Addo Elephant Park is located in the Garden Route - a delightful reserve near Port Elizabeth. The garden route is an area of great scenic beauty that stretches along the lush Indian Ocean coastline and inland to the semi-desert Little Karoo. 

Addo Elephant Parks biggest attractions are its big 330 Elephants and many Antelope like Eland, Bontebokke etc. Another animal (insect) that lives her is the flightless dung Beetle, it has survived in South Africa only in this area. The insects rolls big breeding balls from Elephant dung and transports them into subterranean breeding chambers.

The Elephants used to be tightly packed in this park but it has recently been expanded so that these large but quietly trodden pachyderms have a wider area in which to roam. Due to this, it is harder to see them but evidence will be all around. An Elephant produces 150Kg (330.6 pounds) of dung every day (about one drop every 15 minutes), so the precious flightless dung Beetles have quite a job to do.

 Addo Elephant Parks accommodation is in basic but attractive chalets that overlook a well trodden path to the waterhole in front of the main lodge. You can eat at the basic restaurant or take your own barbeque food and cook it on your patio, while watching Elephants pass by. Just after dusk the silver backed Jackals often start howling, making an eerie serenade in the silence.

Mountain Zebra National Park

The rocky heights of Mountain Zebra National Park's Bankberg embrace rolling plains and deep valleys becoming an entrancing preserve for the Cape mountain Zebra. The proclamation of the park in 1937 saved these animals from extinction, and currently their population stands at 350. Other mammals found here include Eland, black Wildebeest, red Hartebeest and Gemsbok. Mountain Reedbuck and grey Rhebok frequent the higher areas, whilst Caracal occupy the niche of primary predator.

Arusha National Park lies on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley, which is the part of the fault in the earth's crust which stretches 8000  kms from Turkey to the mouth of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. 

The Rift Valley was formed 20 million years ago and amidst this terrestial turmoil a small subsidiary vent opened at the eastern foot of the present Mt.Meru and Ngurdoto was born.

ACCESSIBILITY Arusha National Park is reached from Arusha along the Moshi road and lies 21 kms from Arusha and 58 kms from Moshi. An all weather road leads from the main road to the Park and is clearly signposted to the Park and Ngare Nanyuki.

FEESInformation on the current fees for entry to the National Parks can be obtained from tours operators or the National Park Headquarters, P.O.BOX 3134,Arusha.Prices are subject to change.

ACCOMODATION

Lodge:

Momela Game Lodge is situated outside the Park near Momela Gate, with views overlooking the Mt. Meru and Mt.Kilimanjaro. The Lodge can accommodate 40 people.

Rest House:

There is a spacious self-help rest house in the Park which can accommodate up to five people. It is situated near the Momela Gate and overlooks the Park. Booking is recommended and can be made and can be made through the Warden, Arusha National Park,P.O.BOX 3134, Arusha.

Campsites:

There are four Campsites in the Park and one is proposed at Lake Kusare. All campsites have water and toilet facilities and fuel wood is provided. One campsite is situated in the forest near Ngurdoto Gate and the others at the foot of Tululusia Hill. Please always be careful with your campfire and litter .

Hostel:

There is a Hostel at Kusare for use by visiting groups which, when equipped , will accommodate 78 people. It has toilet and kitchen facilities. Bookings should be made as for rest house.

Mountain Huts:

There are two Huts in the Park for use by mountain climbers. Miriakamba (First) Hut can accommodate 48 people and Saddle (Second) Hut can accommodate 24 people. Fuelwood is provided.

GARAGE FACILITIESThere Garage facilities at the Park Headquarters. No petrol is sold in the Park.

MEDICAL FACILITIES There is a hospital in Arusha town.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

                                                                      The NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA is a huge area containing active volcanoes, mountains, archeological sites, rolling plains, forests, lakes, dunes and of course NGORONGORO CRATER and OLDUVAI GORGE. The views at the rim of Ngorongoro Crater are sensational. On the Crater floor, grasslandblends into swamps, lakes, rivers, woodland and mountains - all are heaven for wildlife including the densest predator population in Africa. The crater is home to up 25000 large mammals, mainly grazers - gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, and warthog. 

You will not find giraffe as there is not much to eat at tree level, or tiopi, because the competition with wildbeestis too fierce, nor will you find impala. The crater elephants are strangely, mainly bulls.

There a small number of black rhino here too. The birdlife is largely seasonal and is also affected by the ratio of soda to fresh water in LAKE MAGADI on the CRATER floor. The ruins of a terraced stone city and complex irrigation system lie on the eastern side of Empakaki - the Engaruka ruins. Their origin are mystery as there is no tradition of stone building in this part of Africa.

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