Safaris - Southern Circuit

Mikumi National Park Mikumi National Park is a protected area of outstanding natural beauty and high biodiversity. Mikumi is the closest National Park to Dar es Salaam, nestled between the Uluguru and the Rubeho mountains.

View slide show

Seluous Selous Game Reserve - The reserve stretches for 45,000 square kilometres. It is Africa's largest game reserve and a world heritage site. To give you a scale, it is larger than Switzerland and almost four times the size of the Serengeti, yet still unspoilt my mass tourism. Most of the area is covered by miombo woodland, interspersed with grass plains, wetlands and forest. Perhaps the most alluring aspect of Selous is the ability to explore the reserve by boat. Just imagine winding your way through channels and swamps where elephants bathe, hippos snort and crocodiles slip silently away.

View slide show

Udzungwa Mountain National Park Udzungwa Mountain National Park - One of Tanzania's most recently formed National Parks covers an area of approximately 1990 square kilometres and lies between 300 and 2800 meters above sea level. Due to traditional beliefs, the mountains have remained untouched for thousands of years. They are unique in so many ways, as most of its inhabitants have evolved here. The park has extensive, luxuriant growth of lichens, moss, fungus and ferns and many new species of plants are being discovered here including a new variety of the African violet. It is paradise for ornithologists, with an abundance of endemics. In fact the Udzungwa Mountains is amongst the richest forest habitat in Tanzania and one of the top three most important zones for bird conservation in Africa. Several new species have been identified in recent years including the rufous winged sunbird. Other attractions in the park include breathtakingly stunning walks and climbs. There are trails through the fertile rainforest and escarpment and a number of startling waterfsalls such as Sanje plunging for 170 metres.

View slide show

Ruaha National Park Ruaha National Park was once regarded as an 'exile' posting for (unwanted) Park Wardens, as it did not carry the same accolades as the northern parks. Ruaha offers a very different safari to Northern Tanzania. It is relatively remote and visited by far fewer tourists. Even in the 90's it was very unusual to see another vehicle on a game drive. Today it is busier but Ruaha still does not attract the vast numbers of visitors that you find in the north. It really will feel like you are viewing wild Africa at its very best. The park is about the size of Belgium at 13,000 sq kms, It is a very special place. Ruaha offers an outstanding uniqueness much of the game is completely different to that in the north. The park is particularly noted for large numbers of greater kudu - probably more than anywhere else in Tanzania, as well as lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope. Healthy packs of African wild dog are also to be seen in Ruaha. Large numbers of buffalo and elephant are to be found along the banks of the Ruaha and Mwagusi. Lion prides can number up to twenty. There are more than four hundred species of birds in the park with new species still being recorded - an indication of how wild Ruaha still is. Ruaha is best reached by air from either Dar es Salaam or Selous. You can if you have the time go by road.

View slide show