Lake Manyara National Park

The Lake Manyara National Park stretches southwards alongside the north-western shores of the slightly saline waters of Lake Manyara. The rocky slopes of the Manyara Escarpment form a dramatic backdrop to the west, numerous springs bubble up at the foot of the escarpment, their fresh waters support the lush forests and grassy game filled meadows in the northern half of the park. In the more remote, southern half, of the park the forests thin scenery becomes more open.

The park is noted for its birdlife with almost 400 different species recorded. It also has a high elephant population and is famous for its "tree climbing lions". The forest contains a large variety of tree species creating a luxuriant, "jungle" atmosphere in the northern areas of the park.

Ngorongoro Crater

The steep walls of the Ngorongoro Crater hinder the easy movement of animals. This coupled with the year round availability of good grazing and water in the crater result in a constant, large, population of wild animals. This is a game viewers paradise and by far the best destination for a short safari extension to any Northern Tanzanian mountain holiday.

Strangely enough the Crater is sometimes visited by the Masaai with their cattle who are capable of co-existing and sharing the rich grazing with the wild animals. Young Masaai warriors - moran - escort their herds and protect them from lions and leopards which, in the olden days, they had to kill in order to prove their manhood.

Tarangire

It is often possible to escape the crowds in Tarangire which one of the more easily accessible parks. At the right time of year the park teems with elephants. During rainy seasons animals rapidly spread out of the park but as the land dries out grass becomes scarce they return to the green banks of the Tarangire river. The best months for game viewing in Tarangire are January, February, early March, July to mid-October.

Other frequently seen species include great herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, eland, and oryx. Magnificent baobab trees add to the grand atmosphere of the park.

Olduvai Gorge (Oldupai Gorge)

Leaving the Ngorongoro Crater Rim, Olduvai Gorge entrance and museum is 30km on the road towards the Serengeti. (Half way along this stretch a Maasai show village may be visited at a reasonable fee which permits photography and a look at how Maasai live in this area).

The museum at the Olduvai provides an excellent photographic history of research carried out in the gorge with a summary of the main archaeological findings. The importance of the area relates as much to its location as the way the strata of ash and other deposits have been layered then conveniently exposed during the formation of the gorge itself.

Louis Leakey was the first of the Leakey family to visit the area in the early 1920s. His trip was funded by the British Museum in which his role was that of a research assistant. Subsequently his family have become associated with pre-historical archaeological research throughout East Africa. Outstanding discoveries include that of the famous footprints of a family of hominids dating back 3.5 million years by Mary Leakey.