Mzanzitravel Magazine - Issue 9

Explore Africa
Located in the centre of Africa’s east coast north of Mozambique and south of Kenya,
between the warm Indian Ocean and Africa’s Great Lakes region, lies Tanzania... a
country focused on the combination of nature, culture and tourism. Some 38% of its
land surface has been set aside as protected areas for conservation. Besides being
home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, there are no fewer than 16
national parks, 29 game reserves and 40 controlled conservation areas including
marine reserves.
From among its 51-million people, the country’s cultural variety brings together an
ancient Arab heritage from the Arab trading ports along its island-dotted coast, and
some 125 ethnic groups and tribes, including the famous Masai warrior tribe, the
Hadzabe hunter-gatherers, the Chagga tribe of Kilimanjaro, and the ‘people of the
north’, the Sukuma.
With such an eclectic mix, it is no wonder Tanzania offers visitors such a feast of
cultural experiences, exquisite cuisines, co-existing religions, and many languages.
With more than 100 languages being spoken in Tanzania, it is the most linguistically
diverse country in East Africa. Among its indigenous languages are all four of
Africa’s language families, namely Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic, and Khoisan. Swahili
and English are most commonly used for tourism, administrative, business, legal,
and educational purposes.
older little shops, restaurants, glitzy hotels, pubs and clubs, parks, beaches and
everything else the visitor’s heart might desire.
The Regions
It is hard to single out any specific region, place, attraction or experience as a
‘must do’ when visiting Tanzania – they all compete to be at the top of any itinerary.
Tanzania is divided into four tourist destinations. Most tourists will be more familiar
with the two main tourism regions, the Northern Regions and Eastern Regions. But
the two Cinderella regions, Southern and Western, do not stand back an inch for the
other two, and offer as many unparalleled and unforgettable experiences. They also
offer one the chance of exploring a little off the beaten track, free from the tourist
crowds of the other two, and are much more unspoilt.
Within the area known as the Northern Regions, the main centres are Arusha,
Moshi and Boma Ng’ombe. The area includes well-known tourist attractions such
as Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Materuni and Kuringe
Waterfalls, Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro itself, Mount Meru,
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli, Serengeti
National Park and Tarangire National Park. It is also the country’s most popular
region for safaris, with literarily hundreds of safari and tour operators active here.
The de facto capital and largest city, Dar es Salaam is a pulsating metropolis
with a busy river-mouth harbour. The city abounds with markets, shopping malls,
This is the region where one can watch the annual migration of 1.4-million
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 9 | 55