june-2012

ADVERTORIAL
Off the beaten track
Rare species – and rarer visitors – are the big drawcards for Tanzania’s southern parks
TEEMING WITH WILDLIFE yet light on visitors,
the pristine wilderness of Tanzania’s southern
parks offer adventurous safaris off the beaten
track. The major southern parks comprise
Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains, and
afford an exciting mix of different habitats and
wildlife. The best time to visit is during the dry
season – June to November – when the roads are
more hospitable. The dry season also fi nds the
animals concentrated around the rivers, making it
much easier to see everything.
Mikumi National Park is easily accessed
from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. The
park borders the Selous Game Reserve and is
home to abundant wildlife including buffaloes,
elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras
and more. It is also famous for 6m-long pythons
and is the ideal good stop-over point on the way
to Udzungwa and Ruaha.
Not a conventional game-viewing destination,
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is famous for
its bio-diversity and the unique plant life found in
its rainforests. Iringa red colobus and Sanje crested
mangabey are among its rare primates, while
numerous species of birds can be found. Activities
include hiking to the Sanje waterfalls or a climb to
the top of Luhombereo, Udzungwa’s highest peak.
Ruaha National Park, a scenic, fi ve-hour drive
from Mikumi, is now both Tanzania’s largest park
and its largest elephant sanctuary, and is also
home to a number of animals which are rarely
found further north. These include wild dogs,
roan and sable antelopes, and the greater kudu.
There are also lions, leopards, cheetahs and
hyenas, as well as vast numbers of hippos and
crocodiles around the Great Ruaha River.
With yet more parks to choose from – such as
Katavi and Saadani – Tanzania’s southern parks
promise unforgettable sights and experiences.
For further information contact:
The Director General, Tanzania National Parks
PO Box 3134, Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 27 250 3471, fax: +255 27 250 8216
E-mail: info@tanzaniaparks.com
www.tanzaniaparks.com