Do you know about the Hadzabe?

The Hadzabe are one of the leading cultural attractions in Arusha region. The Hadzabe of northern Tanzania have sustained an ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle for at least 10,000 years.The Hadzabe tribe live in the Eyasi Basin. Traditionally, they are viewed as hunter-foragers—people who acquire nearly all of their food by hunting wild animals and foraging wild plant foods and honey. Their language resembles the click languages of other Bushmen found further in southern Africa. The Hadzabe have resisted the forcible settlement policies and most of their children have never seen a doctor or school - the bush provides for all their needs and is a class room for their offspring. A visit to them enables visitors to see their simple bush homes where a cave or tree canopy provides them with shelter. They live entirely off the bush and from hunting. The string on their lethal bows is often made from giraffe tendons and the arrows coated with a strong poison made from a certain tree. They kindle fires by rubbing wood. Some trees provide sap that repels mosquitoes. Others provide cures for snake bites & some like Aloe Vera is used to heal cuts. Roots provide a wide range of medicines and the mighty baobab fruits as a source of drink. A few hours spent with the bushmen makes the apparently inhospitable bush country come to life and to watch them hunt, a truly unique experience.

Stay with us and enjoy organized tours with the Hadzabe Tribe..

Tropical forest at kilimanjaro, visit uru shimbwe tropical forest at kilimanjaro and Call it your African home and experience the wonderful culture during your stay in Tanzania.

Amazing Tanzania

       welcome and share the experience with the community                                                

MATERUNI WATERFALL

Coffee Tour / Waterfall Hike

Coffee tour is one of the most famous activities to be conducted by tourists, visitors to raise their experience with nature, local culture over the slope of mountain Kilimanjaro, let we share with you all the firsthand amount of work put into production of coffee, planting, plant to beverage.

MATERUNI CULTURE TOUR

‘A village nestled at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro waiting you to explore’ Materuni is one of the few villages of wonder in Northern Tanzania sitting at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The village is blessed with full of all the beauty worth much visiting for holiday, week-end outing or vacation. While in the village, scenic view of Moshi Town and Mount Kilimanjaro is astonishing. This green village with fresh air from green vegetations welcomes visitors to explore the beauty of the land and cultural heritage of the Chagga people. The following tours are we offer; - Mnambe waterfall tour - Local Market Tour - Local brew - Chagga traditional Dance - Coffee & banana farm tour - Volunteering opportunity Tour options: Waterfall tour (2 hrs) The tour starts from tourism office at Materuni village then take a walk though banana and coffee plantation identifying different species of bananas as you’re going to the “Mnambe” waterfall where you will enjoy swimming in a natural pool. Local brew (1 hrs) Here you will get to learn all the procedures for brewing local beer, “Mmbege”as someone will be demonstrating the material and utensils used to prepare “mmbege”.you will appreciate fantastic test of the beer which is served in a traditional glass called “kipata”. Coffee Tour (2-3 hrs) The tour takes you around the coffee small farms owned by the villagers where an opportunity to learn traditional ways of growing coffee, harvesting and preparing it for drinking is guaranteed. Farm Tour (2 hrs) Visit the villager’s farms where your Tour guide will be explain different methods practiced by Chagga people on mixed farming and show how the crops are traditionally stored for future use and for economic benefits. You will also learn how agro-forestry activities in highland ecosystems has been beneficial to people, landscape and wild animals. Traditional Dance (10-30 min) While you’re enjoying your stay in Materuni you will experience a chagga dance which is performed by a group of men and women performing songs for different occasions such as welcoming guests, ceremonial dances and crop harvesting songs. Kilimanjaro Rainforest Hikes (4-5 hrs) On your guided trek you will walk uphill to the rainforest exploring some indigenous species of flora and fauna found around the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The touring area hilly standing around 1700 m above mean sea level full of fresh air and very good indeed for acclimatizing for those who carefully preparing to conquer. Enjoy scenic view of Moshi town and rolling landscape of the foot of Kilimanjaro. Story Telling You will meet people of different ages and get an opportunity to interact. Elder people “Wazee” will tell you stories about the Chagga people, their origin, traditions and other things such as the tribal war. Volunteer Programme Materuni cultural tourism receives and arrange for volunteers who are interested to work in health and educational sectors around their areas. For further information Contact: Email;afrongosha@gmail.com

