Tanzania - EAST AFRICA - Themers Club : Computers , Mobiles and Web Development Themes

**steaner** · #1 (**permalink**) 09-13-2008, 02:49 PM

Tanzania
Dar - Es - Salaam

Take a walk on the wild side in this quintessential African landscape.

Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world. Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there.

Despite troubles from rowdy neighbours and a weak economy, Tanzania offers some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities on the continent. Its famous parks make the often rather pedestrian towns well worth the stopover.

Dar Es Salaam

The name Dar Es Salam means 'The Haven of Peace' and maybe that's right. Coming from Nairobi - this is a peaceful place. The city center ends up in the harbour with Dhows, big ships, ship-wrecks and the hydrofoils going to Zanzibar.

Weather Overview

If there's a time to avoid coastal Tanzania, it's during the long rainy season from March to May, which has a brief revival from November to January. The best time is between June and September when rainfall is sparse and temperatures orbit around a pleasantly balmy 28°C (83°F). Inland on the plateau, rain during the middle of the year is insignificant and temperatures sink slightly but comfortably.

Time Zone

GMT/UTC + 3 ()

Geography

A land of plains, lakes and mountains with a narrow, low-lying coastal belt, Tanzania is East Africa's largest country.The bulk of the country is a highland plateau, some of it semi-desert and the rest savannah and scattered bush. The highest mountains - Meru (4556m/14943ft) and Kilimanjaro (Africa's highest at 5896m/19335ft) - are in the northeast along the border with Kenya.

Mt Kilimanjaro National Park

An almost perfectly shaped volcano rising sheer from Tanzania's northeastern plains, Mt Kilimanjaro is one of Africa's most magnificent sights. Snowcapped and not yet extinct, at 5896m (19343ft) it's the highest peak on the continent.
The name of Kilimanjaro is as shrouded in mystery as the mist-enveloped summit. 'Mountain of Light' is one of the several possible translations, although many locals refer to the snowy peak as Kipoo or Kibo.
Daunting as it looks, it's possible to scale the mountain without technical mountaineering skills - all you need is determination, warm clothing and a properly equipped guide. There's no doubt you'll go through the pain barrier on the way to the top, but the reward is unforgettable - a sunrise view over what seems like half of Africa spread out below.
From cultivated farmlands on the lower levels, the mountain rises through lush rainforest to alpine meadow and finally across a barren lunar landscape to the twin summits. The lower slopes of the mountain also offer great hiking.

The natural harbor at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is an important outlet for the country's agricultural and mineral exports.

Middle of Dar es Salaam City

"Askaro Monument"

Dar es Salaams City Council

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