Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria – located west of Serengeti National Park and within driving distance of it, this natural wonder has a surface area of 68,800 sq. km. and is Africa’s largest lake. It’s also the planet’s second-largest freshwater lake (only North America’s Lake Superior is larger). The Lake is within three countries: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
During the 19th century, Europeans’ search for the source of the Nile River led to the sighting of the lake by the British explorer John Hanning Speke in 1858. Formerly known to the Arabs as Ukerewe, the lake was named by Speke in honor of Queen Victoria of England. A detailed survey of the lake was made by Sir William Garstin in 1901. Plans for gradually raising the level of the lake’s waters were completed in 1954 with the construction of the Owen Falls Dam (now the Nalubaale Dam) on the Victoria Nile at Jinja, Uganda. The dam provides hydroelectric power on a large scale and made the lake a vast reservoir. A second dam, Kiira, was later constructed 0.6 mile (1 km) from Nalubaale. It was completed in 1999 and began producing hydroelectric power the next year.
Retima Hippo Pool
Retima Hippo Pool
Retima Hippo Pool (Seronera Valley, Serengeti National Park) – located 8 km north of Seronera, this site is where the course of the Seronera river joins the Orangi river and forms this deep pond puddled by hippos spending the day immersed in the water. Often visitors can only see their little pink ears and the big nostrils from where they blow out excess water and make bubbles; this is the best place in the park where to spot these huge, noisy mammals.
A visit to this spot is very interesting especially in the dry season, when there are more hippos than water; the huge mammals rest in the shallow water or the mud in search of coolness and shelter from the scorching sun, fighting each other for the best position. This is one of the few places in the Serengeti National Park where you can leave the jeep and see hippos up close, and take advantage of great photo opportunities offered from one of the observation points.
Olakira Camp
Olakira Camp
Olakira Camp (Seronera, Serengeti National Park) – visitors at Olakira can follow the massive herds of wildebeest to two spectacular locations in the north and south of the Serengeti National Park, as well as the Ndutu region. Home from December to March, is in the NCA (Ngorongoro Conservation Area), game drives cover both the NCA itself and the southern Serengeti, allowing for frequent sightings of big cats, elephant, buffalo and the more elusive African wild dog. As the dry days of winter arrive, Olakira relocates north to the confluence of the Mara and Bolongonja rivers for spectacular game viewing at the Mara River itself.
Whilst Olakira is known for its superb locations during the Migration, the camp has one more surprise that awaits visitors – its brand-new stargazing tents. Olakira’s tents have been perfectly designed so that a portion of the tent boasts a 270-degree view from beneath a meshed net, offering visitors an outdoor experience whilst still remaining indoors. Its stargazing tents allow visitors the flexibility to roll their beds into the meshed area for a magical experience of sleeping beneath the stars. With the galaxies glittering above you while you dream about the day’s adventures – it truly is an experience that you don’t want to miss out on.
Moru Kopjes
Moru Kopjes
Moru Kopjes (Serengeti National Park) — southwest of the Central Serengeti lies Moru, home to the black rhino. Moru Kopjes is home to the remaining population of black rhinos in the park. The Serengeti Rhino Project has a visitor’s center here where one can learn more about the conservation strategies being employed. Another highlight at Moru is Gong Rock where a short walk leads to a series of Maasai paintings. Just to the east lies the saline Lake Magadi, a great spot for pink flamingos to gather.
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater – located 4 hours (191 km) west of Arusha, this is a deep volcanic crater, the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20 km across, 600 meters deep, and 300 sq. km in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder. The Ngorongoro Crater is also part of a protected area that also includes the Serengeti Plains and the Nothern Highland Forest Reserve. That entire area was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site, and listed as one of the International Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme.
Due to the enclosed nature of the Crater, it has vitually formed its own ecosystem. Besides the stunning scenery, one of the main attractions of this area is the variety of flora and fauna found in a remarkably compact area all year round. In the Southwest corner, there is the Lerai Forest, which is mainly comprised of yellow fever trees (a member of the acacia family). To the north of the forest is a shallow soda lake called Lake Magadi, and to the east, you will find Gorigor Swamp and the Ngoitokitok Springs (where pods of hippos can be found). The north of the Crater is, on the whole, much drier and consists of the open grasslands, which characterizes the Crater floor (this is where the majority of the resident game resides).
Mbalageti Serengeti
Mbalageti Serengeti
Mbalageti Serengeti (Lodge) – this lodge is located on the western corridor of the Serengeti (on Mwamyeni Hill, overlooking the vast Dutwa Plain). The lodge offers a breathtaking 360-degree panorama view of the Serengeti plain lands and the Mbalageti River, where one of the main attractions is the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra.
Maswa Game Reserve
Maswa Game Reserve
Maswa Game Reserve — Maswa is an extraordinarily beautiful area. It has wide open plains along the southern edge of the Serengeti. Rolling hills covered in thickets and rock kopjes are interspersed with seasonally dry rivers containing permanent water holes. And, of course, Maswa has plenty and varied wildlife that includes big game. The area has a high density of lions and leopards.
Originally a hunting concession, the reserve has been converted into a multi-use area. The safari operator in this area has since the 1980’s, done an exceptional job keeping poachers away. Wildlife populations have increased dramatically. Maswa is one of the most important buffer zones, separating the villages to the west from Serengeti National Park to the east.
Maasai Village
Maasai Village
Maasai Village (Ngorongoro Highlands, Tanzania) – visitors can enrich their safari holiday with a visit to a Maasai village in the Ngorongoro Highlands – perhaps including a leisurely walk to the village across the rolling hills of the plateau. Tourists can spend time with the villagers, find out about their way of life, and join in their exuberant singing and dancing
Ikorongo Game Reserve
Ikorongo Game Reserve
Ikorongo Game Reserve (Serengeti National Park)– this game reserve, established in 1993 and covering an area of 602 sq. kilometers, is located on the north side of the Serengeti. Visitors going through this area will likely find several wildlife species including the Thomsons gazelle, buffalos, Grant gazelles, zebras, wildebeests, sable antelopes, bushbacks, impalas warthogs, lions, giraffes and African elephants, among others.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara National Reserve (Narok County, Kenya) – this is known as one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserves, located in southwest Kenya and is part of the northern section of the Serengeti National Park.
Famous for the abundance of the big cats, lion, leopard, cheetah and the great wildebeest migration and the Maasai people, well known for their distinctive custom and dress. There are many places to stay in and around the Maasai Mara. The Mara has several conservancies surrounding it, that have restricted number of vehicles allowing a more private game viewing. The Maasai Mara Ecosystem holds one of the highest lion densities in world and this is where over two million Wildebeest, Zebra and Thomsons Gazelle migrate annually.
