Tanzania is one of Africa’s top wildlife safari destinations. Wildlife lovers can choose between two very different safari routes, called the North and South Circuits. The contrast is most evident in topography, habitat, and climate. In the safari circuit of northern Tanzania, which I have discussed in another article, famous wildlife refuges such as Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara are visited. The southern safari route is anchored in Dar es Salaam and covers the Ruaha Mountains, Mikumi, Udzungwa and Selous Game Reserve National Parks.
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, horseback riding and sailing. If you haven’t had the privilege of getting up close to wild animals in their natural habitat, it’s 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 commercial coastal capital of Tanzania. Occupying 3,230 square kilometers, it carries a variety of wildlife, including elephants, lions, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest and eland. Wild dogs, considered an endangered species of carnivore, are found here in great 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 wilderness ecosystem that covers 75,000 square kilometers. Open grasslands stretch into the plains, while miombo forests cover higher ground.
The park is accessible year-round, unlike some of the sanctuaries on the southern loop. 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 game drives are arranged. There is limited accommodation in some luxury 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 which fall southeast of Kilimanjaro. The park is unique in Tanzania as it was created primarily to conserve plant life. The pristine montane forest habitat 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 such 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. Occupying 12,950 square kilometres, it is the second largest national park in Tanzania and its largest elephant sanctuary. Home to numerous crocodiles and hippos, the Great Ruaha attracts many thirsty antelopes, leopards, buffalo, antelope, wild dogs, lions, and hyenas to its shores. Simple animals such as the zebra, greater and lesser kudu, sable antelope and roan, impala and giraffe are found on the plains extending from the riverbanks.
The topography is pleasant for hiking and walking safaris are permitted. In the wet season months of March through April and October through November, the bird population peaks and the park has more than 370 species of birds, including some Eurasian migrants. 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 East and South Africa. The climate here is hot and dry and temperatures can reach 40°C in October.
The Ruaha is located 128 km west of the city of Iringa, in central Tanzania. It was previously inaccessible, but there is now year-round road access. 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 the animals and right on the banks, the drama of their daily life is on display: feeding, fighting, courtship and mating. Accommodation is currently limited, but there is a luxury hostel and a few 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 immense desert has a diversity of habitats including savannah woodlands, 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 oxbow lakes are ideal for boat safaris. Wildlife to see here includes buffalo, hippos, black rhinos, lions, and wild dogs. Elephants in particular are numerous and are estimated to exceed 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 more than 420 recorded species. In the very large game sanctuaries in the south, Ruaha and Selous in particular, hunting is scattered and a slow pace is recommended, with at least 3-4 days 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 1.5-hour charter flight or a 7-hour road trip. Road travel 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 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 an incomparable vacation experience. It is generally recommended that you take a guided southern Tanzania safari package that includes transportation, guide, park fees, and accommodation. Particularly in the great sanctuaries of the southern circuit, the tour guides provide valuable local knowledge: where to find the animals and how to get where you are going.
On safari, avoid bright colors as this can get you into trouble with wildlife. If you’re smart, you’ll pack brown, beige, and khaki clothes. It is rarely very cold on the South Circuit and short-sleeved shirts, shorts and men’s trousers are suitable. For ladies, short-sleeved tops, pants, and skirts are ideal. But bring a jacket or sweater for possible night and early morning chills. Sunglasses will protect you from the sometimes harsh 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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