Category: destinations

Travel Ecstasies in Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is a place that is renowned for the best in Eastern African tours. Providing the best travel pleasures this is surely a famous place which provides you with ideal tour delights. With the alkaline waters, bordering the entire region it is famous for being one of the best African parks in the world.

This was in fact a bird sanctuary situated at the southern end of the lake. With the Kenyan Government supporting the world wildlife fund ventures, this slowly became a protected area and by the year 1964, it became an area that was just more than a travel spot. Nakuru town is around 4 km from the park and is the fourth largest city in this country and is not only visited by foreigners but also by the local Kenyans. They have been visiting the park in large numbers with the visitors peaking at maximum in the year 2007. This is the reason why people love coming here. With the best kind of safari experiences, Lake Nakuru Park is surely a great destination to be in and gives a great travel feeling.

 

There was earlier a lot of bird diversity here but the population is slowly dwindling due to the continuous disturbance created to all the species due to the inflow of tourists. The Government is taking steps to make sure that they are well taken care of. Lake Nakuru Park covers a land strip that lies on the eastern, northern, and western parts of the country and is full of savannah grasslands that give the best kind of visual delights. With the beautiful swamps and the trees surrounding the entire region, get to see the areas like Baboon Cliff, Lion Hill, and the lovely surroundings which more than makeup for the park experiences.

With so much to see and do Lake Nakuru is indeed an amazing travel destination.

Top Attractions to Explore by Car in Tanzania

Are you thinking about the finest places in Tanzania for your upcoming Tanzania Safari? We are here to give you some chilling information about Tanzania and its major tourist attractions. As a home for the snow-crested Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain of Africa, Tanzania is famous for its natural and ecological diversity. The country is most famous for its tourism and agricultural activities. The national parks, game reserves, conservation areas, Mountains, beaches, and lakes are the major Tanzania Tourist Attractions for foreign tourists.

Not only Tanzania Destinations, but the wildlife activities like Great wildebeest migration also attract many natural enthusiastic and wildlife photographers.

The most popular places to visit in Tanzania

The Serengeti- Iconic Wildlife Hotspot

Having the oldest ecosystem on this planet, Serengeti National Park is very delightful for its flora and fauna with the natural diversity and biodiversity.

The Great Wildebeest Migration in this park and around the larger serener area shows the game of the ecosystem of Tanzania. After the calving season of January and February, herds of wildebeests start the migration from March. During May, the migration heads towards the western corridors. The great migration gathers in one place and is joined by herds of zebras, cape buffalos, gazelles, etc. to start the migration.

After crossing the Grumeti River in July, the migration moves to the north. From August to October, they cross the Mara River and enter the Masai Mara national park of Kenya. In November and December, the migration crosses the northeastern Serengeti and move towards the southern Serengeti. You can see the largest and most diverse prey and predator encounter in migration which shows the lifecycle of the Tanzania ecosystem. This is the most beautiful and impressive event that attracts many tourists from every corner of the world.

Mostly famous for the African big five, the Serengeti national park has the highest concentration of lions all over the world. You can see the wildlife diversity because not only for the land mammals but also for 500 bird species.

This park is listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site because of its biodiversity and most wonderful ecosystem.

Ngorongoro Crater- The most dramatic of Landscapes

As famous for the earliest human fossils of 3 million years ago, the Ngorongoro Crater was once a volcano and now is the largest intact caldera in the world.

Now, the crater is a wide highland area with 600 m deep of focal point. The beauty of wildlife diversity in the crater will take your breath away. The crater is the place, where every year the great wildebeest migration starts after calving.

Most importantly, OI Doinyo Lengai, only volcano that erupts carbonate lava, is located in this park. The dramatic highlands males it most unique and the area Oldupai Gorge, is famous for the proof of earliest human fossils.

Arusha- The tourism capital of Northern Tanzania

The Arusha city, near Arusha national park, makes the place accessible and famous Tanzania Tourist Attraction in Tanzania. The Mt. Meru of Arusha National Park is for the hikers to warm up before hiking for Mt. Kilimanjaro.