Masama Cultural Tourism Programme

	Masama Cultural Tourism Programme - Kilimanjaro Region TCTP
Kahawa Migombani – Total time: 2 to 3 hours Coffee plantations on the villages surrounds the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania produce some of the world's finest Arabica coffee. Masama village been one among the villages which surround the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, is located 10 kilometers off from Moshi – Arusha road. Masama Cultural Tourism Programme offers a perfect package of Kahawa Migombani cultural tour. The tour exposes visitors into different local activities: - Visiting the smallholder coffee growers. - Learn the history and success stories of the Arabica coffee plantations. - Coffee harvesting (July - December) - Coffee processing - Coffee packaging - Traditional preparation of cup of coffee - Testing or drinking your Arabica cup of coffee Why Kahawa Migombani “Kahawa is a Swahil name which stands for Coffee” while “Migombani stands for banana farm” The mineral nutrients from volcanic soils and banana trees grown in coffee farms contributes to a balanced flavors, pleasant aroma as well as sweet taste (normally of a sweet banana flavor). Visiting Masama Cultural Tourism Programme will enrich you with the culture and lifestyle of Arabica coffee growers who live on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Traditional Food – Total time: (normal lunch - 45 minutes) Kahawa Migombani goes well with well prepared palatable traditional cuisine. With banana ingredients more than four delicious banana dishes can be prepared. Mixed other dishes accompanied with seasonal fruits are also available. Note: Full participatory in preparation of these traditional food – Total time: (2 hours)
Mula Market visit – Total time: 1 hour Each Monday and Thursday of the week in Masama village we have a local market. Participation in this amazing 80% traditional trading of the common organic products including bananas, vegetables and chickens are of a common occurrence in this particular market. Clients and other interested parties are encouraged to visit not only Kahawa Migombani but also the rest of the traditional concern in Masama village. Come one came all. For further information please contact: afrongosha green adventures

Machame Cultural Tour

Machame Nkweshoo

Established in June 2008 with the Vision of Making Kilimanjaro a green village through tourism. People of Machame-Nkweshoo welcome you to explore Cultural and Natural Heritage of Wachagga ethnic group that lives on the green slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. During your visit, you will enjoy beautiful landscape with great valleys, deep gorges, rivers, natural forest and local agricultural activities on small farms. On the other hand you will interact with local people and get an opportunity to listen to their stories about the culture, history and their total way of life The tour in Machame-Nkweshoo includes: • A warm welcome in a local Chagga household • Get an opportunity to learn how to prepare local dishes • A guided visit to Nkosalulu water falls and Coffee farms, • A visit to one of the Oldest Church building, • A visit to the caves used as hides during tribal wars, • A view of the old coins, • An opportunity to learn Chagga relics, stories and old tools that have been used since the ancient times • A visit to the local market • Kilimanjaro trekking • A walking tour through coffee & banana farmlands to the dense Kilimanjaro natural forests for acclimatization along fast flowing streams before climbing the mountain • A home-stay experience before and after your wildlife safari or mountain climbing expedition • A visit to view points for Mt. Kilimanjaro • A visit to environmental conservation project-tree nursery • A visit to several development projects in the area such as coffee production, bee-keeping, schools, health care and community library

The following tours are on offer: A visit to old Chagga Caves (4 hours tour) These are massive underground tunnels (some caves reaching several kilometers) dwellings where the Chagga tribes hide from Maasai warriors during intertribal wars. Appreciate the architectural designs of the caves and listen to stories on how they were effective as hiding tunnels. You will get the full story of this war and the caves from our experienced guide when you arrive at the cave An insight in local coffee production (2-4 hours tour) Walk through coffee and banana farms to learn how coffee is grown, harvested and prepared into a cup of coffee in local people’s style. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn local skillfull practices of producing the best quality Arabica coffee using traditional ways. While drinking a locally prepared cup of coffee, you will also be getting stories of how local farms are managed and different ways of preparing and processing coffee A visit to the Local Market (3-5 hours tour) ‘Get a taste of Kalali market’ A walk through a local community market on Mondays and Thursdays will give you a good perspective on how Machame people live, eat and interact to each others. This tour will give you an insight into local economy and daily life activities of Chagga people. A visit to oldest churches An opportunity to visit places where first German Missionary to Machame area visited many years ago. Explore some of the remaining memorial stones some put in place by Mr. Johannes Rebmann who came to Machame around 1840s where they built the first church in the area. Get an insight on how these missionaries worked to expand the missionary tasks in other parts of Kilimanjaro and the rest of Tanzania. Take a round walk to explore the whole route of the missionaries in the area and enjoy the scenery, people and various old buildings. A visit to the waterfalls (3 hours tour) Take a walk to Nkosalulu water falls in Makoa River that flows from Mt Kilimanjaro forest. The river with it waterfalls is surrounded by banana and coffee farms where visitors will see the indigenous people farming by traditional means.

