SAFARIS ANIMAUX

PARC NATIONAL DE TARANGIRE

The fierce sun sucks the moisture from the landscape, baking the earth a dusty red, the withered grass as brittle as straw. The Tarangire River has shriveled to a shadow of its wet season self. But it is choked with wildlife. Thirsty nomads have wandered hundreds of parched kilometers knowing that here, always, there is water.

Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It's the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared Oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.

During the rainy season, the seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq km (12,500 sq miles) range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire's mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry.
The swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world.

On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird; the stocking-thighed ostrich, the world's largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys.

More ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colourful yellow-collared lovebird, and the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver and ashy starling – all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania.

Disused termite mounds are often frequented by colonies of the endearing dwarf mongoose, and pairs of red-and-yellow barbet, which draw attention to themselves by their loud, clockwork-like duetting.

Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches where the fruit of the sausage tree disguises the twitch of a tail.

SIZE:

2,850 sq. km (1,050 sq. miles).

BEST TIME:

year around but dry season (June – September) for sheer numbers of animals.

ACCOMMODATION:

lodges and luxury tented camp inside the park.

PARC NATIONAL DU SERENGETI

A million wildebeest... each one driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling its instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life: a frenzied three-week bout of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40km (25 mile) long columns plunge through crocodile-infested waters on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion that produces more than 8,000 calves daily before the 1,000 km (600 mile) pilgrimage begins again.

Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th worldwide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.

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

But there is more to Serengeti than large mammals. Gaudy agama lizards and rock hyraxes scuffle around the surfaces of the park’s isolated granite kopjes. A full 100 varieties of dung beetle have been recorded, as have 500-plus bird species, ranging from the outsized ostrich and bizarre secretary bird of the open grassland, to the black eagles that soar effortlessly above the Lobo Hills.

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

Popular the Serengeti might be, but it remains so vast that you may be the only human audience when a pride of lions masterminds a siege, focused unswervingly on its next meal.

SIZE:

14,763 sq. km (5,700 sq. miles).

BEST TIME:

Wildebeest migration, December – July. To see predators, June – October.

ACCOMMODATION:

Lodges, luxury tented camps and public campsites.

NOTE:

The route and timing of the wildebeest migration is unpredictable. Allow at least three days to be assured of seeing them on your visit. And if you want to see the main predators as well.

PARC NATIONAL DE MANYARA

Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600-metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”.

The compact game-viewing circuit through Manyara offers a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience.

From the entrance gate, the road winds through an expanse of lush jungle-like groundwater forest where hundred-strong baboon troops lounge nonchalantly along the roadside, blue monkeys scamper nimbly between the ancient mahogany trees, dainty bushbuck tread warily through the shadows, and outsized forest hornbills honk cacophonously in the high canopy.

Contrasting with the intimacy of the forest is the grassy floodplain and its expansive views eastward, across the alkaline lake, to the jagged blue volcanic peaks that rise from the endless Maasai Steppes. Large buffalo, wildebeest and zebra herds congregate on these grassy plains, as do giraffes – some so dark in coloration that they appear to be black from a distance.

Inland of the floodplain, a narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favoured haunt of Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. Squadrons of banded mongoose dart between the acacias, while the diminutive Kirk’s dik-dik forages in their shade. Pairs of klipspringer are often seen silhouetted on the rocks above a field of searing hot springs that steams and bubbles adjacent to the lakeshore in the far south of the park.

Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s birdlife. More than 400 species have been recorded, and even a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.

SIZE:

330 sq. km (127 sq. miles), of which up to 200 sq. km (177 sq. miles) is lake when water levels are high.

BEST TIME:

Dry season (July – October) for large mammals; wet season (November – June) for bird watching, the waterfalls and canoeing.

ACCOMMODATION:

One luxury tree house-style camp, public bandas and campsites inside the Park. One luxury tented camp and two lodges perched on the Rift wall overlooking the lake.

PARC NATIONAL D'ARUSHA

A small but very accessible park located 16 miles northeast of Arusha. It is a great place for a day trip. Although it measures just 53 square miles (137 square km), it has a remarkable range of habitats. The most prominent feature here is Mount Meru, the second highest peak in Tanzania.

The park also contains a miniature volcanic crater (Ngurduto Crater), a river (Jekukumia River), a highland rain forest, acacia woodlands and a string of crater lakes (Momella Lakes).

When it comes to wildlife, Arusha National Park is home to Colobus monkeys, velvet monkeys, buffalo, hippos, elephants, and giraffe. Waterfowl is abundant here as well. The park offers many beautiful panoramic views, including spectacular views of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru.

SIZE:

542 sq. km (205.96 sq. miles).

