The United Republic of Tanzania is an autonomous state in the Eastern region of Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the western side,  Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on the southern border and then the Indian Ocean along the country’s eastern border. Tanzania is a member of the East African Community (EAC), together with Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. You probably have always wondered what language is the word “safari”! This is a word that comes from the East African Swahili language and it simply means “voyage”, “travel” or “journey”. This word however has got an Arab origin as is most of the other Kiswahili words.

  From the earlier times around the 14th and 15th centuries when the Arab traders, ivory hunters and slave traders would travel extensively in the eastern and central parts of Africa, an expedition could sometimes be up to around 4200 people strong. In those days such an expedition was referred to as a “Safariya” and this was a major undertaking. The African safari is a journey into the mystifying, wild but romantic jungles of Africa. At the present time these words spike the mind’s eye, correlating with images of enormous herds of wildebeest (gnu), buffalo, the huge elephants and the beautiful zebra, herds of running Giraffes all booming across the vast green sweeping savannas, being hunted by the King Lion, fierce Leopard and the mighty hyena. It is pure magical in the increasingly present and glorious African brightness of the sun capturing the wonderful and thrilling imagination.  Commencing the day you set under the wonderful African skies you will begin feeling the experience deep in the wilderness of our great and beautiful wild continent, you will absolutely fall in love with Africa aver and evermore. You will understand our passion for nature and the great life in the jungles. Some of the natural beauties in the heart of Africa are the verdant waterways of the great Okavango Delta in Botswana, which is also home to the mighty elephant herds of the Chobe and Linyanti; the blazing Namib Desert as well as the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. You will surely not miss the wonderful African bushveld of the Kruger National Park and then of course its game reserve neighbours of Mala Mala, Sabie Sabie and Timbavati in South Africa and many others! These are the playgrounds of the great herds and predators of Africa, true African Safari country. Have you heard of the booming roar of the Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi River? These great falls, just bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe are one of the features that you will surely not afford to miss. In East Africa, you will definitely want to feel the open savannah grasslands of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara in Tanzania and Kenya. Go for that safari on your hpneymoon.

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The African safari is a journey into the mystifying, wild but romantic jungles of Africa. At the present time these words spike the mind’s eye, correlating with images of enormous herds of wildebeest (gnu), buffalo, the huge elephants and the beautiful zebra, herds of running Giraffes all booming across the vast green sweeping savannas, being hunted by the King Lion, fierce Leopard and the mighty hyena. It is pure magical in the increasingly present and glorious African brightness of the sun capturing the wonderful and thrilling imagination.

Commencing the day you set under the wonderful African skies you will begin feeling the experience deep in the wilderness of our great and beautiful wild continent, you will absolutely fall in love with Africa aver and evermore. You will understand our passion for nature and the great life in the jungles.
Some of the natural beauties in the heart of Africa are the verdant waterways of the great Okavango Delta in Botswana, which is also home to the mighty elephant herds of the Chobe and Linyanti; the blazing Namib desert as well as the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. You will surely not miss the wonderful African bushveld of the Kruger National Park and then of course its game reserve neighbours of Mala Mala, Sabie Sabie and Timbavati in South Africa…. and many others!
These are the playgrounds of the great herds and predators of Africa, true African Safari country.
Have you heard of the booming roar of the Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi River? These great falls, just bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe are one of the features that you will surely not afford to miss.
In East Africa, you will definitely want to feel the open savannah grasslands of the Serengeti and the Masai mara in Tanzania and Kenya respectively. Go for that safari now!

Typically, a safari expedition begins in the early hours with a morning wakeup call and then you begin to prepare for your first game drive of that day. A nice cup of hot African coffee accompanied by a light breakfast of some bit of toast will help chase away that lousy bit of drowsiness will make you feel great and much ready for the day.
You then set out for the best times for the game viewing which are normally early mornings  just from before  the daybreak onwards and then from the late afternoon up to sunset. The late afternoon drive is most times extensive, turning it into a rather night drive.
The safari begins when you get into the safari vehicle, habitually in a group of around 7 people, there is a lot of excitement and everyone is full of expectation. As you get into the jungle, the bushveld then becomes quiet, with a kind of stillness hanging within the air just before dawn. At this time nocturnal life is settling down, and the noise level subsiding, while daytime life is beginning to awaken with some early birds calling out with beautiful chants to welcome the lightening up of the blue skies.
At this time, you set off with a professional game ranger just at the back the steering wheel and a very well experienced tracker on his special seat up front way above the bull bar. Just between the two of these two men, they will make sure that your wildlife encounter is an exciting one, very safe and informative. Get onto that great Tanzania Safari today.