A visit to Local Schools (3 hours tour) An opportunity to visit Local Primary Schools (age 7-15) and Secondary Schools (age 15-20). You will be able to interact with both pupils/students and teachers in classrooms and outside. Other activities; Environmental conservation initiative. Get a glimpse of how the locals conserve their beautiful environment. The guide will explain how the conservation activities such as rainwater harvesting undertaken in the area are ideal for a rural setting. All visitors who visit us will get involved in tree planting activities for at least one or two trees and hence become part of our conservation project. This starts with a short walk to the tree nursery owned by Machame- Rural Action Women Group that is responsible for making Kilimanjaro and the world at large a nice place to live. A Traditional Dance While enjoying your stay in Machame, Chagga traditional dances will excite yourself and provide a good lesson on various cultural aspects. Amazingly, you will notice that various dances have specific meanings. You are welcome to dance with us. A Visit to Local Brew Plant A journey of 3 hours takes us to a brewing site where a local drink ‘mmbege’ is brewed. Get to know all procedures for brewing as some will be practised on your presence. The raw materials and utensils used being very local and yet ‘a sweet wine’ is prepared. Welcome for tasting if not drinking. A great secret is in this wine; listen to nice stories about this local brew. You will appreciate its ‘value’ in this community. Batik making & weaving While enjoying GOD’S miseries on chaggaland, you will be allowed to participate in local art of cloth processing using local procedures and weaving of various decorative stuff using different raw materials such as banana fibres. Pick some batik for friends and relatives. Tour Guides:- Majority of the tour guides of Machame-Nkweshoo Cultural Tourism Programme are ladies/ women of the Wachaga tribe who knows well the area, their culture & history and speaks English. Bookings for various excursions and tours can be made at Tanzania Tourist Board- Tourist Information Office in Arusha or through your tour operators/travel agents/lodge & Hotel Operators.

Mamba & Marangu Cultural Tour

Mamba and Marangu in the Kilimanjaro area have both natural and cultural heritage to offer the visitor. There are more than seven waterfalls in the vicinity, unique flora with tree, flower and fruit nurseries and fauna. Tour the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and ascend to beautiful viewpoints. Tours through Marangu offers panoramic view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Visit the home and memorial of the late Yohana Lauwo, a Marangu native who accompanied Dr. Hans Meyer on the first recorded climb of Kilimanjaro in 1889, and read the original log books of Lauwo. Customised half day, full day or two day walking safaris can be organised. These tours include the Kinukamori and Moonjo falls and a visit to a Chagga house made of straw-roofing. See the first coffee tree planted in Tanzania and climb up Ngangu Hill. A trip to the African Art Centre that houses a collection of ancient and modern sculptures, carvings and painting, is rewarding. Mamba is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers.

Enjoy scenic waterfalls, tree, flower and fruit nurseries, pass historical sites including the Lake Holes - large hiding caves used during the Chagga – Masai wars, visit a wood carving school, meet a local blacksmith using ethnic methods to prepare spears and tools, and experience Chagga culture by visiting a traditional Chagga house. Getting there: There are frequent buses from Moshi towards Marangu. The ride from Moshi takes about 45 minutes. Mamba is about 3 km from Marangu. (Income from tourist visits will be used towards developing education projects in the Kilimanjaro area.)

For further information contact: Tel: + 255 786 528219 E-mail: afrongosha@gmail.com

MTWARA TOURISM GLORY.............

Hallo guys... hope we are all good, will you share with us any thing you think it will boost tourism industry in Tanzania or it will help to to protect our blessed heritage...

zanzibar

Zanzibar Portuguese invasion and control of the Swahili Coast in the late 16th century ended the golden age of the archipelago, although the Omani Arabs returned to power less than a century later. Today, many of the winding streets and high townhouses of old Stone Town remain unchanged and visitors can walk between the sultan's palace, the House of Wonders, the Portuguese fort and gardens, the merchants' houses, and the Turkish baths of the old city. Day-long spice tours to working plantations offer visitors the chance to observe the cultivation of cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices that have made the island famous.



