VACATION DETAILS

Stone Town is located in the charming island of Zanzibar, just off the coast of Tanzania,Africa. The city is the most popular and important in the island, its capital. When visiting Stone Town you will find some of the most prominent historical and artistic influences in eastern Africa. Enjoy a day wandering through the town and enjoy speaking to some of the friendliest people in Zanzibar. There are plenty of resorts and spas in the area for travelers who need some down time.Stone Town was announced a historical UNESCO World Heritage site. 

For many centuries, traders from Europe, India, the Orient and Arabia were lured to these shores. It was from here explorer David Livingstone set off on his last expedition into the heart of the continent. Today, as you walk along the winding streets of the old Stone Town, lined with whitewashed coral rag houses, you can see reminders of this rich history all around you. Visit the Palace museum, former residence of the Omani Sultans, and the cathedral that now stands on the site of the notorious slave market.

Excursions

As you enter Tarangire National Park a vast number of baobabs catch your eye. The gently rolling countryside is dotted with these majestic trees, which seem to dwarf the animals that feed beneath them. The park is spectacular in the dry season when many migratory wildlife species come back to the waters of the Tarangire River. Huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, eland and oryx gather to stay in Tarangire until the onset of the rains when they migrate again to good grazing areas. Tarangire National Park is second only to Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area in concentrations of wildlife and lies to the south of the large, open grass plains of southern Maasailand.

Approaching Lake Manyara National Park the view is spectacular. From the east the Rift Valley escarpment looms on the horizon forming an impressive backdrop to the lake. From the west, the Park lies in a green strip below and the lake glistens in the sunlight. The Park's different habitats are clear. In the tall trees of the ground water forest monkeys leap from branch to branch, on the slope of the escarpment elephants stand in the shade of a baobab. In the acacia woodland lions lie draped along the branches of umbrella trees, in the pools along the lake shore the hippos wallow, and in the lake itself wade colorful flamingos. The large variety of mammals, reptiles and birds in the Park and the different types of vegetation, all within a small area make Lake Manyara a diverse and particularly memorable place to visit.

An ancient hole in northern Tanzania, Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa's best wildlife-viewing spots since it acts like a natural cage; the crater's depth makes for a difficult escape for some animals, but most have no need to leave, finding plenty of resources inside. For the traveler, it means not only awesome wildlife viewing, but incredible views from accommodations on the crater's rim. Descend to the crater floor in a four-wheel drive; and once there just cruise around slowly and take in the scene — on any given day see lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, Thomson's gazelle, zebra, and reedbuck. The small soda lake inside the crater is also the seasonal home of thousands of flamingos.

Today, the Serengeti National Park helps protect the greatest and most varied collection of terrestrial wildlife on earth, and one of the last great migratory systems still intact. The Serengeti is the jewel in the crown of Tanzania's protected areas and has come to symbolize paradise. The region encompasses Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves have been established within the region. It's unique ecosystem has inspired writers and filmakers as well as numerous photographers and scientists. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve (Masai Mara) is Kenya's finest and most outstanding wildlife sanctuary where gentle rolling grassland ensures animals are never out of sight. The climate is gentle, rarely too hot and well spread rainfall year round. The sensation of the great wildebeest migration between July and October is unparalleled. The wildlife is far from being confined within the Reserve boundaries and an even larger area extends beyond the game Reserve. Centuries of close association with the wildllife has resulted in an almost symbiotic relationship where wildlife and Masai people live in peace with one another. The first sight of this park is breathtaking. There is nowhere else on earth to compare with this wildlife marvel. The combination of a gentle climate, scenic splendour and untold numbers of wildlife makes the Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya's most popular inland destination.

Lake Naivasha, Kenya, located 50 mi/80 km northwest of Nairobi, is most commonly visited as an overnight stop by tours going from Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru. It's a shame, because there's a lot to see around the lake itself. The waters are loaded with hippos and birds, and you can go fishing. It's a good place to relax for a few days at the country hotels on the lakeshore—an alternative to the coast. If you have time, take a pleasant boat trip to Crescent Island, one of the few game-viewing areas where visitors can walk around and set up a tripod to photograph animals.

Also near the lake is Joy Adamson's former home, which is now a museum dedicated to her life and important conservation work in Kenya. There, you can visit the museum, see a documentary film about her life and enjoy a cup of tea among the giant acacia trees on the lawns.

The Aberdares is the established name of a mountain range which thrusts directly north from Nairobi for more than 100 miles. Part of the range is protected as the Aberdare National Park, awesome in its majesty and beauty with an unimaginable abundance of wildlife worth visiting. The highest point of the range is Ol Doinyo Satima at over 13,000 feet. At its maximum elevation, about 11,000 feet, strange 20-feet tall mutants of alpine plants grow in profusion. Icy rivers plunge in glorious cascades and spectacular waterfalls. The Salient thrusts a dense forest through rich farmland and is where both Treetops and the Ark are situated. The salient's origin used to lie in an elephant migration route between the two mountains. The number of visitors to the Aberdares is high in the park rankings because of the Ark and Treetops.

Nairobi is Kenya's capital and one of Africa's most modern and fastest growing major cities. The original center retains Asian influence in its older buildings with glassy modern buildings. Visit City Market with local produce and handicrafts. Other attractions are: National Museum, displaying ethnographic, paleontological and ornithological exhibits; the Arboretum, with an excellent collection of East African flora; the University, known for its unique architecture; the excellent Kenya Railway Museum; and Nairobi's landmark, the extraordinary Kenyatta Conference Center, the country's most monumental building, visible from miles outside the city. There are casinos at Safari Park Hotel and Inter-Continental, and there's Sunday-afternoon horse-racing. Visit Karen Blixen Museum, where some action of the book and film Out of Africa took place. The beautiful forested Ngong Hills is a spiritual place for the Maasai and an excellent area for hiking and enjoying views of Nairobi and the Rift Valley. Nairobi National Park is a wildlife game reserve.