Discover the Northern Circuit Tanzania

ABOUT TANZANIA Tanzania lies in East Africa between the Indian Ocean, Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and DR Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south.
The country is known for its natural wealth and it is home to three of the seven African wonders:
? The Great Migration in Serengeti National Park
? The Ngorongoro Crater
? Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa The national parks are famous for the multitude of animal species and The Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino) can be found in various parks.
Off the coast, tropical islands such as Zanzibar, Mafia, and Pemba can be found, with coral reefs and the most amazing beaches.
The name Tanzania was given to the country after the unification of Zanzibar and Tanganyika in 1964. The country nowadays has a population of 62 million people belonging to 120 different tribes. The largest tribes are the Sukuma, Nyamwezi, Haya, Nyakyusa, and Chagga. The most famous tribe are the Maasai. Dar-es-Salaam, with a population of almost 6 million, is the largest city and also the former capital of Tanzania. It is an important economic center, a port city, and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

Meserani Cultural Center is also known as "Meserani Snake Park" and is located 25 km west of Arusha. It is an exceptional treasure of Arusha that provides some educational experience.
Tarangire National Park is one of the less known parks in Tanzania. But it definitely has an authentic safari atmosphere with beautiful landscapes and some great wildlife. The park is known for its majestic Baobab trees. Baobab trees can grow to an enormous size and have a quite unique shape
Tarangire is the elephant's paradise. It has the largest concentration of elephants in the world! You can see herds of up to 300 elephants around the Tarangire River. The River is the primary source of freshwater for the animals.
In the swamps of Tarangire you will also see lions, leopards, cheetahs and even tree-climbing pythons. Fun fact: today you will also be able to see the largest termite mounds in Tanzania. Tarangire is also a paradise for bird lovers. Over 450 species of birds have been observed. From parrots, hornbills, lovebirds and lilac breasted rollers to Kori bustards, eagles and vultures. It is said that the swamps in Tarangire National Park have one of the largest number of breeding bird species in the world.

Lake Manyara National Park is known for its breathtaking scenery, the enormous soda lake full of flamingos, the tree climbing lions and an outstanding bird life. You can also see huge troops of baboons and blue monkeys roaming around in the forest, but also herds of elephants and zebras. And… if you are lucky you will find the famous tree climbing lions. Around the soda lake you can spot a variety of wildlife, like buffaloes, warthogs, giraffes, wildebeest and zebras. You can also enjoy excellent hippo sightings at the shallow Hippo Pool. Sometimes you can find big numbers of them taking a cooling mud-bath and hiding from the hot sun. Lake Manyara also boasts itself for many species of birds.
Scenery in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara is also a perfect place to see the spectacular 400 meter high Rift Valley Escarpment. The Great Rift Valley is a long rift in the earth which runs down the eastern side of Africa. It was formed about 20 to 25 million years ago when the earth’s crust tore apart. This enormous feature is even visible from outer space and looks like two lines running down Africa. It provides unique and diverse habitats. Enjoy acacia woodland, jungle forest, mountain cliffs, hot springs, grassy areas, acacia woodland and the huge soda lake.

Serengeti National Park is Africa’s most famous park due to the largest concentration of game on the continent, the migration of millions of wildebeest and its vast endless grasslands which offer the finest game viewing anywhere in Africa. With almost 16.000 km2, Serengeti is the third  largest park in Tanzania and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Serengeti comes from the Maasai language and means endless plains…and that is exactly what you will enjoy! The Great Migration in Serengeti National Park The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth and the annual wildlife migration, largest mass movement of land mammals on planet earth, is perhaps what makes it famous. Over a million wildebeest and zebras flow south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the short rains every October and November, and then go west and north after the long rains in April, May and June. It is a dangerous journey for the wildebeest, zebras and gazelles who need to outsmart their predators. Especially the Mara and Grumeti River is where giant crocodiles and fast flowing water awaits. The Great Migration is listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is for lots of visitors the highlight of their journey.
Wildlife in Serengeti National Park Serengeti, characterized by the endless plains, acacia trees and punctuated by large stone kopjes presents an archetypal picture of a wild and remote Africa and supports an amazingly large number of wildlife. These endless plains are home to more than 4,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 225 cheetahs and 3,500 hyenas. No doubt, the Serengeti is one of the best places to see the Big Five – rhino, buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard, but you will also see elephants, giraffes, gazelles, monkeys, eland, zebras and wildebeests and rare animal species like the pangolin, East African Oryx and wild dog.

The famous Maasai tribe in Ngorongoro conservation area, 
Tanzania consists of over 120 different tribes. The most famous tribe to visit is probably the Maasai tribe, which formerly were nomadic people who lived off their cattle. It is said that there are still 140.000 Maasai in Tanzania. They live mainly in the area around Arusha as well as in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and in the Serengeti. Most of them already live as semi-nomads in a kraal (enk-ang) in semi-permanent huts - called manyattas - that are made of grass and dung and change their place only every few years, depending on the fertility of the landscape. In their traditional dance, they challenge each other to jump as high as possible while keeping their bodies straight.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It spans from Serengeti National Park in the north, to the Great Rift Valley in the east. In total, the conservation area covers more than 8,000 km². Two to three million years ago a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. As a result the Ngorongoro crater formed which then created a unique ecosystem with a wide variety of vegetation and is now the main attraction of this area. The crater is only 20 kilometers wide and 600 meters deep.
Wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater The crater holds a permanent population of more than 30,000 different animals as only very few animals migrate in and out of the crater. The views from the crater rim over the crater floor are spectacular. You can expect to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, flamingos, jackals, rhinos, antelopes, many birds, and other species. The crater is also home to the rare black rhino, almost extinct in Tanzania. With a bit of luck, you will see the ‘Big Five’ during one game drive.

Lake Eyasi Tour
Lake Eyasi is just south of the Ngorongoro Conservation area and is a seasonal shallow salt lake on the floor of the Great Rift. It attracts hippos that like to cool off in its brackish waters and it is also a nice place for bird lovers. The lake has a large population of flamingos and great white pelicans, African spoonbill, Fischer’s lovebird, gray headed gulls and many more. The environment is very tranquil and the lake is high above sea level with palm trees along its shores. It is quite a contrast to the savannah and the arid plains of the other Northern parks. 
The Hadzabe tribe in Lake Eyasi.
The Hadzabe Bushmen are considered one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in Africa with approximately 1,300 tribe members. Their native homeland includes the Eyasi Valley and nearby hills. They are one of the few remaining tribes that still live the same way like they did hundreds of years ago. As a hunter-gatherer society, the Hadza have no domesticated livestock, nor do they grow or store their own food. The Hadza survive by hunting their food with hand-made bows and arrows and foraging for edible plants. The Hadza diet is primarily plant-based but also consists of meat, fat, and honey. They create temporary shelters of dried grass and branches, and they own few possessions.

Arusha city tour;
Arusha Renowned as the safari capital of Tanzania, the town has numerous first-class restaurants, in one of them we will have lunch, bars and markets and is the ideal place to spend a few relaxing days before or after embarking on a safari or attempting to scale Kilimanjaro. We will visit famous sites like Arusha Declaration Monument, the Clock Tower and local markets such as Maasai Curio Market and others. And if you are lucky and the weather is fine, you might even catch some brilliant views of Mount Meru.

MORE INTERESTING FACTS
? Capital: Dodoma
? Currency: Tanzania Shilling
? Language: Kiswahili and English
? Highest point: 5,895 meters (Mount Kilimanjaro)
? Surface area: 945,000 km² / Water surface: 61,500 km²
? Time difference: GMT+3