However, the Arusha city is one of the Tanzania Destinations that describe many things about Tanzania’s history, culture, and economy. Arusha’s highland is made for tourists to relax before starting or ending your Tanzania Safari.

As a major international diplomatic hub, it is the capital of East African community (EAC). Every year, the city hosts the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Genocide.

Arusha city is the only city where you can communicate in English with the local people if you don’t know the Kiswahili language.

It is a multicultural city having mixed backgrounds like Indigenous Bantu, Arab-Tanzanian, Indian-Tanzanian, and white European and Americans.

Mount Kilimanjaro- The towering peak of Africa

As the “roof of Arica”, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain peak with an altitude of 20,000 ft. It was made up of three volcanoes namely, Mawenzi, Shira, and Kibo. During the trekking, you can face five ecological zones such as tropical rain forest, cultivation, Heather-moorland, Alpine desert, and summit climate zones. There are 7 routes to reach at the summit. The Umbwe route is the most difficult and the Marangu Route is the easiest route for the summit.

Tarangire National Park

One of the most unique and best safaris in Tanzania, Tarangire National Park is a must visit. This park is best known for the largest elephant population in the entire world. If you plan to visit Tarangire National Park, you will see the magnificent animals in all their glory.

The best time to visit Tarangire is during the summers. The dry season pulls all the animals to the Tarangire River. You can spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and zebras among other animals on the river banks.

Lake Manyara National Park

The real fun of visiting Lake Manyara National Park is during the monsoon season. The park is in its full glory with plenty of flamingos and wallowing hippos. The park as its own charm owing to the trees with thick, hanging roots. It is also the only place where you will spot lions perched on trees.

Another reason to visit the park is the abundance of birds in the area. The park also offers canoe safaris for those who want to see the wildlife up close and personal. They also have night safaris which add a lot of thrill to the adventure. Head here to feel an adrenaline rush that you will never forget.

Ruaha National Park

In 2008 Ruaha National Park became Tanzania’s largest park. It is home to large herds of buffalo and gazelle, and has one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Tanzania. The Great Ruaha River is the main feature of Ruaha National Park, providing magnificent wildlife viewing on the banks. The river also provides much of the electricity to Tanzania through a hydroelectric dam at Kidatu.

Ruaha National Park is the least accessible park in Tanzania and as a result the landscape remains relatively untouched. Birdwatcher’s can enjoy over 400 species of bird that are not found in northern Tanzania, and the river, spectacular gorges, and majestic trees are especially appealing to photographers.

Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe National Park, also sometimes called Gombe Stream National Park, is primarily for those who want to get a little off the beaten track and see chimpanzees. This is one of the smallest national parks in Tanzania and is famous for the work of Jane Goodall. This British researcher arrived in 1960 to study the wild chimpanzees and her work turned into what would become the longest running behavioral research program of its kind in the world.

Guided walks take visitors into the forest to observe chimps in the wild. Many species of primates and mammals live in the park. Over 200 bird species have been recorded in the tropical forest, including barbets, starlings, sunbirds, crowned eagle, kingfishers and the palm-nut vulture.

Hiking and swimming are other popular activities; a trail leads into the forest to a waterfall in the valley.

Stone Town -The heart of Zanzibar Life

Zanzibar is an island including Pemba and Mafia Island with other small islands. Most tourists come here to know about the ancient trade and tribe of the Stone Age. The Zanzibar city monuments and museums say about the stone age of Tanzania, you need to visit the Zanzibar, the town of Swahili tribe people of Tanzania. This island gives the proof of ancient history and culture of the Stone Age.

Zanzibar- Water Sports Paradise

Zanzibar beach is not only famous for enjoying and relaxing, it is also famous for the water sports activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, parasailing, water skiing, wakeboarding, and Kite-boarding. You can find more than 450 species of fish in Zanzibar.