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Accommodation:
(a). Seronera Wildlife Lodge:
Seronera wildlife lodge is situated at the heart of the Serengeti plains to capture the migration of wildebeests.
It is on the edge of Seronera river, which is a very good beginning point for safaris setting out to see lions, cheetah as well as other animals. This lodge, which is built on “Kopjes”, provides 75 self-contained guest rooms and has also got a restaurant as well as a very nice bar over looking the savannah.

(b). Lobo Wildlife Lodge:
Built entirely of wood and glass a mid the rough and ragged contours of an enormous rocky headland to the north of Serengeti, Lobo Wildlife Lodge, which blends very well with its surroundings is one of the finest buildings of its type. It provides 75 rooms with private bathroom and it has got a restaurant as well. The lodge has got an ideal location which favours the witnessing of woodland ecosystem, and it is important to note still, that the airstrip is 10 minutes drive from Lobo Wildlife Lodge.

(c). Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge:
This lodge is located on a hill with breath taking vistas of sweeping grasslands as well as wilderness landscape of the Serengeti plains, which is not easy to be spoiled. With a simple but stunning design, Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is inspired by a traditional African Village, separate rondavel “huts” house of the vast Serengeti plains with all the 66 guest rooms having private balconies.

(d). Serengeti Sopa Lodge:
Situated on the slopes of the Nyarboro Hills in the southwest of the Serengeti National Park, Serengeti Sopa Lodge provides magnificent views over the 14,763 sq. Km (5,200 sq. miles) expanse of the National Park, Tanzania’s largest wildlife conservation area and it is believed to be the only tourism development in the southwest of the park. Located 35 km from the Seronera airstrip, the lodge is said to provide the same comfort as Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge and it has got 75 rooms as well as a swimming pool.

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Serengeti Balloon Safari; Tanzania.
There is a certain feeling that people get when the excitement of a Serengeti hot air ballon safari crosses their emotion of self-control and independence. Normally, when you close your eyes, you feel your body lift up, with you having no control over it, and inside you a certain part is felt saying to yourself, I am crazy for taking this Serengeti ballon safari.

The feeling is unusual and so hard to describe, crispness of the African air, chill in the wind that hits your face as your Mara hot air balloon increases, smoothness in your process of breathing out, and the excitement to view and learn more. When reading this, one’s physical presence can be felt on the plains of the Serengeti.

Usually, when you are at your safari lodge in central Serengeti, you get a wake up call during the early hours of the morning, and this is when your trip begins as thoughts about our wildlife spoting from an elevated position begins to run around your mind. There, you get prepared for a “mission” by the Tanzanian traditional hot tea and coffee that quickly awaken you.

You a rive at the hot air balloon site in the Serengeti at around 6:00am, and as you get to the site, the ballon appears bigger than you thought it would be, this makes the experience a new one that you have never visited, and indeed you are about to have a trip forever.

The hot air balloon safari begins at 6:15am and the Captain tells you to relax and continue watching the wonders under the African sky. As you finally begin to spot on the elevation, there is an automatic smile that appears on one’s face and it is obviously not necessary to explain why one gets such a smile on the face.

You then begin spoting wildbeest moving in big numbers across the Serengeti plains, the beauty of the landscape when the rising sun’s bright orange colours are shown, the gazelles plus zebras moving quickly with short light steps as though they have never seen an alien object in the sky before, as well as the elephants at the water pool.

People are normally happy and satisfied with ballon safari by 7:15am and this is almost touch down time. There is a celebration, and those who like a toast, champagne is served, meanwhile in the bush, hot breakfast continues to be prepared. There after, you will wonder whether what you have been experiencing is a reality, as the sweetness ands aroma of the African coffee and tea gets a round you and you are served fresh eggs as well just as you like it, you hope for another ride, and wish for the continuation of such luxury. No wonder therefore, by the time you finish your Serengeti bush breakfast, you may end up deciding to immigrate to Tanzania for it is the only place where such life is found.

You are then declared a champion by 9:00 am, and a mighty Certificate of completion, which you hope to show in your home country, to family, co-workers as well as friends, is handed to you. You there and then become proud to achieve a trip as wonderful as this because the clapping and participation by everyone present makes you feel so. By then, you hear a blaring sound of music or even an annoying buzz, you turn around and switch off the alarm clock. Your eyes wide open, you realize that you have to re-visit Tanzania, to Serengeti is only you don’t want to get mad by the recurring dreams that keep on coming to your mind.

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Western Serengeti corridor:

Grumeti River crossing.
By the time the month of June comes, the movement of the wildebeests, zebras and antelopes should be in the western corridor or should be in coming in the days a head. The western Serengeti corridor is named like that due to the Serengeti National park “historical thumbs up” shaped boundary, and how the moving wildlife seems to squeeze through and turn around later heading northwards. The park limits go as far as Lake Victoria, the park can be reached from northwestern Tanzania region from Mwanza town. If one has not noticed it by now, there is variation in the vegetation: from plains grass to mixture of acacia woodland and savannah plains grass. The additional wildlife sighting opportunities also brings a different attitude as you have the opportunity to sight crocodiles, more hippos, and leopards staying around on the acacia trees next to riverbeds of the Grumeti, which flows into Lake Victoria.

