You can also explore the area where the slaves were kept prior to the auctions. Further up the coast from the city are the Mangapwani Slave Caves where they were hidden.

Other popular places to visit in the city are the Arab Old Fort, the House of Wonders, the museum, and the city market. The Anglican Cathedral should not be missed. The wonderful stained glass windows are complemented by a series of copper plates depicting the story of Christ. However, the Moslem culture dominates the city and throughout the day the call to prayer can be heard from the towns many minarets.

Accommodation in Zanzibar’s Stone Town vary widely in quality and price. The Zanzibar Serena Inn is a magnificent renovation of the historical Telecom House. Tembo House Hotel, Dhow Palace and the 236 Hurumzi Hotel (formerly Emerson & Green) are among some of the most popular.

For holidaymakers interested in the beach, Zanzibar has miles of spectacular beaches along the north, east and south coasts. Accommodation choices range between five star resorts to small guest houses.

There are also exclusive villas such as The Palms. Most properties feature access to PADI SCUBA diving and also offer snorkelling. The coral reefs are an attraction to swimmers.

Each of the many choices of accommodation have their unique offer of activities. Some have tennis, discothèques, animation, live music, cultural theme meals, sailing excursions and fishing. All offer a great place to relax in the sun.

Other activities of interest include tours of the spice gardens, visits to historic ruins, a guided tour of the historic Stone Town, a boat trip to Prison Island, or a dolphin safari. Jozani Forest can also be toured and features mangrove forest as well as the extraordinary red Colobus monkey.

There are smaller islands that dot the coastline of Unguja. These include Mnemba, Chumbe, and Chale Islands. Each of these islands features a unique and exclusive accommodation offering.

There are several flights daily to Zanzibar from the Northern Circuit connecting through Arusha and the Southern Circuit connecting through Dar es Salaam. Kenya Airways offers flights from Nairobi and Mombasa. There are also a number of ferries that travel to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam.

Ngorongoro Crater Bliss

Photos may not be reproduced without written permission.
© 2002 Safari Express Company