Zanzibar's coastline offers some of the best beaches in the world, but sand and surf vary depending on what side of the island you're on. On the east coast, waves break over coral reefs and sand bars offshore and low tide reveals small pools of starfish, small minnows, and anemones. Up north, ocean swimming is much less susceptible to the tides, and smooth beaches and white sand make for dazzling days in the sun.


The port city of Stone Town dominates the west coast, and although the beaches of Mangapwani, where slave caves are visible at low tide and nearby Bububu are less than half an hour's drive away, a night or two spent on the east or north coast is well worth the extra hour it takes to drive there. That said, the Chole Island Marine Park just off Stone Town as well as nearby Prison, Grave, and Snake Islands make a refreshing day-trip and a good break from exploring the winding passageways of the old city.

On the south coast of Zanzibar lies the Menai Bay Conservation Area, a sea turtle protection area for the endangered species that come to breed on the island. Roads to the southeast coast take visitors through the Jozani Forest, home to Zanzibar's rare Red Colobus monkeys and a number of other primate and small antelope species.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY TANZANIA

Rising up from the floors of the Rift Valley, the Crater Highlands form a lush chain of mountains and volcanoes that includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the surrounding Masaai tribal lands. Hiking safaris take visitors from Ngorongoro Crater to the foot of Ol Donyo Lengai and offer visitors a chance to see some of the most spectacular and stunning scenery in Tanzania. Exploring this little-visited wilderness is the hiking adventure of a lifetime.

GUYS LET US ENJOY THE BEAUT OF TANZANIA BY VISITING NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA AND TANZANIA DESTINATIONS, AFRO NGOSHA GREEN ADVENTURES WILL LEAD YOU TO SEE THE WONDERS OF TANZANIA..you get  to see, hear and feel our heritage

Gombe stream



Gombe Stream National Park, located on the western border of Tanzania and the Congo, is most famous for Jane Goodall, the resident primatologist who spent many years in its forests studying the behaviour of the endangered chimpanzees. Situated on the wild shores of Lake Tanganyika, Gombe Stream is an untamed place of lush forests and clear lake views. Hiking and swimming are also popular activities here, once the day’s expedition to see the chimpanzees is over.

Gombe Stream’s main attraction is obviously the chimpanzee families that live protected in the park’s boundaries. Guided walks are available that take visitors deep into the forest to observe and sit with the extraordinary primates for an entire morning — an incredible experience and one that is the highlight of many a visitors trip to Africa. Aside from chimpanzee viewing, many other species of primates live in Gombe Stream’s tropical forests. Vervet and colobus monkeys, baboons, forest pigs and small antelope inhabit the dense forest, in addition to a wide variety of tropical birdlife.

An excited whoop erupts from deep in the forest, boosted immediately by a dozen other voices, rising in volume and tempo and pitch to a frenzied shrieking crescendo. It is the famous ‘pant-hoot’ call: a bonding ritual that allows the participants to identify each other through their individual vocal stylisations. To the human listener, walking through the ancient forests of Gombe Stream, this spine-chilling outburst is also an indicator of imminent visual contact with man’s closest genetic relative: the chimpanzee.

Gombe is the smallest of Tanzania’s national parks: a fragile strip of chimpanzee habitat straddling the steep slopes and river valleys that hem in the sandy northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. Its chimpanzees – habituated to human visitors – were made famous by the pioneering work of Jane Goodall, who in 1960 founded a behavioural research program that now stands as the longest-running study of its kind in the world. The matriarch Fifi, the last surviving member of the original community, only three-years old when Goodall first set foot in Gombe, is still regularly seen by visitors.

Chimpanzees share about 98% of their genes with humans, and no scientific expertise is required to distinguish between the individual repertoires of pants, hoots and screams that define the celebrities, the powerbrokers, and the supporting characters. Perhaps you will see a flicker of understanding when you look into a chimp’s eyes, assessing you in return – a look of apparent recognition across the narrowest of species barriers.

The most visible of Gombe’s other mammals are also primates. A troop of beachcomber olive baboons, under study since the 1960s, is exceptionally habituated, while red-tailed and red colobus monkeys – the latter regularly hunted by chimps – stick to the forest canopy.

The park’s 200-odd bird species range from the iconic fish eagle to the jewel-like Peter’s twinspots that hop tamely around the visitors’ centre.

