Babati

Nestling under Mount Kwaraha in central Tanzania, Babati is a small but booming town in the Manyara Region that rests on the shoreline of Lake Babati. A visit to the peaceful lake promises glorious rural scenery with picturesque mountain views while gliding over the shimmering water in a dugout canoe and possibly spotting hippos as they laze in the tall grass. The lake is also an excellent starting point to climb Mount Hanang and take a day trip to the Kolo cave paintings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Venture into Tarangire National Park, one of the country's lesser-known game reserves, its flat plains dotted with fat baobab trees and over 500 bird species of birds, tree-climbing African pythons, elephants, buffalo, antelope, lions and other predators.