mikumi
Many people visiting Dar es Salaam also take tours to such Tanzania national parks and game reserves as Ruaha, Mikumi, Udzungwa, and Selous. These parks are part of Tanzanias southern safari circuit. It takes only a few hours drive to get to Mikumi national park from Dar es Salaam. Getting to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam takes two hours
by ferry, and an even shorter time by flight. Some hotels in Dar es Salaam (e.g. Bahari Beach Hotel and White Sands Hotel) can also arrange day trips to nearby islands for visitors.Mikumi national park occupies 3,230 sq km and hosts a great diversity of African wildlife. Animal species found there include lion, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, zebra, warthog, and several antelope species. The park is also home to hippos, monitor lizards, and crocodiles and a good number of the endangered wild dogs. During the wet season, up to 300 bird species gather in Mikumi, many of which are migratory birds for Europe and Asia. The most dominant feature of Mikumi national park is its flood plain, which borders Uluguru mountains and Lumango hills range. Mikumi lies on the Northern border of Selous game reserve, forming a vast ecosystem of wilderness covering 75,000 sq. km. The plains of Mikumi are covered by grassland while miombo woodlands are found on the higher grounds.
The park is accessible year round- unlike some of the sanctuaries in the southern circuit. To get to Mikuni from Dar, you spend 4 hours on road or 1 hour by air. Budget travelers take a bus ride to park gate, from where game drives are organized There is limited accommodation at a few luxury lodges and tented camps and at 3 campsites. If you find yourself in Dar on a weekend, this is where you head to see wildlife.
The 1,990 sq km Udzungwa Mountains National Park is 348 km west of Dar and 65 km southwest of Mikumi. The mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains that fall southeast of Kilimanjaro. The park is unique in Tanzania, having been created primarily to conserve plant life. The pristine mountain forest habitat hosts numerous rare plants. There are six primate species, out of which two species are endemic - the Iringa red colobus monkey and the Sanje Crested Mangabey. At the plateau area, you find elephants, lions, hunting dogs and buffaloes, though not in as large numbers as in some of the other Tanzania parks. Birds also do well here, and indeed the park ranks as one of Africas most important bird conservation areas. Scientists have in recent times come across at least four previously unknown bird species. The best time to visit is over the dry season between June and October. The hiking trails over the wet season are slippery, which can be quite a nuisance.
The Ruaha National Park is rightly named after its lifeblood- the Great Ruaha River. Occupying 12,950 sq km, it is Tanzanias second largest national park and the world's biggest elephant sanctuary. Home to numerous crocodiles and hippo, the Great Ruaha draws many thirsty water buck, leopard, buffalo, reed buck, wild dogs, lion and hyena to its banks. Plain animals such as zebra, greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope, impala and giraffe are found on the plains stretching from the rivers edge. The topography is agreeable to hiking and walking safaris are allowed. In wet season months of March to April and October to November the bird population peaks and the park has over 370 bird species, including some Eurasian migrants.
Ruaha has a very diverse flora, with over 1650 plant species found there. The plant and animal life in Ruaha is a unique mixture of eastern Africa and southern Africa flora and fauna. This national park has a hot and dry climate with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in October. Located 128 km west of Iringa town in central Tanzania, Ruaha national park was previously inaccessible, but there are roads today enabling year round access. It takes 10 hours by road and one and a half hours by charter flights from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha. The dry season from May to December is the best time for a safari to Ruaha. During that season, thirsty animals flock the Ruaha river banks, with the ensuing drama (feeding, courting and mating, and fighting) being a spectacle to behold. Accommodation in Ruaha is rather limited, with only one luxury lodge and a few campsites and self-catering chalets.
Selous Game Reserve is the star of the southern safari circuit. The reserve is named after the intrepid Fredrick Courtney Selous, a celebrated Victoria era explorer and naturalist. He met his end here in a sideshow of the First World War. The Great War had spilled over from Europe as the Germans then ruled parts of todays Tanzania. Located 500 km to the southwest of Dar, the reserve occupies a staggering 55,000 sq km " larger than Switzerland- and is the largest of its kind in Africa. The Selous was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982 due to the significance of both its flora and fauna. This immense wilderness has a diversity of habitats including savanna woodlands, swamps, open grasslands and forests.
