From the Maasai dialect, Serengeti literally means “endless plains.” The Serengeti National Park is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is popular for its sheer number of wildlife species. The main attraction of the site is the yearly migration of more than a million wildebeests and hundreds of thousands of zebras.

The park is about 5700 square miles, consisting of savannah and woodlands. It is at the north of Tanzania, bordering to Kenya. The region has a warm-equatorial climate. Other than the migration of ungulates (zebras and wildebeests) there are many other species too. Visitors and hunters have labeled the lions, leopards, black rhinos, elephants and buffaloes as the “Big Five.” Like other Tanzanian National Parks, Serengeti has hundreds of bird varieties. These include the ostrich, Kori bustard, crane, stork and some 500 species more.

Visitors can enjoy on-foot safari trips. They may also opt to ride hot air balloons and explore from the heights. The Serengeti is also located near the historically rich Olduvai Gorge. It has museums with artifacts from early hominids. The Ngorongoro Crater is also accessible for the Serengeti National Park.

People can come to the park anytime in the year. But to watch the migration of the million wildebeests, it is best to visit during December to July. On the other hand, predators like lions and cheetahs are more visible during June to October.

Several campsites and lodges are scattered within the park, including the new Bilila Lodge. There are luxury camps and tent camps too. They offer rock music parties and world class foods. They can even arrange lunch or meals on the plains too.

The sixth largest national park in Africa is called the Tarangire National Park. The park owns a large collection of baobab trees. It may not be as well known as the other parks up north- the Tarangire National Park is one of Africa’s secret yet not so secret spots in the northern safari circuit- one in fact of the most underrated greats in Africa.

It was named after a nearby river called Tarangire. It has the same attractions as the parks up-north- the only difference is that this place is not usually as crowded as the other ones. Going here would be a good chance for research, recreational activities and soul-searching. In here, you are bound to intertwine with the spirits of the earth as you roam around every tree, every vine and every root in the jungle – it is bound to be a very exciting adventure.

A lot of migratory animals aim to reside here during the dry season. You can see groups and herds of animals like 600 elephants followed by zebras, buffalos and oryxes who ventured from the Maasai to the Tarangire in search for water. There are also a few lions prowling around and looking for unsuspecting preys around the jungle. Some of the other animals that you may see here are antelopes, warthogs, hippos, cheetahs, leopards, foxes, jackals and waterbucks.

Like in any part of Africa, this part is also known for its avian diversity. There lives here a variety of birds beaming with wonderful colors. Some examples of these are the Yellow-collared lovebirds, various types of storks, herons, kingfishers and the paradise whyder.

Dar Es Salaam Village Museum or Makabusho is a Tanzanian village filled with traditional homes representing 18 ethnic tribes. The whole place is filled with galleries and museums of traditional carvings by local artisans. It also contains many traditional paintings and weave-works. It will obviously give you a glimpse of the Tanzanian tribe’s ethnic cultures and open your world as you explore this country’s history.

Some of the famous tourist destinations here in Dar es Salaam are the Azania Lutheran Church, Mikumi National Park, Ruaha National Park, The Botanical Gardens and the National Museum. It also has the The Makabunsh Village Museum, Old Boma, St Joseph’s Cathedral, Karimjee Hall and the Askari Monument within its boundaries.

The English term for the Arabic term “Dar es Salaam” is “House of Peace.” Its funny how ironic the name is to the current condition of the place. It’s a busy place during the day but terribly hazardous during night.

Other sights include the clock tower and the Karikaroo market. For entertainment, there are restaurants and bars near the beach. Ngoma tribal dances which often end with acrobatic performances are also performed within the village to entertain spectators.

If you are looking forward for a cultural and exotic adventure, better prepare your tickets and visit the stunning city of Stone Town. Found in Tanzania’s center of tourism, Zanzibar, Stone Town can surely free you from the everyday stresses of the urban cities.

Aside from being the home of an array of coral reefs, Zanzibar is also famed for its Stone Town. Known worldwide as the perfect example of Eastern Africa’s earlier civilizations, Stone Town is an adventure into the past. Its name came from the coralline rock many ancient households had used to build their homes. Nowadays, those same structures made from the same coralline rocks still garnish the whole town, making it an extraordinary place for you to visit.

