The Tanzania Southern Highlands refers to the region encompassing the four provinces of Iringa, Mbeya, Rukwa and

Ruvuma

The highlands comprise a range of volcanic mountains, partly covered in forest and grassland. The Southern Highlands is a series of mountain ranges and volcanoes covered in a mosaic of forest, grassland and Miombo Woodland. It includes the two highest peaks in southern Tanzania, The region is Tanzania's main bread basket and also experiences the coldest weather in the Republic, especially in the months of July.[citation needed] The Southern Highlands unique plateau and dramatic mountains were produced by Rift Valley faulting in the late Cretaceous Period. Subsequent volcanism left abundant lava and ash. Southern Highlands receive all its rainfall from November to April from water evaporated from Lake Nyasa. Temperatures average 22 degrees C (max) and 10 degrees C (min). From May to July frosts are common on higher ground with temperatures sometimes falling to - 7 degrees C on Kitulo Plateau. It also experiences the highest rainfall in Tanzania for part of the year. The region is a tourist attraction with several plateaus, grasslands, the Great Rift Valley, lakes and the TAZARA railway. The region also houses a great diversity in flaura and fauna The Southern Highlands are found in the south west of Makambako in the regions of Mbeya, Rukwa and Iringa. The Southern Highlands is a series of mountain ranges and volcanoes covered in a mosaic of forest, grassland and Miombo Woodland. It includes the two highest peaks in southern Tanzania, Mt Mtorwi at 2,961m and Mt Rungwe 2,960m. Initial biological surveys have revealed high biodiversity and a significant number of rare and restricted-range species. Over 120 animal and plant taxa are found in the area with about 2,000 species of vascular plants. This is roughly representative of a quarter of the total flora of East Africa. The Southern Highlands unique plateau and dramatic mountains were produced by Rift Valley faulting in the late Cretaceous Period. Subsequent volcanism left abundant lava and ash. Southern Highlands receive all its rainfall from November to April from water evaporated from Lake Nyasa. Temperatures average 22 degrees C (max) and 10 degrees C (min). From May to July frosts are common on higher ground with temperatures sometimes falling to - 7 degrees C on Kitulo Plateau. Over 40 species of vascular plants are only found in the Southern Highlands and many more restricted to the Highlands and the nearby Nyika Plateau in Malawi. The Kitulo Plateau is an area of significant botanical importance and is the only botanical National Park in Tanzania. Kitulo Plateau National Park
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One of the Great Gardens of the World, with over 40 species of wild orchid alone, Kitulo Plateau is a floral paradise. One of Tanzania's newest National Parks, this is the first in tropical Africa to be gazetted primarily for it's floristic significance. Kitulo is also of interest to ornithologists, being registered as an important bird area.

KILIMANJARO REGION

Facts About Mt. Kilimanjaro - Altitude and Size

Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. It rises 4877 m above the surrounding plains. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania in east Africa, in the north of the country, near the border between Tanzania and Kenya. (Tanzania map and Kilimanjaro map) The whole area lies between 2 45' to 3 25'S and 37 00' to 37 43'E (not far south of the equator). The area surrounding kilimanjaro is heavily populated. The local tribe living in the foothills is the Chagga. The Chagga arrived about 300 years ago as nomads and settled as farmers, terracing Kilimanjaro's slopes. Kilimanjaro is a giant stratovolcano. Kilimanjaro is classified as dormant, not extinct. It is the largest of an east-west belt of volcanoes across northern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro started forming about 750,000 years ago. Kili has three main volcanic peaks (Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo) and a number of smaller parasitic cones. Since 1912 Kilimanjaro has lost 82% of its ice cap. Since 1962 Kilimanjaro has lost 55% of the remaining glaciers. This may be local evidence of climate warming but may also be due to the loss of humidity caused by deforestation and clearing for farms. There are two wet seasons, November to December and March to May.

The driest months are August to October. Rainfall decreases rapidly with altitude. The mountain has five main vegetation zones: Savanna bushland (700-1000 m on southern side and 1400-1600 m on northern side), Sub-montane agro-forest (the densely populated farmlands to the south and south east) Montane forest belt (the rainforest, from 1300 m to 2800 m on southern side, above 1600 m on drier northern side) Sub-alpine moorland and alpine bogs (the heath and moorland, 2800-4000 m) Above this is the alpine desert. Mt Kilimanjaro and its forests were declared a game reserve in 1910 by the German In 1987 the park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site for its natural value The park is administered by the Tanzania National Parks Authority

ZANZIBAR ISLANDS AND SHORE Zanzibar is an archipelago made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, and several islets. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6 south of the equator. Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa. The heat of summer is seasonally often cooled by windy conditions, resulting in pleasant sea breezes, particularly on the North and East coasts. Being near to the equator, the islands are warm all year round, but officially, summer and winter peak in December and June respectively. Short rains can occur in November but are characterised by short showers which do not last long. The long rains normally occur in April and May although this is often referred to as the 'Green Season', and it typically doesn't rain every day during that time.

Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colourful history. Islam is the dominant religion, and practiced by most Zanzibaris, although there are also followers of Christianity and Hinduism. Population is estimated at 800,000, with the largest concentration being Zanzibar City which has approximately 100,000 inhabitants. Zanzibaris speak Swahili (known locally as Kiswahili), a language which is spoken extensively in East Africa. Many believe that the purest form is spoken in Zanzibar as it is the birth place of the language.

Whilst most visitors to the Zanzibar archipelago visit Unguja, commonly known as Zanzibar Island, fewer take advantage of the fact that this is an archipelago, with several other islands and numerous islets. Only a few kilometres from Stone Town are several islets such as Chumbe and Chapwani, where good accommodation is available. Bawe and Prison Islands are good for daytrips with excellent snorkelling available. Tumbatu Island, off the north-west coast of Unguja is one of the largest off-shore islands but has no facilities for tourists. Mnemba Island is located near the north-east coast featuring luxury accommodation. Although Mnemba is a private island, it is surrounded by a rich coral reef, which is great for scuba diving and snorkelling and is visited by several watersports centres in the area.
Pemba is Zanzibar's sister island. Despite many years of isolation from the outside world, Pemba is receiving a small but growing number of foreign visitors. The infrastructure much less than on Unguja, and there are far fewer tourists, but this is seen as a plus by many! Beautiful beaches, natural forests and outstanding diving are just some of the attractions on offer. Misali island, off Pemba's east coast, is idyllic and excellent for diving.

Swahili Coast
The Swahili Coast encompasses the whole of Tanzania's beautiful coastline. You can include a visit to this dramatic and historic coast in a driving or flying safari or, if you prefer you can sail along sections or all of it. The coast is rich in history and linked with the trades in Ivory, gold and spices. Along the coast there are a variety of ancient ruins and historic sites. It is possible to visit the starting point of many of the famous caravans and exploration expeditions into the interior of Tanzania. The coast of Tanzania has a lot to offer and due to the ease of access between the different locations, it is easy to describe this as a circuit in it's own right. Locations along the Swahili Coast include: Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, Pangani, Kilwa, Mtwara and Mikandani, Lindi The Rufiji Delta, Sadaani National Park and Tanga Town. All have different range of activities to offer and present their own unique blend of traditional culture and ancient history. To get the most out of your visit to a particular area we recommend a minimum stay of two nights in each location.

CENTRAL PLATEU The centre of Tanzania is a large plateau, which is part of the East African Plateau. The central plateau of Tanzania extends of most of the landmass of the nation and is dissected in two places by branches of the Great Rift Valley. The two branches merge north of Lake Nyasa, with the western branch comprising Lake Tanganyika and the eastern branch extending through central Tanzania, and including the Rubehu and Uluguru Mountains, to Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru in the north. The southern half of this plateau is grassland within the Eastern Miombo woodlands ecoregion, the majority of which is covered by the huge Selous National Park. Further north the plateau is arable land and includes the national capital, Dodoma.

East African Plateau is a huge plateau in the eastern part of central Africa. Its elevation is mostly between 1000 and 1500 meters. It is subdivided into a number of zones running north and south and consisting in turn of ranges, tablelands and depressions. The most striking feature is the existence of two great lines of depression, due largely to the subsidence of whole segments of the Earth's crust, the lowest parts of which are occupied by vast lakes. Towards the south the two lines converge and give place to one great valley (occupied by Lake Nyasa), the southern part of which is less distinctly due to rifting and subsidence than the rest of the system.

Climate
The climate of Tanzania varies according the geographic zones, but in a nutshell it is universally hot and humid at the coast, with the heat and humid increasing between November and March. Rainfall peaks in April and May, with a second surge between Nov and Dec. Further inland the climate becomes more temperate, although hot and dry are the adjectives most commonly used to describe it. The peak tourist season is usually between January and February when the warm and dry weather is most attractive and when overland travel is least problematic.

Coffee, beans and cloves, spices, cotton