Tanzania hosts three of the world's most spectacular sights Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world, and the highest in Africa at 5895m asl; Ngorongoro Crater, one of the natural wonders of the world, and the Serengeti, scene of the annual migration of over a million wildebeest and their attendant predators. If these aren't enough to whet your appetite, relax under blue skies on the islands of Zanzibar, Mafia or Pemba; or travel southwards to the largest game reserve in Africa - the Selous - named after the famous explorer/hunter.

Wild Frontiers staff travel frequently to East Africa, and are passionate about Tanzania - its people, scenery and wildlife. It offers a diverse range of activities from hiking to cycling, horseback safaris, diving, chimp tracking or simply relaxing in the bush with your expert guide.

Our in-depth knowledge allows us to plan, with you, your ideal safari - we understand that for you it may be a once in a lifetime trip so we cater for every detail, that you may relax and enjoy your holiday knowing that you are in safe hands. So, whatever your requirements, contact our friendly staff, and we will make your dreams come true!!

Gombe Stream - The famous Gombe Stream National Park lies 16 km north of the town of Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika. This is where Jane Goodall did her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees, and the 52 square km park is still a major research area. It consists of well-forested mountainous terrain and supports approximately 200 habituated chimpanzees. The forested stream lines flow from the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley into the waters of Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world at 1 500 metres, which swarms with tropical fish. The ridges between the stream lines are miombo woodland. Many species of tree and butterflies (over 250 species) are relict populations of the West African rainforest, isolated by the formation of the Rift.

On your guided walks in Gombe, the chimps are invariably reasonably close to the camp, at a feeding station. On occasion of course it may be necessary to go deeper into the forest and several hours trekking is not uncommon. When trekking please take drinking water and wear good walking boots and long pants. Certain areas can be very steep indeed.

The only section of the park that you may walk unguided would be along the lakeshore. The forest reaches right down to the beach and you should also see plenty of other primates. There is a significant baboon population, which have been the subject of researchers since 1967. Other common primates include vervet, blue, redtail and colobus monkeys. Access to the park is by boat, and all observation is on foot. There are limited facilities for tourists. Our itineraries cover both a 'budget' and a more 'upmarket' option to suit your individual requirements.

Lake Manyara - At the foot of the Great Rift Valley, manyara is only 330 sq km in extent of which 229 sq km is covered in water. The park's charm lies in its diversity of habitats, which gives it an impressive species list. a visit takes one from groundwater forest, with attendant Blue Monkeys, Crested Guinea fowl, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, to acacia woodland which is home to the famous tree climbing lions of Manyara, through to open grassland on the alkaline edge of the lake with its flamingo and other water-birds. Elephant, buffaloe, waterbuck, bushbuck and hippo are commonly seen, and the park boasts 380 bird species.

Mahale Mountains - Mahale Mountains National Park is also on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, 120 kms south of Kigoma. It is a much larger park than Gombe (1 600 sq km), and the mountains rise to 1 800 metres, supporting montane forest, bamboo and grasslands, as well as miombo woodlands. The park supports over 1 000 chimpanzees, as well as lion, leopard and buffalo, and a host of smaller mammals and primates. A group of 100 chimps have been studied by Japanese researchers since 1961. Vegetation is similar to Gombe, having also been isolated by the Rift formation.

The chimps in this region are less readily seen than those at Gombe, but the wilderness atmosphere of the forest and the beautiful scenery make up for this! Expect a much longer and more strenuous day of trekking than at Gombe. The chimps are often far away, and the terrain is rugged. Access is also by boat, and as with Gombe we offer both a 'budget' (camping) and a more 'upmarket' option on our packages. We have also included a 3 night fly-in option from Arusha to Greystoke Mahale. We do not recommend visiting Mahale during the rainy season from November to April.

Mikumi - The main feature of Mikumi is the Mkata floodplains, which attracts wildlife from the surrounding hills due to its lush pastures. The open grassland areas favour plains game and grazers such as the Nyasa blue wildebeest, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest – both different to those found in the north of Tanzania – eland, zebra, impala, reedbuck, giraffe and buffalo with their predators - lion, hunting dog, black-backed jackal and leopard - not far behind. Sable, elephant and black and white colobus prefer the base of the hills. The rain pattern in Mikumi, and at the coast in Bagamoyo, is bimodal with the short rains beginning in October until December followed by the long rains in March until May. Game viewing at Mikumi is much more restricted than in Ruaha during the rains as many of the roads are yet to be made all weather and there is a lot of black cotton soil on the floodplain.

Mt Kilimanjaro - Mount Kilimanjaro, 5 895m (19 340ft). Majestic and challenging - Kilimanjaro is the crown of Tanzania. With an altitude of 5895m, it is the highest mountain in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world, and one fo the largest volcanoes to ever burst through the earth's crust. On a clear day it cna be seen from more than 160km away and, although it stands only three degrees below the Equator, its peak has a permanent ice cap. Any reasonably fit person whe enjoys walking can climb Kilimanjaro, and whilst thousands of people scramble to the top every year, there are also some technical climbs available to the experienced mountaineer.

There are several hiking routes up the mountain, in this brochure we have only detailed three of them, but as well as the Marangu, machame and Umbwe routes, we can also guide you on the Londorossi, Shira, Lemosho and Rongai.

