Safaris

A good value 7 Days and 6 Night safari that combines the superb locations of the Safari Accommodations may be in tents or lodges from low to up market.

On a traditional drive–in safari, you journey overland and appreciate the vastness and diversity of the landscapes. Typically, you depart from Arusha with your private guide and 4WD vehicle. This method allows for flexibility in your explorations.

Only 200 km West of Dar es Salaam lies the mighty Selous Game Reserve, one of Africa’s least known yet wildest conservation areas. At an unbelievable 55,000 sq km Selous is almost twice the size of Belgium and four times larger than the famous Serengeti in the North, covering 5% of Tanzania’s land area. The Selous’ ecosystem as a whole is made up of a few conservation areas, namely Mikumi in the North and the Kilombero game controlled area in the West, covering in total over 90,000 sq km of pristine wilderness devoid of human influence.

Fed by the mighty Rufiji River, the largest river in East Africa which drains most of South Western Tanzania’s water, this reserve is home to over 1,000,000 large animals and is home to over half of Tanzania’s elephant population. Selous is unique among reserves in Tanzania as it encompasses an area exclusively devoted to tourism in its Northern part, making up for about 10% of the reserve’s total size.

This sector north of the Rufiji River is mostly open wooded grassland and is dominated by Terminalia spinosa trees – ‘flat topped’ trees, in classic African fashion. However this section of the reserve is unusually diverse, comprising dense hardwood forests in the East, open plains in the centre, and rocky arid hills and volcanic springs in the West.

The reserve is also crisscrossed by a multitude of dry riverbeds surrounded by dense riverside vegetation where many of Selous larger animals spend their days. However, one of the major attractions has to be the mighty river itself, home to one of the largest crocodile and hippo populations in Africa, swarming with fish which in turn bring about some of the world’s best water birding. The River has also formed several large lakes on its Northern bank, navigable by boat.

Selous has over 2,100 species of plants, 350 species of birds, 60,000 elephant, 108,000 buffalos and an estimated 1,300 of the worlds’ approximately 4,000 remaining rare wild dogs giving guests an opportunity to glimpse all of these exotic animals in true un-spoilt wilderness.

As early as the 1890’s, Selous Game Reserve was thought of as a place of enormous natural value and has since been subjected to management and conservation measures. From 1905-1912 it was made up of four reserves established by German colonial administration. In 1922 these four smaller reserves were merged to form the Selous Game Reserve named after the legendary hunter/explorer who died in the area in 1917.

Between 1936-1947 this area was enlarged several times over so as to include major animal movement corridors, particularly those of elephants who wander over vast distances throughout their lives. In 1974 the Park reached its present glory and became one of Tanzania’s three World Heritage Sites along with Zanzibar and Olduvai Gorge. This status will hopefully ensure Selous long term survival!

Frederick Courteney Selous was born in 1851 in London and from an early age developed an obsession for the old day explorers like Livingstone himself. At the age of 19 Selous landed at a South African port and was determined to make a name for himself as a hunter/explorer. The indefatigable Selous had a strength, stamina and passion that was unrivalled and with only limited funds he took on the great outdoors. During his wanderings, Selous discovered several butterfly species and recorded valuable information regarding natural history and conservation, as well as befriending some of the times most influential characters such as Theodore Roosevelt the 26^th president of the United States.

During the first world war, at around the age of 60, Selous joined the 25^th Royal Fusiliers in which he made Captain due to his extensive bush knowledge and hunting experience on foot. Responsible for pushing the Germans out of that area of Tanzania or Tanganyika as it was then known as Selous met his end on the 4^th of January 1917 when he was shot by a German soldier. He was 66 years old and is now buried at the base of the Beho Beho hills in the Northern Sector of the reserve.

Boat safaris

The boat safaris are conducted in sturdy metal boats with a powerful outboard motor on the back and a covered canopy. Each boat safari is guided by a boatman who has grown up on the river and knows all the little nooks and crannies where a boat can sneak through like the back of his hand. They are also well aware of hippo and crocodile behavior having spent so many years’ safely guiding people between them. The boat safaris provide some of the best water birding in Africa as well as getting up close and personal to hippos and crocs which swarm through the river system, be they wallowing in the water or basking on the banks.

