Best of South of Tanzania safari Package

Day 2 &3: We will have a full day game drive in Ruaha National Park both days with picnic lunch provided. The park formerly was known for its large elephant population, numbering 34,000 in the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem in 2009[4] but only 15,836 (plus or minus 4,759) in 2015. More than 571 species of birds have been identified in the park. Among the resident species are hornbills. Many migratory birds visit the park. Other noted animals found in this park are cheetah, African leopard, lion (Africa’s second largest population, representing 10 percent of the world population), African wild dog (third largest population in the world), spotted hyena, giraffe, hippopotamus, African buffalo, and sable antelope. The best times to visit for predators and large mammals is during the dry season (May–December) and for birds and flowers, during the wet season (January–April). Dinner and Overnight at Camp or Lodge.

Day 4: After breakfast, we will drive to Mikumi National Park, arrive in time for lunch then have an afternoon game drive. The landscape of Mikumi is often compared to that of the Serengeti. The road that crosses the park divides it into two areas with partially distinct environments. The area north-west is characterized by the alluvial plain of the river basin Mkata. The vegetation of this area consists of savannah dotted with acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.

The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. According to local guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion who climbs a tree trunk is larger than in Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior). The park contains a subspecies of giraffe that biologists consider the link between the Masai giraffe and the reticulated or Somali giraffe. Other animals in the park are elephants, zebras, impala, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two artificial pools inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park. Dinner and Overnight at Camp or Lodge.

Day 5: After breakfast, we will drive to Selous Game Reserve, have lunch en-route arrive with an afternoon game drive. The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. The reserve covers a total area of 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) and has additional buffer zones. Within the reserve no permanent human habitation or permanent structures are permitted. All (human) entry and exit is carefully controlled by the Wildlife Division of the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Some of the typical animals of the miombo (for example African bush elephants, black rhinos, hippopotamus, lions, East African wild dogs, Cape buffaloes, Masai giraffes, Plains zebras, and crocodiles) can be found in this park in larger numbers than in any other African game reserve or national park. Dinner and Overnight at Camp or Lodge.

Day 6: Today we will have a full day game drive in Selous with picnic lunch provided. Most of the reserve remains set aside for game hunting through a number of privately leased hunting concessions, but a section of the northern park along the Rufiji River has been designated a photographic zone and is a popular tourist destination. There are several high end lodges and camps mainly situated along the river and lake systems in this area. Rather difficult road access means most visitors arrive by small aircraft from Dar es Salaam, though train access is also possible.

Interesting places in the park include the Rufiji River, which flows into the Indian Ocean opposite Mafia Island and the Stiegler Gorge, a canyon of 100 metres depth and 100 metres width. Habitats include grassland, typical Acacia savanna, wetlands and extensive Miombo woodlands. Although total wildlife populations are high, the reserve is large and densities of animals are lower than in the more regularly visited northern tourist circuit of Tanzania. Walking safaris are permitted in the Selous, and boat trips on the Rufiji are a popular activity.

Day 7: Have a sunrise game drive, breakfast then drive back to Dar es Salaam. Have lunch en-route