TANZANIA - AFRICA PUR SANG

Tanzania is a country formed of former countries Tanganyika and Zanzibar - the latter being an island. And if you want a bit of taste of what Eastern Africa has got to offer, Tanzania is probably your best bet. Nature is among the best you can find but also from a cultural perspective Tanzania has lots to offer - with the Masaai and the Moorish culture of Zanzibar as the most famous.

Although Tanzania has been a safari destination for some time now, don‘t think that it is easy to travel around. Sure, tourist destinations like Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP and Zanzibar are, but Tanzania still has many remote areas that might be even more interesting.

As for the most popular areas in Tanzania, Zanzibar is still very much worth a visit. We have been going there for several times now (actually, we have planned our next visit in June 2008) and it is a nice mix of culture (esp. Stone town) and beaches. The most famous beaches are in the north (Nungwi and Kendwa), the East (Pongwe and Jambalani) and the south (Kizimkazi). If you go to Tanzania, always go to Zanzibar!

On the main land most visitors go to the northern part of Tanzania. They either climb Mount Kilimanjaro (the highest stand-alone mountain in the world) or they visit one or more of the national parks - or do both. For Mt Kilimanjaro, if you still want to see snow you better be quick; the global warming effect is certainly noticeable on top of this mountain where the snow most probably won‘t be visible anymore 5 to 10 years from now. The national park circuit in the north usually encompasses Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Lake Manyara NP and Tarangire NP. Lots of visitors there - but still beautiful places.

However, for the more adventurous Tanzania has still lots to offer too. In the south Ruaha NP, Mikumi NP and the vast wilderness of Selous Game Reserve are brilliant. Selous with her 60,000+ km2 surface is even one of the biggest wildlife areas in Africa! And then in the west: Katavi NP, very remote and very wild and further on: the forests of Mahale Mountains NP and Gombe Stream NP, very good places to see chimps in the wild. On the shores of Lake Tanganyika hidden beaches await.

We‘ve been to Tanzania in 1995 and 2003 and still would like to go back again and again. To do Ngorongoro and Serengeti in our own Landrover was truly amazing. The remote west (Bakoba to Kigoma to Tunduma) was very exciting and adventurous. But Ruaha NP and Selous Game Reserve are still on our wish-list. And I keep on looking at the top of Kilimanjaro whenever we fly over again...

Yes, Tanzania is Africa pur sang. A country with the most famous mountain on the continent (Kilimanjaro), the biggest migration (2 million wildebeest) on earth and a country with the real garden of Eden (Ngorongoro). A country really worth exploring.