Queen Elizabeth II, who visited Tanzania in 1979, will be celebrating her Platinum Jubilee in six weeks’ time.
But the Queen, who came into the country on her way to Zambia for a Commonwealth Meeting, did not have time to sample Tanzania’s tourist attractions.
Her Son, and direct heir to the British throne, Charles the Prince of Wales, who together with wife Camilla Parker Boyle, visited Tanzania in 2011, however had time for a walking Safari in the Arusha National Park.
But the most defining moment for the British Royals’ tourism outing in Tanzania came through the Queen’s grandson and yet another successor to the crown, Prince William.
Prince William camped at one of the Northern Zone’s National Parks for …well …three days!
But at which Tanzanian Destination does the Duke of Cambridge, would rather stay for days?
Mkomazi National Park, located between Kilimanjaro and Tanga Regions seems to be the place where Prince William can spend more than three consecutive days relishing the environment.
At least that is what Prince William did during his visit to Tanzania, in 2017.
He spent three days in the Mkomazi National Park and when he left he promised to return to the same spot again.
Prince William loves Rhinos and Mkomazi happens to be East Africa’s breeding site for the highly endangered species.
In fact the Duke of Cambridge camped around Kisima area, which is adjacent to the Rhino’s breeding hotspot, during his three-day stay at Mkomazi.
But while in Mkomazi, visitors can also come at close range to the ferocious, horned mammals.
Well at least, as long as you ride in specially designated trucks that the Rhinos are used to.
And you should be taken around the highly secured electric fenced enclosure by highly trained guides.
But it is not only Prince William who has soft spot for Mkomazi, the US envoy to Tanzania, Ambassador Donald J. Wright also seems to love the National Park.
Jurassic Rhinocerous Park
Those who watched ‘Jurassic Park’ series of films by Steven Spielberg, then the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary is exactly the same, complete with the real life scares.
Dinosaurs featured in Jurassic Park may be obsolete already, but the endangered black rhinos are also almost extinct, in fact the only place on earth where the species can be spotted at close range and in their natural habitat is at Mkomazi.
Mkomazi National Park itself is a magnificent, semi-arid National Park mapped within 3,500 square kilometres.
While the park is home to other wildlife species including giant elephants, the Maasai giraffes (of darker complexion) and other beasts, Mkomazi offers special Black Rhino tourism package.
This is done within the sanctuary which is protected within and erected an electric fence covering more than 16 square kilometers.
Rhinos charging from Mkomazi to Arusha National Park?
In the 1960s Rhino used to roam at the foot of Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second highest peak after Kilimanjaro.
The Arusha National Park located at the base of Mount Meru lost these horned species to series of poaching incidents during the 1970s.
Now the Tanzania National Parks contemplate replenishing Rhinos back at the base of Mount Meru to boost tourism in the park, which also offers walking Safaris, as enjoyed by Prince Charles and Carmilla back in 2011.
A total of six Rhinos can be viewed at the tourism section Mkomazi Sanctuary, according to Edward Kimaro, the Park’s Conservation Ranger and Tour Guide.
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