Kilimanjaro is a volcanic massif which last showed signs of major activity in the Pleistocene. It is not only the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4,877 m above the surrounding plains to 5,895 m, but also one of the largest volcanoes in the world, covering an area of some 388,500 ha.

Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is located in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, is an enticing destination. While for most people the name conjures images of a vast mountain encased by clouds, there’s far more to this area than just the summit. This may be Africa’s highest peak, but what can be found along the way will certainly interest those who want to explore this amazing location. The rainforest areas found in the lower regions are home to monkeys and leopards, among other exotic creatures. The moorland zone is covered in massive heather and giant lobelias, and once you reach above 4,000m, you’ll be met with a bizarre alpine desert.

The national park and forest reserve occupy the whole of Mount Kilimanjaro and its surrounding montane forests. They lie in the north of Tanzania, between Moshi and the Kenyan border. The national park comprises the whole of the mountain above the tree line, and six forest corridors which stretch down through the montane forest belt. The area is of 75,353 ha, surrounded by a forest reserve of 92,906 ha
There are three main volcanic peaks of varying ages lying on an east-south-east axis, and a number of smaller parasitic cones.

Mt. Kilimanjaro is a critical water catchment for both Tanzania and Kenya. High rainfall and extensive forests give Mt. Kilimanjaro its high catchment value. About 96% of the water flowing from Mt. Kilimanjaro originates from the forest belt. The forest belt is the most important habitat of Mt. Kilimanjaro in terms of ecosystem and species diversity. On the southern slopes, nearly 740 plant species have been recorded in the forest alone, accounting for about 50 per cent of all recorded plant species in the vegetation zones of the southern slopes. In total there may be over 900 species in the forest belt and 2,500 species for the whole mountain. The diversity of the flora in the Forest Reserve is greatest at 1900 m on the southern slope, where one can find nearly 300 species, whereas the highest diversity of vascular plants on the southern slopes of the mountain occurs at 1,300 m, with about 750 species.

The Chagga people inhabit the lower southern slopes of Kilimanjaro. The Chagga cultivate banana gardens in the former forest zone with coffee as a cash crop. They often cultivate two kinds of land. High up on the mountain slope is the kihamba land, where they build homes, plant bananas and coffee, and keep cattle. On the lower slopes, immediately above the savanna-covered plain, there are fields where annual crops, including maize, beans and millet, are grown, and cattle pastured.
The park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

The lodge is situated at a height of 1300m on the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro and it is just a few minutes away from Machame Gate, the entrance to the Kilimanjaro National Park. The small bustling town of Moshi which is roughly 20km from the lodge, can be reached easily thanks to the good tarmac roads.

Amidst the fascinating tropical vegetation of the mountain-rainforest, with its perennial mild climate, lie the bungalows nestled between eucalyptus, banana trees and blooming exotic plants. Numerous animal species guide to sleep underneath a starry sky, alongside the tender chirr of the crickets together with the laughing of the bush babies to wake up from the unique tunes from the hornbill and the screech of the black monkeys.

The modern architecture of the lodge as well as the amazing surroundings with the view of Mount Kilimanjaro and the Weru Weru River make it a unique place to stay and an ideal starting point for Kilimanjaro climbs, hiking trips or a safari.

ACTIVITIES
Game drives in the Kilimanjaro National Park!

The Tarangire National Park is located between the meadows of Masai Steppe to the south east and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley to the north and west. Among the rolling area where the park lies, it occupies an area of 2,600 square kilometres. The perennial Tarangire River takes over the northern part of Tarangire. Through the cut ditches, the River flows upwards up to when it leaves the corner of the park, in the North West flowing into Lake Burungi. There are a number of wide swamps which dry into green plains during the dry season in the south.

Thanks to its proximity to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park is usually assigned only a day visit as part of a larger northern-circuit itinerary. Yet it deserves much more, at least in the dry season (July to October). It’s a place where elephants dot the plains like cattle, and where lion roars and zebra barks fill the night.

But here the wildlife tells only half the story. Dominating the park’s 2850 sq. km, Tarangire’s great stands of epic baobabs should be reason enough to visit. There are also sun-blistered termite mounds in abundance, as well as grassy savannah plains and vast swamps. And cleaving the park in two is the Tarangire River, its meandering course and (in some places) steep banks providing a dry-season lure for animals and thus many stirring wildlife encounters for visitors.

