Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania : Tanzania is a blessed country with diverse vegetation cover that are inhabited by many different wild animals, adverse bird species that are well protected by the government to preserve and keep the natural environment. There are 22 national parks in Tanzania that have the incredible landscapes, wildlife, adventurous as well as very unique cultural practices. Visit the Tanzania national park while on the vacation, honeymoon, holiday and many other recreational activities.
The main activities that takes in place in almost all the national park involves the game drives, which is done with the well experienced guides on the open roof vehicle. The national parks in Tanzania are inhabited by different colorful bird species that makes it a perfect destination for the bird lovers. Most of visitors who come for the game viewing the also love the sight and the voices of the beautiful birds.
The nature walks are one of the adventurous activities that takes place in most of the nationals that are found in Tanzania. It’s the perfect opportunity to feel the nature at your pace, explore the beautiful landscape and different animals travels on foot.
Other national parks in Tanzania such as Serengeti national parks offers the hot air-balloon safari which is amazing especially during the Great animal’s migration, the closer view of wild animals from the top is spectacular.
Below are the 22 national parks that are found in Tanzania.
1.Serengeti national park
Serengeti national is largest and most ironic national park In Tanzania that is located on the northern part of Tanzania. Then land of the endless plains is the home of many different wild animals, different bird species and has a very unique and diverse land scape that is very covered by the savannah plains.
Location: Serengeti national park is located on the northern part of Tanzania a 3-4 hours drive from the city of Arusha.
Uniqueness of Serengeti national park: the Serengeti national park is the home of the great animals Migration, that occurs annual. The perfect time to visit the Serengeti national is during the dry season which the great animals’ migration occurs as they move of Serengeti national park towards the northern part Serengeti and all the way to Masai Mara of Kenya, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
The Serengeti national park is also the home of the most endangered species the black rhino, these animals are not found in most of the national park in Tanzania. Its also the home of the big five, its one among the few national parks where the big five animals can be easily located.
Best time to visit Serengeti national park: the best time is during the great animal’s migration which occurs between the month of June to October and January to February.
Entrance fee: the entry fee for the Serengeti national park is 70 USD.
- Tarangire national park- its one among the most visited national park annual that is found on the northern circuit.
Tarangire national park is famous for: it’s the home of large population of elephants, the herds of elephants may be 200-300 per herd. It’s the only national park in northern circuit with such a large population of Elephants. The tall standing baobab trees is one of the unique features of this national park, the baobab trees offer the perfect photos.
Entry fee: the entry fee for the Tarangire national park is 15 USD for the citizens who are not from the East Africa.
Best time to visit Tarangire national park: June to October which is normally the dry season in Tanzania.
Wild animals which be easily spotted– elephants, leopards, impala, cheetah, giraffes, buffalos, lions, zebra, gazelles.
- The lake Manyara national park: this national park covers the total area of 352 square kilometers and located along the way to Ngorongoro conservation area. Most of visitors pass through this national park before proceeding towards the Ngorongoro conservation area.
Well known for: This national park has the very unique lions that climb trees, it’s also inhabited by the large population of elephants. The Lake Manyara national park offers the very unique game drive that is being done during the night unlike most of the national parks that are found in Tanzania. The lake Manyara is a soda ash lake that is highly inhabited by the large population of the beautiful pink flamingos that offers the perfect scenery.
Entry fee: 50 USD for the tourists who are none resident of East Africa.
Best time to visit: like most of the national park In Tanzania the perfect time is June to October.
- The Arusha national park– this national park is located 40 minutes away from the city center of Arusha region, take a quick visit to this national park before hiking Kilimanjaro or mountain Meru.
Arusha national park is famous for- the amazing scenery of the mountain Meru, a perfect place canoeing and nature walks.
Entry fee: 50 USD for the non-resident of the East Africa countries, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
Best time to visit Arusha national park- June to October is the right time for game viewing and nature walks while November to February is the best time for the bird watching activities.
- Nyerere national park (Selous game drive)
It’s the largest national park in Africa with the most untouched and undisturbed natural environment which is located on the south eastern part of Tanzania.
