Lake Victoria is fascinating region with much to offer those who enjoy exploring off the beaten track. It is also easily combined with wildlife watching in Serengeti National park. Tanzania’s half of Africa’s largest lake sees few visitors, but the region holds many attractions for those with a bent for the offbeat and a desire to immerse themselves in the rhythms of local life beyond the tourist trail. Get a 4×4 Car with rooftop tent and enjoy the adventure.
From Arusha head west to Serengeti National Park which hosts the vast annual migration of over one million wildebeest and other herbivores, plus a bonanza of other wildlife. It forms the centrepiece of the country’s celebrated Northern Circuit, which also includes Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire, each a spectacular wildlife destination in its own right and easily combined within a single package tour.
Following exploration of central Serengeti, continue into the parks’ western corridor which is especially rewarding around May and early June. A pair of rivers, the Grumeti River and Mbalageti River, is the dominant geographic feature of the Western Corridor. Wildlife viewing in the Western Corridor is consistent throughout the year. The broken savannah south of the Grumeti River supports substantial resident populations of giraffe, wildebeest, elephant, zebra and other typical plains animals, and lion. The little-visited open grasslands north of the river are good for cheetahs. Serengeti balloon safaris are offered during the Great Migration season
With extra time and a taste for adventure, consider varying the above approach to the Serengeti to arrive in the park via Lake Natron after leaving Arusha, continue west on good tarmac toward Karatu. Lake Natron is a salt or alkaline lake located in north Ngorongoro District of Arusha region in Tanzania. It is in the Gregory Rift, which is the eastern branch of the East African Rift. The lake is within the Lake Natron Basin, a Ramsar Site wetland of international significance.
Lake Natron is a safe breeding location because its caustic environment is a barrier against predators trying to reach their nests on seasonally forming evaporite islands. Greater flamingoes also breed on the mud flats. The lake has inspired the nature documentary The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos by Disney nature, for its close relationship with the Lesser flamingoes as their only regular breeding area.
Before reaching Karatu, turn north at the lively market village of mto wa mbu toward Engaresero and Lake Natron. Spend at least one night at Lake Natron ideally two or three. Nearby dominating vistas, is the starly majestic Ol Doinyo Lengai-a rewarding trek for adventurous traveller. Ol Doinyo Lengai (Oldoinyo Lengai), “Mountain of God” in the Maasai language, is an active volcano located in the Gregory Rift, south of Lake Natron within the Arusha Region of Tanzania, Africa.
Part of the volcanic system of the East African Rift, it uniquely produces natrocarbonatite lava. The 1960 eruption of Ol Doinyo Lengai led to geological investigations that finally confirmed the view that carbonatite rock is derived from magma
Once finished exploring the Lake Natron area continue northwest via Loliondo village and the honey- producing village of Ololosokwan to enter the Serengeti via the park’s northerly klein’s gate. Spend several days exploring the northern Serengeti before heading south toward central Serengeti, then joining, the main route though the western corridor toward Musoma.
In Musoma you may visit the Mwalimu Julius K Nyerere Museum. the first President of Tanzania, was born in the otherwise insignificant little town of Butiama. This small museum inside the family compound celebrates his life and work. It contains a few stools, shields and other gifts he was given. Boxes of Nyerere’s personal effects, including his diaries, a handwritten Swahili translation of part of Plato’s Republic and collections of his poetry, are also here. Although these are not on display, you can ask the staff to see them.
Once ready to move on, take the bus south to Mwanza, with its low key and good facilities. Continue west around the take toward pretty, prosperous Bukoba and the heart are many cultural tours to see waterfalls, cave paintings and rural homesteads that offer an excellent introduction to Haya life and culture. En-route to Bukoba don’t miss and Rubondo island National Park, with its magnificent birding once finished. Rubondo Island National Park is one of Tanzania’s best-kept secrets and there may be days when you’re the only guests on the 240-sq-km island.
Bird watching, particularly for shore birds, there are many migrants in November and December, brings the most visitors, but walking safaris half-day, bush camping and sport fishing can also be rewarding.
Rubondo Island Camp offers wildlife drives, but only for its guests. Elephants, giraffes, black and white colobus, and chimpanzees were long ago introduced, but the chimps are not yet habituated, but at the time of research experts were still working on the long process of getting them used to human company. Besides chimps the island has native hippo, bush buck and sitatunga, an amphibious antelope that hides among the marshes and reeds along the shoreline.
