Tanzania: national parks and reserves. Specially Protected Natural Areas

Tanzania is an amazing country full of various beauties. Here are Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro. Impressive beauty of the water and fauna of Tanzania. Natural wealth of the country is amazing.

Tanzania: national parks

Tanzania is a completely unique country, it is rightly considered one of the most interesting places in the world in the ecological plan. Imagine that in the territory of one state there are thirteen zakazniks, twelve national parks, thirty-eight conservation areas, as well as a large number of environmentally-friendly places. Unique natural complexes have brought great glory to the country, which made it one of the best in the world for eco-tourism. What is there just no! Even the most sophisticated travelers will be amazed by the beauty of these places. Here you can go on a safari, visit ecological tours, fly in a balloon over the savannah. And some reserves even allow trophy hunting.

It is impossible even to list the number of artistic, scientific films that were shot here in the whole history. Here is such an amazing state of Tanzania. National parks of the country is the most beautiful opportunity to plunge into the world of wild nature, to see in the natural habitat of exotic animals, to admire the natural beauties known to the whole world.

Kittulo Park

Kitulo National Park is a paradise for nature lovers. This place is also called God's garden. And this name was given to the locality for a reason. In the reserve, there are three hundred and fifty species of vascular plants. Imagine that this place is one of the richest in the world in terms of vegetation.

World glory it has gained thanks to the huge flower fields, which are revealed in the rainy season. It is so beautiful and impressive spectacle that it is simply impossible to convey in words. Only one orchid there are forty-five species.

Walking in the park, in the spacious meadows, you can see antelopes, goats.

Kittulo in no case be called a safari park. This is more a place for botanists and connoisseurs of nature. Here you can just walk and admire the beauty. Certainly you need to see the river of the Great Ruach. In the national park come to see the numerous bird colonies. Here you can find a very rare African bustard, as well as a colony of endangered blue swallows and many other rare birds.

The National Park was founded in 2005. More precisely, it previously functioned, but then it suspended its activities. As this region is extremely interesting from the botanical point of view, in 2005 Kitulo again earned. It occupies 466 square kilometers. For tourists is most interesting in the period from December to April. It is at this time that the peak of flowering of plants occurs. Visitors are offered walking tours with and without a guide, bird watching, mountain climbing.

Kilimanjaro National Park

The highest mountain of Africa is Kilimanjaro, its height reaches 5895 meters. It rises majestically above the savanna. Kilimanjaro has three peaks, two of which are extinct volcanoes, the third is partially active (Shirou, Mavenzi, Kibo). During the last century, smoke from the crater was observed here.

If desired, any tourist can climb the mountain and feel at the highest peak. For such a trip, you do not need to have special climbing equipment - only warm clothes will be needed. Do not forget that the top of the mountain is always covered with snow. During the days of travel you will pass several climatic zones. And from the tropics you find yourself in the eternal cold.

For tourists, a special six-day route has been developed for climbing the mountain.

Animal world of Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro National Park is listed as a World Heritage Site. It was established in 1973. Currently, it is divided into seven zones. Only their part is for hiking. The best time to visit the park is from December to February. The main purpose of the visit, of course, is to conquer the world-famous peak. Every year more than ten thousand people come here with this mission.

The animals of Tanzania are very diverse. The Kilimanjaro Park is no less rich in fauna. Here are found lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, monkeys, lemurs, damans and many others. The world of birds is no less diversified and rich. On the territory of the reserve live eagles, sarych, lambs-bearded. A lot of here and insects, which is associated with the conditions of the tropical climate.

Katavi Park

The Katavi National Park is located in the west of the country. Next to it are the Lukwati, Rukva, Luafi and a large number of forest reserves. All these areas of untouched lands are twenty-five thousand kilometers. Katavi is the third largest park in Tanzania. He was named because of the legend of the local tribe.

To the west of Katavi is Lake Tanganyika, as well as the parks of Mahali Mountains, Gombe Stream. On the south side - Lake Nyasa and the famous national parks of Rauch and Kitulo.

The animals of Tanzania are very diverse and numerous, only in the territory of Katavi there are fifty varieties of medium and large mammals. Some zebras here are more than twenty thousand individuals. Also live giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, elephants. From predators here live leopards, lions, cheetahs, crocodiles, hyenas, wild dogs.

The most common are in the Katavi hippopotamus. At the end of the dry season, two hundred animals gather all together in reservoirs. In general, all the small water bodies in the drought period are occupied by elephants, hippopotamuses and crocodiles. In total there are three large ponds on the territory. So, two of them occupy hippopotamuses, neighboring with storks and crocodiles.

Katavi is famous for the fact that tourists have the opportunity in a small area to see a huge number of wild animals. In the dry season, this is the easiest to do, since all the animals move closer to the ponds.

Katavi is one of the most beautiful places in all of Africa, where you can make good shots of lion and crocodile hunting.

As for the plant world, the park has 226 species of trees. Here there are forests, grassy fields, marshes and seasonal lakes. During the rainy season, the termite fields are flooded with water. These lands are the most fertile throughout the park. On the shore of Lake Katavy grow white acacia.