Well known for: for its undisturbed ecological and undisturbed biological process, its also has a very unique prey and predator’s relationship.
Size of Nyerere national park- 30,893 kilometers square.
Best time to visit: the best time is normally on the month of June to October.
Wild animals found: elephants, kudu, waterbucks, wild dogs, crocodile.
- Ruaha national park– it’s the second largest national park in Tanzania that is located on the southern eastern part of Tanzania covering the total area of 12,226 kilometers square.
Ruaha national park is well known for: it’s the perfect bird destination as there are more than 540 different bird species. It’s normally less crowed even on the high season and the prices are relatively cheap than most of the national park found on the northern circuit.
Entry fee: 30 USD for the resident who are not from the East Africa.
Best time to visit Ruaha national park: the perfect time for game viewing is during the June to October while November to December and March to May is the best time for the birdwatching activities.
Main activities to take part in: the main activities to be done in this national park includes game viewing, bird watching, nature walks.
- Mikumi national park– the beauty and the landscape of the Mikumi national park looks more similar like that of Serengeti national park, hence nicknamed as the little Serengeti. It’s one of the less visited national park, its quite and the natural environment is well protected.
Activities to do while in Mikumi national park: it’s the perfect place for the birdwatching activities, game viewing as well as the nature safari walks. Picnics, cultural visits as well as camping can be done within this national park.
How do you get to Mikumi national park? its 4 hours dive from the large city of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, its almost 320 kilometers from the J.K Nyerere international airport.
Best time to visit Mikumi national park: like most of the national parks in Tanzania, Mikumi can be visited during the dry season which is the perfect time for the game viewing activities, the nature walks as well picnics. The vegetation cover Is relatively lower during this time of the year and so animals can be easily spotted around the sources of water.
Entry fee for the national park: for the non- resident of the East Africa the entry fee for the park is about 35 USD.
- Mahale national park– this is the perfect destination for the chimpanzee trekking, the national park is well known as the home of large population of different species of the chimpanzee. The diverse habitats of rainforests, woodlands, alpine bamboo and grasslands that makes this national park a perfect habitat for the chimpanzees.
The main tourism activities in Mahale national park: chimpanzee trekking is one of the main tourism activities that takes place in this national park. Other activities include the boat cruising in the fresh water of the Lake Tanganyika, enjoying the beautiful untouched beaches of Lake Tanganyika.
Entrance fee: its 80 USD for the visitors who are not the resident from the east Africa.
Best time to visit Mahale national park: the perfect time to visit Mahale national park is during the dry season which is in the month of June to October.
- Katavi national park – Katavi national park is located on the western part of Tanzania, it receives a lower number of visitors through the year compared to most of the national parks located on the northern circuits. This national park is well known due to the large population of buffalos that are inhabited here, it’s a quite national park with less people, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
Best time to visit Katavi national park: June to October is the best time to visit the Katavi national park, the vegetation cover lower and game drives are perfect, the sceneries and the animals can be clearly seen even within a distance.
Entry fee for the Katavi national park: 30 USD for the non- resident from the East Africa.
Wild animals possible to see in Katavi national park: sable, Eland, roan antelope, hippo, giraffe, elephants, zebras, leopard, lion and many more to mention a few.
- Gombe national park: it’s the smallest national park that is found on the western part of Tanzania along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Its one among the places that are well known due to large population of Chimpanzee, and gain its famous after the study of Jane Goodall concerning the chimpanzee of this national park.
Best time to visit Gombe national park: the perfect time to visit this national park is between the month of June to September. The game viewing activities are amazing with the breathtaking views of Lake Tanganyika, the chimpanzee trailing can be easily done as the routes are clear and less slippery.
Entry fee for the Gombe national park: the entry fee for this national park is 100 USD for the citizens that are not from the East Africa.
Wildlife possible to see while in Gombe national park: the sight of many different species of the chimpanzee will not be missed. The chimpanzee, baboon, red colobus monkey, leopards and verve monkeys.
- Mountain Kilimanjaro national park: most of the people who visit the Mountain Kilimanjaro go for hiking, but the Kilimanjaro forest is the perfect place for other tourism activity such as game viewing, bird watching, and trout fishing. Visiting the Chala lake and hiking through the Shiru plateau is one of the amazing activities one can take part in.
