Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania is one of the most awe-inspiring and untouched East African safari destinations, Established in 1910 as a Game Reserve, Ruaha was gazetted a National Park in 1964. The park, covering an area of 20,226 square km, is the  largest in Tanzania and second largest in Africa. Despite the size of the park there are still only a handful of camps found here, which has built Ruaha’s reputation as Tanzania’s best kept game viewing secret. Ruaha’s wild and untrammelled feel is what sets it apart from other reserves, making it a popular choice for regular east African safari goers,

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Ruaha Wildlife

Ruaha boasts over of thousands of elephants in dissected herds, and also buffalos, hundreds of crocodiles and hippopotamus,As well as  lions, families of cheetahs, well-camouflaged leopard, African wild cats, caracals and cervals, not to be confused with genets and civets which are also common. Many species, such as the African wild dog and greater kudu exist too but are threatened or absent from other parks and conservation areas. diverse kinds of fish in the Great Ruaha River, and one of the largest bird checklists ever to delight any twitcher’s heart, with over 570 recorded species, including those that have migrated from Europe, Asia, the Australian rim and Madagascar. Though birds can be seen all the year around, the best time for bird-watching is during the wet season, when the vegetation will also be at its most luscious.

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What to Do in Ruaha

• Game drives to spot the diverse game.

• Birdwatching, especially during the wet season (European winter, when the migratory birds are here)

• Some camps offer walking safaris to get as close to nature as possible

• Bush breakfasts or sundowners

• Fly camping: real, wild, African bush camping

• Visits to the numerous historical and cultural sites in and around Ruaha

• Marvel at the Great Rift Valley, which traverses the park

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The Best Time to Visit

Ruaha National Park is a typical dry-season park, with the best time to see larger mammals and predators being between mid-May and December. As water becomes scarce toward the end of the dry season, game gather around available water sources, offering unbeatable game-viewing opportunities.

During the wet season – January to April – the bush becomes lush and green and many migratory birds arrive from the northern climes, making it an idyllic bird watching paradise.

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Getting There

By car: Ruaha is 625 km from Dar es Salaam, and 130 km from Iringa. Travel time depends on the traffic and state of the roads, but is around 9 hours from Dar.

By air: Daily scheduled flights fly into the park’s two airstrips (Msembe and Jongomero) from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma and Dar es Salaam. Chartered flights can also be booked

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Climate

Ruaha lies partly on the Great Rift Valley and partly on the plateau.