The peninsula's soil, poor in nutrients, produces a very meager harvest. Therefore, the main livelihood for the villagers on the edge of the national park is fishing. Tourism here is still almost undeveloped.
Africa's third largest lake has several names. It was known as Marawi already in the 16th-17th centuries. known to the Portuguese, and then forgotten until September 16, 1859, when it was rediscovered by the Scotsman David Livingstone. His first meeting with Lake Nyasa was not the most pleasant: a storm was raging. In addition, clouds of smoke from burning grass made visibility difficult. Therefore, Livingston was content with only a short stay here, but in subsequent years he returned again and again to this oblong-shaped lake, to the main discovery he made in Africa. In the diary of the last major expedition we read an entry dated August 6, 1866: “I felt as if I had returned to my good old homeland... What a pleasure it was to throw myself into the breaking wave, swim again in these delightful waters, listening to the sound of the lake...”.
Lake Nyasa is so large in size that it rather resembles a sea: its area is about 24,000 square meters. km with a length of almost 600 km and a width of up to 80 km. The surf off the coast, which is often very steep, can be life-threatening. Downwind winds from mountains over 2,000 m high often cause disturbances. Maximum depth lakes - 785 m; In this respect it is superior to many inland seas, and its bottom is 300 m below ocean level. Huge changes in height are the result of powerful shifts in the earth's crust, due to which, during the Cenozoic era, the East African Trench and the tectonic lakes that filled it arose. Tectonic lakes often indicate ancient age. In contrast, most endorheic reservoirs on Earth turn out to be “ephemeral” on a geological scale and, due to natural shallowing, quickly disappear from the maps. But when lakes manage to survive such a long period in the history of the Earth, countless new species of living creatures develop in their waters. Lake Nyasa is a classic example of this. Of all the lakes on our planet, it is the richest in fish species: there are more than 500 of them from 10 different families. According to rough estimates, 90% of them are endemic, that is, found only in the clear waters here. Most large group are cichlids. More than 400 species of these fish, thanks to their bright colors and relative unpretentiousness, have found a place in aquariums, and only 5 species are found in the reservoirs of Europe. The colorful fish, which are supplied in huge quantities to the delight of aquarists in shops abroad, are called mbuna by the natives. And the lake supplies local markets with at least 40,000 tons of fish annually.
In relation to the huge scientific and economic importance Lakes, an area taken under protection, cannot be called anything other than tiny. Less than one tenth of the national park named after the lake consists of water areas. Under guard as natural object only 0.04% of the lake is located. The tropical lake basins of East Africa are characterized by the layering of warm and light water masses over cold and heavy ones and, accordingly, slow mixing, so pollution of the lake would have catastrophic consequences. Experts estimate that it would take 1,700 years to completely renew the water. Before then, everyone would have disappeared animal world lakes, and not only small living creatures and unique, infinitely diverse fish, but also hippos, crocodiles, Nile monitor lizards, ospreys, cormorants and many other birds nesting on the local shores.
Location: On the Nankumba Peninsula and a dozen small islands at the southern end of the lake.
Protected since 1984 MALAWI
Natural conditions: Variably humid zone tropical climate with dry forests and savannas; The lake is considered an independent biogeographic province.
Altitude: 464-1,140 m.
Area: 94 sq. km.
Message: From Lilongwe, the capital of the country, along the highway to a town where there are many hotels and campsites.
Africa boasts of its enchanting landscapes, which include sand dunes, jungles, and, of course, savannas. This vast continent is home to a wide variety of animals and plants. Unfortunately, some representatives of flora and fauna that live on the continent are on the verge of extinction. It was with the aim of protecting them that National Parks were created - areas where human activity is limited. We present to your attention a list of the 10 best national parks in Africa.
Birunga National Park
Birunga Park, known as National Park Volcanoes - is located in the north-west of Rwanda and borders the Virunga and Mgahinga national parks. It is considered the first national park created on the continent. Known mainly for the mountain gorillas that live there. The park was a base for zoologist Dian Fossey.
Ras Mohammed
Ras Mohammed (translated from Arabic means “head of Mohammed”) is the first nature reserve to open in Egypt. It is located in the south of the Sinai Peninsula, between the Suez and Aqaba Gulfs. This extraordinary national park is famous for its dazzling coral reefs, which attract divers from all over the world, as well as its population sea turtles. The park is the main attraction on the Red Sea Riviera and the pride of Egypt.
Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain Park - formerly known as Cape Peninsula National Park - located in the Western Cape, South Africa. The park was created on May 29, 1998 and includes: Table Mountain, from which it was named, and the Cape of Good Hope - the farthest southwestern point of Africa. The park area is 225,000 hectares, plus an additional 1,000 km. sq. coastal waters and beaches.
Kabarega is an African national park located in the northern part of the state of Uganda. It was founded in 1952 and named after the waterfall of the same name, which is located in the park. Covers an area of 3,839 km. sq. Kabarega National Park is home to large African wild animals such as elephants, buffalos, lions, rhinoceroses, etc.
Etosha Park - located in the north-west of Namibia. It is considered one of the largest national parks in the world and covers an area of 22,270 square kilometers. It was founded in 1907 and is home to a large amount of wildlife. The park is best known for its black rhinoceroses and African wild dogs.
Ahaggar is a national park and highland of the same name, located in the central part of the Sahara Desert, in southern Algeria. The park is famous for its stunning scenery, a large number of sand dunes and mountains consisting mainly of volcanic rocks. It is considered one of the more remote national parks on the planet.
Masuala is a national park located in the northeast of Madagascar, on the Masuala Peninsula. It was founded in 1997 and covers an area of 240,520 hectares. Masuala is the largest national reserve in the country. Since 2007, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Characterized by great variety ecosystems - including wet a tropical forest, mangroves and sea with coral reef.
In third place in the list of the best national parks in Africa is Kilimanjaro National Park, which is located in the north of Tanzania, near the city of Moshi. The park includes the entirety of Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, and its surrounding forests. Covers an area of 753 km. sq.
Victoria Falls Park - located in the north-west of Zimbabwe, on the Zambezi River and is considered as the largest waterfall in the world. A notable feature of the park is the rainforest that grows around the falls, which includes plants such as ferns, palms, vines and a large number of trees such as mahogany, which do not grow elsewhere in the region.
Kruger Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in the world, located in South Africa. It is located in the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Its area is 18,989 km. sq. and stretches for 350 km in a north-south direction. The park is home to 147 species of mammals, 500 species of birds and reptiles, and tens of thousands of insect species.
Lake Nyasa is one of the largest African lakes, in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, 560 km long, up to 80 km wide and up to 704 m deep. Nyasa means "lake" in the Yao language.
Lake Nyasa is located between Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. Relief coastline varies from rocky cliffs to spatial beaches. The coastal plains are especially wide in the northwest, where the Songwe River flows into the lake, as well as in the southern part of the coast. The lake is fed by 14 year-round rivers, including the most important Ruhuhu, Songwe, North and South Rukuru, Dwangwa, Bua and Lilongwe. The only external drainage of the lake is the Shire River. The water of the lake varies, from warm to sometimes cool.
The lake is famous for its wide variety of fish species. In addition to fish, this lake is characterized by a large number of crocodiles, as well as African whooper eagles, which hunt fish.
Lake Nyasa is a regional natural attraction, worthy of attention attention of travelers.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi is the second deepest lake in Africa. Lake Malawi is also known as the “Calendar Lake” due to its length of 365 kilometers, the number of days in a year.
A beautiful freshwater lake that is landlocked, making it unique and natural, with beautiful golden beaches in the country. Local fishermen offer a trip around the lake to see a huge number of colorful fish. There is also one interesting entertainment on the shore of the lake - feeding an eagle. You must say the word and throw the fish high so that the eagle can get a treat before the fish falls into the water. On the lake you can swim surrounded by colorful fish. For those interested, there is scuba diving.
Lake Amaramba
Lake Amaramba is a shallow lake along the edge of which the state of Malawi is located. The lake is located on the Nyansa plateau and has a total area of 20,600 acres. Water sports enthusiasts also know it as a place for a “sailing safari”.
The lake once had rich wildlife, but during a period of poaching during civil war, a significant part was exterminated. The aquatic fauna of the lake has also suffered due to excessive emigration from the country of Malawi. After this defeat, the World Wide Fund for Nature initiated various activities to restore nature. The five-year program calls for the creation of a lake sanctuary to conserve fish and waterbirds. Protect the surrounding forest area and thereby restore wild life on the shore of the lake.
Lake Malombe
Lake Malombe is located in southern Malawi, on the Shire River, in the Southern Region. The area of the lake is about 450 square kilometers.
