There are no better places to reconnect with your loved ones than in Africa, surrounded by our glorious wild spaces and incredible animals, travel is starting to come to the forefront of many people’s minds, and what better time is there than now to start planning a Tanzania safari to the most remote areas of the country, With very few visitors and Covid protocols adhered to, social distancing could not be easier. With lovely lodges and camps, private vehicles, a variety of activities, and freedom of wild places, these are some of the un-missable Tanzania wildlife destinations that are good to keep you away from the crowds, and stop thinking about social distancing!
1. Rubondo Island National Park
Rubondo is a tropical island on the western shores of Lake Victoria and is about as pristine, a place as possible to find. There has been no human habitation on the island for decades, and it is covered by primary tropical forest, interspersed with small patches of savannah and swamp. Tranquil boating excursions offer stunning views of land and water animals. What makes the Island of Rubondo very unique is the chance to witness chimps in their natural habitats. So, this beautiful Island paradise is now a place where one can enjoy watching man’s closest living relative, and without the arduous Mountain trekking of other chimps habitats, and a rare swamp loving antelope, the sitatunga is found amongst the papyrus stands, and elephants are often seen on the shores along with a raft of hippos, crocs, and beautiful place for avid place for bird watchers.
With only one luxury tented camp on the Island, and escaping the crowd is always difficult when visiting other wildlife destination areas, yet here you are presented with a perfect opportunity to own the Island for the days you will stay, Solitude and peace can be found at Rubondo whether you laze on the deck of your luxury tented camp, and watch the waves of the waters of Lake Victoria.
2. Mahale Mountains National Park.
For those who envy remoteness, beautiful landscape, and wildlife, Mahale Mountains national park is surely one of the most spectacular places to visit in all of Africa, some would argue this is one of the most spectacular travel destinations in the whole world, distance and cost notwithstanding. However, Chimps might be the main attraction, but they are by no means the whole picture, there are 6 species of monkeys (yellow baboons, vervet, blue, red-tailed, Angolan colobus, and red colobus), duikers, bush pig, bushbuck, and lots of bird’s species, with pristine forested mountains towering up, behind intimate sandy beaches and bays, on the rocky promontories of the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika is the world’s longest lake (673Km) and is about one and a half kilometers deep and contains 16% of the world’s freshwater. It is the purest fresh water on the planet. The Lake is home to hundreds of species of fish, hippo, and crocodiles that are common across its full extent.
Escaping the crowds is often hard to do when visiting wildlife destinations, yet the Mahale Mountains has two luxury tented camps which provide a perfect opportunity for this, the camps are set deep in the heart of the African interior on a stretch of secluded golden beach, Mbali Mbali Mahale is the perfect blend of comfort and luxury in a romantic setting.
3. Katavi National Park.
Discover the Untouched wilderness made of extensive large plains alternate with broad-leafed woodland, flat-topped acacia bush country, and wide swamps and Lakes, this is a highly seasonal place, only accessible in the dry months of [ July] to [October]. It’s extremely remote, and this remoteness is the strength for during the wet season from October to May (8 months) the wild animals have free domain over a huge hinterland of several thousand square kilometers both within and outside the park, virtually untouched by man. They can move, live, and multiply here. As the dry season arrives they are forced slowly back to the swamps and Lakes of Katavi, where they get more and more concentrated, of huge scale and swarming with big game. You will need at least three days to explore the heart of this virgin wilderness.
There are seasonal tented camps that open only in the dry season, but there are permanent tented camps that are also open during the wet season, with a handful of tourist visiting Katavi each year, this remote wilderness area promises all you need to escape from the crowds, which other destination can not promise.
3. Nyerere (Selous) National Park.
The Land of the Mighty Rufiji, the Nyerere National Park, formally the Selous game reserve is enormous, wild, and remote. And it has great wildlife such as hunting dogs, sable, roan, greater kudu, lesser kudu, raptors, ostrich, croc, hippos, elephants, and big cats. The Rufiji River, Tanzania’s largest, flows through the northern part of the park, and this River which is slow-moving and wide, has created many oxbow Lakes in its northern flood plains, and they create a beautiful landscape of plains and woodlands interspersed with expanses of water. The Lakes are fringed by morasses and doom palm groves and other attractive trees, and besides being home to a very large population of hippo and crocodiles, these Lakes are a magnet for wildlife during the dry season.
As one wind around this interesting landscape on small intimate tracks enjoying the wildlife it is easy to understand why the Selous was declared a protected area in 1896 and part of which is now the Nyerere national park. What sets Nyerere National Park, apart from the others is not only the remoteness, and the promise of escaping the crowds. However, it’s the activities that are offered here which beats the rest of the herds, game drive, explore the world on foot, and game viewing by boat
Nyerere National park camps and small lodges are one of the last secret gems of the park offering personal attention that is always lacking in many large lodges and camps, all camps are tacked along the river offering excellent viewing of wildlife from the deck of your tent, and passing when going down to drink water.
4. Ruaha National Park.
The wondering Ruaha, and what an area! Rivers, Mountains, plains, rock kopjes, swamps, dense woodlands, open savannah spread out across an immense landscape that has barely been touch by man. Wooded hillside, many with rounded granite outcrops and scatterings of huge baobab, are dissected by sandy, rock-strewn seasonal rivers and streams running down to meet flood plains and seasonal swamps, many of which end up in the Great Ruaha River. So, besides regular big game such as elephants, buffaloes, and plain animals, the more unusual species such as the antelopes like sable, roan, greater and lesser kudu are quite common Ruah has the largest population of greater kudu than another reserve in the whole of Africa, but what makes Ruah extra special is not the feeling of exclusiveness off being away from the crowd. Perhaps the most abiding joy of Ruaha is the wild, character of the land within which so many animals roam. It is a land of starry nights, a cool morning, and baking mid-day heat. A land of a monumental storm during the rainy season, and desiccating wind during the dry season. This is Africa that sets its mood on you and from which it is turf to turn away, and one that you never forget. This is so worth the long journey to get here, be it by air or road.
However what makes the park extra special, is the enormous pride of lions which can be found here, no wonder most of the known lion’s pride have been documented here by the National Geographic, the glade, the baobab, and the ninja prides, and most battles of lions versus buffalo.
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