NGORONGORO CRATER

At 18 Kilometers (11 miles) across, the Ngorongoro Crater is the largest perfect caldera in the world.

This outstanding wonder is only one of the attractions within a vast and diverse conservation area. High mountain forest extends to the lip of the crater.

Crotons dominate the low altitudes which blends into red thorn acacias, pillar wood and strangler fig as one moves higher. Among the branches of the dense green canopy, a variety of bird species search for food in partial gloom.

The forest then recedes to give breathtaking views of the crater's vertiginous void.

Grasslands, swamps, lakes, rivers, woodlands, mountains and wildlife are all present in the wonderous microcosm of Africa.

Splendid in isolation, the valley floor of NgoroNgoro is a spectacle of its own - viewed from far or near.As you descend, Lake Magadi is centre stage with Seneto Springs to the left , Gorigor Swamp to the right and the Terai Forest in the foreground.

The Gol mountains nudge the far crater rim. Grazers dominate dominate with zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, warthogs and intriguingly, only bull elephant. Lion and hyena frequent the many ponds, with the nocturnal side-striped jackal being one of the area's rarer predators. Ostrich and kori bustard are the distinctive grassland birds.

The swamps, ponds and rivers support an ever present population of waterbirds and during the wet months the open pools play host to a variety of Eurasian migrants.

Visitors to the NgoroNgoro Crater area usually combine this safari with a visit to the Serengeti.

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Situated just south of the Equator, Tanzania is the largest East African nation it is half the size of western Europe and is bordered by shimmering lakes and the Indian Ocean. Off its white sandy beaches lie the sleepy islands of Pemba, Mafia and exotic Zanzibar.

Lake Tanganyika, Africa's longest and deepest freshwater lake and the second deepest in the world, runs along its western border. In the northwest, in a massive shallow depression, is the source of the Nile, Lake Victoria.

The entire country is dotted with a host of other permanent and seasonal lakes and rivers, including the Rufiji and Great Ruaha which together give Tanzania more surface water than any other African country.

A mosaic of Savannah grasslands, tropical forests, riverine basins, mountain ranges, swamps, mangroves and coral reefs, Tanzania contains some of the largest and most beautiful wilderness areas in the world. Roughly encircling the interior is a somewhat broken curve of ancient hills - these mountains preserve remnants of a once widespread equatorial forest and is the last remaining refuge to animals and plants found nowhere else in the world.

Tanzania is also home to the famous vast roaming herds of the Serengeti plains game and the snow-capped wonder of legendary Kilimanjaro.

Nearly all safaris to NgoroNgoro and to the Serengeti start at Arusha.

ARUSHA

Lying in the shadow of Mount Meru is an attractive town that serves as an agricultural centre and safari base. Situated in a fertile temperate region, this former trading post has over the years developed into an administrative centre for the important agricultural area all around. Divided roughly in half by the Naura River, here you will find craft shops selling unique Makonde carvings as well as the famous meerschaum pipes. When the Jacarandas are in bloom, the park and streets are aglow with a pastel purple beauty. Arusha's lively and colourful market reflects its rural background.

As you wander through the narrow alleys you will find everything from fish and meat to 'fruit and pungent spices. Lake Duhiti, a water filled extinct volcano presents the 'dreamers' with a picturesque picnic spot just outside Arusha.

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