- Excursions in Tanzania national parks
- "Forward to Kilimanjaro!"
- Towards the Great African Rift
If you ask an ordinary Russian tourist what he knows about the most popular excursion in Tanzania, then the answer is likely to be correct - safari. But just what it is, what natural attractions and beauty it reveals, it will be difficult to answer a resident of 1/6 of the land.
The state, located in the eastern part of the African continent, is still little studied by guests from Russia. This is explained by the fact that tourism in Tanzania is in its infancy, the hotel base is poorly developed. The most widespread are excursion routes to the world of wild nature, but they are quite expensive, many simply cannot afford it. Those travelers who nevertheless made it to this exotic corner of the planet have the most vivid impressions.
Excursions in Tanzania national parks
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania knows that the main thing it can attract tourists and capital to the country is the country's natural resources. Picturesque nature, exotic life of local residents for a European - these are the main tourist chips. That is why nature is under special care and control.
On the territory of the country, many National Parks have been created, which surprise any guest with a large number and variety of representatives of the animal world against the background of, in general, not rich flora. The most famous parks of Tanzania: Kilimanjaro; Ruach; Serengeti; Tarangire. Each of them is ready to demonstrate their beauty: ancient volcanoes, paradise seaside, magnificent landscapes of the Great Rift, this is the name of the most famous plateau in Tanzania.
Kilimanjaro is both the name of the National Mountain Park and its main attraction, the volcano, well known to any Russian elementary school student. On the way to the legendary peak, guests will be able to see both desert landscapes and alpine meadows, delighting with a variety of herbs, flowering plants, and tropical forests.
But if Kilimanjaro is well known in Russia, the locals consider the Serengeti to be the main national park. In this reserve, the exotic nature of the real African jungle is carefully preserved, the inhabitants of which are rhinos and buffaloes, wildebeests and Thompson's gazelles, rhinos and elephants.
These and other animals can be seen in the reserve with the difficult to pronounce name Ngorongoro, named after the famous crater located here. Tourist routes start in the town of Arusha, from where private buses go to the crater and Lake Magadi. Tourists by the reservoir are waiting for stunning landscapes - a flock of thousands of pink flamingos against the backdrop of turquoise water and the same shade of the sky.
Forward to Kilimanjaro
And yet, the hearts of Russian tourists are given to Kilimanjaro, childhood dreams of climbing this mountain range come true for many in adulthood, when they have enough strength and resources to get to this godforsaken corner of African nature.
The name of the mountain range, translated from the Swahili language, sounds very beautiful - "sparkling mountain", the locals gave it another definition - "Crown of Tanzania". The symbol of the country can be recognized from afar - wide flat plains and a lonely mountain peak, decorated with a snow-white cap sparkling in the sun (hence the local name of the toponym).
Aborigines warn tourists that climbing the mountain is quite difficult and not everyone can do it, as a rule, only 4 people out of 10 reach the cherished goal. But courageous travelers are not afraid of such information, they make one attempt after another to climb as high as possible, and from there take a look at the endless African landscapes.
It is clear that in order to climb the mountain, you need to enlist the support of a local travel agency. A tour to Kilimanjaro will cost $ 1,000, the best time for a hike is either December – February, or June – October. The duration of the tour is about 5 days; on the way, tourists are accompanied by professional guides, porters and, if required, a personal chef.
There are various trails leading to the top of Kilimanjaro, it is interesting that some of them can only be climbed, descent is prohibited by the rules in force in this National Park. At an altitude of about 4 kilometers, tourists will come across another path, a circular path that crosses all roads.
Towards the Great African Rift
In fact, it is not this geological phenomenon that attracts tourists from different countries, but the Ngorongoro Reserve, located nearby. Previously, it was part of the Serengeti National Park, today it is an independent natural landmark of Tanzania, included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. On the territory of the reserve there is a giant crater of an extinct volcano, mountains and plateaus, the picturesque Olduvai gorge, alpine lakes and forests.
You can get here by plane from Arusha, travel time is 1 hour, or by car (4 hours on the road). Further, tourists will have a walk in the park by car, according to local rules, it is prohibited to leave it, as well as to open the windows. The cost of a tour of the Ngorongoro Reserve for 6 hours will be $ 200 (per car), $ 50 (per person). Staying over this time will empty the wallets of tourists by the same amount.