Set in light acacia woodland in the south of the reserve, the Camp is a mobile tented facility which offers an authentic safari experience. Tarangire is a substantial national park which offers a subtle experience, but there are plenty of things to see, notably the wonderful baobab trees and a prodigious elephant during the June to November dry season.

The camp is centred on a pair of open-sided mess tents with lounge and dining areas, leading out to a camp-fire. Guest accommodation is in nine large guest tents with private indoor bathrooms. The tents are well-spaced and roomy; the meals are good; and the manager and staff couldn’t make you feel more welcome. Activities focus on daytime safaris (evening safaris are occasional rather than regular), hot-air ballooning (always a real eye-opener), walking safaris and game viewing from each tent’s private veranda.

ACTIVITIES
Activities are focused on daytime vehicle safari, with options for balloon safari, walking safaris and night game drives.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area holds the status of a National Park. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans 8,300 square kilometres, stretching from the Rift Valley to the Serengeti. About 2.5 million years ago the young Ngorongoro Volcano became filled with molten rock that then solidified into a crust or roof. As the lava chamber emptied, the solid dome collapsed and from this was formed the largest caldera in the world. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) offers one of the richest wildlife viewing experiences on the African continent.

Approximately 25 000 large animals live in the natural enclosure formed by the 300km² crater, while the greater conservancy surroundings are home to wildebeest and zebra migratory movement in the wet season. It is undoubtedly the best place in Africa to see the Big Five, and photo opportunities are superb. The mineral-rich floor of the crater is covered in nutritious grasses, attracting great herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo and Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle that can even be seen from the crater rim, swarming across the landscape in great columns. Populations of predators are extraordinarily high and lion and cheetah roam freely, and elusive leopard can often be spotted darting in and out of the Lerai forest.

It was recently voted one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the last remaining areas in Tanzania where you can see the endangered Black Rhino. A small population is thriving in this idyllic environment, and it remains one of the few wild places where they continue to breed.

In the conservation area lives 56,000 Masai in harmony with the East African Wildlife. Seeing the Masai let their herds share the grazing areas with thousands of Wildebeests and Zebras is unique phenomenon. The encircled grasslands of the crater floor offer excellent game viewing year-round with 25,000 large mammals, including black rhino, zebra and eland, and Africa’s densest population of lion. The rainforests of the crater walls are home to elephant, buffalo, leopard and cheetah, making for spectacular game viewing.

As well as the spectacular wildlife viewing, the NCA is also renowned for its extraordinary flora and fauna. The region is a botanist’s dream, showcasing a landscape of mountain forests, open grass plains and swampy marshland, each with a splendid variety of vegetation and fern species.

At Ngorongoro Crater, you will see dormant and active volcanoes, archaeological treasures, rivers, forests, lakes, grass and sand dunes. A Ngorongoro safari is one for the books!.

The guest farm is located immediately adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and shares a mile-long boundary with it. It is surrounded by tropical gardens and has great views over a coffee-plantation.

The original 1929 farmhouse is a lovely old building still retains its colonial feel with low, beamed ceilings and polished-stone floors dotted with rugs. A couple of separate lounges with sofas, armchairs and coffee tables – some with a wood-burning stove or an open fire – create cozy areas to unwind after a busy day on safari.

The outside areas are extensive. There are various well-tended gardens, including a herb garden, a cactus garden, a rose garden, a medicine garden and an enormous vegetable garden, birdlife is abundant as a result. Expect to see (or hear) tropical boubous, African pygmy kingfishers and golden-winged sunbirds to name a few.

Stone pathways lead from the main house, through the gardens, to the 21 cottages. The cottages are spacious and bright and fitted with high-quality furniture. They have been designed to reflect the history of the farm, with polished eucalyptus-wood floors, tongue-and-groove boarding painted a pale green, beamed ceilings and stone walls.
The bathroom, separated by a sliding door, has green polished cement floors, a large indoor shower, a separate bath, double basins and an enclosed toilet. A huge carved stone bath sits in front of a large window with lush planting outside. Double doors lead from the bathroom to a private outdoor shower.

