GREEN DREAMS IN TANZANIA

Sustainable tourism, East African style

Africa has its own seasons. From November to April, while many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are donning winter coats and battling sub-zero temperatures, the great plains of the Serengeti are springing to life with fresh green growth on hardy acacias and lofty crotons and flaming red blooms on ubiquitous tulip trees. This is called “the Green Season,” and it contrasts from Africa’s peak safari season, from July to September, in some dramatic ways – making it Africa’s “Secret Season” for the wealth of rare natural treasure to be discovered.

Tanzania is a land of Edens within this drama, bringing the wildlife spectacles to be found at Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park in the north as well as the Ruaha and Selous Game Reserves in the south. Lake Manyara frames a vista of exploding pinks against blinding blotches of black and white as flamingoes nest, herons light and zebra, wildebeest and giraffes cool off in the equatorial sun.

Mt. Kilimanjaro looms in the distance on a clear day as the highest (19,341-foot) mountain on the continent and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. All of this is within reach of Arusha, fast becoming one of the top MICE locations in Africa. The Arusha International Conference Centre is a spectacular custom-built facility with the capacity to host up to 10,000 delegates.

“We are steadily preparing the country for the big time when it comes to business tourism,” says Arusha ICC CEO Elishilia D. Kaaya in an interview with AfricaLive.net. “Arusha is home to some of the most acclaimed natural sites in the world and our center is closely associated with these amazing sites because of our proximity to them. We want people to think about these wonders of the world whenever the Arusha International Conference Centre is mentioned.”

The development of the industry in Tanzania will see continued investment in infrastructure and facilities with new conference centres developing close to the country’s main tourist and business hubs such as Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

For those who want to mix meetings with a magical immersion in Tanzania’s natural beauty, there is no shortage of luxury safaris that can fill the bill. Familiar names include Micato Safaris, African Travel, Collette, Globus, Gate One, Goway, SITA, Intrepid, Tauck, Travcoa and many more. They manage group travel, private travel, super luxury travel, even jet safaris. Choices come into play for level of luxury and lodging rather than animal sightings. In Tanzania, Big Five conquests come with the territory.

It’s important to note that in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many governments advised against all but essential travel to Tanzania. However, as the situation evolves, these advisories are likely to change. At time of press, international flights were operating to and from Tanzania and Emirates resumed services to the capital, Dar es Salaam, on August 1.

SELECT EXPERIENCES

Access to Tanzania has been boosted in recent years by the return of national carrier Air Tanzania in 2016, which was able to establish direct flights from Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Travellers can now fly easily into air fields near Kilimanjaro and the other three national park zones as well as Zanzibar – the Spice Islands, all well worth the exploration.

If Tanzania were to delve into the top five reasons to visit, it might look something like this:

• Wildlife Safaris: The great migrations, Ngorongoro Crater National Park that is home to the largest volcanic crater on earth with the largest concentration of varied wildlife to be found on the planet – and all this comes with the comforts and luxuries of five-star travel.

• Beaches: The soft sand littorals along the rims of Zanzibar and Pemba are laced with luxury lairs that open to the warm Indian Ocean, just a stone’s throw from the medieval alleys of Stonetown where century-old giant roaming tortoises blend with aromatic cafes and notion shops.

• Mountain Climbing: Conquering the highest mountain in Africa is always on the list, smaller mountains such as Mountain Meru and Lake Natron’s The Mountain of God beckon too. • Balloon Safaris: Glide over the Serengeti at sunrise; Bucket list. • Exotic Foods: Dishes in Tanzania take on a piquant blend of Middle Eastern, Indian and Sub-Sahara. A little ugali, some curried fish, some local nuts and fruits and a lot of spices. Get used to the scent of cloves in Zanzibar.

TOP RESORTS IN TANZANIA

Tanzania has been in the resort business for some 80 years as royals and celebrities found Africa’s wilds to be a regular interest, if not an addiction. These are often comfortable permanent tented camps with decked out quarters that include attached bathrooms, hot baths, libraries, even Internet, all on a remote scape where lions roar and elephants make occasional entrances.

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti: Find this gem in Serengeti

National Park. Quarters feature African décor and modern amenities such as a flat-screen TV, minibar, safe and air conditioning. Daily safaris, elaborate meals and an infinity-edge plunge pool overlooking the savannah are some of this lodge’s favorite features.

Singita Faru Faru Lodge: Find the newly refurbished Singita

Faru Faru Lodge in northern Tanzania, within the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. The lodge is part of Singita’s 350,000-acre private reserve and comes with spacious bedroom suites of contemporary African décor and design. The lodge sits on the scenic Grumeti River.

andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge: andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge offers nine romantic stilted treehouse suites shaded by a mahogany canopy and created to be a minimal imprint on the environment in this pristine setting.

Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge: This spread offers a wood log cabin-style retreat set within the virgin Tanzanian bush. It is walking distance to the Game Reserve Gate, and a 20-minute drive away from the Ngorongoro Crater, where the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa roam. The lodge brings 20 spacious private cabins complete with a fireplace, as well as a restaurant, bar and conference facilities. The lodge is not far from Gibbs Farm which overlooks the Great Rift Valley. Originally a coffee plantation, this is the oldest guesthouse in northern Tanzania.