Nyerere National Park · Ruaha National Park
The Wild South: Rufiji to Ruaha
Boats on the Rufiji, a waterfall swim in the Udzungwa and big-cat country in Ruaha, with almost no other vehicles.
- Duration
- 10 days
- Destinations
- Nyerere National Park · Ruaha National Park
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 1 to 6 guests
- From
- $5,300 per person
Overview
Boats on the Rufiji, a waterfall swim in the Udzungwa and big-cat country in Ruaha, with almost no other vehicles.
The south of Tanzania does not shout about itself, and that is the appeal. Over ten days this circuit delivers the wildlife people travel to the Serengeti for, without the line of vehicles at every sighting.
You begin in Nyerere National Park, a park of about 30,900 square kilometres, roughly the size of Belgium. Vehicle drives wind through forest along the water and stands of miombo, while a boat trip on the Rufiji brings you down to eye level with hippos and with elephants at the shoreline. The route then loops through Mikumi, and a hike in the Udzungwa Mountains ends with a swim beneath Sanje Waterfall. Next you settle into Ruaha for a pair of unhurried days, in one of the country's biggest national parks, where lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog all thrive. Traffic in the south is a fraction of the north's, and the days are shaped to take advantage: long, unrushed hours in real wilderness.
- Nyerere National Park, roughly the size of Belgium
- Boat safaris along the Rufiji River
- Ruaha, one of Tanzania's largest national parks, with an outstanding big-cat population
- A forest hike and a swim at Sanje Waterfall in the Udzungwa Mountains
- Remote country where you rarely meet another vehicle
Best forSolo travellersCouplesWildlife enthusiasts
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
The best time for Nyerere and Ruaha is the dry season from June to October, when animals gather at rivers and the bush is thin. November to March is green and good for birds, with boat safaris at Nyerere at their best. April and May bring the heavy rains, and some camps close.
- LionHigh
- African ElephantHigh
- African Wild DogRare
- HippopotamusHigh
- CheetahHigh
- Nile CrocodileHigh
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Dar es Salaam
- Day 1-3Nyerere National ParkDrive from Dar es Salaam
- Day 4-5Mikumi National ParkDrive from Nyerere National Park
- Day 6Udzungwa MountainsDrive from Mikumi National Park
- Day 7-9Ruaha National ParkDrive from Udzungwa Mountains
- End · Day 10Dar es SalaamFlight from Ruaha National Park
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival at the Rufiji
Nyerere National Park
Your flight touches down at Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam), and you are taken directly to a camp beside the Rufiji River, within Nyerere National Park. If you like, a boat outing at dusk offers a first glimpse of the hippos and crocodiles that live in the river.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Game drives across Nyerere
Nyerere National Park
Spend the full day on the move across a reserve of some 50,000 square kilometres, where river-fed forest gives way to open grassland and then miombo woodland. Giraffe, kudu, buffalo, elephant herds and lion prides appear as the scenery shifts.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- All meals
Day 3
On the water: a Rufiji boat safari
Rufiji River, Nyerere National Park
Spend the morning afloat on one of East Africa's great waterways. Hippo pools, crocodile banks and crowded waterbird colonies line the shore, and elephant herds wade across at shallow crossings. Guides here are free to follow the river wherever it leads, with no vehicle tracks to stick to.
- Ridge
- Rufiji River Camp
- Meals
- All meals
Day 4
A last Nyerere drive, then Mikumi
Nyerere to Mikumi National Park
One more morning drive in Nyerere precedes the transfer north to Mikumi. The road crosses quiet southern countryside that few visitors ever see.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 5
The Mkata floodplain
Mikumi National Park
Game drives work the Mkata floodplain, Mikumi's richest wildlife ground. Elephant, eland, lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog all live here. Its open grassland and easy big-cat viewing have earned Mikumi the nickname "the Serengeti of the south".
- Meals
- All meals
Day 6
Forest and waterfall in the Udzungwa
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
The day's drive ends in the Udzungwa Mountains, a park ranked high for biodiversity in Tanzania and treated as a priority for conservation worldwide. Walking uphill through montane forest, you reach Sanje Waterfall, with natural pools set aside for a swim. The forest shelters two endemic primates and more than 400 bird species, among them many Albertine Rift endemics.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 7
West to Ruaha
Udzungwa to Ruaha National Park
A long, scenic drive crosses the southern highlands to Ruaha, one of Tanzania's biggest national parks and a top pick for committed wildlife lovers anywhere in Africa.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 8
A full day in Ruaha
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha holds the country's largest numbers of lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog, and its predator density is remarkable. Elephants number in the thousands. In the dry season the Great Ruaha River pulls in animals from across the region. No crowds, no noise, just wilderness at its most undiluted.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 9
River at dawn, interior by afternoon
Ruaha National Park
Morning drives head for the river, where predators are busiest at first light. In the afternoon you push deeper into the remote interior, where sable antelope, greater kudu and oryx live alongside the more familiar species.
- Ridge
- Ruaha River Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 10
Departure via Dar es Salaam
Ruaha to Dar es Salaam
A final morning drive in Ruaha, then a transfer to Dar es Salaam, by road or light aircraft, for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $5,300 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room.
- Priced for two travellers sharing. For one traveller, or three or more, we quote on request.
- The Trail price is our published starting rate for this itinerary; Ridge and Summit are indicative estimates for the same route.
- These rates are indicative. We confirm the exact price for your dates and group in your personal quote.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- All park entrance fees
- Every game drive and boat safari
- A professional guide
- All meals
- Accommodation as listed
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Rates are per person sharing a twin or double room. Single supplements are available on request.
- The sunset boat outing on Day 1 is optional, and the Day 10 return (by road or light aircraft) is confirmed when you book.
- Lodging and rates depend on availability and may vary with the exact travel date.
- The Tanzanian government sets all park and conservation charges, and these may be revised without prior warning.
Questions
Good to know
The Wild South: Rufiji to Ruaha
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.