ACTIVITIES
A great base from which to take part in various activities. The main reason for staying here is to visit Ngorongoro Crater and/or Lake Manyara National Park, both of which are about a two-hour drive away. However, there are plenty of local activities in the immediate vicinity of the farm too. There are walks and mountain biking, as well as evening talks by their resident naturalist. Spa treatments are also currently available within the comfort of your own room. You can choose to take part in as much or as little as you like.

Serengeti National Park is located in Northern Tanzania and covers an area of about 14.670 km². The park was founded in 1920 and became a National Park in 1951. The Park is especially famous for it’s immense Wildebeest and Zebra herds, but it is not without reason that it is also known as the best place for observation wildlife in general.

The Serengeti is one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world. The Serengeti migration is as remarkable as it is impressive. This migration takes place twice a year within Kenya and Tanzania and is considered one of the greatest migrations of wildlife on the planet. Its ecosystem is spread across 60,000 square kilometres and is home to the largest diverse concentration of wildlife and famous for infamous for the migration of nearly two million Wildebeests, Zebras, and Antelopes.

The Great Migration is as old as human history. Fossils that were found in the Olduvai canyon, prove that Wildebeests have already been using the planes of the Serengeti for their migration over a million years ago. Already to those times, they were following the rains through the Serengeti.

The yearly cycle begins in the south of the park, where half a million calves are born between January and March. But when the rains end in May the land dries fast and the grazing animals must move on, heading for their dry season refuge in the Masai Mara. The key players in this 1,200-mile odyssey are the wildebeest – 1.5 million of them – accompanied by 200,000 zebras, 350,000 Thompson’s’ impala and Grant’s gazelles. For them, every year is an endless journey, chasing the rains in a race for life.

The action takes place across 150,000 square miles of woodlands, hills and open plains, a wilderness that includes not only the Serengeti national park and Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve but also the dispersal areas beyond. With the beginning of the short rains in late October the migration makes its way back into the Serengeti, so this a good time to be anywhere in the north of the park. By December, having emerged from the northern woodlands, the herds return past Seronera to mass on their calving grounds again and the circle is complete. But as soon as the rains return the wildebeest head back to the Serengeti, drawn towards their calving grounds in the park’s deep south. Between January and March, when the calves are born, there is nowhere on Earth so vibrantly alive.

When the rains end in May the wildebeest make tracks for the Masai Mara. Some take Route One – north across the Seronera Valley. Others swing through the Western Corridor, but for all of them the journey is beset with danger. For a start there are the famous Serengeti lions – about 3,000 at the last count – to which can be added leopards and cheetahs, hungry hyena clans and monster crocodiles. The river crossing is most likely one on the most dramatic events in the Serengeti!
The exact dates of the actual river crossing is always a mystery but it is usually around the end of July through mid-August.

THE CENTRAL SERENGETI
This area is the vibrant, beating heart of the Serengeti. The Central Serengeti sees high volumes of visitors due to the large amounts of resident wildlife. This gives travellers a high chance of seeing wildlife in the least amount of time. The central Serengeti is the quintessential image of a Serengeti safari; stretches of savanna grassland dotted with acacia and baobab trees. The Seronera River Valley is beautiful and the year-round water supply keeps the area rich in predator and prey. The Central Serengeti is a year-round destination thanks to the resident wildlife and reaches its peak in the dry season from June to November.

WESTERN CORRIDOR and GRUMETI
The Western Corridor is a remote section of the Serengeti which stretches to Lake Victoria. This area is well known for the Grumeti River which is the scene of treacherous river crossings that form part of the Great Migration. Thousands of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle make their way across the crocodile infested waters en-route to the lush plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya. The best time to witness these crossings is from late May to mid-July.

NORTHERN SERENGETI
The Northern Serengeti is a quiet area of the Serengeti thanks to its remote and secluded location. Expect far fewer crowds here as it requires long travel times to get to the northern area. The trip is worth it as the Northern Serengeti’s landscapes are varied and beautiful and it is home to exciting wildlife. It is also where travellers can watch the dramatic Mara River crossings. Herds that are thousands strong make the dangerous crossing, attempting to avoid the crocodiles as they do so. The best time to visit with a high chance of seeing the river crossings is from July to September.

