Category: Southern circuit

Now the Largest National Park in Africa, Nyerere National Park is a newly established Park which is part of what is known as Selous Game Reserve.

About Nyerere National Park

The name of the Park is given in honor of the founder of the Nation, the Late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

The Park has been established in the year 2019 and covers an area of over 30,000 square kilometers.

With its largest wilderness area in Africa, Nyerere National park has relatively undisturbed ecological and biological processes, including a diverse range of wildlife with significant predator and prey relationship.

The might Rufiji with its renown population of hippo and Rhino flows to the Indian ocean. The river has been designated as a photographic zone and is a popular tourist destination.

The sheer volume of games in the Nyerere is just outstanding !

Elephant, buffalo and lion are found in greater numbers and the park, together with the remaining part of Selous has the last true stronghold for African wild dog

Visitors to this vast park will be able to enjoy the widest diversity of safari activities in the country, like boating safaris as well as standard game drives, walking safaris and legendary fly camping trips.

Famous for: 

Wildlife: lions, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses, rhinos, antelopes, hyenas, African wolves, and a large number of crocodiles in the Rufiji River. Most notably the park is also known for its prolific population of African Wild Dogs.

• Nyerere National Park is spread over 30,893 square kilometers of land area, making it the largest National Park in Africa.
• The Park is located in south eastern Tanzania, and was carved out of the Selous Game Reserve. Prior to creating of the Nyerere N.P, Selous Game Reserve measured approximately 54,600 square kilometers, which at the time made it the 11th largest National Park in the world.
• The nearest large city to Nyerere National Park is Dar es Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania. Dar es Salaam is about 230 kilometers from the main access gate to Nyerere N.P.

Best Time: June to October

High Season: June to October (The tourist area around the Rufiji River gets crowded)

Low Season: March, April and May (Many lodges are closed)

Getting to National Park

Most safaris to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous GR) are fly-in packages from Dar es Salaam.

By plane

Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) just outside Dar es Salaam is the main international airport and entry to the country. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up and handle all further arrangements.

Nyerere NP is often visited as a safari extension to a beach holiday on Zanzibar Island, or one of the beaches around Dar es Salaam. To accommodate this, there are daily scheduled flights from either departure point to both Nyerere and Ruaha. Flights from Arusha town, the base for the northern safari circuit, are also available.

As a Road Safari

Another option is to drive to Nyerere NP from Dar es Salaam on a road safari, but the trip is bumpy and uncomfortable and will take a full day. Time permitting, there is the option of a stopover at Mikumi National Park to break up the trip.

• The Rufiji River, Myriad oxbows, delta and Lakes
• Large population of african wild dogs
• Highest concentration of hippos and crocodiles.
• Continent largest population of elephants
• Rare species of antelopes
• Diverse birdlife

• Game drive
• Boating
• Walking safari and fly camping,
• Village visit

• Mid range accommodation: Sable mountain lodge, Beho Beho camp, Rufiji River Camp
• Luxury hotels: Luxurious Selous Serena camp, Selous river camp

• Best Weather: June to October (Little to no rainfall)
• Worst Weather: March and April (Peak of Wet season)

If you liked Nyerere National Park, you might also like Mahale Mountains National Park.

If you liked Nyerere National Park, please follow us on Instagram for more content like this.

Welcome to Kitulo National Park in Tanzania!

About Kitulo National Park

Kitulo National Park is located in the southern part of Tanzania.  The alpine grasslands and montane forest that make up the park area are part of the Njombe and Mbeya regions.  It has affectionately been given the name, “Serengeti of Flowers,” with locals calling it the Garden of God.

The park is located at an altitude of 8,500 feet (2,600 m) and between the Kipengere, Livingstone and Poroto mountains.  The national park extends 159 square miles (412.9 sq km).

The Kitulo National Park was declared one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Tanzania on April 4, 2014.  Visitors and potential travelers should learn more about what makes the Kitulo National Park one of the Seven Wonders of Tanzania.

Famous for:

It’s floral species, it is said to contain over 30 species , botanists have always referred to this park as “ Serengeti of flowers.

