Tanzania

Travel Tanzania on your gap year. Ideas for gap year travel to Tanzania.

Tanzania gap year - Gap year programmes in Tanzania

If you visit Tanzania on your gap year or career break you will be visiting one of the best and most exciting places to view wildlife in the whole of Africa. Tanzania has one of the largest and most varied animal populations in the world - from big cats such as lion and cheetah to wildebeest and flamingo. In fact the list of places in which you can view wildlife in Tanzania reads like a ‘Who's who' of the world's most famous games reserves. Ruaha, the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro National Park and the Ngorongoro conservation area are all in Tanzania. Aside from the wildlife, other highlights in Tanzania include its bustling capital Dar es Salaam and the beautiful spice island of Zanzibar.

If you travel to Tanzania on your gap year you will need to have certain vaccinations before you leave, as well as a course of anti-malaria tablets. For medical advice on travelling to Tanzania you should visit your GP or a dedicated travellers' clinic well in advance of travel to obtain the most up-to-date information and to ensure you have enough time prior to departure to get everything sorted out.

Unless you are travelling overland from a neighbouring country your first port of call in Tanzania will be Dar es Salaam. The capital of Tanzania was originally a fishing village but developed over the years in to a major port and trading centre, (with a current population of 1.5 million inhabitants). Dar es Salaam is a great introduction to Tanzania and its people and is well worth exploring.

An excellent starting point for discovering Tanzania's fantastic wildlife is the Ruaha National Park. Ruaha is in southwest Tanzania, some 400 miles or so from Dar es Salaam, and because it has the lowest rainfall in Tanzania can be visited all year round. At Ruaha you can see all of Tanzania's big game animals in their stunning natural habitat - the 13,000 square kilometre landscape varies from dry bush country to evergreen forests. Over 450 of Tanzania's bird species have been recorded in Ruaha as well approximately 1,650 plant species. A particularly enjoyable way to experience this part of Tanzania is by staying in one of the river-side safari bungalows.

The most famous game reserve in Tanzania, however, is undoubtedly the Serengeti - in the far north of Tanzania. The vast plains in this part of Tanzania are one of the oldest ecosystems on earth and two World Heritage Sites and two biosphere reserves have been established there. The Serengeti is particularly famous for its annual migration - in which more than a million wildebeest and 200,000 or so zebra travel in search of grassland. Throughout the year literally millions of animals constantly roam the plains searching for grassland whilst trying to avoid a vast array of fearsome predators higher up the food chain - a visit to the Serengeti while you are in Tanzania is an absolute must.

Another essential game reserve in Tanzania is Ngorongoro National Park (often referred to as the Ngorongoro Crater). The Ngorongoro is formed from the collapsed upper part of an ancient volcano, which has evolved over the years in to a unique ecosystem. The views from the top of the crater rim are spectacular and the area below supports literally hundreds of species of African wildlife.

In the northeast of Tanzania is Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Kilimanaro is actually a snow-capped volcano and the highest (5895 metres high) peak in Africa - making it one of Tanzania's most magnificent sights. Kilimanjaro National Park is home to plenty of wildlife - including monkey, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo - and the landscape varies from farmland at lower altitude through to rainforest and alpine meadow higher up. If you are feeling particularly intrepid and adventurous while you are in Tanzania it is possible for un-trained walkers to trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro (although anyone doing this should really do so as part of an organised climb as you can get in to difficulty at altitude and the temperature significantly drops once the sun's gone down).

Just off the coast of Tanzania, near to Dar es Salaam, is the beautiful Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar was formerly a centre of the slave and spice trades and because of its history has an eclectic mix of Indian, European, Arabic and African influences. As well as being full of history Zanzibar has numerous beautiful beaches and some excellent reefs for diving and snorkelling. If you visit Tanzania Zanzibar is an ideal place in which to chill out and relax after a long safari. 

Tanzania gap year - Gap year programmes in Tanzania


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