Over 2,100 species of trees and plants have been recorded. The mighty Rufiji River is the lifeblood of the reserve and its numerous tributaries and oxbow lakes are ideal for boat safaris. The wildlife to see here includes buffalo, hippo, black rhino, lion and wild dog. Elephants in particular are numerous and are estimated to number over 60,000. Other inhabitants of Selous are bush back, water buck, reed buck, impala, eland, giraffe, baboon, zebra, and greater kudu. Birders will also find a trip to Selous worthwhile " over 420 species are on record. In the very large game sanctuaries of the south - Ruaha and Selous in particular, game is scattered and a slow pace is advised, with at least 3-4 days in each. Photographic safaris can be very rewarding here. Most visitors take the time to visit to Stieglers Gorge, which also happens to be a spot favored by leopards.
Getting to Selous takes 7 hours by road and one and a half hours by chartered flights from Dar es Salaam. The road trip is tiresome and only the most adventurous souls are advised to take it. The game reserve is near the coast, and lies at only a few hundred feet above sea level. It is generally hot and humid in the reserve especially between October and March. In the wet season, from March to May, some parts of Selous are closed. The best time for visiting the game reserve is during the dry season, more so June to October. At that time, visitors can take walking safaris, boating safaris, and self drive safaris in 4x4 vehicle. Selous has very limited accommodation facilities. There only a few luxury tented camps and no-frills camps.
Another travel destination worth visiting in Tanzania is Sadani game reserve, situated 50 km from Bagamoyo in the North coast. With African wild animals like elephants, giraffes, zebras, leopards, and buffaloes, the game reserve gives visitors a bush at the beach experience. However, Sadani is only accessible by making special transport arrangements.
Getting to Dar es Salaam, and Tanzania in general, requires visitors from yellow fever infected areas to obtain yellow fever international certificate of vaccination. Exemptions are made for visitors arriving from non-endemic areas such as Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The northwestern forest region of Tanzania is considered a high-risk area for yellow fever. Visitors are strongly advised to take anti malaria medication commencing two weeks before travel as malaria is common in Tanzania. Vaccinations against hepatitis A, polio and typhoid are also recommended. In addition, all visitors are required to have a visa except citizens of some African and commonwealth countries. It is advisable to obtain visas in advance from Tanzania Embassies and High Commissions as some airlines may require it before allowing you to board. Visa can also be issued on arrival at Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro international airports and at the Namanga Gate on the Kenya /Tanzania border.
Dar es Salaam can be reached through regional hubs at Nairobi and Johannesburg and to a lesser extent Addis Ababa. The airport is also accessed from other Tanzania airports that serve domestic as well as international flights. These include Kilimanjaro International Airport and Dodoma airport among many others. There is a ferry service between Mombasa in Kenya and Dar es Salaam. Visitors to Dar es Salaam should be advised that taxis moving passengers around the city have no meters and charge a standard Tsh 2000 per journey inside the city center As for ferries to Zanzibar, there is a choice of 4 boats- a hydrofoil, a catamaran and 2 ordinary ferry boats. Yellow fever vaccination certification is a must before boarding for Zanzibar. A port charge of US$ 5 is added to the boat fare.
Like most of Tanzania, it never gets really hot in Dar es Salaam. Average temperatures are in the 30 degrees Celsius range, with the hottest season being from October to March. It is therefore recommended that you carry light clothing, i.e. short sleeved shirts, trousers and shorts for men, and short sleeved blouses, skirts and slacks for ladies. Nudity is nevertheless unacceptable in the entire country. If touring the highland areas of Tanzania, you may need warmer clothing like sweaters for the evenings and early mornings.
About the Author: The author works with Africapoint.com, reputable online travel agents for Africa. Visit Africapoint.com and see the Tanzania tours and safari packages available. Make online reservations for Dar es Salaam hotels or airline booking for flights to Tanzania |
