What Tanzania is all about...BIG BUFFALO!...OK, one of the things.
Tanzania is “the man” when it comes to African big game hunting. Selous, Rungwa, Moyowosi, Serengeti, Burigi and Masailand are all names that strike fear, wonderment and desire into the hearts of all African hunters. Big buffalo, big lion, big ivory; whether you’re on your first safari or twentieth, this is East Africa of yore. Kenya, Tanganyika, Kilimanjaro, the places; Maydon, Taylor, Hunter, Ruark; the writers.
AFRICAN PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS (APH) is working with TANZANIA BUNDU SAFARIS in the Mahenge North concession on the western Selous plus, the world renowned concessions of Loibor Serrit (Lobo) and Lolkisale on the eastern border of the Tarangire National park in Masailand, roughly 120 kilometers SW of Arusha as the hornbill flies. These areas are some of Tanzania's finest concessions, particularly for huge Lion, huge Leopard and Godzilla Buffalo… “Jaws” of the big three. Just have a look at the record book!!
The Mahenge is The Selous, the world's largest game reserve (15,500 sq mi/40,145 sq km). With rolling savannah, and miombo woodlands, there are over 110,000 reasons to be here…BUFFALO! Massive as a boulder, 1500 pounds of bovine gristle await you in the The Selous, home to more Cape Buffalo than any other game reserve in Africa, not to mention the 40,000 hippos that reside along and within the Great Ruaha, the Luwego and Kilombero and their associated network of tributaries and back-water pools. Tanzanian southern species abound here: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, zebra (baumannii), Nyasa wildebeest, Roosevelt sable, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, common waterbuck, common reedbuck, warthog, and East African bushbuck, eland and impala. In compliment and contrast, the fabulous Lobo and Lolkisale provide opportunities for many of the northern species: lesser kudu, oryx, gerenuk, Coke’s hartebeest, white bearded wildebeest, Grant's gazelle, dik dik, and of course, monster buffalo, lion, leopard.
Additionally, APH is hunting with NORTHERN HUNTING ENTERPRISES in Moyowosi North, Burigi/Biharamulo, and Burunge in Masailand, Moyowasi, Burigi and Biharamulo providing the western species…of note and contrast: eastern bohor reedbuck, defassa waterbuck, topi, and sitatunga as well as good cats, buff, C. Sable and L. Hartebeest. Burigi and the contiguous Biharamulo are notably good for roan, klipspringer, dik dik, oribi and excellent East African Impala. Burunge, is great for northern species 11/2 hrs southwest of Arusha. It’s good for leopard, white-bearded wildebeest, zebra, dik dik, Tommy's, eastern bohor reedbuck. A fly camp at Gallapo 3hrs drive south affords excellent lesser kudu and leopard. This area also provides lion, buffalo (very good early and late), Cokes hartebeest, fringe-eared oryx and Grant's gazelle. On this hunt, a short side trip (1 or 2 days) can be made toLongido for excellent gerenuk and Grants.
The Maasai Steppe, the heartland of northern Tanzania and one of the worlds richest refuges of wildlife, rises up and away from the coastal lowlands to an elevation of around 1300 meters…the result being that the days are warm, the nights cool to cold with very low humidity (except during the rainy season). To the south and west away from Mt Meru and the 30 meter plus Podocarpus trees that inhabit it slopes, you enter the vast Simanjiro plains and grasslands interspersed with winding luggas and korongos. This is the land of giant baobab trees, flat top and scrub acacia, vast areas of Commifora woodlands, and wait-a-bit bush. Here the megafauna differs as some species not found in the south flourish…Gerenuk, Grants and Roberts Gazelle, East African Impala, Fringe Eared Oryx, White Bearded Wildebeest, Cokes Hartebeest and Lesser Kudu to name but a few. Excellent hunting within the Siminjaro, Lolkisale and Mto Wa Mbu Game Control Areas (GCAs) are but a couple of hours from Arusha. This area of Tanzania is also home to around 3000 elephant, the largest population in northern Tanzania.
Situated in western Tanzania is a vast wetland of limited access (even in the dry season) defined by the flood-plains of the Malagarasi, Moyowosi, Nikonga, Kigosi and Gombe rivers. Sitatunga, Topi and Roan define some of the unique megafauna for this corner of Tanzania. Permanent swamps are dominated by papyrus with the riverine margins primarily made up of Borassus and Phoenix palms with occasional stands of Acacia woodland. The higher ground between the rivers is dominated by Brachystegia (Miombo) Woodlands. The Moyowosi Game Reserve (GR) is in the Kibondo District in Kigoma Region and is probably the most famous of the western game reserves. Kigosi GR is just to the east and separated from the Moyowosi by the Nikonga River The Ugala GR to the south is separated from the Moyowosi by the Gombe River. To the north of Moyowosi lies the Burigi GR bordered on the west by Rwanda and dominated by valleys and rolling hills, rocky outcrops and cliffs. Swampy vegetation and riverine forests also exist within this reserve as well as half of Lake Burgi. Just to the east lies the Biharamulo GR.
There are many other Game Reserves (GR), Game Control Area (GCA) and Open Areas(OA) in Tanzania not discussed here. These are but a few of the well known areas (and known to us).