9 Days Mikumi, Ruaha and Selous Safari

When you arrive in Dar es Salaam, you will be met and driven to the hotel.

You will be driven to the Dar es Salaam Airport for your flight to Mikumi National Park. You will be met and taken to the camp. Enjoy an afternoon game drive.

Mikumi National Park is the closest National Park to Dar es Salaam and is nestled between the Uluguru Mountains to the northeast, and the Rubeho Mountains, Udzungwa Mountains and Rift Valley escarpment to the south west. As part of the Selous ecosystem, it benefits from the highest game density of the entire conservation area.

There are high concentrations of game, with large herds of Nyasa Blue Wildebeest, (not found in Ruaha National Park), buffalo, impala, zebra and giraffe. Where there are large herds, there are always plenty of predators (lion, leopard) waiting for dinner. You can even find a population of Wild Hunting Dog.

Not only is Mikumi a great place for 'getting your eye in' on game drives, but it is also a fantastically colourful place. The open grasslands stretching out before you change through the spectrum of orange and yellows throughout the day

The Tanzanian landscape includes several small isolated mountain ranges. Each of these have a unique mixture of habitats and animal species and none more so than the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Home to at least ten species of primate some endemic and several recently discovered species of bird, a rainforest trek here will be one you never forget.

With over 400 species of birds in the park there is plenty to keep any bird enthusiast interested. A broad range of savannah species are joined by some notable species such as Zanzibar Red Bishop.

You will drive to the Mikumi air strip for your flight to Ruaha National Park. You will be met and taken to your new camp. Enjoy an afternoon game drive.

There is nothing more refreshing to the eye than the band of green that clings to the banks of the Great Ruaha River as it winds way through the rocky outcrops and mountains that punctuate this huge area of Tanzania. Away from the river, the landscape transforms dramatically from arid scrublands and grassland to lush green leaves and grasses once the rains begin.

Ruaha has a large lion population as well as Hunting Dog, leopard, cheetah, Hyena. Elephants are easily seen as well as Greater and Lesser kudu, roan, Sable and Eland antelope to mention just a few. Ruaha National Park over 530 recorded bird species, more during the green season with visiting migrant species.

The keys to an outstanding game drive are experience, knowledge and a suitable vehicle. All game drives around the park are taken in open 4 wheel drive vehicles. These vehicles have been designed to ensure maximum visibility for all passengers. All have 2 way radio in case of emergency. The game drives are led by a trained, experienced English speaking guide who will ensure that you get the most out of every safari you make. Many of the guides at Ruaha River Lodge have worked in the Park for years honing their knowledge of the Ruaha Park.

Fly from Ruaha to Selous and transfer to your camp.

Selous is dominated by the Rufiji River which sprawls out into a myriad of lakes and deltas which fill and empty with the rainfall. The predominant landscape is flat with acacia woodland.

Selous is home to a third of Tanzania's elephant and two thirds of the Hunting Dog population. The population of Dogs peaks in September and October and packs of upto 56 Dogs have been spotted in the Reserve. The Rufiji River is home to plenty of hippo and croc, and the Reserve is home to large numbers of Buffalo, Lion as well as a great many antelope species.

The sandbanks, oxbow lakes, islands and channels are home to over 440 species of birds, including 2 rare species, the Pel's Fishing Owl and the White-Backed Heron, which habituate the wooded sections of the riverbank.

All game drives are taken in open vehicles with a sun shade roof, so there are no impediments to anyone's view. Guides at Rufiji are locally trained and are experts in the Selous area.

A game walk at Rufiji will really open your eyes to the finer details often missed on game drives - the spore, footprints, the 'tillte five' representing the insect Kingdom are fascinating when evaluated and explained by your Walking guide.

Boating safaris in flat bottomed boats are perhaps the most relaxing way to game view. Sharing the river with pods of hippo and floats of crocodiles giving you the opportunity to view birds nesting in the banks, monitor lizards and many water birds are just some of the highlights.

This morning you will fly to Dar es Salaam for your departing flight.