Interesting Facts

The Magnificent Flora – “The Serengeti of Flowers”

• Statistically speaking, Kitulo National Park is the first protected area in Africa to be declared a national park because of the flora.  It features 45 different species of terrestrial orchids along with over 350 species of vascular plant life.
• Aesthetically speaking, Kitulo National Park earns the name, Serengeti of Flowers, during the months of November through April when the rainy season delivers a magnitude of spectacular wildflowers.  It is the most significant, as well as the largest, montane grasslands throughout Tanzania and most of Africa.  Kitulo gladly showcases over 30 species of endemic flowers of Tanzania.
• The flora loving traveler will find Kitulo to be a haven for beautiful flowers.  Giat lobelias, aster daisies, proteas, geraniums, and the spectacular yellow-orange red-hot pokers.

Rare & Endemic Wildlife

• The park also includes rare and endemic wildlife well such as the following:

1. Endemic butterflies
2. Endemic chameleons
3. Endemic lizards
4. Rare and endangered blue swallow
5. Rare mountain marsh widow

Migrating Storks

• It is only in Kitulo NP where migrating Storks rest while flying from Cape Town in South Africa to Northern Europe.

The Best Time For Kitulo

The visitors should plan to visit Kitulo during the months of December through April.  This is the rainy season for most of Tanzania, but it is the best time to visit Kitulo National Park for experiencing the abundance and array of flora.  This is also the best time to experience many of the birds that call Kitulo home or migrate there during the season.  The flowers peak during these months and create the most dramatic and colorful scenes.

The months from September through November are sunnier providing better weather.  Visitors will find the temperature and overall weather more comfortable, but will be disappointed in the display of limited flowers.

How to Get There

By flight

The park can be accessed from Mbeya town, 68 miles away via Chimala road and 55 miles from Songwe Airport. The park can only be reached by road.

Songwe airport is an airport in the southern highlands region of Tanzania serving the city of Mbeya and the nearby regions and domestic flights are provided by Air Tanzania, Precision air, Fast jet and Tropical air.

By car

Mbeya city to Kitulo is a distance of 43 miles and 2 hours driving time by car.

Things to See in Kitulo

• Animals, such as chimpanzees, zebras, chameleons, lizards, kipunji monkeys, frogs, spiders as well as the Kipunji, Rungwe dwarf galago and Abbott’s duiker.
• Lake nyasa
• Kaporogwe falls
• Uporoto, kiperenge and livingstone  ranges
• Mpanga kiperenge game reserve,
• Matema beach town
• Lake ngosi, a thrilling crater lake in southern of tanzania.
• Kitulo plateau nati
• Nhumbe waterfalls

Things to Do

• Game drive
• Bird watching

Hiking & Climbing

• Hiking,  Tourists can engage in hiking the montane grasslands that will expose you to various flower species, butterflies, chameleons, lizards, animals like elands and waterbucks. The whole montane grasslands provide an arena of a glorious view from the top; it’s also a unique place for the photogenic lovers to take as many photos as they want.
• Mountain climbing, day hike on top of mouth rungwe and see primates like monkeys, kipunji monkey with a long  hong bark called Columbus monkeys, animals like Reed bucks and elands may also be seen at the mountain slopes. The mountain tops give more excellent views of the Kitulo national park.
• Guided nature walks, to the livingstone forested area and come to lake nyasa shorelines.
• Swimming

There are no accommodations inside the park, so you will need to plan to stay in nearby Mbeya, which offers a variety of guesthouses and luxury accommodations.

Mid range accommodation: Lena blumen lodge, Onesmo Sanga hotel, Zakayo lodge, Utengule coffee lodge

Luxury hotels: Mbeya hotel, Hotel Desderia, Banaki hotel, Mount Livingstone hotel, Royal Tughimbe hotel, The game inn hotel

Best weather from: May to October ( It’s the best time to visitKkitulo national park to experiencing the abundance and array of flora).

Worst weather: June to August.

If you liked Kitulo National Park, you might also like Saanane National Park.

Follow us on Instagram for more content like this.

Welcome to Saadani National Park in Tanzania! Tourists can view the magnificent wild animals basking along the Indian Ocean shores.

About Saadani National Park

Saadani National Park is Tanzania’s 13th National Park. Tourists can view animals basking along the Indian Ocean shores. It is managed under the Tanzania National Parks Authority. It has an area of 1062 km2 and was officially gazetted in 2005, from a game reserve which had existed from 1969.

You will not find a large group of animals in Saadani national  park like you do in serengeti. However, it’s the only place in Tanzania where you may encounter elephants walking on the beach.

Famous for: 

Wildlife sanctuary.

Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. The only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa to boast for an Indian Ocean beachfront, it as well possesses all the attributes that make Tanzania’s tropical coastline and islands very popular with European sun-worshipers.

Interesting Facts

• The Saadani National Park is located four hours north of Dar es Salaam. By plane, it takes about 20 minutes to fly from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar Island.
• Saadani has been officially a National Park since 2005. …
• The famous explorer, Richard Burton (1925-1984) investigated Saadani National Park.

Best Time

January and February and June to August (Animals are attracted to water in the park)

High Season

June to October (Park rarely gets crowded at any time)

Low Season

April and May (Access roads might be impassable)

Getting to Saadani

You can reach Saadani from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, and there are scheduled flights connecting all three. The lodges in Saadani also organize road and boat transfers from Dar es Salaam on request.

Your entry point in Tanzania is usually Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) near Dar es Salaam. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport and handle all further ground operations or domestic flights. Chartered flights from Arusha town, the base for the northern safari circuit, are also available.

Domestic flights:

Charter flights are typically booked by a tour operator as part of your safari tour. Scheduled flights to Saadani can be booked with several carriers.

Things to See

• Clean beach and the Indian Ocean.
• Abundance of wild mammals like waterbuck, giraffe, warthog, yellow baboon, hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra, elephant and lion.
• Green turtles breeding site.
• Wami River.
• Zaraninge coastal forest.
• Over 220 species of birds including migratory birds.
• Historical remains.

Things to Do in Saadani

• Game drive
• Historical tour
• Boating and canoeing,
• Balloon safari
• Fishing
• Sea safari
• Walking safari
• Jeep safari

Where to Stay

• Miseni retreat
• Saadani river lodge
• Kisampa bush retreat
• The vagabond lodge
• Barry’s beach resort
• Bay  beach resort
• Saadani safari lodge

Weather & Climate

• Best Weather; June to September (Little rainfall)
• Worst Weather: March, April & May (Peak of Wet season)

If you liked Saadani National Park, you might also like Lake Natron.

For more content like this, please follow us on Instagram.

Welcome to Mikumi National Park! It’s one of the few parks that are close to the former Tanzania capital city Dar es Salaam.

About Mikumi

Mikumi national park is one of the Tanzania national parks that is located in the Southern part of the country. It’s one of the few parks that are close to the former Tanzania capital city Dar es Salaam. It was established in 1964 and managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority.

Mikumi is the fourth largest national park in Tanzania covering a total land area of 3,230 square kilometers. Undoubtadely the Mikumi national park was among the least visited national parks due to poor accessibility till the express highway was construct that connected Dar es Salaam with the South African Countries hence boosting the number of visitors to the park. It is estimated that by 2012 the park received around 41,666 visitors which came from across the world.

Mikumi national park is named after the popular dominant Palm tree species that is commonly found at the park called Borrassus Spp. The tree is exceptional in that it grew at the park but with no stems seen from anywhere in the village. The park also shares its name with the village which is named after the park.

Famous for:

African Wild Dog population and its large eland population. The largest member of the antelope family cuts a striking figure as it grazes on the open fields, and the park’s huge array of bird life (over 400 species) make it a birder’s paradise as well.

Interesting Facts About Mikumi

• Mikumi is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park.
• It’s also the most accessible from Dar es Salaam. With almost guaranteed wildlife sightings,
•  Mikumi National Park is an important education and research center. One of the current projects is a field study of the yellow baboons.
• It makes an ideal safari destination for those without much time.
•  The park has a wide variety of wildlife that can be easy spotted and also well acclimatized to game viewing.

Best Time

June to October (Animals are attracted to the waterholes)

High Season

June to October (Mikumi doesn’t usually have crowds at any time)

Low Season

April and May (Low season discounts might apply)

How to Get There

Safaris to Mikumi usually start from Dar es Salaam, and your point of entry for the country is Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR). In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport and handle all further ground operations or domestic flights.