Conclusion

During your Tanzania Safari Tours, you must visit the premiere Tanzania Destinations to enjoy Tanzania’s wildlife, ecosystem, culture, and tradition of Tanzania. The Tanzania Tourist Attractions are enough to make your moment memorable with a lot of experience.

Uganda Safari Trail: Best Safari Animals In Uganda

Uganda is the most popular safari destination in East Africa and on top of being the “pearl of Africa”, it is said to be where the true safari began. The country was ranked as Africa’s favorite tourism destination of 2012 by Lonely Planet and it was also ranked as among the top 20 global tourism destinations in the year 2013 by National Geographic. All the recognition of the country’s tourism has attracted attention from very many countries in the world and has led to an increase in the number of visitors. Uganda offers safaris as well as in the beautiful Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. In these countries, a tourist is exposed to an array of animals, the most popular six being listed below;

While on your Uganda safari, you will be driven by Uganda Safari Packages experienced drivers who are well versed with the area and also trained guides who will answer all questions plus providing security while in the bush.

The mighty lion is the first animal to see while on a safari. Lions are the most feared animals in the jungle and are strong predators that prefer to hunt at dusk or dawn. This hunting is mainly done by the females as the males stay resting waiting to feast. The secret behind the lions found in Uganda in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park is that they do climb trees. Leave along other lions in the world tree climbing lions can only be found in two countries Uganda and Tanzania so you will expect to see such unique animals left in the world. Apart from Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are other national parks to see the lion which are Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Parks. Note tree climbing lions in Uganda can only be seen in Queen Elizabeth national park.

Other animals that are common in Uganda are the Mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. These gorillas are basically herbivorous and Uganda is the best destination for both chimp and gorilla tracking in East Africa. Gorillas in Uganda are mainly found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga. When planning for a gorilla safari, Uganda is one of the best choices that you can make. These rare primates are well habituated and are easily seen on a Gorilla tracking trip. Before a visitor is allowed to track gorillas in Uganda, he/she is required to purchase a gorilla permit. These gorilla permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority at their offices found in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb. It’s advisable that to book gorilla permits in advance to avoid inconveniences. During peak season, acquiring a gorilla permit in Uganda becomes so competitive and this is a result of the high number of trekkers that come to the country. Gorillas are also found in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The black and white Rhinos are one of the animals that greatly attract tourists in Uganda. These Rhinos feed basically on leaves from trees and bushes. The life span of a protected rhino is 35 to 45 years. A female rhino is one of the most caring mothers when it gives birth. This is because after giving birth, she stays close to her calf for 2 to 4 years forming a close relationship during this time.

Buffalos have a reputation of being dangerous when disturbed but these ox-like animals are also beautiful to watch when grazing in the grasslands. They have strong horns and often congregate near water whenever they are done with feeding in the Grasslands.

An elephant is another animal that will keep your safari exciting due to its gigantic structure. Its lifespan is 60 to 70 years and it lives more than the rhinos. Elephants move in herds and it is always advisable to keep a distance to avoid accidents. The best places to see this great wild animal are Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Kidepo Valley National Parks.

Leopards are another cat animals that one would not want to miss on a safari. These cat animals live solitary lives and they only come together during mating season. They are also predators and are extremely powerful.

However, there are many other interesting animals in Uganda to be found on a Safari and these can be seen on your once you visit this Pearl of Africa.

Top 5 Birding Destinations in Uganda

Uganda the pearl of Africa is not just a home to the mountain gorillas but also a variety of bird life making it between the top and best birding destinations on the African continent. Uganda has various birding destinations where a birder can have the best out of a birding safari and these include the following

The Mabamba Swamps

These are situated on lake victoria in Masaka and the best place to see the shoebill stork one of the rare birds in east Africa. The shoebill stork prefers swampy areas where it can easily hunt its prey (lung fish). At the Mabamba swamps, shoebill storks are usually spotted in a pair or three of them as they keep on the look for the prey. There are many other birds that can be spotted while on a birding tour include the white winged terns, the yellow billed egrets, the pied kingfisher, the blue-breasted bee-eater, the African jacana, the cape wagtail, the long toed plover and many others.

