Combine your Zanzibar visit with Tanzania safari, northern or southern circuit Tanzania, below top rated safari trips
Safari National parks info
The reserve is located in the southern part of Tanzania along the southern Tanzania safari circuit and offers the best escape from the large tourist
Wildlife In Selous Game Reserve
There are a number of wildlife mammals found within this national reserve among which are: approximately 145,000 buffalos, 4,000 Lions, 100,000 wildebeests, large hands of giraffes, 35000 zebras, 40000 hippos, 250,000 impalas, large numbers of Lichtenstein’s hartebeests, waterbucks, elands and bushbucks, in addition to leopards, crocodiles and hyenas. Furthermore this is among the few wildlife sanctuaries on the African continent where you will find the puku antelopes the African wild dogs as well as the sable antelope. Previously the Selous was home to a very large number of elephants but because of excessive poaching these numbers have greatly reduced and all these can be seen during the game drives on the Selous
Birds In Selous Game Reserve
This game reserves is home to over 445 different birds species and these have been recorded to live in the various habitats within the reserve for instance along the lake areas are the giant kingfishers, the pink backed pelican as well as the African skimmer; along the sandbanks you will see the white-fronted bee-eater, fish eagle, carmine, ibises and palmnut vultures. The purple-crested turaco, yellow-billed stork, trumpeter hornbill, white-crowned spur-winged plovers, malachite kingfishers and various small waders are among the other water birds, as well various migrant species all visible
SAFARI HIGHLIGHT
Walking Safaris
A safari in the Selous will not be considered complete unless you engage on one of the guided walking tours conducted here. You will get an opportunity to enjoy an up-close encounter with Mother Nature as you appreciate the beauty and serenity of this remote but beautiful reserve.
Bird Watching Tours
With a bird list of more than 400 bird species holidaymakers interested in bird watching will surely not be disappointed while in the Selous. these guided tours will give you an opportunity to see different species including the giant kingfishers, pink backed pelican, African skimmer, white-fronted bee-eater, fish eagle, carmine, ibises, white-crowned spur-winged plovers, palmnut vultures, purple-crested turaco, yellow-billed stork, trumpeter hornbill and malachite kingfishers among others.
Boat Safaris
Boat safaris in the selous offer holidaymakers and an opportunity to explore the different water channels including lakes, River Rufiji and the smaller channels during which you will see various wildlife including hippos, bird and crocodiles.
Game Drives
Game drives are conducted early in the morning as well as in the late afternoon and these are normally conducted in open roof safari cars to offer tourists the most rewarding views of the animals. The park ranger guides are very knowledgeable about the best places the animals and they will lead you to those places.
Mikumi national park is Tanzania’s fourth-biggest national park. With confirmed wild life sightings, it makes a perfect safari goal for those who are busy and have less time to travel, two days or less can get you an opportunity to explore the splendor of mikumi national park
Mikumi national park Its located not far from the shores of Indian ocean, it the park was established in 1964. Mikumi national park has risen through several landers after it was gazette as national park. It began as a small game reserve till 1975 when more land from both South and Northern sides were added in to the park. Currently the park is the 4th largest national park in Tanzania covering a total land area of 3,230 square kilometers.
Attractions in mikumi national park
Wildlife
Nicknamed as little Serengeti national park is Mikumi national park, its rich with a wide range of wildlife. The park hosts large number of the big game that covers four members of African bi five only missing Rhinos. Mikumi is a home of large herds of Elephants, Buffaloes, Zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, Leopards, Lions, Sable Antelopes, Great Kudu, and many more. The chances of seeing tree climbing lions in Mikumi national park are higher than in the famous tree climbing lions home that is Lake Manyara national park.
Bird Species
.Birds is one of the key Attractions in Mikumi national park, the park has over 400 bird species with both permanent habitats and migratory birds. This large number of birds has made the park one of the birding destinations in the Southern part of Tanzania. The long lists of birds can be achieved with patient Mikumi national park safaris that last beyond 3 days. However much the size of the park is not all that very big but the diversity of the ecosystem and the vegetation has attracted different bird species. The most sighted birds are: Black billied bustard, Secretary bird, Guinea fowl, Ox peckers, Bateleur eagles, cattle egret.
Mountains
Mikumi national park is situated in the middle of mountains hence making mountains some of the key Attractions in Mikumi national park. The scenic views of the mountains that have unique formation system attracts more guests especially writers, photographers and researchers to the park. The most common and famous mountains are Uluguru mountains that every guests wants to try to hike during their safari to Mikumi national park. Other mountains around the park include: Udzugwa Mountains, Malundwe Mountains which is the largest and the highest mountain. Its found in the center of the national park connecting Uluguru mountains with Udzungwa mountains and Uvidunda. Malundwe Mountains is consist of three peaks with the highest peak found on the Southern part reaching up to 1290 meters.
The greatest wildlife destination on earth
The magic of Serengeti National Park feautures Africa’s iconic Big 5, endless herds of wildebeest and zebra, hundreds of bird species, to much smaller creatures, such as the ever-charming dung beetle.
The Big Five in the Serengeti
The Big Five define that ultimate African safari experience: seeing these impressive animals – lion, rhino, leopard, elephant and Cape buffalo – roaming freely in their own habitat is something you will never forget.
Good job that these Big Five in the Serengeti are now only ‘shot’ by camera. Your guide and tracker will help you check the Big Five off your list. (And in the meantime: let’s not forget that other wildlife – like giraffes or hippos – are just as exciting to spot.)