Mikumi is a four-hour drive away from Dar es Salaam and one can easily visit it as a weekend get-away. However, most people visit Mikumi en route to Nyerere or Ruaha, the more popular parks in southern Tanzania. The only scheduled flights to Mikumi are with Safari Air Link which offers a daily connection to Ruaha, Selous, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Things to See in Mikumi

• Wildlife in this quiet national park includes elephant, giraffe, buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, sable, eland, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, and jackal. You can also find yellow baboons near Kiboga, at the southern end of the park.
• Birds list is also long making Mikumi national park a birding paradise, the park has over 400 bird species like Lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, Boehm’s Bee-eater, Dickson’s kestrel, Straw-tailed Whydah, Superb starling, Yellow-throated long claw, Bateleur eagle, herons mention but a few.
• The species of plants such as acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and some rare palm.
• Uluguru mountain
• Kinole waterfall
• Choma waterfall
• Bondwa peak
• Chilunga cultural tourism

• Game drive
• Night game drive
• Birding at the park
• Nature walks
• Hiking

Mid range accommodation: Mikumi safari lodge, Mikumi adventure lodge, Matembezi safari lodge, Tan swiss lodge, Mikumi resort, Camp Bastian Mikumi, Hondo Hondo Udzungwa forest tented camp

Luxury hotel: Udzungwa falls lodge, Faru luxury tented campsite

Best Weather

June to October (Little to no rainfall)

Worst Weather

March and April (Peak of Wet season)

If you liked Mikumi National Park, you might also like Saadani National Park.

For more content like this, please follow us on Instagram.

Welcome to Ruaha National Park, the second largest Park in Tanzania! It is famous for its excellent wildlife-sighting opportunities.

About Ruaha

Ruaha National Park is the second largest national park that is about the size of the combined area of Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Masai Mara and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park.

Famous for:

Its excellent wildlife-sighting opportunities. Combined with the low numbers of visitors, this makes it a spectacular destination. The wider Ruaha area hosts 10% of the world’s lion population and has been a Lion Conservation Unit since 2005.

Interesting Facts

• Ruaha National Park is the biggest national park that is about the size of the combined area of Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Masai Mara and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park.
• Even after being the largest national park of Tanzania, Ruaha is less crowded and has a staggering amount of unspoiled wilderness.
• The National Park has 10% of the world’s remaining lion population.
• Ruaha National Park has the most number of elephants spotted in any national parks of East Africa.

Best Time to Visit Ruaha

Best Time:

• May to October

High Season :

• May to October (Ruaha rarely experiences visitors crowds at any time)
• Wildlife viewing is easier since the bush thins out and animals gather around rivers and waterholes
• Skies are bright with almost no rain
• Malaria risk is at a minimum since the numbers of mosquitoes are less
• The heat is less overpowering, and it is not as humid
• Dust and dryness is common
• The month of June is also famous for its greater kudu breeding season.

Low Season:

• The scenery is green and full
• Tourism is less during April and May which means fewer crowds and better rates
• The arrival of migrating birds means bird-watching is at its finest
• Roads could become impassable
• Wildlife viewing is not as good as during the middle and end of the Dry season
• Heat is high, and it becomes steamy and damp
• Many accommodations are closed in April and May

Getting There

Safaris to Ruaha usually start from Dar es Salaam, and your point of entry for the country will be Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR). In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport and handle all further transportation.

The drive to Ruaha from Dar es Salaam 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/200mi, and the drive takes roughly five hours.

The easier way to get to Ruaha is by chartered or scheduled flight from Dar es Salaam to the park’s airstrip. There are also flights connecting all parks of the southern circuit safari.

Things to See

• Wildlife some of which are; elephants, lions, buffalos, African wild dogs, greater and lesser kudu, leopards, lions, cheetah, impala, bushbuck, giraffes and occasionally sable and roan antelopes.
• The resident birds of the Ruaha National Park are: the Crested barbet, Dickinson’s kestrel, Pale-billed hornbill, Violet-crested turaco, Racket-tailed roller, Plovers, Kingfishers, Hornbills, Green-woodhoopoes, Sunbirds, Bee-eaters and Egrets.
• Gangilonga rock
• Iringa boma
• Mkwawa museum
• Great ruaha river
• Rift valley
• Natural springs include Mkwawa, Mwayembe, Makinde and Majimoto hot springs

• Game drive
• Night game drives
• Bird watching
• Walking tours
• Hiking
• Tour or class about local culture
• Games room
• Bike tours
• Cooking class

Mid range accommodation: Ruaha hilltop lodge, Jabali ridge, Hodi hodi ruaha bush camp,

Luxury hotel: Mabata makali luxury tented, Ruaha camping safari

Best Weather:

June to October: (Rains are extremely uncommon)

Worst Weather:

November to March (Wet season)

If you liked Ruaha National Park, you might also like Kilimanjaro National Park.

Follow us on Instagram for more content like this.