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TANZANIA OVERLANDTanzania boasts some of Africa's most spectacular topography, including the Great Rift Valley (which includes Lake Tanganyika), Mr Kilimanjaro (the continent's highest peak at 5892m), the vast Serengeti Plains and the wonderful Ngorongoro Crater. MUST DO'S:
MORE INFO ON TANZANIA: The archaeological treasures of Tanzania include hominid fossils, which is more than 300 million years old. Tanzanian music and dance dominates much of East Africa. Strong in rhythm and renowned for hard-hitting lyrics, the country's Swahili-based sounds are kept very much alive by a thriving dance-band scene. Nyama choma (barbecued meat) has taken over in a big way, especially in restaurants with attached bars. But on the coast and in Zanzibar and Pemba islands, there's a decent range of traditional Swahili dishes based on seafood. There is a wide range of optional activities to make your experience in Tanzania absolutely unforgettable. Some great floating is to be had in hot-air balloons over the Serengeti and swimming with dolphins around the island of Zanzibar. Snorkeling and scuba diving is equally popular around the world-class coral reefs off nearby Pemba and Mafia islands. GEOGRAPHY Tanzania is a land of plains, lakes and mountains with a narrow, low-lying coastal plateau, some of it semidesert and the rest savanna and scattered bush. Tanzania's highest mountains - Kilimanjaro (5892 m) and Meru (4566m) - are in the northeast along the border with Kenya. HISTORY Recorded history begins around 1800, when the Masaai warrior tribes were migrating from Kenya to Tanzania. It wasn't until the middle of the 18th century that Arab traders and slaves dared venture into Masaai territory in the country's wild interior. European explorers began arriving in earnest in the mid-19th century, the most famous being Stanley and Livingstone. The famous phrase 'Dr Livingstone, I presume', stems from the duo's meeting at Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika. Tanganyika won independence in 1961 with Julius Nyerere as the country's first president. Nyerere, whose secret ingredient was radical socialism, gained widespread respect and is seen as one of the most influential leaders Africa has had. Zanzibar was stuck for another two years, after which the mainland forged a union comprising Zanzibar and the nearby island of Pemba. Thus Tanzania was born. CULTURE Tanzania a large and diverse country in East Africa, provides a home for more than 100 different ethnic groups mostly of Bantu origin, each with its own language and customs. The Arab influence on the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba is evident in the people, who are a mix of Arabs, Shirazis, Comorians and Bantus. CLIMATE The coastal strip along the Indian Ocean and the offshore islands of Pemba and Zanzibar has a hot, humid, tropical climate alleviated by sea breezes. Only on the mountain slopes of the northeast does the country enjoy an almost temperate climate for most of the year. Rainy season is from mid-March to mid-May. DAR ES SALAM Tanzania's premier city, started off as a small fishing village and developed into a port and trading centre in the mid-19th century, which was named Dar es Salaam, meaning Haven of Peace. Now it's a teaming metropolis of 1.5 million people where Arab dhows mingle with huge ocean-going vessels. A few of the highlights are the many markets, especially the colourful Kariakoo Market, craft shops and one can enjoy the bustling harbour, vending stalls, vibrant street life and traditional dances whilst strolling through the streets of central Dar es Salaam. Dar's National Museum is next to the Botanical Gardens in the city centre, which features important archaeological collections, especially the fossil discoveries of Zinjanthropus (Nutcracker Man), and the sordid history of the Zanzibar slave trade. Dar es Salaam is a warm and salty place with a heady cultural mix and it is a living-breathing village of authentic dwellings from various parts of Tanzania. ZANZIBAR Trading under the name Spice Island, this paradise off Tanzania's north coast has lured travellers for centuries. At the end of the 15th century the first European arrivals reached Zanzibar, looking for a trade route to India, and established a trading station. During the period of the 17th century, Zanzibar became a major slaving centre, but sultan Khalifa signed an agreement abolishing slavery on 13 September 1889. Zanzibar consists of two large islands, Unguja (Zanzibar Island) and Pemba, as well as several smaller ones off the coast of East Africa. Both islands were originally coral reefs that became exposed and formed the main rock type, which is a coralline limestone known as 'coral rag'. The old Stone Town of Zanzibar is one of the most fascinating places on the east coast. It's a chaotic cluster of winding streets lined with whitewashed coral-rag houses. There are endless little shops, bazaars, mosques, courtyards and fortresses, two former sultans' palaces, two huge cathedrals and a lot more to explore. Dotted around the island are historical sites such as the ruined Maruhhubi Palace, built in 1882 by Sultan Barghash to house his harem. Another significant site worth visiting is the Mangapwani Slave Cave. There's also Jozani Forest, 24km (15mi) southeast of Zanzibar town, a sanctuary for the rare red colobus monkey and the Zanzibar duiker (small antelope). SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK Serengeti, which sprawls across 14,763 sq km (5757 sq mi), is Tanzania's largest and most famous national park. The chief herbivore of Serengeti is the wildebeest of which there are up to two million. The amazing annual migration of wildebeest herds is one of the biggest attractions of the Serengeti. It begins at the Serengeti National Park near the Kenyan border, when huge herds of wildebeests head for greener pastures in Kenya. Starting in April each year, these animals migrate across the Serengeti's southern plains accompanied by zebras, antelopes, gazelles, lions and tourists. The park is also famous for its lions, which can be tracked due to the fact that many have collars fitted with transmitters, as well as cheetah and large herds of giraffe. NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA Being one of the largest calderas in the world, 20km (12.4mi)-wide, 600m (1968ft) tall, with a variety of animals and vegetation, Ngorongoro Crater is one of Tanzania's most visited areas. The vegetation includes grasslands, swamps, forests, saltpans and a freshwater lake and has been compared to Noah's Ark and the Garden of Eden. You will have no trouble finding lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and many of the plains herbivores such as wildebeest, Thomson's gazelle, zebra and reedbuck, as well as thousands of flamingos wading in the shallows of Lake Magadi, the soda lake on the floor of the crater. Within the steep walls of the crater you will find considerable movement of animals and you may well come across local Maasai tribes people, who have grazing rights here, tending their cattle. TRAVEL TIPS:
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