The magnificent game-laden lands ofAfrica are unique. Some of the best ofthem are in Tanzania. Here, Lions andCheetahs may still enjoy a meal, free fromthe gaze of all-encircling tourist buses, andthe largest concentrations of mammalsanywhere in the world may be found. Witha remarkable 26% of its area set aside forthe preservation of this unique heritage,Tanzania offers such globally threatenedspecies as the Black Rhinoceros ameasure of protection that hopefully maysave them from extinction.On this tour we concentrate on northernTanzania, an area of superlatives andvariety. We explore beautiful soda andfreshwater lakes, the great grasslands ofthe Serengeti, and the spectacularNgorongoro Crater. Covering such a rangeof habitats and altitude zones, we willencounter a great variety of mammals, andalso birds, for conveniently the nationalparks harbour the best of African birdlife,from the giant Ostrich to tiny finches andcolourful weavers.We begin our holiday in Arusha NationalPark, a microcosm of Tanzanian scenery.Spectacularly set between the hugevolcanic peaks of snow-cappedKilimanjaro and rugged Mount Meru, thepark is a verdant wilderness wheremonkey-filled rainforest encompasses theundisturbed Ngurdoto Crater and thebeautiful Momella Lakes that hold Hippos,waterbirds, and the reflection of MountKilimanjaro. African Buffalo, Olive Baboon,Bushbuck, Warthog, Giraffe and EasternBlack-and-white Colobus Monkey may beseen; whilst, amongst an abundantbirdlife, we will look out for AfricanPochard and Maccoa Ducks on the lakes,and White-eared and Brown-breastedBarbets in the woodland.We drive next to Tarangire National Park,where thousands of animals from thesouthern Masailands must come regularlyin search of water from the Tarangire River.In the park's rolling bushland andsavannah, punctuated with spectacularBaobab Trees, African Buffaloes, Eland,Oryx, Gerenuk, Impala, Elephants andLesser Kudu may be found, together withsuch bird species as Crested Francolin,Yellow-collared Lovebird, Brown andOrange-bellied Parrots, Northern PiedBabbler and Magpie Shrike. Next we visitthe legendary Ngorongoro Crater.Permanently watered, the crater's 225square kilometres support a year-roundresidential population of thousands ofmammals. Amongst great herds of BlueWildebeest, African Buffalo and Burchell'sZebra, we will see Lions, Black-backedJackals and Spotted Hyenas. Most notably,the crater is perhaps the best place in all ofAfrica to see the endangered BlackRhinoceros. Birdwatching is excellent at Ngorongoro;the lakes and rivers attracting abundantwetland species, and the grasslandsholding Ostriches, bustards, SecretaryBirds, eagles and vultures. On the craterrim the lush montane forest holds anentirely different range of species which wemay encounter around our lodge and onearly morning and evening walks. Here wewill also meet the people of the Masai tribe,proud, elegant and well attuned to theirenvironment ... and the commercialpotential of incoming tourism!The Serengeti National Park's 14,673square kilometres of acacia-dotted plainshold nearly two million Wildebeest and2,000 Lions; its selection of othermammals and birds is mouth-watering. Wehave four full days to sample the wealth ofthis great African wilderness.Leaving the Serengeti we will stop at theOlduvai Gorge-'Cradle of Mankind' -the famous archaeological site where Dr.Leakey discovered the 2-million-year-oldremains of the Nutcracker Man, alongsidethose of prehistoric elephants and giantostriches. Even today it is an area teemingwith game. Lake Manyara is our last port of call. Itshotel and pool, beautifully perched on thewall of the Great Rift Valley, overlook theforest, plains, and flamingo-lined lake ofthe national park where we will search for its particularly large Elephants, tree-climbing Lions, and abundant birdlife.Tanzania HighlightsA 14-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through the magnificent national parks of Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Serengeti.Saturday 12th November - Friday 25th November 2011 Cost: £4,395Friday 27th January - Thursday 9th February 2012 Cost: £4,695*Friday 10th February - Thursday 23rd February 2012 Cost: £4,695Friday 9th November - Thursday 22nd November 2012 Cost: £4,495**(*This tour can be combined with our 'Kenya Highlights' holiday outlined on Page 164)(**This tour can be combined with our 'Kenya's Wildlife' holiday outlined on Page 165)Book direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationUGANDARWANDABURUNDIKENYAMt. KILIMANJAROARUSHA NATIONALPARKSERENGETINATIONALPARKARUSHATARANGIRELAKE MANYARANATIONAL PARKINDIANOCEANNGORONGOROCONSERVATIONAREALAKE VICTORIATANZANIAOutline itineraryDay 1Fly Kilimanjaro andtransfer Arusha.Day 2Arusha National Park.Day 3/4Tarangire National Park.Day 5/7Ngorongoro Crater.Day 8/11Olduvai Gorge andSerengeti National Park.Day 12 Lake Manyara.Day 13 DepartKilimanjaro/Arusha.Day 14 Arrive London.AccommodationComfortable safari lodges withprivate facilities.FoodAll included in the price.GradingA traditional vehicular wildlife andbirdwatching safari. Limited walkingaround lodges. Grade A.FocusBirds and mammals.LeaderZul Bhatia or Tony Williams, pluslocal guide(s).Single room supplement£650 (very limited availability). Web quick search: TZA01 179Flamingoes, Momella Lakes, Arusha National ParkBlack RhinosWhite-fronted Bee-eaters

