Ruaha National Park Safari

The gigantic landscape with green rolling hills dotted by baobab trees and rocky escarpments with a medley of wildlife concentrations quenching thirst and wallowing along a meandering water source is a must-visit destination on your bucket list that offers an unforgettable African wildlife safari.

Ruaha National Park is known as Tanzania’s best-kept game-viewing secret. It is Tanzania’s largest park covering an area of 20000 square kilometers and is located on the southern safari circuit just 130 km away west of Iringa central to southern Tanzania.

A safari in Ruaha National Park offers visitors an exciting chance to go on guided walking safaris and game drives to see big wildlife including large numbers of elephants along the Great Ruaha River, huge crocodiles, grunting hippos, buffaloes, zebra, warthog, kudus and sable antelope as well as predators feature lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, and wild dog.

Ruaha is also a true bird lovers’ paradise with over 570 species both migratory and indigenous birds with colorful birds with melody sounds to listen to while on a birding safari among which Hornbills, raptors, bee-eaters, rollers, and many other species make bird-watching a popular activity in the park. This is also home to the rare Eleonora’s Falcon during December and January.

The park was named after the mighty and great Ruaha River that travels along the southeastern border of the park. This water source also serves as a draw for safari game viewing. The other river Njombe traverses the park through gorges and rocky broken landscapes. Crocodiles can be often seen sunning on the banks of the rivers.

Ruaha is well known for its varied dramatic scenery, which includes green rolling hills; large open plains; and groves of skeletal baobabs along its southern border the Great Ruaha River which supports the life of a variety of wild animals. Ruaha has a hot, dry climate which means the animals don’t tend to stray too far from dependable water sources. This makes predicting game movements far easier, particularly in the dry season.

During the dry seasons, the riverbank areas become an excellent game viewing as a medley of wild animals are seen quench their thirst, and others like buffaloes are seen wallowing/ mud bathing to cool their body as well as get rid of external parasites.

The large gatherings of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, kudu, and impala can often be seen in herds around the riverbeds. The Mdonya woodlands are a great area for seeing hartebeest, sable, and roan antelope. The Mbage-Mwagusi circuit provides a good chance for seeing elephants.

Ruaha has outstanding natural beauty ranging from rivers, natural hot springs, the rift valley, historical and cultural sites, vegetation, and wild animals.

Things to do in Ruaha National Park.

Nature walks.

The nature walks in the great Ruaha will soak you up with sounds, scents, and the colors of the bush in a way that a game drive does not.

The nature walks in the park are normally done with game rangers who provide security from wild animals, feed you with information about animals, plants, and insects as well and take you through the wilderness with a close stunning view of the birds and wild animals like zebras, giraffes, elephants, buffalos, antelopes.

Bird watching

Ruaha National Park is known as a true birders’ haven with both indigenous and migratory birds.
Whether on a game drive or nature walk, you will have glimpse flashes of iridescent color and hear the melody of songbirds such as red-billed Hornbills, raptors, bee-eaters, and rollers, Interestingly, you’ll spot weavers squabbling over space with materials while constructing their intricately woven nests. Or maybe you’ll witness the tango between potential mates as the male puffs out his feathers and aims to impress.

Game drives

Ruaha National Park offers a captivating game drive that gives spectacular views of wild animals and birds in their natural habitat.
The morning game drives offer unbelievable views of the sunrise and wild animals coming out of bushes and actively grazing.

Night game drive offers a thrilling experience of the wilderness. Under the cover of dark, the savannah changes, and a whole new world of nocturnal creatures appears.

Using the spotlight and adjusting your eye lens, you will have lurking animals that roam in the night. Look out for the beam reflecting off the eyes of wildlife like porcupines, striped hyenas, or one of the elusive smaller cats.

Many predators that spend the daylight resting come out in the dark of night. The sleek genet searches for dinner, competing with serval and African wildcat while the fearless honey badger also sets out to hunt its next meal.

The leopard rules the territory, stealthily stalking and ambushing unsuspecting antelope. The lion wakes from its day spent napping in the sun and night birds come to life, swooping acrobatically and making use of reflective markings to confuse prey.

The best time to visit Ruaha National Park.

The park can be visited at any time of the year but the ideal time to explore Ruaha National Park is during the dry season, which typically spans from June to October.

This period offers the most favorable conditions for wildlife viewing and safari experiences. As the rains recede, animals gather around water sources, making it easier to spot wildlife in action.

The vegetation also thins out during this season, providing better visibility for observing animals and capturing stunning photographs.

Moreover, the weather is pleasant, with cooler temperatures and lower chances of rainfall, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable safari adventure.

How to get to Ruaha National Park.

By air.

There are scheduled chartered flights available from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma, and Dar-el-salaam to the park. Msembe and Jongomero are the park’s airstrips to land during your safari flight to Ruaha National Park.

By road,

Iringa is 130 km away while Dar-el-salaam is 625 km away. The drive from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha takes about 10 hours, and a lot of it is on a dusty, bumpy road. Many people traveling to Ruaha make a stopover at Mikumi NP. From Mikumi, the distance to Ruaha is about 320km/200 mi, and the drive takes roughly five hours.

In conclusion

Ruaha National Park is one of the thrilling destinations with majestic wildlife roaming in the savanna grasslands that offer a 0nce in a lifetime African wildlife safari experience.