Exploring the Wild in Africa: The Ruaha and Nyerere National Parks in Tanzania

Often people planning a trip to Tanzania plan a visit to Mt. Kilimanjaro, or Serengeti immediately, but there are a few other locations that stay somewhat on the sidelines. Two of these are the Ruaha and the Nyerere National Parks in Tanzania. If you’re planning a safari tour to Africa, or particularly in Tanzania, then be sure to add these two to your itinerary as well, and you shall have the perfect trip!

What does a typical Itinerary including Nyere and Ruaha look like?

Day 1: You may fly to Dar es Salam and spend the night there.

Day 2: Take a short  aircraft flight up to Nyerere National Park (previously known as Selous) and spend typically about two days staying at one of the lodges around the Rufiji River. Elephants, buffaloes, hippos and any other wild animals can often be seen here.

Day 4: Move to Ruaha and spend about two days there, at one of the many camps for tourists that offer quite a comfortable stay.

Day 6: Transfer roads to Jabali Ridge, a sister property, and spend about two days there.

Day 8: Fly back to Dar es Salam and continue the trip if you wish to explore other places.

What is Unique about Ruaha and Nyerere (formerly Selous) National Parks?

Tourist accounts have often said that Nyerere has unparalleled natural beauty. If you’re traveling around the end of the dry season, you are most likely to be surrounded by lush greenery on all sides as you enter the main premise of Nyerere National Park. Interestingly, its almost as if you get to witness a different landscape at an interval of a few minutes.

Ruaha, much like Nyerere in this case, has remained largely untouched and also somewhat undiscovered, but the game viewing at Ruaha is more intriguing, it’s a more fascinating activity here. A unique feature of traveling to these areas is- owing to their rather remote locations you get a chance to spend a little more time at the wildlife sightings, and observe them a little more closely.

What are some Additional Benefits of Traveling to Nyerere and Ruaha?

• Since these national parks are relatively less popular in the mainstream, the tourist crowds aren’t as heavy here, and offer a more serene, exclusive experience than the others.
• A primary benefit is being able to observe the animals up close- and for relatively longer durations. Generally, tourists on a safari are only allowed to spend a few minutes at a spot to make time for the others to be able to enjoy their safari too,but this is not the case here. Instead, you can spend a few extra minutes easily, because the rush isn’t nearly as crazy and the extensive crowds don’t weigh into your own experience.

A few Tips for your trip to Ruaha and Nyerere:

1. Book your trip at the right time. There is not a whole lot of accommodation available all year round, so it is better to book your safari tours and lodges in due time, and if you’re planning to travel during the busiest parts of the year, you may want to book a trip as early as a whole year in advance.
2. Protect yourself from the sun- carry sunscreens, hats, and walking shoes and shield yourself from the sun.
3. If you have the time and resources, definitely carry a good pair of binoculars and a camera. You never know when a good candid moment might strike in the wild, and you will be glad you were not only able to witness it,but also capture it forever!
4. Keep the weather in mind while packing your clothes. Carry clothes that are essentially light, but can be layered upon each other. It is extremely hot during the day and the typical climate around these areas ranges from a somewhat tropical humidity in Nyerere to dry heat in Ruaha.
5. Bring neutral and light coloured clothing. Avoid darker colors like blue, black, and also void white, since they tend to attract flies.

In Conclusion:

These were all the basic tips that you must know of before you plan your trip to the Nyerere or Ruaha National Park In Tanzania. Whether your itinerary includes an entire week or just a few days for these locations, be sure that you do not miss them while you’re in Africa. Away from the madding crowds of tourists in the more popular destinations, these national parks offer a somewhat relaxed and quieter visit to their tourists, allowing you to truly indulge in the experience of being so close to nature, and truly revel in the experience. Once you take a game drive here, you will be able to realize what it really is like to be a lover of the wild.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What country is Ruaha National Park Located in?

The Ruaha National Park is located in Tanzania, and has a varied assortment of wildlife that attract throngs of tourists every year.

2. What is Ruaha National Park famous for? 

Ruaha is generally famous for being a relatively less crowded national park in Tanzania among other things. It is also well known for the rather unusual combination of animals that inhabit it- Greater and Lesser Kudu, roan antelopes and sable- these animals are not really found together anywhere else.

3. What is unique about Nyerere National Park?

Nyerere National Park has a notably high level of biodiversity. Lions, leopards, Masai giraffes, wildebeest, zebras as well as black rhinos, all are found at the National Park in some numbers.