Mzanzitravel Magazine - Issue 9

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Explore Africa Stone Town, Zanzibar - Koverninska Olga / shutterstock.com the Portuguese and reached its climax with the Arab Omani sultanate before Britain outlawed the trade in 1873. The site of the old slave market can be visited where the Anglican Cathedral now stands, and there is a monument to the slaves that were once so cruelly dispatched around the world from here. For a shopping and browsing experience second to none, visit the Darajani Market located near the slave market. Looking, feeling, sounding and smelling every bit the bustling Arab bazaar that it is, you will find everything from spices, to pots and pans, clothing, meat, and many other items here. Billed as the world’s oldest still existing Swahili city, many of the historical landmarks in Stone Town have been fully restored, with some now serving as museums which are open to the public. Other places of interest are the Old Dispensary with its carved wooden balconies, the former home of the sultans known as Beit el-Sahel or the People’s Palace, the Hamamni Persian Baths built in 1888, and the oldest structure in Stone Town, the Old Fort. Zanzibar can be reached by air, landing at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, and by ferry from Dar es Salaam. Within the Zanzibar archipelago, Pemba Island is the northernmost island. Some of the best diving waters anywhere along the African coast are to be found here, with excellent crystal-clear visibility revealing the fascinating underwater life. Less populous or visited by tourists, the atmosphere here is more laid back than on Zanzibar. A leftover from the days of the Portuguese is the traditional bullfighting that can still be watched here. Mafia Island too is a popular choice with snorkelers and scuba divers from around the world. The best months for diving are October to March but the best weather is from May to October. There are some truly magnificent coral reefs and a huge variety of fish to seen here in what is a protected marine reserve. In addition Mafia is also a popular base for deep-sea fishing that includes tuna, marlin, sailfish and other big-game fish. The national parks It is hardly possible to single out any of the many national parks in Tanzania. Each is unique and has so much to offer, from day drives to tented safaris and luxury lodges, with more and a greater variety of wildlife than most other African countries. Larger wildlife here include the Big Five (lions, leopards, black and white rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo) cheetahs, wildebeest, giraffes, zebra, hippos and a large variety of antelopes. Tanzania’s most wellknown wildlife attractions are located in the northern part of the country. However, as mentioned, other parts of the country, particularly the south, also have magnificent national parks and game reserves. The Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s largest, best-known and most-visited park. It consists mainly of a vast plain dotted with sparsely spread trees, with well over a million animals searching for fresh grazing fields. The best months for wildlife viewing are between December and June. The best time for viewing the annual mass animal migration, depends entirely on the rainfall. Throughout the year the wildebeest and other animals follow a set pattern. After the November rains, in late November and December, the wildebeest herds start arriving on the plains of the Serengeti, where they stay through January, February and March, with most wildebeest calves born around February. They then start to gradually spread west across the plains. At around April they start their great trek north, and by May all of the wildebeest seem to be moving north as they seek fresh grazing and water. Around June the wildebeest migration is often temporarily halted on the south side of the Grumeti River. The animals congregate here and build up into a dense mass of animals before crossing the river en masse. The migration now continues northwards during July and August, often spreading out across a broad front into September, where the Mara Mara River, flowing from Kenya’s adjacent Maasai Mara Game Reserve, again brings them to a stop. Before long the large herds start plunging through the river into Kenya in what is the most spectacular part of the migration. By October they are headed south again, where after the entire migration starts over again. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara, is home to the famous volcanic Ngorongoro Crater and another one of Tanzania’s more popular wildlife viewing areas. A permanent supply of water in the crater draws many kinds of animals that stay in the area rather than migrating. It is primarily large game and the many bird species that draw visitors here. Another nearby attraction is the Olduvai Gorge, an important 58 |ISSUE 9|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL
Explore Africa Dar es Salaam skyline - franco lucato / shutterstock.com archaeological site where ancient human fossils were discovered that have revealed much about early mankind. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact ancient caldera in the world and is nearly three million years old. In contrast to the Serengeti, Lake Manyara National Park is covered with forests, woodlands, grasslands, and swamps, with more than 60% of the park being covered by water. Lake Manyara is home to thousands of flamingos at certain times of year, while plenty of other diverse bird life is also found here. The park is also well-known for its large population of elephants, the largest concentration of baboons in the world, tree-climbing lions and hippos, all of whi9ch can be viewed at a much closer range than in other parks. Tarangire National Park has one of the highest concentrations of migratory wildlife during the dry season. Another feature of the park is the baobab trees found here. With more than 300 species, the park is also renowned for bird watching. The Selous Game Reserve is the largest game reserve in Africa, coveringt 5% of Tanzania’s total area. However, visitors are confined to the area north of the Rufiji River. Although smaller than most of the other parks, Arusha National Park has an intriguing range of habitats that consist of the forest of Mount Meru, Ngurdoto Crater in the southeast section of the park, and the seven Momela Lakes. Mount Meru is one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Africa and the second highest mountain in Tanzania. World heritage sites Tanzania is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage sites with 6 of them on the mainland and 1 in Zanzibar. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain which is located in its own national park, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Now a dormant volcano, the mountain rises to 5,895 metres above sea level. It is located in the north of the country on the border with Kenya and is accessible via Kilimanjaro International Airport. It is favourite for hikers, climbers and mountain trekking. Useful Information Languages: English, Swahili and other indigenous languages. Capital: Dodoma Largest City: Dar es Salaam Regions: Tanzania is divided into 31 regions and 169 districts. Climate: Varies greatly. Highlands temperatures range between 10 and 20 °C (50 and 68 °F) during cold and hot seasons respectively; rest of the country has temperatures rarely falling lower than 20 °C (68 °F). Hottest period between November and February (25–31 °C or 77.0–87.8 °F) and coldest period is between May and August (15–20 °C or 59–68 °F). The climate is cool in high mountainous regions. Time Zone: EAT (UTC+3). Currency: Tanzania shilling. Airports: Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam, with international airports on Zanzibar and at Mount Kilimanjaro; many regional airports; and landing strips / airfield around the country and in and around many parks and reserves. Airlines Flying To: KLM, South African Airways, Emirates, Swiss, Turkish, Qatar, Kenya, Oman, The other heritage sites include Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Ruins of Kilwa and Songo Mnara Kondoa Rock Art Site, Selous Game Reserve and Stone Town on Zanzibar. Ethiopian, RwandAir, EgyptAir and numerous others. Entry Requirements: Most visitors to Tanzania must obtain a visa from one of the Tanzanian diplomatic missions. However, a majority of nations can obtain a visitor visa at any port of entry land or air. Most SADC citizens or East African Community citizens do not need a visa for tourism purposes. 3 month tourist visas are available for $US 50 at all ports of entry (except US citizens must buy $US 100 1 year multiple entry visas). Useful Contacts Tanzania Tourist Board: Tel +255 22 2664878/9; Email md@tanzaniatourism.go.tz; Email info@tanzaniatourism.go.tz; Web www.tanzaniatouristboard.go.tz. Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism: Tel +255 22 2861870 /1/2/3/. Tanzania National Parks: Tel +255 (0) 272 970 404 or +255 (0) 272 970 405 or +255 (0) 272 970 406 or +255 (0) 272 970 407; Email: info@tanzaniaparks.go.tz. MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 9 | 59
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Mzanzitravel Apr 2018 Apr 2018 - Is
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C O NTENTS 28 20 38 09 EDITOR’S N
Page 11 and 12: Autumn/Winter 2018 The year is cert
Page 13 and 14: Hop On - Hop Off South Africa The B
Page 15 and 16: Experience the best entertainment d
Page 17 and 18: Cathay Pacific flies non-stop to Ca
Page 19 and 20: News & Information Africa’s large
Page 21 and 22: Extraordinary presents a distinctiv
Page 23 and 24: Hiking South Africa is blessed with
Page 25 and 26: Diepwalle overnight hut, Outeniqua
Page 27 and 28: Hiking beauty of the Cape Peninsula
Page 29: Telephone: +27 (0) 82 318 1894 West
Page 32 and 33: Discover Karoo Highlands Route …
Page 34: Hiking Smut’s beloved house at Do
Page 37 and 38: Discover Discover South Africa The
Page 39 and 40: Discover Discover South Africa Vint
Page 41 and 42: Limpopo is South Africa’s norther
Page 43 and 44: BIG CAT EXPERIENCE LIMPOPO Email: i
Page 45 and 46: Discover Mzanzi In the south-wester
Page 48 and 49: Responsible Tourism Minimum disrupt
Page 50 and 51: Animal rehabilitation programmes be
Page 52 and 53: Responsible Tourism creation throug
Page 54 and 55: The Albany Hotel, we ensure our gue
Page 56 and 57: By Stef Terblanche Watch mesmerized
Page 58 and 59: Explore Africa Masai warrior on the
Page 63 and 64: ACCOMMODATION - TARIFFS PER PERSON
Page 65 and 66: FOOD & WINE
Page 67 and 68: FOOD & WINE Cellar on Vergelegen Wi
Page 69 and 70: FOOD & WINE MAKING TRAVELLING ACCES
Page 71 and 72: Local Travel South Africa’s iconi
Page 73 and 74: Have a South African Travel Experie
Page 76 and 77: Old ruin in Baviaanskloof Wildernes
Page 78 and 79: FOOD & WINE This is ostrich country
Page 80 and 81: Staff Writer Francois Loubser / shu
Page 82 and 83: Country Travel In the Western Cape
Page 84 and 85: Country Travel with a country-style
Page 86 and 87: Discover Africa By Stef Terblanche
Page 88 and 89: Discover Africa FLAMINGOS, LICHEN F
Page 90 and 91: Discover Africa are a strange black
Page 93 and 94: Getaways great winter breaks Winter
Page 95 and 96: Luxury Accommodation • Five Star
Page 97: yourself to a variety of massage an
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