Tanzania is one of the most famous African countries because of its beautiful landscapes and its significance in the story of man’s evolution. There have been many hominid fossils uncovered in this country with a land area of 947,303 square kilometers (234 million acres).
One of those Hominidae fossils was the six-million-year-old Pliocene (at least two to five million years ago) organic remains. The oldest remains of the Homo genus were also found along Oldupai Gorge, which is considered one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world.
The earliest humans were lucky enough to be walking around Tanzania, as it is also among the most exciting nations in the world. It is known for its natural beauty and wildlife experiences. Over 56 million people are lucky enough to call this nation home.
Tanzania is known for its many natural structures like Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. This mountain is also called the Roof of Africa. It is every mountain climber’s dream to scale Kilimanjaro not just for the challenge, but for the climbers to get a glimpse of the animals living in their natural habitats. The climb also brings beautiful vistas of Tanzania. The beaches in Tanzania are stunning and the underwater gems are even more valuable.
The country also has vibrant wildlife, which is common in Africa. But the Serengeti National Park, the most famous one in Tanzania and among the most famous in the entire continent, is just a different experience. Tourists may see millions of animals within the park especially during the annual migration.
Serengeti, though, is not the only natural park in Tanzania. There are 15 others and most of them offer wildlife experience tourists will never forget. Here are five of the country’s unexplored national parks:
1. Arusha National Park
This park has everything: a volcano, mountains, alpine highland, rock formations, swamp, and dense forest, among others. Located in Arusha Region, the park is home to Mount Meru, a dormant stratovolcano with a height of 4,562 meters. It is the highest peak in Tanzania. The volcano is also surrounded by natural beauty such as the Meru Crater, which channels the Jekukumia River. The Ngurdoto Crater is filled with swamp and its outside is surrounded by forest.
While the park’s landforms are beautiful, the wildlife within the territory is even better. During the migration season, the park’s Momella Lake becomes a sea of pink because of the flamingos that flock the area. The view is just stunning. The park is smaller than most—only 137 square kilometers (33,853 acres). So tourists should expect a scaled-down version of the wildlife experience in neighboring Serengeti National Park.
However, Arusha still has most of the animals found in larger parks: bushbucks, Cape buffaloes, black-and-white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, elephants, giraffes, leopards, warthogs, and zebras. There are also over 400 species of birds in the park, the most common of which are the bar-trailed and Narina trogons.
2. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region in Tanzania and it only has one national park in its territory: the Jozani Chwaka Bay. The bay area provides a great opportunity to spot some dolphins.
One of the more common residents of the park is the endemic Zanzibar red colobus. There are around a thousand of them in the park, but it is considered endangered nonetheless. It is Zanzibar’s flagship animal. Among the other animals, residents are bush babies or galagos, Sykes monkeys, and the Zanzibar tree hyraxes, another endemic species. Endangered species in the park include the Ader’s duiker and Zanzibar servaline genet. There are also around 50 species of butterfly documented within the park, along with 40 species of bird.
3. Kitulo National Park
Unlike most Tanzanian parks, this one was established in 2005 to protect the Kitulo Plateau’s unique flora. The park is famed for its 350 plant species particularly it's orchid species. The park is generally montane grasslands. Tourists should drop by the park during the rainy season when the ground is carpeted by beautiful and colorful flowers. There are two forest regions in the park: Livingstone Forest and Ndumbi Forest.
There are also a few animals within the park, mostly living in the Livingstone Forest. Among them are the following endangered species: Abbott’s duiker, kipunji, and Rungwe dwarf galago. There are also many bird species in both forests.
4. Saadani National Park
Known as the only wildlife sanctuary in the country along the sea, tourists can relax at the Saadani Beach while enjoying the vastness of the Indian Ocean. The area has always been known for its abundant wildlife population, which is why it had been declared a game reserve in 1969. But poaching became rampant and the place had to be designated as a national park in a bid to protect the animals further.
The park is home to the Big 5: African bush elephants, Cape buffaloes, leopards, lions, and rhinoceros. Other animal residents are blue and vervet monkeys, blue wildebeests, boho reedbucks, colobus monkeys, common and red duikers, crocodiles, dik-diks, genets, hippopotamuses, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, Masai giraffes, mongooses, Nile monitors, porcupines, sable antelopes, warthogs, waterbucks, and yellow baboons.
5. Udzungwa Mountains National Park
This park is characterized by lush vegetation in different ecosystems: grassland, miombo woodland, mountain forest, steppe, and tropical rainforest. Vibrant habitats mean an equally vibrant wildlife presence. The park has the second-highest biodiversity among the country’s national parks. There are six species of primates documented in the park, five of which are endemic. Among the endemics are the Iringa red colobus and Sanje crested mangabey.
Among the park’s imposing structures are the Udzungwa Mountains, which provide a largely undulating landscape as peaks range from 250 to 2,576 meters. The highest peak is Lohomero. The mountains are home to 2,500 plant species with about a quarter endemism. The mountain range is a popular hiking and trekking destination. Hikers and trekkers should check out the refreshing Sanje Waterfalls, which stands at 170 meters.