THE
GREAT MIGRATION
The Migration traditionally follows the rains to take advantage of
the new grasses on the plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Theoretically,
if traditional weather patterns occur annually, the following provides
a basic idea of how the Migration moves throughout the year:
Late December/early January – Ndutu region, Tanzania
Traditionally, this is when the calves are born. The Migration remains
passive until April when the calves are strong enough to start moving
north.
Early April/May/June – Serengeti, Tanzania
The Migration begins moving north-west following the long rains
across the Serengeti plains towards the western corridor and the
Grumeti River.
June/July – Western corridor, Tanzania
The animals gather in the western corridor,
August/September – Masai Mara, Kenya
The Migration crosses the Grumeti River and moves north-east into
the northern steppes of the Masai Mara.
October/November/Early December – Masai Mara, Kenya/Northern
Tanzania/ Serengeti
As the short rains begin in northern Tanzania, the Migration begins
to move south back into the Klein’s/Lobo region of the Serengeti.
From here, they follow the rains through to Seronera and end up
at Ndutu for the calving season. As the Migration follows the rains,
there is no hard and fast rule as to where the animals will be,
and when.
Often the animals split into two groups as they move, resulting
in one group moving on the western side and another group moving
on the eastern side of the Serengeti, finally meeting up at Ndutu
or in the Mara. Viewing of the Migration can therefore not be guaranteed.
Tanzania's national parks extend over some 33 660km²(13 000 sq.
miles). In addition there is the unique Ngorongoro Conservation Area,
in which wildlife is protected and where the Maasai tribespeople also
live and herd their cattle.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
This is a plain dwellers' stronghold of 14 763km², reaching
up to the Kenyan border and claimed to be the finest in Africa.
Here are 35 species of plain dwelling animals, including wildebeest
and zebra, which feature in the spectacular Serengeti migration. There
is also an extensive selection of birdlife. This is one of the best
places in Africa to see lion and cheetah close up. The vast, open
grasslands of the Serengeti are without doubt one of Africa’s
finest wildlife areas. Being there at the height of the migration
is a never to be forgotten experience.
NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
This is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Some scientists
maintain that before it collapsed, it would have stood higher than
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa.
Covering a mere 260km², the 600m deep crater is home to a
permanent population of more than 30 000 animals, and is one of
the only places in Africa where you stand a very good chance of
seeing the “big five” (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and
elephant) in the course of a morning or evening’s game drive.
Nights on the crater rim (2 400m), where the lodges are, can get icy
cold. Unique to the crater is that the local Maasai graze their cattle
on the floor, and it is not unusual to see Maasai cattle and buffalo
grazing together, with a lion kill just a few hundred metres away.
There are around 100 lions in the crater and about 20 black rhino.
The spectacular Lerai Forest is one of the best places in Africa to
spot leopard.
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
This is one of the most diverse of Tanzania’s national parks,
a tiny (325km²) combination of Rift Valley Lake, dense woodlands
and steep mountainside.
Manyara was established specifically to protect the elephant herds
that have made the area world-renowned. But heavy poaching in the
1970s and 1980s decimated the herds, although they are now recovering
and returning to their former strengths. Manyara is a birding paradise
(more than 380 species), especially for waterfowl and migrants. The
forests are one of the best places to see leopards. Lions hunt on
the grassy shores of the lake, and are known for their habit of climbing
trees. Best game viewing months are December to February and May to
July, tapering off in August and September.
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK Arusha National Park park lies within the Ngurdoto Crater, a volcano that has probably
been extinct for a quarter of a million years. Covering 137km²,
the terrain ranges from open savannah through acacia scrublands
to afro-montane cloud and rain forest, and afro-alpine vegetation
similar to Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are several alkaline lakes, and the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater
is not to be missed. Mammal species include elephant, buffalo, various
primates, giraffe and leopard. Hiking is allowed if accompanied by
an armed guard, and the climb up Mount Meru is superb, often giving
the best views available of Mount Kilimanjaro.
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
This 1300km² park offers a chance to see lion, zebra, hippo,
leopard, cheetah, giraffe, impala, wildebeest and warthog. A popular
spot for visitors is the Kikaboga Hippo Pool. Although December to
March is the ideal time for viewing at Mikumi, there are animals throughout
the year.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
At 12 950km², Ruaha is only marginally smaller than the Serengeti,
and is pristine and untouched Africa, unsullied by minibus tourism
and large lodges with electric lights, discotheques and glitzy curio
shops.
It is bordered in the north by the Kizigio and Rungwa River Game
Reserves, and together, they form a 26 500km² conservancy,
one of the biggest in East Africa. By road, it is a five hour journey
from Iringa, but there is also an airstrip at Msembe for fly-in
safaris. The best months to visit are from July to November when
the animals congregate around the water holes, but the park is stunning
all year round.