Studying primates

Gombe Stream is the smallest of all national parks in Tanzania. It is located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. Its area is only fifty-two square kilometers.

The park became famous for the primatologist Jane Goodall, who has been studying primates for more than forty-five years. Once there was no reserve here. And Dr. Goodall organized a small station to observe in the wild chimpanzees. This project is still valid.

Gombe Stream is of small size, but nevertheless its ecosystem is quite diverse. There are hills covered with tropical thick forests, valleys, light forests, waterfalls, streams, bamboo groves. Plants of Tanzania are diverse in all regions of the country.

In addition to chimpanzees, other primates live in the park: red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, baboons, red colobus. Here you can meet antelopes, snakes, leopards and hippos.

Gombe Stream is famous for birds. In such a small territory, there are two hundred species of birds: bird of paradise, sparrow, eagle-screamer, palm neck, crowned eagle.

Tourists are primarily attracted by the large beaches of the reserve on Lake Tanganyika, excellent conditions for underwater swimmings and walking tours that allow watching wild animals.

Arusha Park

What do you think, what is Arusha National Park famous for? Tanzania in general is famous for its reserves, each of which has its own unique zest. Arusha is known for the fact that, despite its small territory, it is densely populated with giraffes.

In addition, seasoned travelers know that many parks in Tanzania are not allowed even to leave the car during excursions, so as not to become, as they say, lunch for predators. But in Arusha you can safely walk on special hiking trails and admire the animals.

In addition, there are more than four hundred species of birds here. White and black monkeys, baboons, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, antelopes, leopards live. Elephants are very rare, but there are no lions at all.

All dishes in local restaurants and cafes are prepared exclusively from goat and bananas, they are unsweetened and taste like our potatoes.

On the territory of the park is the famous Mount Meru, which is the fifth highest point in Africa. Travelers will be surprised by the local nature. Plants of Tanzania are very diverse and unique, and here in a small area of the park gathered a sufficient species wealth.

Mahali Mountains

Mahali Mountains - Tanzania National Park, located in the west of the country. It is famous first of all because its territory is inhabited by the largest population of chimpanzees. The creation of a national park in Tanzania occurred in 1979. This event was preceded by attempts to organize a hunting reserve.

The reserve is located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. It is the second in depth and width after the famous freshwater lake Baikal. Tanganyika is a freshwater lake. However, its inhabitants are very similar to the sea ones. This is due to the fact that the reservoir was formed in ancient times and never dried up, and therefore the fauna did not die, but only replenished with new varieties.

On the territory of the reserve is Mount Mahali. The plant and animal life of the park has not been fully described and studied. It is only known that eighty-two species of mammals and three hundred fifty-five birds are recorded on protected lands. It is believed that these data cover only eighty percent of the animals.

The fauna and flora of the park are represented by a combination of three zones. So, for example, in the forests live not only monkeys, but also squirrels with wild boars. In the savannah there are lions, giraffes, zebras. And in the forests settled antelope. Reptiles of the region have been little studied, there are some that are completely new to the scientific world. The fourth part of the reserve is covered with miombo forests.

The importance of reserves for Tanzania

What is known in the world of Tanzania? National parks are its main wealth. Currently there are sixteen on the territory of the country. Think about it, it's an impressive figure. There are two main tasks before the reserves. This is the protection of the territories and the attraction of many tourists.

The "National Park" project in Tanzania plays a huge role for the country. On the one hand, the protected areas were created to preserve and multiply natural resources, and on the other hand, the use of flora and fauna by tourism is beneficial and not fatal.

Currently, all parks protect the biodiversity of the zones that are important for the World Heritage. Each of them is engaged in restoration of the disturbed biological balance on its territory. The creation of a national park in Tanzania was a solution to the vast problems caused by deforestation, the destruction of animals. Before each environmental protection zone, specific tasks were set.

Tanzania, whose national parks became a symbol of the country, gave them forty-five thousand square kilometers of their territories. In total, together with all the reserves, reserves occupy a third of the whole country.

Tourism for Tanzania is an extremely important income item. A significant part of them goes to maintain the same parks. In addition, these funds allow carrying out scientific research in the field of flora and fauna, so rich in this region.

The nature of the country is so diverse that there is still a large number of corners to which the hands of scientists have not yet reached. Representatives of the animal and plant world have not been fully studied, and even a complete census has not been carried out. So there is still a lot of exciting work and new research ahead.

Reasonable Tourism Policy

The project "National Park" in Tanzania has benefited not only the animal and vegetable world, but also the country as a whole. Tourism attracts attention to environmental issues on the part of the world community, which is for the benefit of the environment.

The very presence of crowds of tourists scares off poachers, which are enough in this region. Even the fact that the reserves did not rush for rapid enrichment at the expense of the tourist business is surprising. And it pleases. Many of them very dosedly receive guests, which does not harm the environment at all.

Here is such an amazing country of Tanzania!