In addition to the houses, ancient Arabic architectures were perfectly preserved in this vast area within Zanzibar. Since this region of Tanzania was once the center for trading in the Indian Ocean, there area many artifacts that have been left behind from foreign cultures. These would include the elaborate wood carvings coming from Arabian roots, the numerous streets and alleys mingled with the ancient appearances, and the ornate brass finishing in many of the doors used for the houses. The intricate designs most of the Muslim’s ancestors had created are still alive here, including their old mosques and other interesting buildings. No wonder Stone Town is chosen by UNESCO as a member of the World’s World Heritage Sites. On that note, many architectural and historical students would indeed love to witness the rich and abundant evidences of the ancient world’s beauty and grandeur.

Other things to experience are the lively bazaars that feature some of the most exquisite rituals and dances popular in Tanzania. Usually, these celebrations are accompanied by the Taarab music endemic to the island, thus further enhancing the culture of this tourist spot you will surely want to experience.

Mount Kilimanjaro attracts a lot of trekkers who walk and reach the summit to see the rising of a new day, symbolizing the rebirth and renewal of life.

Mount Kilimanjaro is an inactive strato-volcano with three volcanic cones: Sira, KIbo and Mawenzi. It is the highest peak in Africa today granting that it is 5895 meters high. The origins of the mountain’s name remain unknown until today- but of course people have some few hypotheses. Myth number one states that it came from two Swahili words: Kilima and Njaro. Kilima is Swahili for hill while Njaro was supposed to be some ancient term for shining. Another theory is that it came from the words Kileajao and Kilmanare. However, there are a lot of loopholes and unanswered questions tailing these intelligent guesses that they could not come up with a concrete answer.

The inactive volcano holds some unusual vegetation around its lower half, namely the water holding cabbage. It also has 1200 species of vascular plants. Unlike the other mountains on east Africa, this famous mountain has no bamboo growing around it. Mega-herbivores reside on these dry slopes without bamboos. On its southern part which is a bit- more moist compared to the northern part, contain plants and trees such as junipers, olives and podocarpus. You can also find giant ferns, vines, figs and a vast number of flowers in the clearer parts of the mountain. There’s also a variety of colorful birds here which makes the overall ambiance more soothing and appealing to the eye. Some of the birds that usually fly around here are the turaco and the hornbill. There are also blue and colobus monkeys roaming around here, as well as Leopards and antelopes.

If the name of the place sounds weird to you, visiting and seeing the actual landscape of the place will blow you off your feet. This secluded town is located in a serene mountain side, with houses made with extraordinary style. Every family shelters in an underground cave, creating a lunar look in the town much of an alien appearance rather than an Earthly one. Unlike the traditional households you have grown to love, the homes in Matmata can be likened to little holes scraped from the mountain. This exemplary style of living is called the Troglodyte architecture, wherein tall walls of thick and solid mud are formed into having small openings in its façade. In these homes, at most 5,000 dwellers live.

Visiting the town will remind you of Star Wars, since Matmata was the actual location for filming of Sidi Driss, the place where Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen lived with Luke Skywalker. Since the production of the film, nothing has been changed in any way, since the place already looks more like a foreign village than a town. This attracts many tourists, and since the actual Hotel Sidi Driss still exists in Matmata, many Star Wars fans have experienced for themselves how it feels to be on planet Tatooine.

Also, the Berbers, or the locals living in Matmata, are very hospitable and friendly toward guests and tourists. You can readily feel their warm welcome once they have seen you. Many even suggest tips in finding reliable tourist guides for you. In that way, you can steer away from the scam fake guides often schemed for newcomers like you.

Overall, Matmata is a unique and exciting place to have on your vacations list. Visiting this place can be your moment to leave Earth without actually being in space!

The continent of Africa can truly amaze many of us with its vast forests, breath taking sites and interesting collection of endangered and wild animals. As many travelers have believed, Africa is Nature at its boldest form.

