Explore Tanzania Tourism : If you are planning to enjoy an unforgettable experience during your 4 weeks’ holiday, Tanzania is a must-go destination for. This peaceful East African country has a lot to offer to visitors from wildlife, to majestic mountains such that 4 weeks aren’t enough to explore it.
The world famous Serengeti where the biggest mammal migration takes place is found in this country. Some iconic attractions which you can visit in Tanzania include Ngorongoro Crater, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Selous Game Reserve, Gombe National Park, Lake Manyara, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Mt. Meru and many others. Most of these attractions have their own record that is written in Africa and some of them are written in the Guiness World Records Book.
A 4-week safari may not be enough to explore all attractions in Tanzania. It depends on your interests. What do you want to experience first? Is it mountain climbing? Is it wildlife adventure or nature exploration? A 4-week safari in Tanzania enable you to combine various experiences. Some of these include balloon safaris, beach holidays, boating and canoeing, cultural tourism, diving and snorkeling, fishing, historical sites, camping safaris, birding safaris, mountain climbing, museum and monuments, night game drives, walking safaris, wildlife safari, horse and camel riding and budget safaris, Explore Tanzania Tourism.
Mountain Climbing. If you are interested in climbing mountains, use the first two weeks for it and switch to other attractions for the remaining time. Mt. Meru, Mt. Kilimanjaro and others are fascinating peaks for any climbers. Mt Kilimanjaro is a highest mountain in Africa with a height of 5895 meters above the sea level. This dormant volcano is also a tallest freestanding mountain on earth. With its snow-capped summit, Mt. Kilimanjaro remains the only mountain that retains its snow throughout the year. Mt. Meru is its ‘little brother’ that is located at about 80 kilometers to the west. It is 4566m high making it a good acclimatization.
Some visitors interested in climbing and mountaineering may choose to use their 4-week safari for climbing Tanzanian awesome mountains. Although most of climbers choose Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, you will be the one to combine the experiences of climbing mountains other than the most chosen. You will be cerebrating to be a hero of every mount you trek. Since mountain climbing brings some adjustment to your, this safari is always done slowly to allow your body to acclimatize. You will also be taking a day for resting after reaching some difficult summits. For example, after reaching the Socialist Peak of Mt. Meru, you will take one day off before going to the great Mt. Kilimanjaro. Before you plan your climbing safari here are some mountains; Ol Donyo Lengai (), Mt. Hanang (3417m), Mt. Longido (2629m), Usambara Mountains, Uluguru Mountains and Mt. Oldean. Other mountains are crater highlands and hills, Explore Tanzania Tourism.
You will use two weeks for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and its “little brother” Mt. Meru. A comfortable Mt Meru climbing to the summit takes 4 days. This climb is filled with the scenic views of Momella lakes, Mt Kilimanjaro and wildlife along the base of Mt Meru. After being a hero of Mt Meru, you will take one day off before starting another climb of Mt Kilimanjaro. An authentic Mt Kilimanjaro trek takes 8 days through Lemosho, Machame and Rongai routes. After setting your wonderful triumph of reaching the Uhuru Peak, you can take one day off before going to other mountains.
Wildlife adventure. If you are a fan of viewing wild animals, Tanzania is outstanding destination for such activity. You can visit various national parks and game reserves for viewing wild animals. Here are some protected areas for doing such things;
Ngorongoro Crater; this is a largest intact caldera in the world. It was formed after the collapse of Ngorongoro mountains ranges in the gigantic volcanic eruption. These ranges are said to be tallest mountain in the world before their eruption. After this volcanic eruption, a biggest beautiful caldera was left with a depth of 680 meters. This caldera is home to over 250 species of large mammals including the Big Five Animals (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and black rhino).
Serengeti; it is well-known park in the world for hosting wonderful wildlife. It is the oldest unspoiled ecosystem whose vegetation and wildlife hasn’t changed much from that of 2 million years ago. It hosts the world’s historical wonder of the Great Migration. This is a never-ending seasonal migration of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles from the south to the north of Serengeti. Serengeti is also home to largest concentration of lions, the kings of jungle. The Big Cats and other predators are abundant in this park.
Lake Manyara; this is a splendid soda lake in the northern Tanzania famously known for hosting many pink flamingos. The park is home to world’s unique lion species, tree-climbing lions. It is also home to largest concentration of elephants.
