Ruaha National Park, Southern Tanzania Destination in the heart of southern Tanzania the off the beaten track Ruaha National Park has a hot, dry climate and dramatic scenery as well as prolific game.
Ruaha National Park, in the south of Tanzania, is the country’s second largest park and possesses a rich variety of wildlife including lion, leopard, jackal, cheetah, wild dog, giraffe, zebra, the rare greater kudu, the most southerly grant’s gazelle, waterbuck, impala, sable antelope, roan antelope and huge herds of buffalo and elephant. Ruaha’s 8000 resident elephants remain the largest population in any national park in East Africa, recovering strongly from ivory poaching in the eighties. It is characterized by rolling hills, baobabs, open bushel and the wide Great Ruaha River along the southeastern border that is the park’s lifeblood.
Yet, despite the haunting beauty and abundance of game in Ruaha Park, the remoteness and its comparative inaccessibility have meant that the Ruaha has been one of the wildest and least visited parks in Tanzania. Ruaha Park appeals to the seasoned safari enthusiast or those who value unspoilt wilderness. There are only a handful of Ruaha camps here such as Ruaha River Lodge.
Ruaha Park is in an ecological transition zone with thick bush contrasting with wide open plains. This attracts a wide diversity of game such as buffalo, zebra, Defassa waterbuck, impala, giraffe, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, roan and sable antelope as well as Grant's gazelle and lesser kudu (often seen in the north of the park). The lion prides of Ruaha are often large whilst the open plains are ideal terrain for cheetahs. Wild dog is another species which is well represented here. Ruaha boasts over 520 birding species, in testament to its floral diversity. Goliath herons, saddle-billed storks, white-backed night heron and white-headed plovers can be seen along the rivers, whilst migrant birds swell the numbers from mid-November to March.
Why Visit Ruaha National Park, Southern Tanzania Destinations.
- A remote wilderness that is far off the beaten track.
- The superb Big cat experience at Ruaha National Park.
- Tanzania’s second biggest park.
- Experience the unspoilt Ruaha National Park wilderness.
Featured Ruaha National Park, Safari Holiday Vacation Trips