Tanzania, a country that was created from the merger of the former British colony of Tanganyika and the Zanzibar-Pemba archipelago. Tanzania does not yet have mass tourism, which means that the wildlife population is very rich. Tanzania has a rich flora and fauna in an incredibly beautiful landscape. Tanzania has about forty parks and reserves, inland lakes where many birds live and a coastline of 800 kilometers long.
With an area of 945,087 square kilometers, Tanzania is 26 times the size of the Netherlands. More than 39 million people live there, divided over 120 tribes, with the Bantus as the most important tribe. The Masai are a wandering pastoral people who have kept the customs of the past virtually unchanged.
Flag of Tanzania
- Form of government : Republic
- Currency : Tanzania shilling
- Language : Official language is Swahili, English is also spoken
- Inhabitants : more than 39 million
- Religion : Christian 30%, Islam 35%
- Best time to travel : June – November. In the north also: January – March
- Time difference : 2 hours later in winter, 1 hour later in summer
climate
Tanzania is close to the equator and therefore has a tropical climate . There are 3 climate zones in Tanzania:
- the very warm coastal strip and the north with high humidity
- the northern plateau with a pleasant temperature of about 20˚C. There is a large temperature difference between daytime and night, this is due to the high location (1,200 – 1,700 meters).
- the lake area with a sultry, rainy climate
Long rainy season: March – May
Small rainy season: November – December
Accessibility and accommodation
Tanzania’s international airports are Dar es Salaam and Arusha .
The accommodations are often luxurious. Accommodation establishments are rarely found inland. The parks and reserves offer plenty of lodges (huts) in various price ranges. Of course, good hotels can also be found in the cities.
Tourist areas
In the north lies the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro at 5,900 meters. Despite being close to the equator, the summit of Kilimanjaro is covered in snow all year round. The mountain can be climbed under the guidance of local mountain guides. The landscape of Tanzania is varied and very beautiful.
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam is an important port city. It is a modern, picturesque city, located on the Indian Ocean, with wide boulevards, large hotels and beautiful government buildings (because it is the former capital of Tanzania).
Dodoma
The capital of Tanzania. It is located 400 kilometers inland, on the old slave route. There is a lot of wine growing in this area.
Arusha
Arusha is located at the foot of Kilimanjaro. It is a starting point for safaris to the nearby national parks, the Ngorongoro Crater , Lake Manyara and Kilimanjaro. The city has a lively and colorful market.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar, located on the island of the same name off the coast of Tanzania. It used to be an Arab settlement headed by a sultan. Zanzibar is known for its spices and people often visit the island as a beach holiday, combined with a safari in Tanzania.
Unfortunately, a number of incidents occurred here a few years ago, especially in Stone Town , which means that one has to be careful.
National parks and reserves
The most famous national parks are located in the northern savannah landscape, close to the border with Kenya.
Serengeti National Park, with an area of 15,000 km2, is one of the largest game parks in Africa. It is perhaps the most famous park in all of Africa and perhaps in the world. More than 1.5 million animals live there, with very rare species.
South of the Serengeti National Park lies the Olduvai Gorge . This is known for the prehistoric finds of ancient man skulls. In addition, the Ngorogoro Reserve is located here . Here is the largest accessible crater in the world!
This crater has a diameter of almost 16 kilometers. Almost all wild animal species live there. Lake Magadi is located at the bottom of the crater, where many flamingos and other birds come to visit. They look for algae in the shallow water of the lake.
Further south is Lake Manyara National Park . The park has a rich, varied landscape and is known for its tree lions.
In Arusha National Park , located at the foot of Kilimajaro, the monkeys are the first to greet tourists. A beautiful savannah landscape cannot be missed here.
The most extensive game reserve in the world is the Selous Game Reserve in the south. The reserve has an area of approximately 51,000 km2. Because people want to leave it as untouched as possible, limited access is given.
Lakes
Several rivers run through Tanzania and the lakes are a paradise for bird watchers and fisherman. Lake Victoria is the most important lake. It forms a three-country point with Uganda , Kenya and Tanzania . The largest and most beautiful part of Lake Victoria is located in Tanzania.
There is also Lake Tanganyika , with a depth of 1,435 meters, Lake Njasa or Lake Malawi .