Southern Tanzania Wilderness (Nyerere National Park & Ruaha National Park)
Southern Tanzania Wilderness (Nyerere National Park & Ruaha National Park)
This itinerary offers a more off-the-beaten-path safari experience in the vast and less crowded southern Tanzania.
Tour Highlights:
- Dar es Salaam
- Nyerere National Park
- Ruaha National Park
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
- Day 1: Arrival in Dar es Salaam & Transfer to Nyerere National Park (Selous)
- Arrive at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam.
- Transfer by a short domestic flight (approximately 45 minutes) to a airstrip within Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve).
- Meet your guide and transfer to your lodge or tented camp.
- Afternoon: Enjoy a boat safari on the Rufiji River, offering excellent opportunities to see hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds, and other wildlife coming to the river to drink.
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Nyerere National Park.
- Day 2: Full Day Game Drive in Nyerere National Park
- Embark on a full day game drive in Nyerere National Park, exploring its diverse landscapes, including miombo woodlands, riverine forests, and open grasslands.
- Look out for elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs (a highlight of this park), buffalos, giraffes, and a variety of antelope.
- Optional: Guided walking safari for a closer look at the smaller wildlife and the environment.
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Nyerere National Park.
- Day 3: Another Day of Exploration in Nyerere National Park
- Enjoy another full day of game viewing activities. You can opt for another game drive in a different area of the park, or perhaps another boat safari to explore different sections of the Rufiji River system.
- Optional: Fly camping experience for a night under the stars in the bush (arrange in advance).
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Nyerere National Park.
- Day 4: Fly to Ruaha National Park
- After breakfast, transfer to a local airstrip for a domestic flight (approximately 1-1.5 hours) to Ruaha National Park.
- Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your lodge or tented camp.
- Afternoon: Enjoy your first game drive in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest national park, known for its rugged beauty, large elephant populations, and excellent predator sightings (lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs).
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Ruaha National Park.
- Day 5: Full Day Game Drive in Ruaha National Park
- Spend a full day exploring the vast wilderness of Ruaha. The Great Ruaha River is a lifeline for the park’s wildlife, and game drives along its banks are particularly rewarding.
- Look for greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope, and a variety of birdlife.
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Ruaha National Park.
- Day 6: Another Day of Game Viewing in Ruaha
- Enjoy another full day of game drives in different areas of Ruaha, perhaps venturing into the more remote parts of the park.
- Optional: Guided walking safari to experience the bush on foot.
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Ruaha National Park.
- Day 7: Morning Game Drive & Fly back to Dar es Salaam
- Enjoy a final morning game drive in Ruaha National Park.
- Transfer to the airstrip for a domestic flight back to Dar es Salaam.
- Upon arrival in Dar es Salaam, transfer to your hotel.
- Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Dar es Salaam.
- Day 8: Zanzibar Extension or Departure
- Option 1 (Zanzibar Extension): Take a morning ferry or flight to the island of Zanzibar for a few days of relaxation on its beautiful beaches and exploration of its rich history and culture.
- Option 2 (Departure): Depending on your international flight schedule, you will be transferred to Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) for your departure.
- Day 9 (If Zanzibar Extension): Continue enjoying your time in Zanzibar before your onward departure.