The lake is fed by the Shire River and has a depth of 2-2.5 meters. Rice and corn (maize) are grown along the shores of the lake. Fishing is also very popular on the lake. You can go boating on the lake to appreciate the purity and beauty of the water, see colorful fish and enjoy the fresh air. The "Golden Leopard" or Venustus - a large cichlid inhabits Lake Malombe. This is a very large fish that grows more than 20 cm in length. Here you can make your dream come true - scuba diving.
Africa is a huge continent with a large number of natural areas and various ecosystems. To protect the nature of this continent, various states have created a large number of parks in Africa, the density of which is the greatest on the planet. Now there are more than 330 parks, where more than 1.1 thousand species of animals, 100 thousand insects, 2.6 thousand birds and 3 thousand fish are protected. In addition to large parks, the African continent has a huge number of nature reserves and natural parks.
In general, Africa has the following natural areas:
- equatorial forests;
- evergreen forests;
- savannas;
- variable-humid forests;
- deserts and semi-deserts;
- altitudinal zone.
The largest national parks
List all National parks Africa is impossible. We will discuss only the largest and most famous. The Serengeti is located in Tanzania and was created quite a long time ago.
Serengeti
Here you can find gazelles and zebras, wildebeest and various predators.
There are endless spaces and picturesque places, covering an area of over 12 thousand square meters. kilometers. Scientists believe that the Serengeti is the ecosystem on the planet that has the least change.
The Masai Mara is located in Kenya and was named after the African Maasai people who inhabit the area.
Masai Mara
There is a large population of lions, cheetahs, buffalos, elephants, hyenas, leopards, gazelles, hippos, rhinoceroses, crocodiles and zebras.
The Maasai Mara is small in area, but has a high concentration of fauna. In addition to animals, there are reptiles, birds, and amphibians.
Reptile
Ngorongoro is national reserve, which is also located in Tanzania. Its relief is formed by the remains of an old volcano. Various species of wildlife are found here on the steep slopes. On the Maasai plains, the Maasai graze livestock. It combines wildlife with African tribes who bring minimal changes to the ecosystem.
Ngorongoro
In Uganda there is the Bwindi Nature Reserve, located in dense jungle.
Bwindi
Mountain gorillas live here, and their number is equal to 50% of the total number of individuals on earth.
Southern Africa is home to the largest Kruger Park, home to lions, leopards and elephants. There is also a large Chobe Park, where various animals are found, including large population elephants. There are a huge number of other African national parks, thanks to which the populations of many animals, birds and insects are preserved and increased.
Wonderful video from the African National Park
Africa has the most large nature reserve in the world. It is called Kavango Zambezi. The complex is located on the borders of five Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. total area The reserve exceeds 44 million hectares. The protected area united 36 nature reserves and the lands surrounding them. Kawang Zambezi is home to almost half of all African elephants, more than 600 species of different plants and about 300 species of birds.
With the formation of such conservation complexes as the transnational reserve of Africa, called Kavango Zambezi (abbreviated KAZA), which are prone to migration (elephants and rhinoceroses) feel completely safe in a vast territory the size of Sweden.
Tourist paradise
This land is home to many world famous attractions. For example, Despite the fact that this African reserve was founded quite recently (2011), one of the main tasks that the five states set for themselves was to create conditions for the free migration of all species of animals. In addition, for these countries, nature reserves in Africa are the most important tourist sites. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to this unique transboundary reserve every year.
Animals
Undoubtedly, the main representatives of the animal world living in the complex are elephants. It may be hard to believe, but almost half of these giants live in the protected area. total number elephants of Africa. These vast territories are home to 600 plant species. There are many unique ones among them. In the most picturesque areas of the region, 300 species of birds have found their home.
South Africa is a land where the incongruous combine in a surprising way. Landscapes of amazing beauty are concentrated in the country's reserves and national parks.
Kruger Park
The cross-border territory, with an area of 20 thousand square kilometers, is located between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Elephant and lion, buffalo and rhinoceros, and leopard feel quite comfortable here.
Statistics confirm the uniqueness of these places. The area occupied by this African reserve can be compared with the territory of Wales. It consists of countless picturesque meadows and pastures, coastal forests, which are home to about 150 species of mammals, including the largest population of rhinoceroses.
A five-hour drive from South Africa's largest metropolis, Johannesburg, you can see wildlife and have an unforgettable experience. For example, in Kruger Park you can watch a fight between a lion and a crocodile.
The most intrepid tourists can go on a guided tour, accompanied by armed guards. Nature reserves and national parks in Africa are best visited in winter. At this time, the vegetation does not grow so rapidly and does not block the view. Animals can be seen near numerous bodies of water, and at this time the risk of contracting malaria is minimal.
