National Parks and Game Reserves in Tanzania

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in northern Tanzania is home to one of the most spectacular safari experiences on the continent. Part of the Serengeti ecosystem – definitely one of Tanzania’s must-see places – the landscape of this 829,200-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site ranges from short-grass plains, grazed by dazzles of zebra and large herds of wildebeest, to placid crater lakes and volcanic peaks wreathed in cloud. The famous Ngorongoro Crater — one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and the feature from which the NCA takes its name — is the world’s largest inactive and empty volcanic caldera, formed 2 to 3 million years ago. Around 25,000 large animals live in the 30,000-hectare crater, including lions, black rhinos and elephants.  Spend a day on safari in the crater, pausing for a special lunch in the bush. Visitors can also hike up the Olmoti volcano, trek down to the Empakaai Crater lake (where pink flamingos flock in the shallows) or visit a Ngorongoro village to learn about Maasai culture.  read more read less

Set among the spectacular, forested slopes of the Mahale Mountains, the Mahale Mountains National Park was originally created to protect the thousands of chimpanzees that inhabit the region. It is renowned for its fantastic sunsets over Lake Tanganyika, which makes it an essential stop for keen photographers and safari enthusiasts. The park’s breathtaking array of habitats include rainforest, grasslands, alpine bamboo and woodlands; where some 50 species of animals have been recorded, predominant among these being representatives from various monkey and ape families, and over 90 unique species of fish swim in the clear waters of the lake. read more read less

Gombe Stream National Park features a similar environment to Mahale - a sandy beach backed by the steep slopes and river valleys of vegetated mountains. Despite its size, there is still a good mix of landscapes, with rolling grasslands, evergreen and steep slopes covered in semi-deciduous forest. Bordered by Lake Tanganyika to the west and the high rift escarpment to the east, it has become a small isolated ecosystem and prime chimpanzee habitat. Gombe Stream National Park is legendary for the Kasakela community of wild chimpanzees which were studied by Dr. Jane Goodall for over 50 years, contributing to the drive to combine the preservation of primate wildlife habitats with the development of eco-tourism and the beneficial involvement of indigenous human communities in Tanzania. Set in a fringe of tropical rainforest on the fringes of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, Gombe is a dream AfricanMecca chimpanzee tour destination pioneered by the works of Dame Goodall, where it is possible to take guided forest treks to watch the chimps both at play and interacting socially. read more read less

Locally referred to as The Garden of God, Kitulo National Park and its amazing floral display lives up to its name being one of the leading nature conservation parks in Africa, specializing in orchid holidays with fewer wildlife itineraries. Covering an area of 412km² and rising to 2600m, Kitulo Plateau National Park is nestled between the rugged peaks of Kipengere, Poroto and Livingstone Mountains in Southern Tanzania. The park is known for a vast spectacle of wildflowers, birds, and harmonious grass-eating mammals dominating. Host one of the greatest floral spectacles of the world with 350 species of Vascular plants. Including 45 varieties of terrestrial orchid! The park reaches its prime during the rainy season from about December until April, when it explodes in a profusion of colour, with orchids (over 40 species have been identified so far), irises, aloes, geraniums and many more flowers carpeting its grassy expanses. Rising up from the plateau is Mt Mtorwi (2961m), which is 1m higher than Mt Rungwe and southern Tanzania’s highest peak. The best months for seeing the flowers are December through March, which is also when hiking is at its muddiest. Orchids are at their peak in February. Visitors can walk across the grasslands to watch birds and wildflowers. Hill climbing in mountain ranges is also offered. Hiking from the park across the Livingstone Mountains is another opportunity and will lead to the breathtaking Matema beach in Lake Nyasa. read more read less

Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. The only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa to boast for an Indian Ocean beachfront, it as well possesses all the attributes that make Tanzania’s tropical coastline and islands very popular with European sun-worshipers. Yet it is also the one place where those idle hours of sunbathing might be interrupted by an elephant strolling past, or a lion coming to drink at the nearby waterhole! Protected as a game reserve since the 1960s, in 2002 it was expanded to cover twice its former area. The reserve suffered greatly from poaching prior to the late 1990s, but in recent years a marked turnaround has been seen, due to a concerted clampdown on poachers, based on integrating adjacent villages into the conservation drive. Today, a surprisingly wide range of grazers and primates are seen on game drives and walks, among them include giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, common waterbucks, reedbucks, hartebeests, wildebeests, red duikers, greater kudus, elands, sable antelopes, yellow baboons and velvet monkeys. read more read less