After dusk, a dazzling night sky is complemented by the lanterns of hundreds of small wooden boats, bobbing on the lake like a sprawling city.

About Gombe Stream National Park
Size: 52 sq km (20 sq miles), Tanzania’s smallest park.
Location: 16 km (10 miles) north of Kigoma on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania.

Getting there
Kigoma is connected to Dar and Arusha by scheduled flights, to Dar and Mwanza by a slow rail service, to Mwanza, Dar and Mbeya by rough dirt roads, and to Mpulungu in Zambia by a weekly ferry.
From Kigoma, local lake-taxis take up to three hours to reach Gombe, or motorboats can be chartered, taking less than one hour.

What to do
Chimpanzee trekking; hiking, swimming and snorkelling;
visit the site of Henry Stanley’s famous “Dr Livingstone I presume” at Ujiji near Kigoma, and watch the renowned dhow builders at work. .

When to go
The chimps don’t roam as far in the wet season (February-June, November-mid December) so may be easier to find;
better picture opportunities in the dry (July-October and late December).

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

 

The Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and the ’8th Natural Wonder of the World,’ a visit to the crater is a main drawcard for tourists coming to Tanzania and a definite world-class attraction. Within the crater rim, large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick cover of the crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist. Just outside the crater’s ridge, tall Masaai herd their cattle and goats over green pastures through the highland slopes, living alongside the wildlife as they have for centuries.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area includes its eponymous famous crater, Olduvai Gorge, and huge expanses of highland plains, scrub bush, and forests that cover approximately 8300 square kilometres. A protected area, only indigenous tribes such as the Masaai are allowed to live within its borders. Lake Ndutu and Masek, both alkaline soda lakes are home to rich game populations, as well as a series of peaks and volcanoes and make the Conservation Area a unique and beautiful landscape. Of course, the crater itself, actually a type of collapsed volcano called a caldera, is the main attraction. Accommodation is located on its ridges and after a beautiful descent down the crater rim, passing lush rain forest and thick vegetation, the flora opens to grassy plains throughout the crater floor. The game viewing is truly incredible, and the topography and views of the surrounding Crater Highlands out of this world.

This truly magical place is home to Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakeys discovered the hominoid remains of a 1.8 million year old skeleton of Australopithecus boisei, one of the distinct links of the human evolutionary chain. In a small canyon just north of the crater, the Leakeys and their team of international archaeologists unearthed the ruins of at least three distinct hominoid species, and also came upon a complete series of hominoid footprints estimated to be over 3.7 million years old. Evacuated fossils show that the area is one of the oldest sites of hominoid habitation in the world.

The Ngorongoro Crater and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are without a doubt some of the most beautiful parts of Tanzania, steeped in history and teeming with wildlife. Besides vehicle safaris to Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, and surrounding attractions, hiking treks through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are becoming increasingly popular options. Either way you choose to visit, the Crater Highlands are an unforgettable part of the Tanzanian experience.

MAHALE NATIONAL PARK

Mahale Mountains National Park is located in one of the most remote locations in Tanzania, on the western border with the Congo, against the dramatic shores of Lake Tanganyika. Accessible only by small aircraft, the park is the home of a large chimpanzee population that is well acclimatized to human contact. Although the nearby Gombe Stream National Park is more famous, the primate population in Mahale Mountains is more numerous and sightings more regular and prolonged.
Observing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, one cannot help but be touched by their natural grace and anthropomorphic features. Although remote, a chimpanzee safari to Mahale Mountains National Park is well worth the effort. Hikes to their habitation areas are accessible and not strenuous, although being in good physical condition will ease the strain of walking through the jungle! Up close, observing the endangered primates is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Did you know

that the three Tanzania tourist attractions candidates for seven Natural Wonders of Africa emerged among the seven winners? Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. Congrats Tanzania!

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life make sense when its green

Rubondo Island National Park

Rubondo Island
Located on the south-west shores of Lake Victoria, Rubondo Island National Park includes Rubondo Island and several other small islands on Lake Victoria. The park boasts a rich and diverse variety of butterflies and bird life, easily viewable from the lake shore. The rare Sitatunga, an extremely endangered amphibious antelope, can sometimes be viewed escaping charging predators by hiding and camouflaging itself in the lake shore marshes.
A visit to Rubondo Island National Park offers visitors a break from game viewing in the tranquil peace of a lake shore setting. Exploring the islands within the park makes for exciting day trips. Fishing expeditions into Lake Victoria are easily arranged through the major lodges. Rubondo Island National Park is a break from the rigours of the safari circuit and a relaxing place from which to explore Lake Victoria.

Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world

HAPPY EASTER

Easter, the day when resurrection took place, is the day of hope and good will. Followers of Christianity exchange gifts with each other to celebrate this occasion. It not only conveys the message of hope but also gives an opportunity to reassure the fact that good deeds and truth cannot be buried for long and will always come out successfully. Such is the importance of Easter that people believe that Jesus is re- born on Easter day and is as important as Christmas. As Floyd w Tomkins said, “Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.” Exchanging gifts is one way of sharing your love and affection for others on Easter but there is another way of doing it by sharing these quotes on Easter. happy easter guys and god blassed Tanzania and its haritage

Did you know That the three Tanzania tourist attractions candidates for seven Natural Wonders of Africa emerged among the seven winners? Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. Congrats Tanzania! and RUAHA NATIONAL PARK NAMED AS THE BEST WINTER TRIP DESTINATION FOR 2013 Ruaha National Park has just been named as the Best Winter Trip destination for 2013 by the National Geographic Traveler Magazine. The Park in featured together with other 14 Tanzania National Parks in the December/ January.

Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania. It covers an area of about 22,000 km². It is located in the middle of Tanzania about 130 km from Iringa. The park is part of a more extensive ecosystem which includes Rungwa Game Reserve, Usangu Game Reserve, and several other protected areas.

The name of the park is derived from the Great Ruaha River, which flows along its south-eastern margin and is the focus for game-viewing. The park can be reached by car via Iringa and there is an airstrip at Msembe, park headquarters.

The creation of a national park in this area was first proposed in 1949 by the Senior Game Ranger in Mbeya, George Rushby. In 1951 it was gazetted by the British colonial authorities as an extension of the neighbouring Rungwa Game Reserve. People living in the new protected area were subsequently forced to move out. In 1964 it was excised from the game reserve and elevated to full park status. In 2008 it was extended to incorporate the former Usangu Wildlife Management Area, in the upper Ruaha catchment, making Ruaha the largest National Park in Africa

Ruaha National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Tanzania
Nearest city	Iringa
Coordinates	7°30′S 35°0′E / 7.500°S 35.000°E / -7.500; 35.000Coordinates: 7°30′S 35°0′E / 7.500°S 35.000°E / -7.500; 35.000
Area	12,950 km²
Established	1964
Governing body	TANAPA

Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania. It covers an area of about 22,000 km². It is located in the middle of Tanzania about 130 km from Iringa. The park is part of a more extensive ecosystem which includes Rungwa Game Reserve, Usangu Game Reserve, and several other protected areas.
The name of the park is derived from the Great Ruaha River, which flows along its south-eastern margin and is the focus for game-viewing. The park can be reached by car via Iringa and there is an airstrip at Msembe, park headquarters.

 History

Ruaha Gorge

The creation of a national park in this area was first proposed in 1949 by the Senior Game Ranger in Mbeya, George Rushby. In 1951 it was gazetted by the British colonial authorities as an extension of the neighbouring Rungwa Game Reserve. People living in the new protected area were subsequently forced to move out. In 1964 it was excised from the game reserve and elevated to full park status. In 2008 it was extended to incorporate the former Usangu Wildlife Management Area, in the upper Ruaha catchment, making Ruaha the largest National Park in Africa.

Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus)

 Wildlife

Ruaha is famous for its large population of Elephants. Presently about 10.000 are roaming the park. Ruaha National Park is also a true birdwatchers paradise: 436 species have been identified of an estimated total of 475. Among the resident birds are different species of Hornbills, Kingfishers and Sunbirds. Also many migrants visit Ruaha, e.g. the White Stork
Other special animals in Ruaha are: the African Wild Dog and Sable Antelope. Rhinoceros were last been sighted in 1982 and are probably extinct in the park due to poaching.
The best times to visit for predators and large mammals is the dry season (May–December) and for birds and flowers, the wet season (January–April).

 Environmental change

The park is currently facing a significant environmental challenge from the progressive drying up of the Great Ruaha River. The river used to flow all year round, but since 1993 there have been increasingly long periods every dry season in which it has dried up completely. Different hypotheses have been advanced to account for this, and one view is that it is caused by the expansion of irrigation schemes for rice cultivation and growth of livestock keeping in the Usangu wetland, which feeds the Great Ruaha River (Fox 2004).