Two interesting scientific questions have yet to be answered about
Western Serengeti corridor.
One, wildebeests moving from the south stop and mix with “resident wildbeest of the western corridor, and do not join the current movement. Question is why?

Two, if the movement’s main target and aim is looking for water and greener grass, then at the depth of the migration in the western corridor, why do wildebeest not continue on wards to Lake Victoria, which has enough fresh water, but instead perform a complete turn around and continue their journey northwards traversing plains and rivers and facing gruesome challenges posed by predators?

Tanzania Guide

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Serengeti Tour and Holiday Information

When to visit.
The climate of Serengeti is warm and dry. The tropical rainy season is from March to May, with short rains from October to November. The Serengeti is luxuriant, succulent and green after the rains, but a steady drying up follows, which inhibits plant growth and encourages the animals to move looking for waters.

With heights ranging from 920 to 1,830 metres, mean temperatures range from 15 to 26 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperatures are experienced from June to October.

Activities.
There is bird watching.
Exciting walking safaris.
Unforgettable balloon in the Serengeti.

Facts on Serengeti National park and Ecosystem.

Location and Geography.
The Serengeti National park is found in Tanzania, near Ngorongoro Conservation area.
The Serengeti ecosystem involves 2 countries, that is; Tanzania and Kenya.
In Kenya, the Serengeti ecosystem is famous as Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Serengeti National park covers an area of 14,763 square kilometres.
First detailed research on the Serengeti ecosystem was carried out by two German nationals, that is, Dr. Bernhard together with his son Michael Griemek.
The details of their discoveries and stories about the Serengeti are recorded in a book known as “Serengeti Shall Not Die”.
The Serengeti National park has several rivers flowing through it, permanent and seasonal. Among them are; the Seronera River, Mara River, Grumeti River and Orangi River.

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Central Serengeti: Seronera Safari Tour Tanzania

Seronera, which is the centre of the Serengeti, is at the heart of almost all safari program accommodations. This is where several guests first arrive through by air at the Seronera airstip or drive by road through rout B144.

From a wildlife point of view, our specialist safari guides also refer to Seronera as the no miss zone. Reasons being:

First, because Seronera is all plains-hundreds of acres of flat land that our highly trained guides can view wildlife from a distance minus a pair if binoculars.

Second, since Seronera’s plains create extraordinary sundowners, one can truly view the entire bright orange ball just drop infront of one’s eye.

Third, Seronera River and Ngare Nyanyuki are one of the major water sources for the central and eastern part of the Serengeti, which bring together a lot of wildlife.

Last but not least, Seronera offers an all-year game drive, and also enables guests reach the south, west and north of the Serengeti National Park.

A big number of visitors come to the Serengeti stunned to view burnt grass on the Seronera plains, usually relating it to the wild forest fires, stunted naturally or otherwise, in areas such as California. The fires usually viewed in the Serengeti are known as “Early Season Burning Fires” started intentionally by Serengeti park authorities, and are supposed to work in the following way: During the end of the rains in May, the Serengeti park personnel set fires to the grass inside the park limits, to prepare for the dry month; the shortened burnt grass minimises the effect of a fire stemming from outside the park coming into the park, is such an unfortunate incident were to happen. One has to note the Serengeti National Park authorities do not have control of what happens beyond the park limits.

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Northern Serengeti: Lobo Area.

As the movement takes a turn around after the months of July leading northwards, it passes a region in the Serengeti known as Lobo. Remaining at Lobo Lodge is a big chance to take a break and perform looking at wildlife from the wonderful panoramic viewing points. Lobo remains what it is now as it was when we toured the area in numbers, and ability to view giraffes that are not tamed, not more than five meters from the balcony of your room.

Going further on, Lobo takes you near Kliens Gate area, close to Lolindo Game central. The vegetation varies to plains and woodlands; the landscapes elevate to show spectacular sights of the Serengeti National park and its ecosystem. If one has luck to be in the northern part, staying at Kliens camp, then movement of the wildebeest is literally at the bottom of the hill.

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Serengeti Wildlife Safari

A million wildebeest, each one driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling its instinctive function in the inescapable cycle of life; an excitement three-week boat of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40 kilometres or 25 miles long columns move suddenly through waters infested with crocodile on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion which provides over 8,000 calves everyday before the one thousand kilometres or six hundred mile pilgrimage starts again.
Serengeti, Tanzania’s oldest and most famous national park, is famous for its yearly migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plain, as over 200,000 zebras and three hundred thousand Thompson’s gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the movement is quiet, the Serengeti provides arguably the most amusing game-viewing in the whole of Africa: great groups of buffalo, smaller herds of elephant and giraffe, and thousands of thousands of eland herds, topi, kongoni, impala and Grants’ gazelle.

