7 Days Southern Tanzania Highlights – Nyerere & Ruaha
Price Per Person (USD)
Overview
Southern Tanzania Highlights Safari – Nyerere & Ruaha National Parks
7 Days of Big Game, Wild Rivers & Untouched Wilderness
Discover the wild heart of Tanzania on this immersive 7-day Southern Tanzania Highlights Safari, exploring two of Africa’s most spectacular and untouched wilderness areas—Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) and Ruaha National Park. Designed for travellers seeking a more exclusive and off-the-beaten-path adventure, this itinerary delivers incredible wildlife encounters, diverse landscapes, and a level of tranquillity rarely found in the more visited northern parks.
Begin your journey in the vast wetlands and river systems of Nyerere National Park, home to elephants, lions, giraffes, abundant hippos and crocodiles, and one of the last strongholds of the endangered African wild dog. Enjoy classic game drives, peaceful boat safaris on the Rufiji River, and incredible birdwatching in one of Africa’s largest protected areas.
Continue to the rugged beauty of Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest—and arguably most dramatic—wildlife sanctuary. With its baobab-studded plains, rocky escarpments, and wide river valleys, Ruaha offers exceptional predator sightings, huge elephant herds, and a rich diversity of antelope species. Multiple days here give you time to fully appreciate the remoteness, silence, and raw charm of this extraordinary landscape.
With comfortable, well-located camps, expert guiding, and seamless transfers, this itinerary offers a deep, authentic connection to Tanzania’s wildest places—perfect for seasoned safari lovers, photographers, and travellers craving true wilderness.
Key Highlights
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Explore Nyerere National Park, one of Africa’s largest wilderness areas
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Enjoy game drives, boat safaris, and incredible wildlife viewing along the Rufiji River
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Discover Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s biggest and most untouched safari destination
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Excellent sightings of lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and diverse antelope
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Dramatic landscapes—baobab forests, river valleys, rocky hills, and open plains
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Multiple full days in each park for slow, meaningful exploration
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Stay in comfortable lodges and camps in prime wildlife areas
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Ideal for photographers, adventure travellers, and those seeking a quieter, more exclusive safari
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Seamless light-aircraft transfers between parks and Dar es Salaam
Included/Excluded
- All meals
- Coffee, Tea, Laundry
- 2 x daily shared game drives
- 1 x Boat and walking safari
- Park and concession fees
- Flight – Dar es Salaam to Nyerere
- Flight – Nyerere to Ruaha
- Flight – Ruaha to Dar es Salaam
- AMREF emergency airlift cover
- Alcoholic beverages
- Accommodation before or after safari in Dar es Salaaam
- Guide tips and gratuities
- Porterage
- Travel Insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Excess baggage fees – 15kg allowance per person
Tour Plan
Day 1
Day 1 – Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park
Meet your flight at the Dar es Salaam Domestic Terminal and board the scheduled air transfer into the vast and untamed Nyerere National Park, one of Africa’s largest protected wilderness areas. Upon landing, a friendly guide will be waiting to welcome you and provide a smooth transfer to Rufiji River Camp.
Check in, settle into the peaceful riverside surroundings, and enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking the Rufiji River. In the afternoon, head out on your first game drive, exploring the park’s rich landscapes and abundant wildlife. Nyerere is home to elephants, wild dogs, lions, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and an incredible array of birdlife—offering a thrilling start to your safari adventure.
Return to camp in the early evening for dinner and a relaxing overnight stay accompanied by the natural sounds of the African bush.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Rufiji River Camp
Travel Time: Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park by air: Approx. 45 minutes–1 hour; Airstrip to camp: 10–20 minutes
Day 2
Day 2 – Full Day of Exploration in Nyerere National Park
Enjoy a full day of safari adventure in Nyerere National Park, one of Africa’s largest and most unspoiled wilderness areas. Today offers complete flexibility in how you experience the park’s diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife.
Choose to spend the entire day on a game drive, exploring sweeping plains, riverine forests, and palm-fringed wetlands in search of elephants, lions, giraffes, wild dogs, buffalo, zebra, hippos, and prolific birdlife.
Alternatively, opt for a half-day game drive followed by an afternoon boat safari along the Rufiji River. This relaxed water-based experience provides a unique perspective of the park, with opportunities to spot hippos wallowing in the shallows, crocodiles basking on the banks, and an array of bird species soaring overhead.