Once the fertile but isolated land ofsuch relatively sophisticatedmedieval kingdoms as theBuganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro,Uganda's 72 years as a Britishprotectorate saw a peaceful andprosperous nation pass into the hands ofDr Milton Obote at independence in 1962.Yet the subsequent murderous regimes ofboth Obote and Idi Amin saw 24 years ofchaos and anarchy rip this inheritanceapart, before a benevolent PresidentYoweri Museveni came to power in 1986,backed by his highly disciplined NationalResistance Army. Today, after many yearsof peace, Museveni's achievements inrebuilding his country are remarkable.Uganda's large human population ishappy, peaceful and optimistic, and itsmammal population fast recovering.Uganda remains a most beautiful country- a luxuriant land of great lakes,abundant swamps, a snow-clad equatorialmountain range, and rolling grasslands.Yet, above all, it is the country's tropicalforests that provide the greatest attractionfor the naturalist. Here, amongst anunrivalled population of primates are over300 'Mountain' Gorillas. We will focus onthese marvellous animals, and theircousins (including Chimpanzees), on thistour, as well as the wealth of othermammals - more than 340 species! - tobe found in Uganda's abundant and variednational parks.We begin our tour on the peaceful shoresof Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa,then head west to Lake Mburo NationalPark, an attractive area of rolling bush andgrassland set around the lake and itssubstantial papyrus swamp. As well as anabundant birdlife, which includes the rareand elusive African Finfoot, the park ishome to such mammals as Oribi, Burchell'sZebra and Impala, also Bohor Reedbuckwhich we are unlikely to see elsewhere inUganda. After a night here we head westtowards the dramatic mountain ranges thatlie along Uganda's borders with theDemocratic Republic of the Congo andRwanda and overnight in a lovely old-fashioned guesthouse in Kabale, close to Lake Bunyoni where we will take a short boat trip to look for otters and enjoy the scenery. Next we begin the biggest adventure of thetour as we ascend a bumpy, scenic roadthat takes us up to Bwindi ImpenetrableForest, an area of densely forestedmountains, ranging from 1,200 to 2,590metres in altitude, that is home not only toone of Africa's richest forest floras andfaunas, but also to over 300 'Mountain'Gorillas; half of the world's population!During our 3-night stay at Bwindi, those that wish may choose to spend a daytracking one of the three habituated gorillafamilies, a physically demanding full day'strek. The rest of our time at Bwindi will bespent on less arduous forest exploration insearch of the attractive L'Hoest's Monkeyand an assortment of unusual birds. After an exciting stay at Bwindi, we headnorth to Queen Elizabeth National Park.Situated on the Kazinga Channel betweenLake Edward and Lake George, 'QE', as itis affectionately known, is a classic eastAfrican game reserve incorporating rollinggrasslands, craters and crater lakes,tropical forests, papyrus swamps and lakeshore, and offers Uganda's best game-viewing. Great herds of Uganda Kob roamthe grasslands, Giant Forest Hog - soshy and elusive elsewhere in east Africa -is bold and uncaring, and Lion andLeopard are fairly common. Along thebroad Kazinga Channel, herds ofElephant, Buffalo and abundantHippopotamus are encountered by boat,together with a wealth of waterbirds thatinclude both White and Pink-backedPelicans, a variety of herons, storks andwaders, and graceful African Skimmers.QE's spectacular Kyambura Gorge - adeep, forested and isolated chasm in theplains - harbours a small Chimpanzeepopulation, which we will track with thehelp of a park ranger. Kibale Forest, to the east of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, is our finalport of call - reached by means of someinteresting dirt roads! This wonderful forestis home to an incredible 11 species ofprimates. These include someChimpanzee families that have beenhabituated and which may therefore, withluck, be seen. We may also encounterother rare or colourful primates, such asBlack-and-white Colobus, Red Colobus,L'Hoest's and Grey-cheeked Mangabey.Kibale is also home to a group of forestdwelling Elephants, which are occasionallyheard but rarely seen. Our lodge, perchedon the edge of a crater lake, is set deep inthe heart of rural Uganda - a fitting spotto conclude this action-packed safari! Uganda - Mammals & Mountains A 13-day wildlife safari in search of the mammals, particularly the primates, of Kibale Forest, QueenElizabeth and other national parks, as well as the Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.Friday 20th January - Wednesday 1st February Cost: £3,795Friday 28th September - Wednesday 10th October Cost: £3,795Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Entebbe andovernight.Day 2Lake Mburo NationalPark.Day 3Lake Bunyoni.Day 4/6Bwindi ImpenetrableForest.Day 7/9Queen ElizabethNational Park.Day 10/11Kibale National Park.Day 12Depart Entebbe.Day 13Arrive London.AccommodationA combination of comfortablehotels, lodges, tented camps andguesthouses, all with privatefacilities. FoodAll included in the price.GradingA. A traditional African safari,including leisurely walking in theforest reserves. An optional day'sGorilla-tracking can be verystrenuous (Grade D), but rewarding!FocusMammals, particularly Gorillas,Chimpanzees, other primates andbirds.LeaderTony Williams or Cliff Waller, pluslocal guide(s).Single room supplement£495.N.B. Gorilla permits are notincluded in the tour cost; thosewishing to spend a day trackingthem must advise us at the earliestopportunity to ensure availability.Please contact us for details andcost.Web quick search: UGA02 180Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItinerarySUDANKENYADEM. REP. OF THE CONGO RWANDABWINDI IMPENETRABLEFOREST (GORILLAS)LAKEMBURUNAT. PARKMOUNTELGONKIDEPO VALLEYNATIONAL PARKLAKEGEORGEKIBALE FORESTGAME RESERVEKAMPALAENTEBBERIVERNILELAKEKYOGARIVER NILEMURCHISON FALLSNATIONAL PARKBUDONGO FORESTRIVER NILELAKE ALBERTLAKEEDWARDKABALEQUEENELIZABETHNAT. PARKUGANDALAKEVICTORIASSESEISLANDSMountain GorillaBwindi Impenetrable ForestUganda Kob