Walking safaris

Another unique opportunity the Selous has to offer is the possibility of doing a walking safari through the bush. These guided walks are the only activity which leaves very early due to the need to avoid the sun and the heat of midday. Walks leave at 6:30 am accompanied with a watchman and a fully qualified armed guide. The pace is not fast and the ground covered is nothing great. It is a gentle stroll through the wilderness with emphasis more on the little things which are very much neglected from vehicle. The possibility of seeing lions or wild dogs on foot are greatly reduced however elephant sightings are very common and to walk relatively close and safely with these animals is one of nature greatest thrills. The walking concentrates more on ecology, tracking, and dung identification, medicinal uses of trees, birds and generally interpreting the bush giving guests a much greater, broader understanding of nature.

For the exercise orientated or more adventurous, please enquire about the possibilities of a one or two night fly-camp where one or two nights are spent “roughing it” in the bush accompanied by your own walking guide.

The east coast of Africa and the islands of the Indian Ocean are fringed with fabulous tropical beaches, most surprisingly empty and undeveloped. White beaches of fine coralline sand border warm, turquoise seas teeming with fish and frequented by marine mammals. Sea turtles nest and hatch on these beaches, and the offshore reefs will delight divers and snorkelers.

Portuguese invasion and control of the Swahili Coast in the late 16th century ended the golden age of the archipelago, although the Omani Arabs returned to power less than a century later. Today, many of the winding streets and high townhouses of old Stone Town remain unchanged and visitors can walk between the sultan’s palace, the House of Wonders, the Portuguese fort and gardens, the merchants’ houses, and the Turkish baths of the old city. Day-long spice tours to working plantations offer visitors the chance to observe the cultivation of cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other spices that have made the island famous.

Zanzibar’s coastline offers some of the best beaches in the world, but sand and surf vary depending on what side of the island you’re on. On the east coast, waves break over coral reefs and sand bars offshore, and low tide reveals small pools of starfish, small minnows, and anemones. Up north, ocean swimming is much less susceptible to the tides, and smooth beaches and white sand make for dazzling days in the sun.

The port city of Stone Town dominates the west coast, and although the beaches of Mangapwani, where slave caves are visible at low tide and nearby Bububu are less than half an hour’s drive away, a night or two spent on the east or north cost is well worth the extra hour it takes to drive there. That said, the Chole Island Marine Park just off Stone Town – and nearby Prison, Grave, and Snake Islands – make a refreshing day-trip and a good break from exploring the winding passageways of the old city.

On the south coast of Zanzibar lies the Menai Bay Conservation Area, a sea turtle protection area for the endangered species that come to breed on the island. Roads to the southeast coast take visitors through the Jozani Forest, home to Zanzibar’s rare Red Colobus monkeys and a number of other primate and small antelope species.

Traditionally part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Pemba is fast becoming a unique destination in its own right. For centuries, Pemba’s clove plantations and spice fields provided the Omani sultanate in Zanzibar with money for trade and military dominance over the surrounding areas.

To this day, the island is still a major spice producer in the archipelago. Visitors flock to Pemba’s shores, dotted with desert islands and throngs of coconut palms, for some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean. The Pemba Channel drops off steeply just off the west coast and the diverse species of marine life and coral are truly exceptional. Because tourism is still in its early stages, a trip to Pemba’s unspoiled shores and pristine waters is the underwater adventure of a lifetime.

Mafia Island is a popular destination for visitors to relax after their safari and the island’s relaxed and secluded beaches offer privacy and comfort for discerning travelers. Mafia’s incredible and un-spoilt dive sites have remained a well-kept secret of diving aficionados and beach recluses for years, but now the island is fast becoming a preferred destination.

For centuries, the island was a trading stop for Shirazi merchants travelling up towards Persia and under the rule of the Omani sultanate in Zanzibar, vast coconut and cashew plantations flourished. Today, all that remain of the island’s prestigious past are the coral ruins on Chole Mjini, the small island just off Hoare from Mafia where the Arab landowners lived a sumptuous life removed from their plantations and slaves.

These days, Mafia’s remote location means it receives only the most selective visitors, but things are changing. The recent gaze ting of Mafia Island Marine Park – the largest protected area in the Indian Ocean – to include surrounding villages in its conservation efforts means that the millions of fish and coral species that thrive in the warm waters of Mafia’s beaches will survive for decades to come.

The Beach Hotels, we recommend. Zanzibar – Ras Nungwi Beach Hotel , Blue bay Beach Resort ,Breezes Collection hotels, Sultan Sands, Matemwe Beach Bungalow, Pongwe Beach Hotel, Dafu Beach Hotel, Neptune Pwani ,Shooting Star, Ocean Paradise, Zamani Kempinski ,La Gemma Mafia – Kinasi, Pole Pole, Mafia Island Lodge, Chole Mjini Pemba – Fundu Lagoon, Manta reef beach hotel.

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