Ruaha National Park Tanzania
When most people start planning a safari in Tanzania, the Serengeti National Park with it’s massive concentration of wildlife and the world famous wildebeest migration that occurs every year between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara in Kenya usually first comes to mind.
Others may then think of the Selous Game Reserve, which covers an area that is larger than Switzerland and is said to be home to about 50 000 African elephants, 110 000 buffalo, almost 4000 lion, 1300 Wild dogs!
Both are wonderful places and are justifiably world famous as safari holiday destinations. But what if you want to go a little off the beaten track, how many of you have heard of the Ruaha National Park in Tanzania?
About Ruaha Park
Even though the Ruaha Park is Tanzania’s 2nd largest (10,300 sq km / 3,980 sq miles) it is still relatively unknown.
Located in Central Tanzania,Ruaha has a good network of game-viewing roads it gets it’s name from the Great Ruaha River that runs along it’s eastern boundary and is the only perennial river in the National Park.
Diverse Wildlife
Due to it’s unique location in that it straddles the acacia savannah of East Africa and the miombo woodland belt of Southern Africa, you get a huge diversity of animal species that includes all of the true Big Five animals of Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Black Rhino and Elephant. Along the Great Ruaha river, you will find many Hippos and crocodiles. Other predators include Cheetah, Serval, African Wildcat, Caracal, Side-striped and Black-Backed Jackal, Bat Eared Fox, Hunting Dog, Spotted Hyaena and the Striped Hyaena. There are loads of Antelope species including Roan Antelope, Lichtenstein Hartebeeste, Bohor Reedbuck, Bushbuck, Eland, Kudu, Sable Antelope Grants Gazelle and Oribi. Primates include the Vervet Monkey, Blue Monkey, Yellow Baboon, Greater Galago or thick-tailed bushbaby and the Lesser Bushbaby. Other favourites include the Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe, Warthog, Bushpig, Porcupine, Honey Badge (Ratel) and many species of Mongoose.
Birding Paradise
Ruaha National Park is also a birder’s paradise with a recorded 526 species! Highlights include: Ostrich, over 50 birds of prey including African Fish Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle, Bateleur, African Hawk Eagle, Shikra or Little Banded Goshawk, Black Kite and the impressive looking Bat Hawk. There are 6 species of vulture and six true owls including the Verraux’s Eagle Owl, African Scops Owl and the tiny Pearlspotted Owlet. Along the river you will find the African Jacana, many species of Kingfisher including the beautiful Malachite Kingfisher and all the Ducks, Geese, Cormorants and Darters you could ever hope for. Endemic species include the Yellow-Collared Lovebird and Ashy Starling.
How to Visit Ruaha Tanzania
Even though Ruaha may be off the beaten track, getting there is not as hard as you may think as there are scheduled and charter flights from Dar es Salaam, Selous, Serengeti, Arusha, Iringa and Mbeya. For those who want to drive in there is all year road access through Iringa from Dar es Salaam (about 10 hours) via Mikumi or from Arusha via Dodoma.
Best Time to Visit
There is no best time, it just depends on what you most want to see. To see the larger predators and mammals, the dry season makes game spotting much easier with less thick foliage and the fact that most species will stay near to water sources (mid-May-December). If birding is your main interest as well as the beautiful lush scenery and wildflowers, the wet season is ideal (January-April).
Accommodation at Ruaha Park
There are a number of accommodation options to suit most budgets and tastes including, tented camps, self-catering bandas and two campsites. Private lodges include the ruaha river lodge and Ruaha Hilltop lodge and the Jongomero Camp.
Luxury Safaris to Ruaha National Park
Luxury-Safaris.co.uk is a UK based specialist for Tanzania and Kenya Safari Holidays. Included in their list of safari packages is their Southern Tanzania Explorer that not only takes you to Ruaha where you will stay at the Jongomero Camp, but also to Selous Game reserve staying at the Selous Safari Camp.
The site features safari itineraries that take in some of East Africa’s best known game reserves, luxury tented camps and safari lodges. All the safari holidays offered on the site are fully ATOL and ABTA protected.
Luxury-safaris’ most popular safari itinerary is the Cheetah Safari, which takes in Aberdares, Samburu, Lake Naivasha and Nakuru and the world famous Masai Mara. All the accommodation on this safari is of a 5 star standard with the accommodation in the Samburu and Masai Mara game reserves in luxury tents. Price for this 7 day safari itinerary start from as little as £1,329 per person.
In addition to the “pre packaged” safari itineraries, Luxury-Safaris also offer a fully tailor made service for those looking for something a little unusual, exclusive or off the beaten track. This service is designed to be completely bespoke in its approach and offers accommodation in some of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa’s most exclusive safari properties.
For more information check out their site: Luxury-Safaris.co.uk
Main Photo of the Lion: Taken by Tom Graham
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