Things to do in National Parks and Reserves
The Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Mount Kilimanjaro National Park are all well known to foreigners as prime safari destinations, but Tanzania has much to offer beyond this renowned Northern Safari Circuit.
Many lesser-known gems invite repeat visits to the country for nature and animal lovers. There are in fact 15 national parks in Tanzania, and a further 15 game reserves and protected wilderness areas, ensuring that vast swathes of this beautiful country remain in pristine natural condition.
For those seeking out chimpanzees rather than the Big Five, the Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains National Parks that border Lake Tanganyika in western and central Tanzania are the best bet.
Ruaha National Park, Tanzania's largest, is home to a large population of elephants and is a good option for adventurers wanting to get off the beaten track and experience a true, rugged wilderness seemingly devoid of people.
The Selous Game Reserve of southern Tanzania is also vast and also feels delightfully empty of humankind, offering a large variety of game, including impressive numbers of the seriously endangered wild dog.
Hikers who prioritise landscape over wildlife would do well to visit the biodiverse paradise of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, in central Tanzania, which promises glorious trekking opportunities.
Those spending time in Zanzibar will find the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park a wonderful place for bird and butterfly viewing, not to mention seeking out the odd-looking red colobus monkeys that call the island home.
Serengeti National Park
Meaning 'endless plains' in the Masai language, the Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest park and one of the world's best wildlife refuges, continuous with Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserv…
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Rising above the plains of the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a vast, UNESCO-listed protected area that includes the important archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge …
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park
Rising 19,341ft (5,895m) above the African plains, the magnificent solitary peak of Mount Kilimanjaro is the dominant feature of this national park. The lush rainforest on its lowe…
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Said to be the most biodiverse national park in Tanzania, Udzungwa Mountains National Park is less a magnet for game viewing than for hiking. A network of forest trails crisscrosse…