Trips to the Mabamba can be taken in a dug out canoe, which offers a very unique experience and coupled with great scenic views.

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

This is situated in southwestern Uganda and a home to the endangered mountain gorillas. Extensively covered with a tropical rain forest, Bwindi impenetrable is a home to over 350 bird species with 13 bird species endemic to the forest and therefore found in no other place in Uganda. Some of the birds that can be seen while on a forest expedition in Bwindi include the great blue and black billed Turaco, the red chested fluff tail, the regal sunbird, the northern olive thrush, the striking handsome francolin, the green tinker bird, the white crested flycatcher, the pink footed puff back and many others.

Tourists see most of these birds as they hike the forested mountains and can easily also go for a gorilla safari within the forest to meet the great apes as a supplement to their nature walks. The national park can be accessed by road transport in a 10 to 11 hours drive or by air transport using a charter plane to Kihihi and Kisoro airstrips.

The Mabira Forest Reserve

This is one of the natural forests in Uganda situated along the Kampala Jinja highway. The forest covers a land area of 360-kilometer squares with over 350 bird species, 200 butterflies, 200 plant species, over 20 mammal species as well as many reptiles and other small insects. The forest has well developed trails that led tourists on birding excursions to the different parts of the forest as they enjoy the great sights and sounds.

Some of the birds that can be sighted while in the Mabira forest reserve include the paradise flycatcher, the grey-capped warbler, the green tailed bristle bill, the grey long bill and many others. Mabira forest can be accessed by road transport in about an hours drive from the Kampala city center.

The Entebbe Botanical Gardens

These are situated in Entebbe on the shores of lake victoria. The gardens have various plant species that act as habitants of the different bird species that shelter in them. There are over 200 bird species here some of which including the orange weaver, the little swift, the ross and great Turaco, the yellow backed weavers and many others.

The Kibale Forest National Park And The Bigodi Wetlands

Kibale forest national park is situated in western Uganda with over 350 bird species including some species endemic to the Albertine rift.

The Bigodi wetlands are situated near Kibale forest national park in western Uganda. Tourists on nature walks usually see birds here where they view a number of bird species that include the great blue Turaco and many others.

Where To Hang Out With Rwanda’s Mountain Gorillas

Many travelers still do not know where to find mountain gorillas, and many think that they can go zoos and meet them there which is impossible. This is very wrong gorillas can’t be found in zoos or captivity, they can only be seen in their natural habitats. Don’t stress your head, these giants can only be seen in Rwanda’s gifted national park Volcanoes national park which is located in Ruhengeri Musanze district in the northwestern region of Rwanda near the verge with the Virunga national park in the DRC and Mgahinga gorilla forest national park in Uganda. It’s just about 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali Rwanda’s capital and its largest city. The park covers an area of about 160sqkm and it is considered as the oldest national park in Africa being gazetted in 1929. It was established to protect the Mountain gorillas that were facing the threat of extinction as a result of poaching.

Mountain gorillas made Rwanda very popular as a result of many travelers to this small country that comes for gorilla tracking. gorilla tracking is the most interesting adventurous tourist activity done in Rwanda as it involves moving deep into the forest to meet these giant apes. Volcanoes national park is a home to about 400 individuals out of 900 individuals left in the world and it’s considered as the best gorilla safari destination in world, Rwanda cannot be talked about without mentioning these remaining mountain gorillas, hence they are the most done tourist activity in Rwanda.

In Uganda these giants are hosted in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla forest national park both located in the south western part of Uganda, many gorilla trackers in Uganda prefers to track in Bwindi impenetrable national park than in Mgahiga gorilla forest since gorillas in this area prefer travelling and they tend to migrate to neighboring countries of Rwanda DRC, so before confirming your booking, you should be assured that the group will be available.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, these giants are hosted in Virunga national park. Gorilla tracking experience remains the same in all these areas where these species can be seen. However Rwanda is regarded as the best gorilla safari destination according to testimonies given by those who have got chance of tracking in whole these gorilla tracking destinations.