Tanzania is a very rich tourism destination in Africa with a number of places to visit for safari. Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park are perhaps some of the best examples to note.
Explore Tanzania on a self drive safari and understand why this vast part of Africa has attracted a number of travelers with in the past and years to come.
Top 5 destinations to visit on Self Drive Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park
Located in the South West of Arusha, consumes a surface area of 325 Sq Kms.
With the spectacular Great Rift Wall (that guards the park) drops several hundred meters to the permanent lake. The park is home to a very large concentration of elephants in Africa.
Tree climbing lions are always spotted resting in the Acacia tree branches. You should also expect to spot hundreds of hippos as they sunbath out of the lake.
Serengeti National Park
The park is also a perfect place for birding safaris as it is home to over 500 species of birds.
Serengeti National Park is best known for hosting the great Wildebeest migration as the wildebeests cross to Masai Mara National Park of Kenya.
Situated in the West of Arusha and covers a surface area of 14, 763 Sq Km.
Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the most visited national park in Tanzania. The park was named Serengeti from the Maasai word ‘endless plains.’ It lies with in a high plateau among the Ngorongoro highlands and Tanzania/Kenya border as it extends slightly to Lake Victoria.
Serengeti National Park is characterized with open endless plains, vast savanna grassland, clay plains and dense woodlands. It harbors a variety of animals such as; lions, elephants, leopard, hippos, cheetahs and crocodiles.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Conservation Area is located in the West of Arusha and covers a surface area of 8300 sq km. It includes the still active Volcano Ol-Doinyo Lengai, Olduvai Gorge (the cradle of Mankind) and vast forested highlands. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is blessed with green plains, Light Acacia forests, and splashed with wild, colorful flowers, a sapphire soda lake and thousands of flamingos which gives a complete panoramic view. It harbors a very large concentration of wild animals in one place.
Tarangire National Park.
Located in the South West of Arusha covering 2,600 Sq. Km (surface area). The park is characterized by bulky Baobab trees, relieved by swamps and the clean waters of Tarangire River which flows through the length of the park.
Tarangire National Park is known for its large herds of elephants, Boab trees, lions, giraffes and hundreds of bird species. The park is a paradise for wildlife lovers and researchers as it hosts very big numbers of travelers around the globe.