Ruaha National Park
It is the first natural park in Tanzania for extension.
The
park takes its name from the Great Ruaha River, which forms the
eastern boundary of the park.
The roads follow the course of
the Ruaha river and its "seasonal" tributaries, here during the
dry season it is possible to encounter various species of
antelope that go to drink along the shore.
The park is home
to many animals, such as: elephants, buffaloes, zebras,
wildebeests, antelopes, giraffes, warthogs, monkeys and, of
course, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and hyenas.
Numerous specimens of crocodiles and hippopotamuses can be easily
observed near the river.
It is possible to find a good number
of reptiles and amphibians, such as snakes (poisonous or not),
varans, agama daudin and frogs.
The park is home to over 450
different species of birds, some of which are not found in other
parts of Tanzania, including the crested stutter, whose chirping
is a characteristic sound of the Ruaha National Park.
In the park there are many varieties of antelopes, thanks to the
surrounding environment, which passes from the acacia (and other
plants you can find in the East Africa) to the Miombo woods that
originate from South Africa.
Among these species we find: the
gazelles of Grant, the small Kudus, the black antelope and the
roan antelope (typical inhabitants of the Miombo forests) and a
large herd of greater Kudus, which are the symbol of the park and
which differ from the other species for their beautiful spiral
horns.
Peculiarities of Ruaha National Park:
- the Ruaha river, which flows during the wettest season, becomes the center of a very active animal life during the dry season (June / November);
- the banks of the river are the favorite hunting ground for lions, cheetahs, leopards;
- around 12,000 elephants live in the park and it is possible to admire the wild dogs, which have become very rare in Africa;
- more than 1,600 different plant species have been identified in the park, including baobabs and acacias;
- Visit the archaeological site of Isimila, near Iringa, 120 km from the park, one of the most important archaeological sites of the whole Africa.
What to do
Bird watching, boat and canoe safaris, walking safaris, wildlife safaris, low-cost safaris (budget safaris), camping, luxury safaris.
Position
It covers an area of approximately 10,000 km², located in southern Tanzania, 130 km from the city of Iringa.
Getting There
There are both scheduled and charter flights, departing from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma and Dar
es Salaam. The park's runways are located in Msembe and
Jongomero.
It is about 130 km by car from the city of Iringa
and 625 km from the city of Dar es Salaam.
The park road can
be traveled year-round.
When to Go
The rainy period is from March to May; in these months it is
difficult to access the park, because the roads become
inaccessible.
The best period to go is from June to February;
in the months around Christmas we find the driest and warmest
period.
Where to Stay
Inside the park you can find:
- Bandas
- Special Campsites
- Public campsites
- Rest House
- Hostel for school groups
- Cottage
- Family Cottage
- Single room with living room
- Single room without living room
Private facilities within the park: luxury tented camps.
Private structures outside the park: there are several accommodation facilities just outside the park.