Visit the only national park on Lake Victoria and the largest “island park in Africa” during your nature travels in northern Tanzania! Established in 1977, Rubondo Island National Park is located in the southwestern region of Lake Victoria - the largest in Africa, second largest lake in the world and the source of the Nile River. The park covers around 456 square kilometers (176 square miles) of land and water area, including 11 small islets, making it Tanzania's only island park. The land mass of the park is primarily covered with dense forest, as well as savannah, open woodland, papyrus swamp and beautiful sandy beaches, and, of course, the beauty of Lake Victoria is ever-present while visiting the park. read more read less

Mikumi National Park is the perfect safari location when you don’t have the time for an extensive safari. The park is also known as the second Serengeti Plains, the open horizons of this park make wildlife viewing a highlight of any visit. Although Mikumi National Park is one of the oldest and fourth largest in Tanzania, it has not become a focus of mass tourism, despite its ease of access. Being part of the Selous ecosystem, adjacent to the Udzungwa Mountains and not far from Ruaha, Mikumi has been partly compared to the northern parks of Tanzania for its vast floodplain grassland, shrubland and forest areas, populated by herds of ponderous elephants, hump-backed wildebeests, aggressive buffalos, coquettish zebras, giant elands and graceful impalas, with their attendant predators, from lions, leopards, hyenas to the rarer wild dogs. The grounds support impressive herds of zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and impala. While legendary giraffe, elephant, and lion sightings are common. The landscape is scattered with the famous baobab trees, black hardwood trees, and grassy plains. And tucked in between three mountain ranges: The Uluguru, Rubeho, and Lumango Mountains ranges. Likewise, it is home to several primate research studies most notably the yellow baboon field study. Flora & Fauna The road that crosses the park divides it into two areas with partially distinct environments. The area northwest is characterized by the alluvial plain of the river basin Mkata. The vegetation of this area consists of savannah dotted with acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.[citation needed] The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. The park contains a subspecies of giraffe that biologists consider the link between the Masai giraffe and the reticulated giraffe. Other animals in the park are elephants, zebras, impala, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two artificial pools inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park.[citation needed] read more read less

Home to the largest herds of buffalo on the planet, Katavi National Park is a relatively untouched wilderness paradise, located along the rift escarpment in the western area of Tanzania. A land of massive diversity, this untamed and wild area is in the heart of one of the largest and richest wildlife areas in Tanzania. Vegetation varies from miombo woodland, where sable antelope like to hide, to riverine and various types of woodland and shrubland. The park boasts a wonderful array of habitats, which range from flood plains of thick reeds and dense waterways that teem with hippos and crocodiles to woodlands, open grasslands, forests and pristine seasonal lakes. Visitors to the area can seek out the legendary tamarind tree, which is said to house the spirit of a great huntsman named Katabi. Here, they can place an offering at the base of the tree in memory of this exceptional hunter. Largely untouched by civilization, Katavi National Park is for those seeking isolation amongst stunning views, far from the distant hum of safari vehicles. With only a few hundred annual visitors, you are more likely to meet a pride of lions here than another party on a game drive. Katavi National Park lies on the western safari circuit and is rarely visited due to the high cost of travelling to this secluded location. However, the circuit is renowned for offering excellent wildlife viewing opportunities in its untarnished wilderness. The western safari circuit is primarily accessed from Arusha and Dar es Salaam via plane or boat. Best Times to Visit the Park The best time to visit Katavi National Park is during the annual dry season from June to December. During the dry season, the Katuma River is one of the only water sources within the surrounding area, and you will have spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities around the river. Hundreds of hippos and crocodiles gather around the scarce waterholes, and thousands of topis, impalas, and zebras pass through the plains. Despite the increase in visitor numbers during the peak season, you will virtually have the park to yourself. read more read less

Ruaha National Park became Tanzania’s largest national park when it expanded its borders in 2008. Today, it holds 10% of the worlds lion population and Tanzania’s largest elephant population. The park’s landscape is made up of giant mountains that lead into vast grasslands, rocky outcrops, and a network of rivers. The largest of which, the Great Ruaha River, the park is named after. Visitors to the park are captivated by the lands red soil and legendary baobab trees as well as the large population of lions. Often prides of up to 25 lions are seen, sometimes attempting to take down a buffalo. Again, this park is relatively untouched by tourism but because of this, it is one of the best examples of how Africa has been for millenniums. read more read less