SOUTHERN SERENGETI
Serengeti translates loosely to “endless plains” in the local Masai language. It could be argued that the seemingly never ending, short grass plains of the Southern Serengeti were the inspiration for the name. This seasonal safari destination is the most accessible area of the Serengeti and stretches from the Central Serengeti and the Seronera to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Lake Ndutu region is dotted with alkaline lakes home to flocks of pink flamingos. This area is great for game viewing during the Great Migration from December to March. Most excitingly, the lush plains are the perfect destination and backdrop for the calving season during February when about half a million calves are born over a 2-3-week period and join the ranks of the huge herds.

EASTERN SERENGETI
The Eastern Serengeti is definitely ‘off the beaten path’ and is one of the most starkly beautiful sections of the Serengeti. Made up of grass plains, rivers and rocky outcrops, this area does not see many tourists but is an exciting safari destination. It is home to all three species of big cat (leopard, lion and cheetah) with a noticeably high concentration of cheetah. The wildlife viewing in the eastern Serengeti is at its best during the dry season and reaches its pinnacle in November when the Great Migration passes through.

An authentic intimate tented camp set in a secluded part of the game-rich Seronera Valley in Central Serengeti. The Seronera region is an important wildlife transition zone between the southern grasslands and the northern woodlands and is renowned for its year-round game viewing due to its abundance of water in the many rivers, as well as for its large populations of resident big cats. Additionally, between April and June, and again between November and January, this area is crossed by the annual wildebeest migration, which provides always thrilling wildlife drama.

The camp is carefully positioned right at the end of a blind valley, so other vehicles will not interrupt your view across the plains during the day, and in the evening, you can enjoy uninterrupted sunsets with no electric lights in sight.

12 en-suite tents are spacious and comfortable, and have an outside deck offering beautiful views over the area. Each tent is fitted with two queen-size beds with warm duvets, a flush toilet, large safari-style shower, plentiful running water, wooden storage cabinets and flooring, 24-hour solar lighting and outside loungers from which to enjoy early morning teas and coffees and refreshing afternoon gin and tonics.

The mess tent with its separate bar, sitting and dining areas is beautifully decorated with leather sofas, side cabinets, rugs and chests. In the evening, guests can gather inside under the chandeliers or outside around the campfire under starlit skies for sunset cocktails and to share their safari stories.

ACTIVITIES
Game drives in the Serengeti!

The camp is designed to be lightweight enough to move seasonally, is located in the Ndutu area from December through March. The camp relocates to Western Serengeti from May through June, and again to Northern Serengeti from July through November. Operates off-the-grid and relies on a custom built solar system for its power.

The perfect place to return to after an exhilarating day of game drives, the camp blends an authentic bush experience with delicious food and a comfortable atmosphere. Relax on your tent’s verandah and learn to expect the unexpected as you watch life in the Serengeti unfold.

Accommodation includes 5 double en-suite tents, 3 family en-suite tents accommodating up to 2 adults and 2 children and a private, shaded verandah overlooking the Serengeti ecosystem. Room fabrics are African designs, and the camp’s furniture was commissioned and crafted by artisans in Arusha, Tanzania.

From December through March, the wildebeest migration moves in and out of the Ndutu area. Ndutu is located in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, just south of Serengeti National Park. The camp’s location provides easy access to prime game viewing areas around Lakes Ndutu and Masek. In addition to the almost two million wildebeest and zebra that move through the area each year, Ndutu is home to cheetah, lion, giraffe and hundreds of bird species. During February’s calving season, the wildebeest give birth to 8,000 babies a day.

From May through June, the camp relocates to Western Serengeti. The wildebeest migration is generally in this area during this time, and crossings over the Grumeti River are sometimes seen in this area. Access to Central Serengeti is also possible from this area as the drive is only 2 hours.

From July through November, the camp is located in Northern Serengeti. The camp is close to the Mara River, allowing easy access to several river crossing points in the area. During this time of year, the wildebeest migration is crossing the Mara River back and forth from Tanzania to Kenya. River crossings are common with crocodiles, hippos and large cats scattered throughout the area

ACTIVITIES
Full day game drives along the Mara river and surrounding the large migration!