|
In addition to the eight parks of the northern and
southern circuits, Tanzania has six other national parks
to explore. Gombe Stream, Katavi and Mahale Mountains in
the west; Kitulo in the south; Rubundo Island in Lake
Victoria; and Saadani on the mainland coast north of Dar
es Salaam.
GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK
A mountainous strip that borders the shores of Lake
Tanganyika, about 16km from Kigoma. Tanzania's smallest
park covers only 52 sq km.
It can only be reached by boat from Kigoma. Gombe Stream
offers visitors the rare chance to observe the
chimpanzee communities made famous by British explorer
Jane Goodall.
A number of monkey species can also be seen including
red colobus, red-tail and blue monkeys. The area is
heavily forested making it an unsuitable habitat for
carnivores and safe for walking safaris. Birdwatchers
will be richly rewarded.
Getting there: By
air, or road, from Arusha or Dar es Salaam. By train
from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma and then a one hour boat
trip.
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Recently extended southward to cover 4500 sq km the main
features of Tanzania's third largest park, located about
40 km south-east of the town of Mpanda, are Lake Katavi,
with its vast floodplains, the palm-fringed Lake Chala
and the Katuma River.
The park is noted for its Miombo woodland and is home to
buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and zebra. Antelope
species include eland, impala, topi, roan, and sable.
Water fowl are abundant with Lake Chala particularly
rich in bird-life with over 400 species recorded. Katavi
also boasts Tanzania's greatest concentration of hippo
and crocodile.
Getting there: By
air from Arusha or Dar es Salaam. Or a day's drive from
Mbeya or, in the dry season, Kigoma.
KITULO PLATEAU NATIONAL PARK
The second of two new national parks, Kitulo is the
first park in tropical Africa to be gazetted largely for
its floristic significance.
Known locally as ‘God’s Garden’ or the ‘Serengeti of
Flowers’, Kitulo plateau has had over 350 species of
plants documented to date. These include 45 species of
orchids, many of which are not found anywhere else in
the world.
Some 31 species are endemic to Tanzania; 26 to the
Kitulo region; at least three to the plateau itself; and
two are found only on the plateau and in the adjoining
forest.
The plateau is also home to some important bird species,
again many endemic to Tanzania, including the endangered
blue swallow, Denham’s bustard, mountain marsh widow,
Njombe cisticola, and Kipengere seedeater.
Some of the world’s rarest butterflies also inhabit the
area along with chameleon, lizard, frogs and a few hardy
reedbuck and eland.
Getting there: By
road from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya and Chimala and then by
4x4 only.
MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
The other sanctuary of the chimpanzee, Mahale Mountains
National Park, is also reached by boat from Kigoma.
Covering an area of approximately 1,600 sq km, the
park's western boundary is the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
The chimpanzee population is estimated at around 1,000
and they may be observed in their natural habitat in
groups of up to 30. Yellow baboons, red colobus,
red-tailed and vervet monkeys also live in the park and
are commonly seen as are bush babies, bush-pigs,
bushbuck, blue duiker, civet, hyrax and whitetailed
mongoose.
Buffalo, elephant, giraffe, leopard, lion, porcupine and
other various types of antelope are also present but may
prove more difficult to find. Lake Tanganyika is home to
more than 250 different species of fish.
Getting there: Between
a four and a nine hour boat trip, depending on the boat,
from Kigoma. Or a two hour flight from Arusha or Dar es
Salaam.
RUBONDO ISLAND NATIONAL PARK
A water wonderland comprising Rubondo Island and nine
smaller islands tucked into a corner of Lake Victoria
north-west of Mwanza.
The park provides a variety of habitats ranging from
savannah to open woodland, dense forest, papyrus swamps
and sandy beaches. There is also a wide variety of
animals including bushbuck, crocodile, elephant, genet,
giraffe, hippo mongoose vervet monkey and the reclusive
sitatunga - a shaggy aquatic antelope.
The bird-life is unique with birds from east, central
and southern Africa flocking to 'Bird Island' to breed.
Bee-eaters, fish eagle, ibis, kingfisher and saddle
billed stork will be seen while tilapia and Nile perch
abound in the lake.
Getting there: By
air from Arusha or Mwanza. Or by road from Mwanza and
then a boat transfer.
SAADANI NATIONAL PARK
The newly gazetted Saadani National Park, Tanzania’s
first coastal wildlife sanctuary, is located on the
Indian Ocean coast some 45 km north of Bagamoyo and
directly west of Zanzibar.
The park contains many indigenous species including
Liechtensteins hartebeest and the rare Roosevelt sable.
A good population of elephant live in Saadani as do
several herds of buffalo and numerous large groups of
hippo and crocodile. Lion, leopard, hyena giraffe,
greater kudu, red duiker, reedbuck, warthog, waterbuck,
wildebeest and zebra can also be seen while the bird
life is extensive.
Bottle nose dolphin are common off the southern coast of
the park; whales pass through the Zanzibar channel in
October and November; and green turtle breed at Madete
Beach.
Saadani village is one of the oldest communities on the
East African coast while Kaole ruins lay nearby.
Getting there: About
a four drive from Dar es Salaam or by charter flight
from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
Other Game Reserves:
As well as the fourteen national parks, the Ngorongoro
Crater Conservation Area and the Mkomazi and Selous
Games Reserves, there are a number of other areas in
Tanzania where the wildlife is protected.
The difference between the National Parks and these Game
Reserves, Game Controlled Areas, and Wildlife Management
Areas is that the animals have the national parks to
themselves.
Many of these wildlife areas are found adjoining the
national parks as they are often created by the return
of grazing land to the people.
Most reserves have not been developed and have little or
no facilities.
Other game reserves include:-
-
Ibanda and Rumanyika- Orugundu,
in the far northwest, near the border with Uganda.
-
Burigi and Biharamulo, adjacent
to Rubondo Island National Park, near the southwest
tip of Lake Victoria.
-
Moyowosi and Kigosi to the east
of Kigoma.
-
Maswa, Grumeti and Ikorongo
bordering the Serengeti.
-
Ugalla River and Uwanda, which
surrounds Lake Rukwa, in the west.
-
Rungwa and Kizigo bordering the
north of Ruaha National Park.
|