If you are planning to pack your backpacks and spend your vacation on this marvelous continent, remember to include on your list of must-see attractions the Zanzibar Coral Reefs of Tanzania. Praised because of its ability to engulf urban settlers into a new perspective inclined towards Mother Earth, Tanzania is a place you will never want to miss.

Zanzibar is originally from mainland Tanzania, but was broken apart by long ago violent geological activities. Now, the two small islets comprising Zanzibar is a new tourist spot for many travelers. As an archipelago, the whole area of Zanzibar is bounded by wide beaches with growing coconut trees. Also, a vast collection of coral reefs surround the whole location, making it ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving. In that case, for you to actually understand the grandeur of Zanzibar Coral Reefs, you might also want to bring with you your diving suits and goggles.

Historically speaking, Zanzibar was formerly called the Prison Island. The reason was because many unjust rulers imprisoned their slaves on this island. However, the former prison now is the center of tourism in Tanzania. In its coral reefs, Zanzibar serves as the home for a large family of giant tortoises. The coral reefs successfully attracted those tortoises believed to have dwelt originally from Seychelles.

Inspired by the oceanic aura, restaurants across the island also offer fish and chips in their menus, side by side with their organic salad. With that, visiting Zanzibar Coral Reefs is truly time well spent.

Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest reserves in the world. Visiting this African game reserve will give you a bewildering sense of forest virginity. This reserve helps protect a large quantity of the animal species. You can also find 350 different species of birds. Some of the mammals include a hundred thousand buffalos, a hundred and fifty thousand wildebeests and a huge population of giraffes. It also contains at least 50 thousand impalas.

One of the best features of the Selous Game reserve is the Rufiji River. It is a hundred meters deep and a hundred meters wide. There are five lakes connected by the Rufiji. You can venture into the heart of the jungle by boat. In the river, you can probably see yundus.

Visiting ancient ruins of former great cities can truly be a splendid idea for tourists. Medenine of Tunisia will make an excellent vacation to see ancient buildings and structures.

Although many tourist guides neglect this great site as a must see for the interested people seeking leisure, Medinine is a good choice for you. Why? Well, the structures in the ghorfas villages are of optimum importance to the agricultural aspect of Tunisia. Ghorfas are grain storage houses that shelters many of the crops the Tunisians in Medenine have gathered throughout the summer. You will surely love its distinct appearance. The building is made from 100% clay and mud, ensuring the cool temperature inside without creating the destructive moisture than can spoil the grains. Many caretakers of the storage houses allow tourists to see and witness how the grains are stacked inside the attention-grabbing forms of the ghorfas.

Moreover, to add color to the already interesting collection of ghorfas, a series of stores selling colorful carpets are seen around the village. Most of the time, the businessmen even parade their designed carpets outside their stations, making the whole area more attractive and lively. You can also find these carpets as a great souvenir item, both for you and for your loved ones. Tunisian carpets are known for its intricate appearances and ethnic styles. This would definitely adorn your floors. For functionality, these carpets can effectively insulate the chilling temperature of winter.

Truly, having an experience of seeing this one of a kind cultural place can be a very fulfilling experience.

If your vacation period is nearing, you might be interested in visiting the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, Africa. You can perfectly hope for a relaxing experience in this part of the vast forestry of Africa. The whole park is halved with the Victoria Nile River, running for the first 40 meters in a bulleting speed and then ending into the grand Murchison Falls, the central attraction of this park. Aligned on both sides of the river is a thick group of trees and other shrubs and plants.

Of course, a National Park wouldn’t be complete without the varying animals living in its sheltering arms. Included among the animals living in this vast wet land are 450 species of birds and 76 kinds of mammals, such as elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, warthog and the Uganda kobo. Also, the river hosts the largest number of wild crocodiles and other reptile species, making this forest a good source of curiosity and interest. The good part here is you can actually see these animals roam around the forest.

Also, if you visit the Murchison Falls National Park, you can be on the same list of personalities who have also enjoyed the company of the Uganda animals. The members include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ernest Hemmingway. Movies requiring forest backgrounds have also been filmed here, like the famous African Queen.