When Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged in 1964, the United Republic of Tanzania was born, forming the largest of the East African nations. Covering an area measuring almost 950,000 sq km, Tanzania is bordered on the east by just over 1,400 km of coastline washed by the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean. To the south of Tanzania lies Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia; Zaire, Burundi and Rwanda are its western neighbours while Uganda and Kenya occupy the regions beyond its northern boundary. The geography of Tanzania is as spectacular as it is legendary, with mountains, lakes and plains spreading inward from the idyllic sandy beaches of a long and languid coastline adorned by an archipelago that is home to the mysterious island of Zanzibar, some 22 miles offshore.

The north-east of Tanzania is mountainous; a region dominated by the highest point in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro at 5,895m and its smaller cousin, Mt. Meru. Travel west from these peaks and you'll find yourself in the big game territories of the Serengeti National Park - home to the largest concentration of migratory game animals in the world, many of whom add to the rich diversity of wildlife that already exists within the extraordinary landscapes of the Serengeti, including a 20 mile wide volcanic crater known as the Eden of Ngorongoro. Continue west and you'll reach the southern shores of the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, south-west of which is the longest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika, which forms Tanzania's border with Zaire. Travelling south-east from here and yet more mountains decorate the skyline, punctuated towards the centre of the country by an inland plateau and on the south-eastern border with Malawi by a lake bearing the same name, until finally reaching the east coast where a holiday villa in Dar es Salaam can give you the opportunity to explore the largest city in Tanzania.

In this land of extremes the climate varies accordingly, Tanzania having the wide range of weather patterns you would expect to find in a country that has the highest and lowest points in the whole of Africa (Lake Tanganyika shares the accolade of deepest freshwater lake in the world with Lake Baikal in Siberia). The narrow, lowland coastal strip is consistently hot and humid with a rainy season from March to May and again from November to January, while the interior regions are elevated enough to produce much cooler temperatures with very little rain during the middle part of the year. The mountains, however, are where you can reasonably expect to find temperatures at the opposite end of the scale with perpetual snow caps on all the highest peaks as a stark contrast to the searing heat of the sun-scorched Serengeti plains.

The paradise island of Zanzibar, or Unguja, is the veritable jewel in Tanzania's crown - floating listlessly in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, this is where spice plantations nestle between tropical forests, local fishermen negotiate coral reefs and schools of dolphins to ply their trade, and a holiday villa in Zanzibar is the ultimate antidote to a stressful life in the city! Once the beating heart of a slave, ivory and spice trade, Zanzibar still enjoys a healthy export industry - although slaves and ivory have now been banished to a distant corner of an ancient and fascinating history - as well as having enough traditional culture, colonial charm and architectural heritage to make it one of the most sought after destinations in Africa for travellers from all over the world.

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