Lion
King of the African savannah: seeing a pride of lions in their own habitat will leave you with an indelible memory. We have some good news for you: the Serengeti is home to some incredibly large prides of lions and they are fairly easy to spot. Lions live in a pride because they’re very social animals. In a group, the females hunt more than the males, but most will happily scavenge if they get the chance, because their favourite activity is snoozing under a tree: something they like to do for about 20 hours a day!
Leopard
They walk with an elegant grace and have an amazing coat: the leopard, also known as ‘The Prince of Darkness’. This is the most shy and elusive one of the Big Five. Leopards are excellent at playing hide and seek: if they don’t want to be seen, they can be perfectly camouflaged. In the Serengeti, you will be most likely to spot a leopard resting on a tree branch. The large branches of the sausage tree are their favourite spot. So never forget to look up: a leopard might be enjoying his lunch high up in a tree, so lions and other predators don’t bother him.
Buffalo
Not quite the lazy bush cow you might imagine: the buffalo is one of Africa’s most dangerous animals with very few predators. Lions might try to go for a calf, but are likely to pay the price later when an angry herd takes revenge. Buffalo need to drink every day, so they are often found at a waterhole. Although they can be notoriously bad tempered, especially when they’re injured, their wise gaze – as once described by a novelist: ‘They look at you like you owe them money’ – makes them thrilling to see. In the Serengeti, buffalo come in very healthy numbers: there’s a good chance you’ll see herds with over 1,000 or more of these thrilling animals.
African elephant
It’s the world’s largest land animal, and seeing one in its natural habitat is simply thrilling. In the Serengeti, these grey giants roam the plains and disappear into the woodlands. Female elephants live in close-knit clans and family bonds can last for 50 years. Males often leave the clan after 12 years to roam singly or form bachelor herds. Elephants frequently visit waterholes close to lodges. They are peaceful when left alone, but if an elephant feels threatened, get out of the way. Nothing scarier than being chased by an animal that weighs 7,000 kilos (imagine the weight of seven stacked cars) and trumpets loudly…
Rhinoceros
The rhino is a pre-historic heavyweight, weighing in at 2,500 kilos. There are two types of rhinos in Africa: the black and white rhino. As you might expect, the white rhino is not white, but grey like the others. The name ‘white’ was misinterpreted after early Dutch settlers used the word ‘wijd’ (wide), referring to its broad lips. Unfortunately, the rhino has a horn that’s worth more than its weight in gold. Over the past several decades, the rhino population in the Serengeti ecosystem has suffered greatly due to poaching: rhino numbers decreased from 1,000 to less than 70 individuals. The female rhino only gives birth every five years, making the rhino one of the most challenging animals to spot in Serengeti National Park, but with an experienced guide by your side, you might get lucky!
Other wildlife in the Serengeti
The Serengeti has a great variety of animals, because it’s a unique transition area. The distinct changeover from rich flat soils in the south, to the poor hilly soils in the north, leads to a great diversity of vegetation and habitats across the park.
A unique habitat is the riverine forests: a favourite spot for hippos and crocodiles. Other common animals are the long-neck giraffes, many other ungulates (hooved animals) such as the eland, zebra, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle are resident at any time of the year. As said, all three big cats are easily seen. Lions are everywhere and are often found on a kill. Cheetahs are very common on the south-eastern plains, while leopards can typically be found lazing in one of the big trees along the Seronera River. Hyenas are common, wild dogs, unfortunately, are rare. Read more about other wildlife.
Ngorongoro Northern Tanzania is known for it’s the misty mountains and lush forests to the sweeping grasslands with their teeming herds. Ngorongoro provides a rich adventure to every visitor.
The wildlife
There have been 115 species of mammal recorded in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The two main areas for game-viewing, apart from the crater, are the short-grass plains west of the Gol Mountains, northwest of Ngorongoro Crater, and the surroundings of Lake Ndutu close to the border with Serengeti National Park.The two areas become the feeding and breeding ground for over 2 million animals during the rainy reason as they support the great annual wildebeest migration that spans the Serengeti ecosystem. From around December to May (depending on the rains), over one million wildebeests and thousands of zebras and gazelles move south to calve in the short-grass plains around Ndutu that straddle the Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.
Elephants, elands, hartebeests, and the endangered rhinos are among the residents of the crater. There are also resident zebras and wildebeests in the crater that do not take part in the annual migration. Hippos are found in the permanent fresh water pools and the swamps in the crater. Other non-migratory herbivorous mammals that are found in the Conservation Area include buffalos, waterbucks, warthogs, and kudus and other species of antelope. Giraffes live in the surroundings of Lake Ndutu, where acacia trees are abundant.
The carnivores found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, jackals, serval cats, and the endangered wild hunting dogs.
There are over 550 recorded species of birds in the Conservation Area, of which some are resident and others are migratory. Lake Magadi, a salt lake on the floor of the crater, is often inhabited by thousands of lesser flamingos and other water birds. These birds can also be observed around Lake Ndutu and in the Empakaai Crater Lake.
The Maasai
In addition to the beautiful scenery, archaeological wealth and abundant wildlife, Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also blessed with a proud people – the Maasai – a pastoral tribe that has maintained their traditional culture a great deal.Before the Maasai, there were other tribes that also occupied Ngorongoro, some as cattle herders, like the Datoga, and others as hunters, like the Hadzabe; and then moved on, sometimes forced out by other groups. The Maasai colonized the area in substantial numbers, their traditional way of life allowing them to live in harmony with the wildlife and the environment. Approximately 100,000 Maasai live in the conservation area today tending their livestock without harming wildlife.