BEST TIME:

To climb Mt. Meru, June – February although it may rain in November. Best views of Kilimanjaro is December – February.

ACCOMMODATION:

2 Rest houses, Campsites (3 public and 2 special), 2 lodges inside the park, 2 mountain accommodation centers.

NGORONGORO

La zone de conservation du Ngorongoro s'étend sur de vastes étendues de plaines montagneuses, de savanes, de savanes boisées et de forêts. Créée en 1959 comme zone à usages multiples, où la faune sauvage cohabite avec les éleveurs massaïs semi-nomades pratiquant le pâturage traditionnel, elle comprend le spectaculaire cratère du Ngorongoro, la plus grande caldeira du monde. Le bien revêt une importance mondiale pour la conservation de la biodiversité en raison de la présence d'espèces menacées à l'échelle mondiale, de la densité de la faune sauvage et de la migration annuelle de gnous, de zèbres, de gazelles et d'autres animaux vers les plaines du nord. Des recherches archéologiques approfondies ont également révélé une longue série de preuves de l'évolution humaine et de la dynamique homme-environnement, notamment des empreintes de pas d'hominidés datant de 3,6 millions d'années.

Le cratère du Ngorongoro est l'une des plus grandes caldeiras inactives et intactes au monde, non inondée. Son diamètre moyen est de 16 à 19 km, son fond de 26 400 ha et son rebord culminant à 400-610 m. La formation du cratère et des autres hautes terres est liée à l'important rifting qui s'est produit à l'ouest de la vallée du Rift Gregory. La zone de conservation comprend également le cratère d'Empakaai et les gorges d'Olduvai, célèbres pour leur géologie et les études paléontologiques qui y sont associées.

Une population d'environ 25 000 grands animaux vit dans le cratère, principalement des ongulés, ainsi que la plus forte densité de mammifères prédateurs d'Afrique. Parmi eux, on trouve le rhinocéros noir, une espèce en voie de disparition, et l'hippopotame, très rares dans la région. On y trouve également de nombreux autres ongulés : gnous, zèbres de Burchell, élands, gazelles de Grant et de Thomson. Le cratère abrite la plus forte population connue de lions, classés comme vulnérables. Sur le bord du cratère vivent le léopard, l'éléphant d'Afrique, le cobe des roseaux et le buffle, deux espèces menacées.

LAC EYASI

Ce lac de soude peu profond, situé à l'est de la zone de conservation du Ngorongoro et au sud-ouest du lac Manyara, offre l'un des circuits culturels les plus fascinants : une visite des tribus Hadzabe et Datooga. Les Datooga sont des pasteurs qui se sont également tournés vers l'agriculture. C'est une tribu très isolée, résistante aux influences et à l'éducation extérieures. Seuls 5 % parlent le swahili et leur taux d'alphabétisation est de 1 %. Ce sont des artisans qualifiés, experts dans la fonte de ferraille et le moulage de pointes de flèches et de couteaux qu'ils échangent avec la tribu Hadzabe. En dehors de ces interactions, ils ne sont généralement pas très accueillants envers les étrangers, mais accueilleront volontiers votre visite avec un guide local. Autrefois, les jeunes guerriers Datooga amélioraient leur statut en tuant tout étranger. Heureusement, ce n'est plus le cas aujourd'hui. C'est une tribu timide, mais, accompagnée d'un guide local, elle accueille les visiteurs avec plaisir.

Les Hadzabe (Hazda) sont l'une des dernières véritables tribus de chasseurs-cueilleurs au monde. Ils adorent leur mode de vie et rejettent catégoriquement les tentatives du gouvernement de les assimiler à la société moderne. Les maisons et les écoles gratuites ont été abandonnées, car ils sont rapidement retournés à leurs traditions. Très opportunistes, ils chassent tout à l'arc, des souris aux girafes, le babouin étant leur proie préférée. Pour les proies de grande taille, ils utilisent des flèches empoisonnées. Leurs habitations sont très primitives et temporaires, à tel point que si un gros animal, comme une girafe, est tué, ils se déplacent sur le lieu de la chasse plutôt que de l'emmener à leur campement. Leurs huttes de bois, de boue et de feuilles peuvent être construites en quelques heures. Ils sont experts dans la cueillette du miel sauvage et la cueillette de racines et de baies comestibles. Vous pouvez les accompagner à la chasse, apprendre à faire du feu sans allumettes, comparer vos talents de tir à l'arc et danser avec eux. C'est une tribu très amicale.

La région environnante présente un environnement très rude, la culture de l'oignon y étant la principale activité. Nous pouvons organiser une visite dans l'une des petites fermes pour découvrir la vie locale.

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