The spectacle of predator against prey dominates Tanzania’s greatest park. Golden-maned lion prides fed on the plenty plain grazers. Solitary leopards disturb the acacia trees lining the Serohera River, while a high s density of cheetahs prowls the southern plains. Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur here, alongside the spotted hyena and a host s of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous ardwolf to the beautiful serval cat.

As enduring as the game-viewing, is the liberating sense of space which characterises the Serengeti plains, stretching across sun burnt savannah to a shinning golden horizon at the end of the earth. Yet, after the rains, this golden expanse of grass is changed into an endless green carpet covered with wildflowers. And there are also wooded hills and towering termite mounds, rivers lined with fig trees and acacia woodland stained orange by dust.

Though the Serengeti may be popular, it remains so large in that you might be the only human audience when a pride of lions masterminds a siege, focused steadily on its next meal.

Wildlife.
The Serengeti boasts big groups of antelope including Patterson’s eland, klipspringer, dikdik, zebra, gazelles, lion, impala, leopard, cheetah, hyena plus other larger mammals for example the rhino, giraffe, elephant and hippopotamus. Almost 500 species of birds have been registered in the park. The Serengeti is a chance for one of the best game-viewing in Africa.

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Migration in Serengeti.

The wildebeest movement, like a discernible thread, embraces and connects the ecosystem of Serengeti. Much as it has done for at least two million years.
On a yearly basis, with some seasonably dictated variations in timing and scale 1,000,000 wildebeest migrate from the southern short grass plains of Serengeti, looking for the grass and water they need to survive.
During their yearly movement, they will move some 2000 miles eating 4000 tonnes of grass a day. Two hundred fifty thousand will be produced and a big number will die.

Serengeti map of the migration.

January.
The movement is in the southeastern Serengeti on the short-grass plains after the short rains which have catered for the fresh grass. The months January and December are the highest months as far as producing of zebra is concerned.

February.
The major feeding grounds for some 2,000,000 wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are the short-grass plains. Predators hide nearby, feasting on the newborn. February is the main month for wildebeest producing.

March.
It is in this month that the long and heavy rains start. Clouds growing in extreme, become visible from the south and occasional lighting shines the night sky. The short-grass plains pasture are almost getting exhausted and the newborn can keep up with the groups.

April.
This is the heaviest rainy month. Wildebeest are nearly evenly distributed on the short grass plains.

May.
During this month, good forage is still present however, water starts to be inadequate. Now the big groups start to come together with columns consisting hundreds of thousands stretched over several kilometres as they herd across the woodland zones into the western corridor where new food and water has been produced by the rains around Grumeti.

June.
In this month, rains stop and the groups migrate from the black-cotton-soil plains, traversing the Grumeti River where several wildebeest drown annually offering food to the crocodiles who wait at traversing points. They will be in Seronera or Moru kopjes area in a normal year.

July
The movement now continues northwest shortly leaving the park as they enter the Grumeti preserved area, with a small portion of the group going towards Lobo area. Guests should take note that the temperatures in the morning have sharply fallen.

August.
The movement and the ever-attendant predators trailing now traverse the Ikorongo preserved area. The several branches of the movement start to meet up. The movement in a normal year should now be in the northern Serengeti and entering Maasai Mara. During this month, mornings are still cold.

September.
The movement has now penetrated Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve just across the Northern limit from the Serengeti. Temperatures start rising and the skies are blue by the day.

October.
This is the driest month in Serengeti, with a big number of animals shortly not present in the Masai Mara game Reserve, where there is usually a lot of water together with finer grazing for the plains animals at this period of the year.

November.
Somehow sensing the oncoming short rains with clouds collecting in the sky, the movement starts its journey back home to the Serengeti. Flame trees are starting to blossom and birds on the move begin to come.

December.
The pace of the movement increases as it continues towards the southern plains of Serengeti, where the short rains are producing the grass. It follows the Loliondo limit of the park and the zebra start giving birth.

History.
The history of human inhabitation widely centres around the history of the African people, from the hunter-gathers who moved a round the plains, to the people of today, who protect it as a main destination fro travellers. The Serengeti’s history has been virtually ignored, apart from Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family found or excavated fossils of human and animal ancestors dating far back to about two million years, and which is part of the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation area.

Tsetse flies in the woodlands, and sleeping sickness, guaranteed that the Serengeti was spared of European settlements and with it the distinction of the wildlife that other African nations were subjected to.

Tanzania Guide

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