Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is a fun and easy park to explore. Wildlife is abundant and exposed due to the park’s more compact and open terrain making it easier to see wildlife both up close and from a distance. The park is only a short 2 hours’ drive from Arusha and in close proximity to Lake Manyara. Tarangire is known for its large herds of elephants, which can be viewed at close range. Other animals likely to be seen throughout Tarangire are; wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, gazelle, warthog, impala, python, lion, leopard and over 50 species of birds.
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of the smaller national parks in the northern circuit and located at the foot of Mount Meru in Arusha. This beautiful park is mostly known for the rare black and white Colobus monkey that is often seen here The park consists of mountain areas combined with rainforests and lakes. It is a paradise for bird watchers. Examples are the Greater flamingo and the Silvery cheeked hornbill. A walking safari is definitely worth your while.
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park, an underestimated gem of the safari parks, offers a large ecological variety in a small area. More than 400 bird species have been identified and one of the highlights are the thousands of strolling flamingos. From the entrance of the park, the road winds through a groundwater forest area where baboon troops can be seen hanging about on the roadside and in the trees. On the grassy banks of the lake, the wildebeest, giraffe, zebra and the large buffalo can be seen grazing the day away. If you’re lucky you might spot a lion lazing on a tree branch.
Serengeti National Park
With vast open plains and an abundance of wildlife as far as the eye can see, the Serengeti is a safari maker’s dreamland. Serengeti National Park spans across 14,763 square kilometres and is easily the largest and arguably most popular of the northern circuit National Parks. The Serengeti is host to the annual Wildebeest migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Buffalo, elephant, giraffe, lion, hippo and hyena are also frequently sighted throughout the Serengeti.
Ikoma wildlife Management Area
Ikoma Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located between the Serengeti National Park and the Grumeti and Ikorongo Game Reserves. This area supports a variety of wildlife across 242 square kilometres of pristine wilderness including herds of elephant, waterbuck, Black and White colobus monkeys, shy leopard and both the Greater and the Lesser Kudu. Spectacular night game drives are offered in this well-kept secret area.
Lake Natron
Shimmering amid the sun-scorched Kenyan border northeast of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, this 58 km-long but just 50cm-deep alkaline lake should be on every adventurer’s itinerary. The roads pass through untraveled Maasai land, with small bomas and big mountains often in view in a wild, cauterised landscape. From June to November at the lake itself, around two million flamingos gather – it’s one of East Africa’s most stirring wildlife spectacles. And close to the southern end of the lake, the views of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano are splendid.
Ngorongoro Crater
Nothing can prepare you for the breathtaking beauty of the Ngorongoro Crater. As you stand at the viewpoint looking out over the crater, clouds hovering around the tip of the rim with the cool mountainous breeze in the air, there is no mistaking the divinity of mother nature. The Ngorongoro Crater is a world heritage site, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and is commonly referred to as the 8th wonder of the world. Due to its natural borders, there is an abundance of wildlife throughout the conservation area which is home to the Big Five including the African Black Rhino as well as hyena, zebra and elephants to name a few.
