Look for your next holiday destination? Here are five (5) compelling reasons why it should be Tanzania.
1 Mix of the old and the new
Tanzania is a fast-moving country that is fixed on an exciting future for its young population. Investment here has rocketed with 58 projects worth US$ 931.60 million approved in August this year. The commercial capital Dar es Salaam has been transformed into a megapolis with major projects such as the Tanzanite Bridge and the soon-to-be-completed Bus Rapid Transit system helping commuters navigate the city quickly and safely.Zanzibar is also undergoing an infrastructure overhaul with record-breaking buildings in the pipeline such as Burj Zanzibar, a sustainable project set to be the world´s tallest timber tower, and Zanzibar Domino, a huge hotel, marina and entertainment complex to be built on a man-made island just off the north coast of Unguja (Zanzibar Island).With fast-paced growth in tech and telecommunications, Tanzania is a model of modern Africa, but it still preserves its traditions from the unchanged ways of its ancient tribes, its historic Swahili trading towns that bead the Indian Ocean coast and even all the way back to the first beginnings of the “Mother Continent” at Olduvai Gorge. In its mix of the old and the new, Tanzania gives visitors an insight into the real Africa.
2 Festivals
The Tanzanian calendar is filled with celebratory events. Some are ingrained within the country´s history such as the Wanyambo Festival in January that showcases the arts and crafts of Dar es Salaam and the four-day Mwaka Kogwa festival in July and August in which Zanzibar men beat each other with banana stalks as a symbolic resolution of conflicts while the women seemingly have far more fun dressing up and singing. There are also plenty of more modern festivals that embody the country´s achievements in cinema, The Zanzibar Film Festival (ZIFF) in June; music; Sauti za Busara in February; fashion, Swahili Fashion Week in December; and sport, The Kilimanjaro Marathon in October.
3 The Leading Lion Destination
Not to brag, butTanzania is home to the world´s biggest population of lions in the wild. The Serengeti has the lion´s share, sorry, with more than 3,000 but there are around12,000 more of the big cats across the country. There are so many of them that some lions appear to adopted quirks to stand out, such as the prides of Saadani National Park who have been known to wander onto the beach and then there´s the tree-climbing lions in northen Tanzania´s Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park.
4 Ecotourism
Tanzania´s dedication to conservation of its natural riches is well-known and well-established. It gazetted its first national park, The Serngeti, in 1951 and now there are 22 parks covering close to 30 per cent of the country´s land. In addition, a string of marine reserves protects the fragile coral reefs and diverse underwater life of Tanzania and the Zanzibar archipelago. Visitors here have plenty of opportunities to ensure their stay leaves a feather-light footprint on the delicateTanzania ecosystem they have come to experience.
There is a large choice of safari lodges and beachside resorts that are powered by renewable energy, adhere to the country´s nationwide plastics ban, offer local, sustainable food and involve and educate the local community in ecotourism. By paying national park fees and choosing accommodation that is committed to a sustainable future through community outreach and conservation programmes, tourists can give back while travelling.
5 Find Your Thrills
Tanzania´s diverse terrain of valleys, plateaus, plains, mountains and beaches is there to be explored in all manner of exciting ways. The Usambara Mountains have a cool climate that is ideal for hikes or for more of a challenge take on the steep ascent to the crater rim of active volcano OI Doinyo Longo. Cycling options range from city tours of Dar es Salaam to mountain biking in the foothills of Kilimanjaro or through the forests of Pemba. For more off-road adventures Zanzibar has quad bikes to hire while the island´s breezy south-east coast resort Paje is the place for kite-surfing with water sports options such as kayaking, swimming with dolphins and paddle boarding are available across the archipelago. Inland water adventures include white-water rafting along the fast-flowing Rufiji river or Nile perch fishing in Lake Victoria.