Wild Frontiers is a specialist tour operator, at the forefront of organising tours into East & Central Africa. We've been arranging climbs up Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya and the Rwenzoris since 1990. We have guided well over 6000 people up Kilimanjaro with a higher than average success rate of about 97% to the top! The average is 60% or less. Our staff first summited Kilimanjaro in 1985, and between us we have over 20 successful climbs.

Mt Meru - The dark cone of Mount Meru rises to 14,978 ft in Northern Tanzania and stands imposingly above the town of Arusha. It is arguably the most elegant volcano in Africa but fails to secure a place amongst the greatest African peaks. Its height narrowly denies it a permanent snow-capped summit, and it is dwarfed by the magnitude of Kilimanjaro, which stands only some 50 km to the east. This route is little utilised and a true wilderness experience.

The route up covers a variety of ecosystems - parkland, forest, heather and alpine. There is a good chance of seeing game on this route, and an armed National Parks Guide will accompany you, as well as our trained mountain guides and porters. It is not an easy climb - but the lower altitude and shorter distances make it achievable. The main problems encountered are altitude sickness, which can be countered by use of medicines, and lack of oxygen. This route is a hike - no climbing as such. It is very cold - correct kit is a must - but our kit lists and hire equipment are top quality. A Meru climb is often used as an acclimatisation hike prior to a Kili Climb.

Good preparation and advice, as well as good guides on the mountain, have given us an over 97% success. We ensure that all our climbers have all the facts, long before they travel - possibly the reason for our success rate. The mountain can be climbed most of the year, although it is inadvisable during the rainy seasons. Accommodation is in mountain huts - in good condition with great views. All your equipment and kit is portered up for you.

Ngorongoro Crater - Ngorongoro Crater is one of the natural wonders of the world. A large volcanic caldera, with an area of 259 square kilometres, it contains a huge variety of game and birds and is often referred to as a microcosm of Africa with its dramatic weather changes and varied terrains consisting of forest, grasslands and both freshwater and soda lakes.

Olduvai Gorge - It is at Olduvai Gorge where, in 1959, Mary Leakey made her
groundbreaking discovery of a hominid (human-like) skull dating back 1.8 million years. Since then other hominid species, possibly our early ancestors, have been found in the area dating as far back as 3.7 million years. The whole area is often referred to as the ‘cradle of mankind.’

Ruaha - Ruaha National Park is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the southern circuit. The park is special due to its dramatic topography, its vast range of habitats and consequent range of animal and bird species (over 400 bird species). These include birds on both the northern and southern hemisphere migratory routes.

It is renowned for Greater and Lesser kudu and the rare sable and roan antelopes. The river has large numbers of hippo and crocodile and, in the dry season, attracts great quantities of game including lion, leopard, hunting dog, waterbuck, giraffe and eland. Grant’s gazelle, ostrich and cheetah may be seen on the plains. The best months for game viewing are between May and December. During the wet months of January to April some tracks become impassable and animal density, especially along the river, thins out. However, bird life is particularly interesting at this time.

Selous - The largest in Africa at 55 000 sq km, the reserve has various ecosystems ranging from savanna, miombo woodland to riverine. The Rufuji River is the lifeblood of the region, and supports an impressive population of hippo, crocodile and amazing birdlife. There are over 800 000 large mammals in the park, and over 350 bird species. The African Wild Dog is fairly common in the area. This is one of the few areas where game viewing is done on foot, by boat, and by vehicle.Best months for game are June - December.

Serengeti - The Serengeti National Park, with an area of 12 950 square kilometres is contiguous with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve and the Masai Mara Game Reserve (Kenya). It lies between the shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. As such it offers the most complex and least disturbed ecosystem on earth. A unique combination of diverse habitats enables the Serengeti to support numerous species of large herbivores and carnivores as well as nearly 500 species of birds. Scene of one of natures miracles - the annual Wildebeest migration of over a million animals north into the Masai Mara and then back into the Serengeti.

Southern Tanzania - Lazy Lagoon Island lies in the Zanzibar Channel 2 kms offshore from mainland Bagamoyo, and is reached by road and boat from Dar es Salaam in just under an hour. The island is protected from the sea by a coral reef. Not only can it boast 9 kms of deserted beach, but it is also a natural reserve home to many small mammals. Wash off the dust from your safari in the Indian Ocean and relax on this private island with deserted beaches.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kilwa Kiswani is a small island across the water from Kilwa Masoko, 300km south of Dar es Salaam. Kilwa has been inhabited since the beginning of the 9th century and reached its peak in the 13th and 14th century. Kilwa Kisiwani became an important town due to its control of the gold trade from Zimbabwe and Mozambique as well as the slave trade right up to the 19th century. Now only the ruins remain of these times gone by …..

Amani Beach offers the tourist that increasingly rare commodity - long stretches of pristine deserted beaches, warm blue seas and an opportunity to experience peace and tranquillity. Tanzania has hundreds of kilometres of unspoilt beaches just waiting to be discovered and is the perfect place to unwind and relax. The temperate seas and proximity of coral reefs ensure a wealth of marine life and interest for those keen on snorkelling. Apart from the immense variety of colourful fish, dolphins, whales and turtles are frequent visitors to these shores.

Tarangire - The Tarangire ecosystem is the third largest in Tanzania (20 000 square kilometres), of which the park occupies a mere 13%. During the dry season, the park has the second largest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania. The unique acacia and baobab vegetation provides a home for over 550 bird species, as well as lion, leopard, buffalo and large herds of elephant; also species such as gerenuk, oryx and eland, rarely seen in the other parks in the north.