Tanzania is one of Africa’s top wildlife safari destinations. Wildlife lovers can choose between two very different safari routes, called the northern and southern circuits. The contrast is most evident in topography, habitat, and climate. In the northern Tanzania safari circuit, which I have talked about in another article, you visit such famous wildlife refuges as Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. The southern safari route is anchored in Dar es Salaam and covers the Ruaha Mountains, Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains National Parks and the Selous Game Reserve.
The southern circuit is more discreet, less accessible and has fewer visitors. Adventure seekers and those seeking closer contact with some of Africa’s most complex ecosystems will be rewarded. Here you can see the game in a variety of new ways: walking, riding, and sailing. If you have not had the privilege of getting up close to wild animals in their natural habitat, it is an exciting and refreshing experience. For this encounter, the park authorities require an armed ranger to accompany you. Therefore, it is not as dangerous as it may seem at first glance.
Mikumi National Park is the most accessible of the southern game sanctuaries. It is located 283 km west of Dar es Salaam, the coastal commercial capital of Tanzania. Occupying 3,230 square kilometres, it carries a variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, giraffe, impala, warthog, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest and eland. Wild dogs, considered an endangered species of carnivore, are found here in large numbers. Other resident animals include crocodiles, hippos and monitor lizards. Birds are most abundant in the rainy season, when up to 300 species gather here.
Many of these are Eurasian migrants, making the most of the freedom that comes with wings.
The Mikumi floodplain is the dominant feature of the park, bordered on one side by the Uluguru Mountains and on the other by the Lumango Range. Mikumi forms the northern border of the Selous Game Reserve and is part of a vast wild ecosystem that covers 75,000 square kilometers. Open grasslands extend on the plains, while miombo forests cover higher ground.
The park is accessible year-round, unlike some of the sanctuaries on the southern circuit. To reach Mikuni from Dar, it takes 4 hours by road or 1 hour by air. Budget travelers take a bus ride to the park gate, from where safaris are organized. There is limited accommodation in some deluxe lodges and tent camps and in 3 camps. If you find yourself in Dar for a weekend, this is where you head to see the wildlife.
The 1,990 square kilometer Udzungwa Mountains National Park is located 348 kilometers west of Dar and 65 kilometers southwest of Mikumi. The mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains that fall to the southeast of Kilimanjaro. The park is unique in Tanzania in that it was created primarily to conserve plant life. The pristine habitat of the montane forest is home to numerous rare plants. There are six species of primates, of which two species are endemic: the Iringa red colobus monkey and the Sanje crested mangabey.
In the plateau area, you will find elephants, lions, hunting dogs, and buffalo, although not in as large numbers as in some of the other parks in Tanzania. Birds do well here, too, and in fact, the park ranks as one of the most important bird conservation areas in Africa. In recent times, scientists have come across at least four previously unknown bird species. The best time to visit is during the dry season between June and October. The hiking trails during the rainy season are slippery, which can be quite annoying.
Ruaha National Park is correctly named after its lifeblood – the Great Ruaha River. Covering 12,950 square kilometres, it is Tanzania’s second largest national park and its largest elephant sanctuary. Home to numerous crocodiles and hippos, the Great Ruaha attracts many thirsty antelope, leopard, buffalo, antelope, wild dogs, lions and hyenas to its shores. Plains animals such as zebra, greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope, impala, and giraffe are found on the plains extending from the riverbanks.
The topography is pleasant for trekking and walking safaris are permitted. In the wet season months of March to April and October to November, the bird population peaks and the park has more than 370 species of birds, including some Eurasian migratory birds. The flora is very diverse and more than 1650 species of plants flourish here. The Ruaha has the unique distinction of having both plant and animal life found in both eastern and southern Africa. The climate here is hot and dry and temperatures can reach 40°C in October.
Ruaha is located 128 km west of the city of Iringa in central Tanzania. It was previously inaccessible, but now there is road access throughout the year. From Dar, the road trip is a grueling 10 hours, while a charter flight takes 1.5 hours. The best time for a safari is during the dry season, from May to December. Then the Ruaha River is magnetic to animals and right on the banks, the drama of their daily lives is on display: feeding, fighting, courtship and mating. Accommodation is currently limited, but there is a luxury lodge and some self-catering chalets and campsites.
Selous Game Reserve is the star of the southern safari circuit. The reserve is named after the intrepid Fredrick Courtney Selous, a celebrated Victorian explorer and naturalist. He puts the end of it here in a World War I sideshow. The Great War had spread from Europe when the Germans ruled parts of what is now Tanzania. Located 500 km southwest of Dar, the reserve occupies a staggering 55,000 km2, larger than Switzerland, and is the largest of its kind in Africa.
The Selous was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the importance of its flora and fauna. This vast desert has a diversity of habitats including savannah forests, swamps, open grasslands, and woodlands. More than 2,100 species of trees and plants have been recorded. The mighty Rufiji River is the lifeblood of the reserve and its many tributaries and meandering lakes are ideal for boat safaris. Wildlife to see here includes buffalo, hippo, black rhino, lion, and wild dog. Elephants in particular are numerous and are estimated to number over 60,000.
Other inhabitants of Selous are bushback, waterbuck, reedbuck, impala, eland, giraffe, baboon, zebra, and great kudu. Bird watchers will also find a trip to Selous worthwhile – there are over 420 recorded species. In the very large game sanctuaries to the south, Ruaha and Selous in particular, the game is spread out and a slow pace is recommended, with at least 3-4 days in each. Photo safaris can be very rewarding here. Most visitors take the time to visit Stiegler’s Gorge, which is also a favorite haunt of leopards.
From Dar, it is reached after a chartered flight of 1 hour and a half or traveling 7 hours by road. Traveling by road is not advised, except for the most adventurous. Selous is close to the coast and is only a few hundred feet above sea level. The weather is hot and humid, particularly between October and March. Part of the reserve is closed in the rainy season between March and May. The best time to visit is during the dry season period, from June to October. Then on a safari you can hike, sail and ride a 4×4 vehicle. Accommodation is limited to a few luxury tents and simple campsites.
The typical southern safari usually combines Mikumi, Ruaha and Selous. After the safari, a stay in Zanzibar completes a holiday experience like no other. It is generally recommended that you take a guided South Tanzania safari package that includes transport, guide, park fees and accommodation. Particularly in the large sanctuaries of the southern circuit, the tour guides bring in valuable useful local knowledge: where to find the animals and how to get where you are going.
On safari, avoid bright colors, as this can cause you problems with wild animals. If you’re smart, you’ll pack brown, beige, and khaki clothes. It is rarely very cold on the southern circuit and men’s short-sleeved shirts, shorts and pants are adequate. For ladies, short-sleeved tops, pants, and skirts are ideal. But take a jacket or sweater for possible chills at night and early morning. Sunglasses will protect you from the sometimes severe tropical glare; and a hat can save you from sunstroke. Take with you a pair of comfortable shoes that allow you to walk comfortably in the bush. Binoculars will be very useful for spotting animals.
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