Royal Natal
One of the most picturesque mountain ranges in Africa is the Drakensberg. The name translates as Sharp tops of the mountains here smoothly turn into green slopes, which are covered with irregularities and hillocks.
Royal Natal National Park is located on a not too large territory (2500 sq. km), part of the Ukahlamba complex - object world heritage. Despite this, the Drakensberg is one of the most famous rock formations on Earth.
Cedeberg Nature Reserve
This mountain range is located 200 km north of Cape Town. The Cedeberg African Nature Reserve is made up of a series of sandstone hills, dense fynbos forests and the magnificent Mount Saint Roc. Excursion routes last from one hour to several days.
During this walk you can enjoy wildlife these places. You can climb steep slopes to the picturesque hills - the Wolfberg Arch or Tourists prefer to stay at the Sanddrift base. There is an observatory and a huge wine library here. The best time to travel is from April to August. At this time the weather for walking will be the best.
Mapungubwe
National reserves in Africa amaze tourists with the beauty of pristine nature. Mapungubwe is no exception. It is located along the borders of Botswana and Zimbabwe, in a valley. In these places, giraffes and elephants, baboons and leopards stroll leisurely between the trees.
Mapungubwe is a World Heritage Site and a historical site, so if you're in Johannesburg, be sure to come here.
In ancient times, this territory was the center of the South African kingdom. In 1300 BC. Nine thousand people lived in these places. Archaeologists were able to discover hills with burials in which unique valuables were buried, for example, a golden figurine of a rhinoceros. It is better to come here in June-August.
Blyde River
Nature reserves and parks in Africa differ from each other in their natural landscape. This canyon is worth seeing with your own eyes. It rises above the Blyde River, and seems to burst from the tops of the Drakensberg ridge with the luxurious crowns of thousands of beautiful trees.
What makes this place even more beautiful are the green, gentle slopes, above which rise hills of sandstone and limestone. The most famous of them is the Triple Rondavel rock, with its huge arches and semicircular peaks that resemble the roofs of rondavels (African houses).
It is better not to visit African nature reserves from January to March. It is not very comfortable to travel here at this time - it is falling from the mountains. wet air, and there is a risk of contracting malaria.
iSimangaliso
This place seems to be created for ecotourism lovers. The name of this wetland park means "miracle" in Zulu. You can't say anything more precise about this place. The national park covers an area of 3320 square meters. km is an ecosystem of global importance. The territory of Isimangaliso is covered with lakes, swampy forests, and coral reefs. This is the largest river delta on the continent and about 220 km of beaches located on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
The reserves of Africa are large and not very large, mostly prepared to welcome tourists. For example, Isimangaliso Park has excellent conditions for diving and horse riding. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, you can go kayaking and watch wildlife.
Within one day in these places you can see a whale and a rhinoceros. This park, located 375 km from Durban, is especially good from June to October, when there is no sweltering heat and the risk of contracting malaria is minimal.
Namaqua
Not all nature reserves Africa can boast such unique vegetation as Namakuwaland, located along the coast of South Africa. It is often called the African garden, blooming in spring with a thousand colors. This is a true gem of an arid continent. From the beginning of August to the end of September you can see this beauty with your own eyes.
The park is located near Cape Town. This true treasury has the richest flora. Just take into account the blooming of daisies in this park - it is a mesmerizing sight.
Kgalgadi Transfrontier Park
A “wild island” of land located on the hot sands of the Kalahari Desert. Kgalgadi Park is located in the transboundary zone between Botswana and South Africa - it is the world's largest conservation area. There are many animals here - lions and ostriches, leopards and cheetahs that survive in these arid lands.
Ktugalgadi Park is a great place to watch big cats. However, you must be careful - at any moment you can find yourself on the same path with a lion.
Table Mountain
The national park, which has such a strange name, is located on the Cape Peninsula. From here you have a stunning view of Cape Town, the most... Old city SOUTH AFRICA.
This park offers many excellent opportunities for active recreation. Here you will be offered a paragliding ride from the Lion's Head rock. You can go rock climbing on the highest slope of Table Mountain and walk along the picturesque paths. Locals recommend walking uphill through the meadows of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.
Golden Gate
The Maluti Mountains are located 300 km northeast of the city of Bloemfontein. In the early morning, you can see herds of antelope grazing here. Great view Mountains in the rays of the setting sun, when the slopes are covered with golden color, gave the name to this park. Mount Brandwag is especially beautiful - it can be seen from any point.
