Kigosi Game Reserve
Visit Kigosi Game Reserve – Tanzania Wildlife Safari
Thousands of tourists flock to Tanzania’s National Parks ignoring the beautiful Game Reserves yet they offer countless wildlife and bird species in addition to spectacular landscapes that cannot be seen even in the Parks that everyone rushes to.
Kigosi Game Reserve is one of Tanzania’s remotest, rarely visited but endowed destinations and was established in 1983. Located within the north-western side of Tanzania, the Reserve covers an area of 7000 square kilometres and lies between Kahama and Bukombe Districts within the Shinyanga region until Urambo District in Tabora Region (found within the western Circuit of Tanzania).
This Conservation Area is managed mainly for Conservation through Management intervention and lies within the Malagarasi-Moyowosi wetland It is an extensive and good example of the East African floodplain and is also feeding as well as a breeding zone for several migratory wildlife and bird species. This Reserve is adjacent to the Muhesi Game Reserve and is part of the Great Ruaha ecosystem.
Climate and Vegetation within Kigosi Game Reserve
This Game Reserve experiences two rainfall peaks per year in February and November while the dry season begins from mid-May to mid-October with the average annual rainfall being 1000 millimetres and 1500 millimetres and the maximum temperature of the Reserve is 29 Celsius degrees.
Grassy swamps dominate the area especially in the south in addition to the open Miombo woodland to the north thus allowing the Kigosi, Moyowosi, Gombe and Nikonga Rivers to easily flow through the vast floodplains of the Reserve. There is also the Itigi thicket and the Miombo woodland is dotted with rocky outcrops, riverine valleys, open plains, springs and scattered water holes.
Attractions within the Game Reserve
- Floodplain
This Game Reserve is undeniably one of the most extensive and wonderful Reserves within the East African region that have floodplains and wetland ecosystems.
There are several wildlife species found within this Game Reserve and they include Liechtenstein hartebeests, the rare sitatunga antelopes, elands, waterbucks, roan antelopes, greater kudus, lions, sable antelopes, leopards and lesser kudus among others.
Kigosi Game Reserve is considered an important breeding area for extraordinary aquatic bird species such as the pelicans, shoebill stork, wattled cranes and Kingfishers among others. Therefore, activities to relish within the area include bird watching, walking safaris and game viewing.
When to visit Kigosi Game Reserve
Much as the Reserve is open all year round, it is also perfect to explore the area during the dry season from June to September as well as December to February.
Accessibility to the Area
The Reserve is accessible by air with chartered flights organized from Arusha and Dar es Salaam and road transport using 4WD Vehicles that can be used whether in the rainy or dry season.
Therefore, the inaccessibility to the Reserve has greatly contributed to the concentration of extraordinary animals such as sitatunga, elands, waterbucks, roan antelopes, greater kudus, lions, sable antelopes, leopards and many others in addition to the aquatic species of birds such as wattled cranes and the shoebill storks among others.