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Tanzania Introduction


Tanzania is a country perhaps most famous, in Africa, for its dramatic and all encompassing natural beauty and rich historical and cultural background going back centuries. The Tanzanian plains of the Serengeti bear witness every year to one of the world’s most phenomenal migrations from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara in Kenya.
 

Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and also known to be the highest free standing mountain in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Mount Kilimanjaro is actually situated in Tanzania, not in Kenya. Its majestic presence is all the more mesmerising with its peak covered in powdery snow. Climbing expeditions to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro are immensely rewarding and preparation for the climb needs to be well planned.
 

Tanzania sports the largest game reserve in Africa known as the Selous Game Reserve, followed by the well known Serengeti National Park as the largest national park in Tanzania.
 

Bordering Tanzania is Lake Tanganyika. This lake is know to be the world’s longest and deepest lake, shared by Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
 

City life in Tanzania is a colourful and heady mixture of old world European and Arabic colonial charm, with trade and agriculture being the central focus, where a constant buzz of activity dominates the scenery. Markets are invariably ablaze with kaleidoscopic colours of the native khanga cloths and the zesty fragrance of spices drawing locals and foreign travellers alike to investigate the enticing wares being peddled at these markets.
 

Dar es Salaam meaning Haven of Peace, is the economic capital of Tanzania. As the largest city in Tanzania, it is populated by 2.5 million people and serves as a bustling port and gateway into East Africa, being situated on the Indian Ocean coastline. Although government departments are located here and foreign diplomats are a constant presence, the official political capital and seat of government is Dodoma.

Dar es Salaam is home to numerous historical landmarks, namely St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Old State House and the beautiful botanical gardens. This vibrant Tanzanian city was established originally as a small fishing village and still has many charming fishing markets that are definitely worth visiting.
 

Dodoma is situated on the eastern edge of the Southern Highlands and is a rich agricultural area and known to be the centre of the Tanzanian wine industry. Although it is smaller and less well developed than Dar es Salaam, Dodoma is the Tanzania’s political capital and the seat of government.
 

Arusha is known as Tanzania’s safari capital and any safari enthusiast would be at loss if they leave without visiting this town. The town is located underneath the twin peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro and is within an easy distance from the National Parks in Tanzania. Arusha was historically built as a centre for colonial administration and was a quiet farm town amongst the northern Tanzania plantations. Today Arusha is the centre of International Relations and Tanzanian diplomacy. Arusha was the site for the United Nations Criminal Tribunal on the Rwandan genocide.
 

For visitors seeking a caffeine fix of an unprocessed note, Moshi is the town you want to find yourself in. This is Tanzania’s coffee producing town, nestled at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. Here weary travellers can indulge in seasonal wholesale coffee auctions. Cultural and hiking tours can be arranged to the local tribal villages and up Mount Kilimanjaro respectively, before travellers grab their bag of wholesale coffee and leave the town on cloud of caffeine.
 

Tanzania is crested by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, and is populated by the Indian Ocean islands, with particular focus on Zanzibar now formally a part of Tanzania. Arusha is known as the safari capital and the gateway to many of Tanzania’s national gems like the Serengeti,Ngorongoro Crater where one has the rare privilege of seeing all of the Big 5 and the famed Mount Kilimanjaro.
 

The Eastern Arc Mountains are a definite must-see. Nature lovers are fortunate to experience the isolation and climate of these mountains, magnifying an unparalleled biodiversity and arrangement of fauna and flora that is unique to this safari area in Tanzania. The Pare Mountains form the northern outpost of traditional culture in Tanzania and are home to the Pare and Asu people. When visiting this region in order to lend authenticity to your visit, it is advised that travellers hike their way through the villages dotting the landscape.
 

Tanzania is also known for its dazzling white beaches and the azure of the warm Indian Ocean waters make for the most breathtaking contrasts.