8-day safari Southern Tanzania

Day 1

Airport Dar es Salaam – Dar es Salaam

You fly on your own to Dar es Salaam where your 8-day safari Southern Tanzania  begins. You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your hotel in Dar es Salaam where you can relax.

Dar es Salaam means ‘place of peace’ and was the capital of Tanzania until 1973. Now this is Dodoma but still Dar es Salaam is seen as the financial and commercial capital. It is a metropolis of around 4 million inhabitants and was created as a small fishing port and trading post. The city is a mix of different influences from all over the world, think of Oman, India, Kenya and England. A fascinating combination. It is very nice to visit the harbor where you can take a look at the daily life of many people here.

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Day 2

Dar es Salaam – Mikumi NP

After breakfast you will meet your driver/guide and you will leave for Mikumi National Park. It will take a while before you are out of the busy city but there is enough to watch. Chaotic scenes take place here on the road. Once out of the city you drive through a completely different environment. Green plains with small huts farming along the road. There is a lot of agriculture here. The further you are from Dar es Salaam the quieter it gets. When you leave the city, it is about 5 hours drive to the entrance of Mikumi NP. This park is much less visited than the parks in the north of the country and you will see less tourists. You drive directly to your lodge where you check in and at the end of the afternoon you make a game drive in this beautiful park.

Mikumi is the fourth largest park in Tanzania. The park is approximately 3200 km² and is separated by a highway. You sleep in the southern part and your game drives will be in the northern part of the park. In this park you can see the famous baobab trees, the typical African tree that stands for wisdom. Because the park is very dry in the dry season, it is very busy at the wells and rivers that this park has. In the park you can see many elephants walking across the savannah in search of this water. You can also see very large groups of impalas. In addition you will find the yellow baboon, instead of the olive baboon, that is slightly smaller than the most common species. Sometimes in the dry period you even have the chance to spot wild dogs but this is unique.

Furthermore there are giraffes, lions and leopards. And of course many species of birds. The hippo pool is a beautiful place to enjoy a sundowner while at the same time watching the hippos.

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Day 3

Mikumi NP

Today you make two game drives in this beautiful park which is famous for its beautiful light: early morning and late afternoon. During the day you can relax at your lodge and enjoy the animals that pass by. There is always something to see.

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Day 4

Mikumi NP – Ruaha NP

After breakfast you leave this special park and drive through a beautiful road to Ruaha National Park. A park that is even less visited than Mikumi NP because it is much further away. Fortunately, the roads are good and first you drive through Baobab Valley which is very special. Then the road continues to the escarpment. From here you have beautiful views. Further on the road goes up and you approach the southern mountains of this country. After approximately 5 hours driving you arrive in Iringa which is an important city for agriculture. Here you can stretch your legs. Then you continue your way via a bumpy road through an area where there is a lot of agriculture and you are within 2 hours at your lodge. It is time to take a sundowner and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

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Day 5 and 6

Ruaha NP

You have two days to make game drives in the largest park in Tanzania and East Africa. It is about 20 200 km.

The Great Ruaha River, which the park is named after, is the lifeline of this park. This is because this river has water all year round. The park is green only during the rainy season (from January to April), it is very dry the rest of the year. The animals migrate in this period to this river to drink water and this environment is therefore always popular to make game drives. Hippos and crocodiles are always present at the river. Just like outside the park you can see baobab trees in the park. Many times you can spot lions, elephants, giraffes, spotted hyenas, leopards, buffalos and cheetahs. With more than 570 species of birds this is also a real bird paradise. You can also see the African wild dog, kudu, roan and the sable antelope here. Animals that you do not often see in other parks. Because of the different landscapes that the park has, you can drive around for days without getting bored. That is why we have chosen to spend two days in this park.

Day 7

Ruaha NP via Uluguru mountains to Morogoro

Through the same beautiful road you drive back to Morogoro where you spend the night. You can walk around at the end of the afternoon and go to the local market.

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Day 8

Morogoro – Dar es Salaam

In the morning you have the opportunity (optional) to take a walk to the Uluguru Mountains. There are several possibilities but because you only have a few hours, the walk ‘Morning Side’ is the best where you climb to an old German mountain hut and on the way back you have a beautiful view over Morogoro. After lunch you drive back to Dar es Salaam and your beautiful 8-day safari Southern Tanzania has ended. You will be dropped off at the airport or at your hotel that we can optionally book for you.

We hope that you have had an unforgettable journey and that you only bring back beautiful memories.

You can of course extend your trip with a few days on Zanzibar. See our trip Zanzibar 6 days. Or we can put together a separate extension for you.

​Kwaheri na Safari Njema.

Good bye and a safe journey.

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8-day safari Southern Tanzania

Including:

• 7 nights in selected hotel and / or tented camps in a dbl room
• 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners
• Private safari 4×4 car where the roof can go up
• Airport transfers
• All entrance fees for the parks as mentioned in the description
• All game drives as mentioned in the description
• English-speaking driver/guide
• Drinking water in the car for the daytime

Exclusive:

• International flights
• Visa
• All drinks
• Meals that are not mentioned in the program
• Optional excursions
• Souvenirs
• Additional costs that are not mentioned in the program
• Travel insurance
• Tip money for hotel staff and driver

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Prices are based on a double room in a middle class hotel, in low season.