Things to see and do Northern Parks And Kilimanjaro

Labelled fair and solidarity tourism, this highly recommendable French-speaking Belgian agency organises safaris with very original stays in the homes of local people, notably in Endallah, a village of the Iraqw community on the heights of Lake Manyara, a rare tribe of Cushitic origin who came thousands of years ago from Mesopotamia through the Horn of Africa to settle here, and who have kept a mysterious Arabic language and unique customs. The arrival on foot is a beautiful hike with a view of the lake. Then we sleep in a local's house (in a room with bathroom and mosquito net), and with one of the guides we visit the school, the dispensary and one of the rare traditional Iraqi houses made of wood and dried mud still standing. The welcome from John Karama and all the team is sincerely warm, the villagers curious about the visitors and the open air musical barbecue festive. The experience is unique. The Endallah association organizes other immersions in the homes of other northern tribes, the Maasai and Kuria (see their website). These village visits can be combined with safaris in the Serengeti, to a Shangarai village near Arusha in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, or to Mama Polo's home in the Kuria village of Nyamburi, on the other side of the Serengeti Park on the border with Kenya. The agency also organizes classic safaris throughout Tanzania and Zanzibar and participates in local development projects.

This superb national park of 137 km ², created in 1960, which is only 40 minutes from the city centre of Arusha, consists mainly of very wild and dense forests. The Hungarian Count Samuel Teleki von Szek (or Telki, 1845-1916) arrived in the Momela region in 1876, before launching explorations in Kenya. Then the Trappe family installed a large farm in 1907, also practicing hunting. The Trappe gave the region a park status after the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.

Originally called Ngurdoto Crater National Park, he took the name of Arusha in 1967 when the Mount Meru was included. The park is famous for its many varieties of trees, as well as for the many species of birds that inhabit it (flamingos rose, pelicans, ibis, touracos, couronnés eagles, eagle eagles, eagles at Verreaux, not forgetting a multitude of unknown little birds) that researchers come to study for years. He also houses giraffes, zebras, cobes, warthogs, buffalo, elephants, monkeys, colobes, leopards…

Divided into three zones, the park has the Ngurdoto crater area in the south-east, with a diameter of approximately 3 km, which can only be seen from the top, and which looks like a miniature Ngorongoro, except that the rhino were completely wiped out by hunting, and then by poaching. Be careful when you get down to the viewpoint, there is plenty of buffalo. In the northeast, the alkaline lakes of Momela offer a superb view over Kilimanjaro. This corner is inhabited by a large number of birds, including pink flamingos colonies. Between these first two zones, one passes through several ponds where wildlife, particularly the volatile ones, is abundant. Finally, the third zone is the Meru volcano and the hills of Kitoto. There are many torrents, the mountain ruisselante mountain and the densely populated forest. If you don't climb it, at least make a small walking safari with a ranger at the Chutes Falls (1 hour round trip), on the right of the big yellow acacia erected against the first cliff. If you have a 4 x 4 vehicle, take the access trail to the crater plateau, really superb (the trek takes it on the climb). From Arusha, and if you don't want to trek, this beautiful, savage park is visiting one day, starting early in the morning. 5 km after the entrance to the road to Momela, you arrive in the village of Ngare Nanyuki. By asking the road to Mkuru, you can go to the Maasaï village which serves as a base camp for slug walks, animals adapted to the semi-arid plains stretching between Kilimanjaro and Natron lake. As they eat in height, they do not compete with cows or wild animals, and are a perfect means of silent locomotion for an original safari. In general, you will be randonne for 20 km in the morning and walking or resting in the afternoon. This maasaï project allows for the financing of a school (information from the Tourist Office in Arusha).

The Rongai route is the only one that starts on the north side and remains there throughout the climb. It is protected from the rains that come from the east in more or less humid periods, and by taking it you have a better chance of coming across the local fauna (black and white Colobus monkeys). It is not very busy and technically fairly easy, and offers different scenery from the other routes to the south and west, including views over the Kenyan plains. It passes through the Hans Meyer cave and reaches the crater via Gillman's point before continuing to the summit.

The Umbwe route is the most difficult on Kilimanjaro, as it is the shortest. It takes 6 days to complete, and the risk of acclimatization problems is correspondingly higher. It is aimed at experienced climbers who already know their resistance to altitude sickness. We stop at Umbwe Camp (3,000 m) after 1,600 m of climbing on the first day, before waiting for Barranco Camp (3,850 m). The route is then identical to that of Machame and Lemosho, so it's very busy in high season. After the summit, last night at Millenum Camp.

Based in Moshi and recognized for the quality of its services, this agency invites you to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, or Oldonyo Lengai. Alternatively, you can make one of the many safaris available in northern parks, standard camping or luxury. Also on the map, cultural tours, bird watching, or hot air balloon safaris.

From now on, you have to pay by CB Visa or MasterCard at the park gate or with a Tanapa prepaid card that you can buy and credit at any Exim bank branch. There are three in Arusha. Cash is not allowed at the gate. If your safari is all-inclusive, you don't have to worry about anything. If you stay in the park in a lodge, you will also have to pay the new concession fee. If you sleep outside, you will have to pay the next day as the ticket is a single entry.

All these taxes are to be paid in advance (no cash or CB at the gate), at the Barclay Bank branch in Arusha or Mwanza (the entrance town on the Lake Victoria side), or at the CRDB in these two towns and in Karatu, either in CB Visa or MasterCard, or in dollars. The bank will provide you with a receipt and a temporary "NCA smart card" to which the fees are credited, which you will need to "beep" on entering and leaving the park. For the Crater Fee Service, the card must be paged either at the Lodware Gate or at the administration office next to the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.

The "Northern Circuit" is the most recent route. On the northern flank of the Kili, it is better protected from the rains and can be completed in 8 to 10 days. It's quieter because it's less well-known. From the Londorossi gate to Big Tree (night 1) and then Shira 1 (night 2) in the forest, you climb 700 to 800 m per day, before climbing 1,000 m to Lava Tower (4,550 m). A peak that allows you to acclimatize as you descend to Buffalo Camp at 4,000 m and Third Cave Camp (3,870 m), before climbing back to School Huts camp at 4,870 m before the summit.

The park is proposed by the Safari safari companies.