The entry fee for the Kilimanjaro national park: its 70 USD to access for a tour in this national park
Best time to visit the Kilimanjaro national park: the perfect time to visit this national park is around December to the middle of March, also Mid-June to late October is the great time to visit this national park.
Wildlife to view: the sight of different wild animals such as leopards, buffalos, giraffes, elephants, Abbot’s duiker and many other small antelopes will not be missed.
- Kitulo national park: The Kitulo national park is also known as the garden of God as it is well inhabited by over 350 different colorful wild flowers species. It’s the paradise for the bird lovers, the beauty of the flowers attracts the birds too, other wild endemic species that can be see includes the butterfly, chameleon, lizards and frogs.
The best time to visit Kitulo national park: the perfect time to enjoy the garden of God is during the month of December to April which is the rain season and the flowers are blossoming, while the month of September to early November are the dry season and they are perfect for different hiking activities in this national park.
Other tourism activities that can take place in this national park includes: guided nature walks are one of the activities that will give you the opportunity to feel the nature on your own pace. During the sunny days you can cool your body swimming on the Ruaha river and get refreshed. Have the moment of hiking through the amazing hiking trails that were developed many years ago.
Kitulo national park can be accessed through the vehicle or by the use of the public transport.
- Ugalla River national park: on the west-central part of Tanzania, in Tabora region the Ugalla River national park is found and it covers the total area of 3,685 square kilometers. the Ugalla river national park was a game reserve before declared as the national park in 2019. It’s the home of large population of predators, its natural landscape of Miombo forest and savannah plains has made it aright habitat for these animals.
The wildlife of Ugalla river national park: this national park has the spectacular wildlife, its inhabited by animals such as buffalos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and there also large herds of sable and roan antelopes. The main access of water in this national park is from the Ugalla river which also the home of different animals such as the hippos, crocodiles etc.
Best time to visit: the perfect time to visit the Ugalla river national park is during the dry season which is normally in the month of June all the way to September as the vegetation cover is lower hence the animals can be easily view even in a distance.
- Saadani national park: The Saadani national park has a very unique experience on a one visit you will have the taste of the wilderness in the beach. The wildlife sanctuaries border the Indian Ocean, so the where the beach meets the bush.
The main attractions that are found in this national park area: the great Wami river offers the great experience of the Boat safari, the spectacular view of animals such as crocodiles, hippos, as well as that of the river birds will not be missed. The Saadani national park is the home of different wild animals and about 250 different bird species. The clean beaches of Saadani national park will amaze you, the attractive blue waters of the India Ocean will tempt you to swim and sunbath.
The entry fee for the Saadani national park: to have access to this national park it you will need 20 USD as the entry fee per day.
- Ibanda -Kyerwa national park: this national park was first was established in 2019 before that it was game reserve that was formed in 1972. Its located on the northern west part of Tanzania, on the borders between of Rwanda. The Ibanda-Kyerwa national park has abundance wildlife as there is a constant supply of water throughout the year from the Kagera river.
Major activities to do in Ibanda-Kyerwa national park: the game viewing activities by using the vehicle is one of the major activities to be done in this national park. Other activities include walking safari, bird watching and picnics.
Accommodation: there are simple accommodations in this national park, some can be accessed outside of the national park which is about 3 kilometers away from the border of the national park. Camping can be arranged to, when communicated with the park authorities.
Best time to visit Ibanda-Kyerwa national park: the best time to visit this national park Is during the dry season which is in the month of June all the way to September.
- Kigosi national park: this national park is located in Shinyanga region, it’s the extended from the Bukombe and Kahama district all the way to Tabora region. it was a game reserve before it was established as the national park in 2019. It’s the home of different wild animals as well as the different bird species, it’s the ideal place to visit because it receives a smaller number of visitors through the year, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
Best time to visit this national park is during the dry season.
