In addition to the eight parks of the northern and southern circuits, Tanzania has six other national parks to explore. Gombe Stream, Katavi and Mahale Mountains in the west; Kitulo in the south; Rubundo Island in Lake Victoria; and Saadani on the mainland coast north of Dares Salaam.
GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK
A mountainous strip that borders the shores of Lake Tanganyika, about 16km from Kigoma. Tanzania's smallest park covers only 52 sq km. It can only be reached by boat from Kigoma. Gombe Stream offers visitors the rare chance to observe the chimpanzee communities made famous by British explorer Jane Goodall. A number of monkey species can also be seen including red colobus, red-tail and blue monkeys. The area is heavily forested making it an unsuitable habitat for carnivores and safe for walking safaris. Birdwatchers will be richly rewarded.
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Recently extended southward to cover 4500 sq km the main features of Tanzania's third largest park, located about 40 km south-east of the town of Mpanda, are Lake Katavi, with its vast floodplains, the palm-fringed Lake Chala and the Katuma River. The park is noted for its Miombo woodland and is home to buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and zebra. Antelope species include eland, impala, topi, roan, and sable. Water fowl are abundant with Lake Chala particularly rich in bird-life with over 400 species recorded. Katavi also boasts Tanzania's greatest concentration of hippo and crocodile.
KITULO PLATEAU NATIONAL PARK
The second of two new national parks, Kitulo is the first park in tropical Africa to be gazetted largely for its floristic significance. Known locally as ‘God’s Garden’ or the ‘Serengeti of Flowers’, Kitulo plateau has had over 350 species of plants documented to date. These include 45 species of orchids, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world. Some 31 species are endemic to Tanzania; 26 to the Kitulo region; at least three to the plateau itself; and two are found only on the plateau and in the adjoining forest.
The plateau is also home to some important bird species, again many endemic to Tanzania, including the endangered blue swallow, Denham’s bustard, mountain marsh widow, Njombe cisticola, and Kipengere seedeater. Some of the world’s rarest butterflies also inhabit the area along with chameleon, lizard, frogs and a few hardy reedbuck and eland.
MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
The other sanctuary of the chimpanzee, Mahale Mountains National Park, is also reached by boat from Kigoma. Covering an area of approximately 1,600 sq km, the park's western boundary is the shore of Lake Tanganyika. The chimpanzee population is estimated at around 1,000 and they may be observed in their natural habitat in groups of up to 30. Yellow baboons, red colobus, red-tailed and vervet monkeys also live in the park and are commonly seen as are bushbabies, bush-pigs, bushbuck, blue duiker, civet, hyrax and white-tailed mongoose. Buffalo, elephant, giraffe, leopard, lion, porcupine and other various types of antelope are also present but may prove more difficult to find. Lake Tanganyika is home to more than 250 different species of fish.
SAADANI NATIONAL PARK
The newly gazetted Saadani National Park, Tanzania’s first coastal wildlife sanctuary, is located on the Indian Ocean coast some 45 km north of Bagamoyo and directly west of Zanzibar. The park contains many indigenous species including Liechtensteins hartebeest and the rare Roosevelt sable. A good population of elephant live in Saadani as do several herds of buffalo and numerous large groups of hippo and crocodile. Lion, leopard, hyena, giraffe, greater kudu, red duiker, reedbuck, warthog, waterbuck, wildebeest and zebra can also be seen while the bird life is extensive. Bottle nose dolphin are common off the southern coast of the park; whales pass through the Zanzibar channel in October and November; and green turtle breed at Madete Beach. Saadani village is one of the oldest communities on the East African coast while Kaole ruins lay nearby.
...and Game Reserves
As well as the fourteen national parks, the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area and the Mkomazi and Selous Games Reserves, there are a number of other areas in Tanzania where the wildlife is protected. The difference between the National arks and these Game Reserves, Game Controlled Areas, and Wildlife Management Areas is that the animals have the national parks to themselves. Many of these wildlife areas are found adjoining the national parks as they are often created by the return of grazing land to the people. Most reserves have not been developed and have little or no facilities. Other game reserves include:- Ibanda and Rumanyika- Orugundu, in the far northwest, near the border with Uganda. Burigi and Biharamulo, adjacent to Rubondo Island National Park, near the southwest tip of Lake Victoria. Moyowosi and Kigosi to the east of Kigoma. Maswa, Grumeti and Ikorongo bordering the Serengeti. Ugalla River and Uwanda, which surrounds Lake Rukwa, in the west. Rungwa and Kizigo bordering the north of Ruaha National Park.