Selous Game Reserve; it is a largest wildlife sanctuary in Africa with an area of about 50, 000 square kilometers. This game reserve holds historical significance of the British explorer, Frederick Selous who was assassinated during the WWI. This game reserve is home to striking wildlife, birdlife and vegetation, Explore Tanzania Tourism.
Watersports. Tanzania is bordered by the Indian Ocean making it a nice place for beach holidays and water-related sports. This fabulous country is also home to many inland lakes including Lake Natron, Lake Victoria, Lake Eyasi, Lake Rukwa, Lake Manyara, Lake Nyasa and other small lakes. If you want water-related activities like swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and sport fishing to be among the things you have to do, consider visiting these water resources.
Lake Victoria. This is the world’s largest tropical lake and the largest lake in the African Great Lakes region. This breathtaking lake is home to over 500 freshwater fish species. The island national park, Rubondo Island National Park is an island inside this lake. Burigi Chato neighbors this magnificent lake.
Lake Tanganyika is another amazing lake in Tanzania. It is the world’s longest lake, second deepest lake in the world and world’s second largest freshwater. It is home to “migebuka”. Off the shores of this marvelous lake are two authentic parks, Gombe and Mahale Mountains National Park, the homes of endangered chimpanzees.
It is my hope that you have a knowledge on various compelling destinations in Tanzania for your 4-week holiday. To enjoy the views of wildlife and other activities, you have to plan a well-defined itinerary. Most wildlife safari itineraries in Tanzania are for two weeks. Here below is a sample of such itinerary;
Day 1. On this day visitors coming from distant countries rest after landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). You will take short drive or walking safaris close to your lodge.
Day 2. You will drive past the Kilimanjaro’s rainforests especially in the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The scenes of monkeys, elephants and antelopes will fill your day with joy.
Day 3. On this day, you will drive to Tarangire National Park. Here you will observe many wild animals including the world’s giant land animals, African elephants. This park is home to largest population of elephants in Africa. A game drive will reward you with the encounters of colorful birds that are highly concentrated in this park. About 550 bird species reside this park.
Day 4, 5 & 6. You will drive from Tarangire to the breathtaking Serengeti, the home of spectacular wildlife in the world. To enjoy the scenic views of Serengeti, you will have to use 3 days. In Serengeti, you will enjoy be part of the Great Migration. This depends on the time of your travel. Serengeti also hosts the Big Five animals (lion, leopard, buffalo, black rhino and elephant) in its unspoiled plains and woodlands. Birdlife is wonderful with over 500 species residing in Serengeti.
Day 7 & 8. After spending three in an untouched “endless” plains of Serengeti, the next destination is Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will spend two days here. Here you will meet the world’s largest unbroken caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater. It is home to over 200 species of large animals. The crater rim is a breathtaking place for witnessing the sunset. The Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli are two historical sites for you to visit in these two days. Lake Natron and a cultural visit to the Maasai is an unforgettable experience you will have in Ngorongoro.
Day 9. You will drive to Seronera airstrip (SEU) where you will fly to Zanzibar. Coastal Aviation and Regional Air are two recommended airlines for your comfortable flight from Seronera to Zanzibar. The flight takes about 2 to 3 hours. You will spend the remaining time to rest with new views of Zanzibar after being used with the views of wildlife, Explore Tanzania Tourism.
Day 10. Visit the Stone Town. This historical town blends together the architectures of Arabs, Portuguese and Swahili people. Most of the buildings remain with the same ancient architecture. You will visit museums like House of Wonders, Palace Museum and Slave Market Museum. Your day will be filled with historical experiences.
Day 11. A spice tour. On a local bus called Dala Dala you will visit the spices. These unique trees that grow massively on Zanzibar islands are worth a visit and a picture.
Day 12. Chill on stunning beach at Matemwe village. Zanzibar is blessed with many beautiful sandy beaches for chilling with your partner sunbathing or taking a coffee drink.
Day 13. Be free to visit anything in Zanzibar. You may choose to snorkel, visit the marine parks or getting lost in the local streets.
Day 14. This is last day of your Tanzania safari package. You will head back to the Tanzania mainland via a ferry or a flight to your preferred airport for departing on the very next day.
If you are planning a 4-week trip to Tanzania you should note that, 4 weeks is a short time for discovering the most out her Mother Nature. However, it is enough time if you are specific to what you want to view.