Activities to be done in this national park: bird watching activities can be done in this national park while game viewing activities are done in moderate due to the smaller number of wild animals available, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
- Mkomanzi national park: located on the northern part of Tanzania, this national park covers the total area of 3,245 square kilometers. this national park is well known due to its large population of rhinos that are found here.
Entry fee for the Mkomanzi national park: the entry fee for this national park is 20 USD per adult.
Main activities to be in Mkomanzi national park: game drive, guided nature walks are perfect activities that can be done in this national park and they take place mostly during the dry season while bird watching activities are normally done during the wet season in the month of March to April.
- Odzungwa national park- the Odzungwa national park is located on the central part of Tanzania, in Iringa region and covers the total area of 1,990 square kilometers. this national park has the diverse vegetation of Miombo woodland, grassland, tropical forest as well as the mountain forest which has the ability to accommodates different wild animals such as elephants, leopards, Miombo genets, hyenas, bushbucks and many more. Its also the home of over 2500 different plants species and over 400 different colorful bird species.
Best time to visit Odzungwa national park- between the month of June all the way to October is the perfect time for different activities such as game viewing, nature walks as well as hiking the Odzungwa mountains.
Entry fee for the Odzungwa national park is 20 USD.
- Burigi Chato national park– it’s the 3rd largest national park after Ruaha and Serengeti national park and covers the total area of 2,200 square kilometers. its one of the amazing national parks with the unique beauty as it is surrounded by the lakes and rivers, thus facilitate to have the large population of different animals.
Main attractions in Burigi Chato national park includes the beautiful sceneries of natural landscape, the mountain area as well as the wildlife that is found in this national park, the breathtaking views of the surrounding waters of this national park will amaze you.
Activities to be done in this national park included the nature walks, canoeing in lake Burigi, game drives and hiking.
20.Rumanyika- Karagwe national park – its located on the western part of Tanzania and covers the total area of 247 square kilometers and was declared as the national park in 2019. It’s a perfect safari destination for the once who enjoys so much the photographic safari due to the amazing scenery that this national park offers.
Main activities to part in Rumanyika- Karagwe national park: game drives take place in this national park, there are not intensive game viewing trails in this national park but the sights of wild animals such as monkeys, baboons, elephants and different colorful bird species cannot be missed. Other activities that can take place in this national park includes walking safari, bird watching, camping, canoeing as well as sport fishing.
Best time to visit the Rumanyika-Karagwe national park; this national park can be visited throughout the year because its trails are clear and well seen, thus can be accessed all the year around. The dry season is normally in the month of June all the way to October, while the rest of the season is normally raining.
- Saanane national park– the Saanane national park is just 2 kilometers away from the city center of Mwanza region, and close to the Lake Victoria. It’s a perfect place where most of the people take a break from the busy city life of Mwanza. One of the most amazing activity that takes place in this national park includes the safari walks which is highly facilitated by the clear trails.
Best time to visit the Saanane national park- due to the clear trails, this national park can be visited through the year due to the clear trails that are found here, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania
- Rubondo island national park– along the western shores of the blue waters of the Lake Victoria is found the home of different wild animals and variety of colorful bird species. Its one of the national parks that are still virgin and natural because It was never inhabited by humans in decades. It has the spectacular wildlife as the wild animals are literally found in every part of this national park.
Best time to visit Rubondo island: this national park can be visited throughout the year and the wildlife is amazing throughout the year.
Activities to take part in while in Rubondo island: explore the chimpanzee’s behavior and their homes while in this national park, sport fish in Lake Victoria, catch and release the Nile peach which are found in abundance in this lake. while the most entertaining activity is boat cruising safari while enjoying watching the sunset. Bird watching activities can take place in this national park while enjoying the game drive on the 4×4 vehicle with open roof that enable you to see the wildlife clearly, Travelling Through The 22 National Parks in Tanzania.
Entry fee for the Rubondo island national park: the entry fee for this national park is about 20 USD per adult per day.
Accommodation found in Rubondo island national park: there are luxurious camps that are found in this national park, while the youth can be accommodated in the hostels which can accommodate up to 36 youth, while there are chalets with about 5 double rooms and 3 triple rooms. All these accommodations are affordable, for the visitors that wants to spend a night in this national park.
