Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Hunting Safaris in Tanzania


Tanzania has the finest wildlife habitat in Africa and abounds in a wide variety of animal and bird life. Many areas remain untouched by humanity and it is still quite possible to enjoy a traditional tented safari as the famous hunters of old times did many years ago.

In addition to the world famous Mt. Kilimanjaro, the country is noted for its spectacular game reserves, scenery and a wide variety of game animals found nowhere else in Africa. Particularly in the Selous,  one can not only experience the excitement of the Buffalo hunt, but also the adventure of a walking safari in one of the last great wilderness areas in the world.     

Game and bird hunting is legal in Tanzania, and during the hunting season, which runs from July to December of each year, hunters from around the world arrive to embark on private guided expeditions into the African bush.

The Selous Game Reserve is one of the best places for a hunting safari. It is located in the southern part of the country and is the largest hunting conservancy in Tanzania. The vegetation is mainly miombo and mopane bush with dense thickets and open plains ideal for lifetime game-hunting experience.

During a hunting safari, the client and his guide have the entire area of the designated hunting block to themselves, affording the visitor an ideal opportunity to experience the wilds of the African bush without the distractions of other guests.

The Selous is uninhabited by people and is divided into 46 hunting blocks. The area is noted for its large population of dangerous game, especially buffalo. Leopard and lion are plentiful, as well as crocodile and hippo.

Hunting safaris last anywhere between a week to a few months, with guests and their guide setting up camp in a specific hunting block and exploring the entire area over a set period of time. Camps are well equipped with comforts like hot showers, flushing toilets, and walk-in furnished tents.

The most exciting thing is that hunting safaris take visitors to some of the most remote parts of the country on a private basis, and guests often return with a variety of antelope and buffalo species, and sometimes the occasional lion or leopard.

Game viewing and tracking takes up a large amount of the day, with the hunters often rising at dawn, returning to camp for breakfast or lunch, then setting off again in the afternoon until sundown.

Although game hunting is on the top of most hunters’ lists, bird hunting is becoming increasingly popular around seasonal rivers and dams. Guinea fowl, sand grouse, francolin, and some geese and duck species are plentiful throughout the country.

Hunting companies are required to ensure that their commercial activities do not deplete the natural wealth of the country’s wildlife population, and many groups sponsor community wildlife projects that educate local villagers about the environment and help to improve educational and medical services.

Hunting company initiatives have also included anti-poaching education and patrols, clinic and school building, and community education efforts about wildlife preservation and coexistence.

 PKP. Kenya safaris
Natural Track Safaris.