Tanzania: the southern circuit
Ten nights in the wild, quiet south
Ten nights in the south of Tanzania, away from the crowds. You spend six nights in Ruaha and three in Nyerere, in small camps where walking, boating and sleeping out are all part of the experience. It is at its best from June to November, in the dry season, and is a wonderful second safari for anyone who has done the northern circuit.
Night 1
Dar es Salaam Serena, Dar es Salaam
1 night · Dar es Salaam · Best for: an easy arrival
You land in Dar es Salaam and are met and taken to your hotel. There is nothing to do but rest, so you start the safari fresh. Add a city visit if you like, or simply spend the afternoon by the pool.
- Met at the airport and transferred to your hotel
- An easy afternoon by the pool
- Optional city visit
Nights 2 to 4
Usangu Expedition Camp, Ruaha National Park
3 nights · Ruaha · Best for: wild, empty bush and rarely seen antelope
A short flight takes you to Ruaha, Tanzania's largest national park, and a game drive brings you to a small camp of just six tents. Ruaha is rugged, dry and wonderfully quiet, with far fewer vehicles than the northern parks.
Three nights gives you time to do more than drive. In the dry season you can walk with a guide, take a boat safari, or even sleep out under the stars.
- Game drives for sable and roan antelope, which you will not see in the north
- Walking safaris and boat safaris, depending on the season
- A night under the stars, and night drives with thermal cameras
Why it is here: Ruaha is the place I send people who have already done the classic safari and want something wilder and quieter.
Nights 5 to 7
Kokoko Camp, Ruaha National Park
3 nights · Northern Ruaha · Best for: privacy on a dry riverbed
You drive north through the park to a tiny camp of three tents on the banks of the dry Mwagusi River. It is small enough to book entirely for your own group, which makes it ideal for a family or a few friends.
The riverbed is the centre of life here. You walk, drive, watch the animals come to dig for water, and have dinner in the sand under the stars.
- Walking safaris and game drives along the river
- Sundowners and riverbed dinners
- Night drives, and the option to book the whole camp privately
Nights 8 to 10
Roho ya Selous, Nyerere National Park
3 nights · Nyerere (Selous) · Best for: water, boats and a change of pace
You fly east to Nyerere National Park, formerly the Selous, a landscape of rivers and lakes that is completely different to Ruaha. Your camp is on a peninsula overlooking a lake, with eight tents and a pool.
Here the safari is on the water as much as on land: boat trips among hippo and crocodile, game drives, and evenings round the campfire.
- Boat safaris on the lake and river
- Game drives through woodland and open plains
- A pool, and campfire evenings
Optional finish: on the last morning you fly back to Dar es Salaam for your flight home, or on to Zanzibar for a few days on the beach.
Pricing depends on your dates and group size. Tell me what you have in mind and I will give you a figure.
Book a free planning call