About Tanzania – Karibuni Tanzania

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa and includes the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. Situated just south of the equator, Tanzania is bordered by the Indian Ocean and eight countries – Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

This beautiful country is home to Mount Kilamanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. Three of the largest lakes on the continent are also found in Tanzania – Lake Victoria in the north, Lake Tanganyika in the west and Lake Nysa in the southwest.

Nature

Tanzania has lots of amazing wildlife! Some of Africa”s most famous mammal species are native to this beautiful country, including the wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses can be found along riverbanks and the shores of lakes, and giant turtles live off the coast, too!

Tanzania has a number of important national parks and nature reserves – such as the Selous Game Reserve, where one of the largest populations of elephants live, and The Gombe Stream National Park, where animal expert Dr Jane Goodall carried out her famous research on chimps in their natural habitat.

The Serengeti National Park, Tanzania’s oldest and most popular park for tourists, is home to over 1.7 million wildebeest and about a million other animals.

Culture

The Tanzania culture is Swahili, an Arab/African mix, but there are also big Asian communities, particularly Indian, in towns and cities. Tribes inhabit rural areas, including the Maasai of the Great Rift Valley of the north. It is okay to photograph the locals, but always ask first. Some Maasai will charge you for this.

Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim so attention to dress is paramount and women should always keep knees and shoulders covered. Guides and cooks on safaris expect to be tipped, as do waiters in city restaurants (typically 10 percent). Tanzanians are big on shaking hands and small talk.

Tanzania’s Popular Parks

Mikumi National Park

According to local guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion who climbs a tree trunk is larger than in Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior).

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Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a habitat to a number of wildlife including the African buffalo, Black Rhinos, lions, wildebeest, hippos, eland, zebra, henya etc and a number of bird species.

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Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara has a big number of elephants, so many giraffes; zebras, wildebeests, impalas, waterbucks, and warthogs, the less-known shy Kik’s dik dik

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Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe’s high levels of diversity make it an increasingly popular tourist destination. Besides chimpanzees, primates inhabiting Gombe include beachcomber olive baboons,

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Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park has a rich variety of wildlife, but visitors shouldn’t expect the same game-viewing experience they find in other national parks of Tanzania’s northern circuit.

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Kilimanjaro National Park

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world: 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level and about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) above its plateau base.

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Serengeti National Park

Serengeti is believed to hold the largest population of lions in Africa due in part to the abundance of prey species. More than 3,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 200,000 zebras live in this ecosystem.

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Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park is impressively splendid for its famous concentration of wild animals especially the elephants and it is also one of the finest birding destinations in East Africa.

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