Ruaha is visually a treat, with rocky outcrops and mountain ranges
giving it a topography that ranges from 750m to 1 900m on the peak
of Ikungu Mountain. The focal point of the reserve is the Great Ruaha
river, with its deep gorges, swirling rapids and excellent fishing.
With over 10 000 elephant, 30 000 buffalo, 20 000 zebra and huge populations
of lion and leopard (not to mention more than 400 bird species), Ruaha
is a naturalist’s paradise (but watch out for tsetse flies).
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
At 2 600km², Tarangire is far from being the biggest of the
Tanzanian parks, but its unrivalled landscape of open plains, dotted
with thousands of baobabs, is unforgettable.
About 120km south of Arusha on the Dodoma road, Tarangire rivals
the Serengeti for the size of the game herds that congregate here
at peak season (June to November). This is when many of the animals
crowd around the only source of permanent water in the park, the
Tarangire River.
This is also the best place in Tanzania to see really big herds of
elephant – up to 300 at a time. Tarangire is another park known
for its tree-climbing lions, and for its very big herds of buffalo.
This is one of Africa’s little known gems and should be on the
itinerary of all lovers of wilderness and solitude. The game numbers
are staggering: 30 000 zebra, 25 000 wildebeest, 5 000 buffalo, 3
000 elephant, 2 500 Masai giraffe and over 1 000 fringe-eared oryx
(gemsbok). Predators include lion, cheetah and leopard. Birders will
want to look out for the endemic ashy starling, rufous-tailed weaver
and black-collared lovebird.
GOMBE NATIONAL PARK
This park is on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and chimpanzees are
more easily seen here in their natural habitat than anywhere else
in the world. Gombe was created to protect the chimpanzees and is
set in the beautiful Mahale Mountains. It is renowned for fantastic
sunsets over Lake Tanganyika and eastern Zaïre, which makes it
an essential stop for the keen photographer. The habitats include
rain forests, grasslands, alpine bamboo and woodland. The best time
to visit is between May and October.
KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK
This park comprises the 756km² area above the 2 700m contour
of the highest mountain in Africa – Mount Kilimanjaro.
At 5 895m, it is also one of the world’s highest freestanding
mountains. It was formed 750 000 years ago and is made up of three
extinct volcanoes – Kibo (5 895m), Mawenzi (5 149m) and the Shira
Plateau (3 962m). The most popular route for climbing the mountain
is the Marangu Route. The best time for climbing is in the dry seasons,
August to October and January to March. Mount Kilimanjaro is divided
into five distinct zones, starting with cultivated farmlands on the
lowest levels. Higher up is the rainforest zone, followed by heath
and moorland with alpine vegetation. Just before the barren, snowy
summit is highland desert. The climate and animal life is dependent
on the zone, with elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard, monkey and a
variety of birdlife plentiful in the lower zones.
SELOUS GAME RESERVE
This is the ultimate African wilderness experience, a vast region
of largely unexplored bush, teeming with wildlife, and with almost
no roads into the hidden interior.
Selous is a bird-watchers paradise with over 350 species of bird.
Walking is permitted (with an armed ranger). More than 2 000 plant
species make this a most diverse sanctuary to explore. Bisected
by the mysterious Rufiji River, the Selous is one of the most remote
and least visited parks in Africa.
At 55 000km², it is the second biggest conservation area in
Africa, and the largest game reserve on the continent. Selous is
also a proclaimed world heritage site. The Selous is a grand African
experience. Once home to the biggest concentration of elephant on
the continent (over 110 000) the “Ivory Wars” of the late
1970s and early 1980s had a devastating effect on the herds, reducing
numbers to an estimated 30 000 to 50 000 today. The defining feature
of the Selous is the great Rufiji river, which naturally splits
the ecosystem into two distinct parts.
Stiegler’s Gorge, 100m deep and 100m wide, is a magnificent natural
feature with a rickety and gut-wrenching cable car that ferries safari
vehicles across the river – not for the faint-hearted. While
the bulk of the reserve is miombo (brachystegia) woodland, there are
sections of magnificent grass plains, wetlands and swamps and areas
of dense canopy forest. Perhaps the most sublime way of exploring
the reserve is by boat, meandering through channels and swamps, and
exploring hidden lagoons where elephant often come to bathe. Angling
in the river for tiger fish and the giant catfish (vundu) which can
reach up to 50kg, can be an exciting way to pass an evening, keeping
a wary eye open for crocodiles, hippo and lion.
African Safari Destinations