Return to camp as the sun sets for a delicious dinner and another peaceful night beside the river.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Rufiji River Camp
Travel Time: Game drives and river activities within Nyerere National Park
Day 3
Day 3 – Full Day of Game Viewing in Nyerere National Park
Spend another full day exploring the vast wilderness of Nyerere National Park, one of Africa’s richest and most remote wildlife areas. With a full day dedicated to game viewing, there is ample time to track large herds of elephants, search for prides of lions, observe giraffes moving gracefully through the woodlands, and look for the park’s highly endangered African wild dogs.
The Rufiji River and its intricate network of lakes, channels, and floodplains support a remarkable diversity of birds and aquatic wildlife, offering exceptional photographic opportunities throughout the day.
Enjoy the freedom to explore different habitats as your guide interprets animal behaviour, tracks wildlife, and shares insights into this extraordinary ecosystem.
Return to camp in the early evening to relax and enjoy a freshly prepared dinner overlooking the river.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Rufiji River Camp
Travel Time: Game drives within Nyerere National Park
Day 4
Day 4 – Nyerere to Ruaha National Park
Begin the morning with an early game drive in Nyerere National Park, making the most of the cool dawn hours when wildlife is most active. Return to camp for a late breakfast, followed by preparations for your onward journey.
After breakfast, transfer to the nearby airstrip for your scheduled flight to Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest and one of its most spectacularly diverse wildlife destinations.
Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly welcomed by your guide and transferred to Ruaha River Lodge, arriving in time for lunch with sweeping views over the rugged river landscape.
In the afternoon, set off on your first game drive in Ruaha, exploring its dramatic mix of baobab forests, rocky escarpments, and riverbeds. This vast park is known for its large elephant population, impressive lion prides, abundant predators, and varied birdlife—offering an exciting introduction to the region’s wilderness.
Return to the lodge for dinner and a restful overnight stay overlooking the Ruaha River.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ruaha River Lodge
Travel Time: Camp to airstrip: 10–20 minutes; Nyerere to Ruaha flight: Approx. 1.5 hours; Airstrip to Ruaha River Lodge: Approx. 30–45 minutes
Day 5
Day 5 – Full Day of Game Viewing in Ruaha National Park
Enjoy a full day exploring the vast and dramatic landscapes of Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s largest and one of its most biologically rich protected areas. With its rugged terrain, ancient baobab forests, sweeping plains, and the life-giving Ruaha River, the park supports an exceptional diversity of wildlife.
Spend the day on morning and afternoon game drives in search of elephants, large buffalo herds, kudu, sable and roan antelope, as well as Ruaha’s famed lion prides, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, and abundant birdlife. Ruaha’s remote location and low visitor numbers create a true sense of wilderness, offering an immersive and uncrowded safari experience.
Return to Ruaha River Lodge in the early evening for dinner and a peaceful night overlooking the river.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ruaha River Lodge
Travel Time: Game drives within Ruaha National Park
Day 6
Day 6 – Full Day of Game Viewing in Ruaha National Park
Spend another full day discovering the incredible wilderness of Ruaha National Park. With its vast, untouched landscapes and remarkable wildlife diversity, each game drive offers a new and rewarding experience. Explore different areas of the park as your guide searches for elephants, kudu, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, and Ruaha’s impressive predator population, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and African wild dogs.
The park’s dramatic scenery—dotted with massive baobab trees and shaped by the winding Ruaha River—provides a stunning backdrop for both photography and wildlife viewing. With fewer visitors than most northern parks, Ruaha offers a rare sense of remoteness and pristine wilderness.
Return to your lodge in the evening to relax and enjoy dinner while listening to the natural sounds of the African night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ruaha River Lodge
Travel Time: Game drives within Ruaha National Park
Day 7
Day 7 – Ruaha to Dar es Salaam
Begin the day with an early morning game drive in Ruaha National Park, taking advantage of the cool dawn hours when wildlife is most active. After a final morning of exploring this magnificent wilderness, return to camp for a late breakfast and some time to relax before departure.
You will then transfer to the nearby airstrip for your scheduled flight to Dar es Salaam Domestic Airport, enjoying aerial views of Tanzania’s vast landscapes along the way. Upon landing in Dar es Salaam, your Southern Tanzania safari officially concludes.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: End of itinerary
Travel Time: Lodge to airstrip: Approx. 30–45 minutes; Ruaha to Dar es Salaam flight: Approx. 1.5 hours
