Tanzania safari
5-Day Ruaha Tented Camp Safari from Dar es Salaam
Overview
Few travelers make it to Ruaha National Park, and that is a big part of why we like it. The park is in southern-central Tanzania, far from the busy northern circuit, and it is one of the largest national parks in the country. You get there by light aircraft or on a very long drive, so you can often game drive here without seeing another vehicle.
Ruaha is best known for big elephant herds and lions. Baobab trees dot the dry bush, and the Great Ruaha River pulls animals in to drink, especially in the dry months. Hippos and crocodiles live in the river, and there are plenty of birds.
Tanzania Tourism Safaris put this trip together for travelers who would rather stay put than spend hours on the road. You fly in from Dar es Salaam, stay four nights at a single upscale tented camp and spend the days on game drives in a 4×4 Land Cruiser, with guided walks, bush breakfasts and sundowners where the camp offers them. Meals and local drinks are included, as are the flights in and out of the park.
Tour highlights
- Four nights at one tented camp in Ruaha
- Big elephant herds and resident lions
- Game drives with few other vehicles around
- Guided bush walks and sundowners, where offered
- Light-aircraft flights to and from Dar es Salaam
- Meals and local drinks included
Day by day
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Day 1 Dar es Salaam to Ruaha by Light Aircraft Stay Upscale tented camp in Ruaha National ParkMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Our representative meets you at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and sees you onto a small plane to Ruaha. You fly over a long stretch of the Tanzanian interior before the park’s airstrip appears. Your guide is waiting with the Land Cruiser, and the drive to camp is also your first game drive. Settle into your tent, have lunch, and head out again in the late afternoon when the animals become more active.
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Day 2 Elephants and the Great Ruaha River Stay Upscale tented camp in Ruaha National ParkMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You spend the day out with your guide. Go early while it is cool, then come back to camp to rest through the midday heat. Much of the action is along the Great Ruaha River, where elephants come down to drink and hippos crowd the deeper pools. Crocodiles lie in the sun on the banks. Away from the water, look for giraffe, buffalo and impala among the baobabs, and check the shade for resting lions.
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Day 3 On Foot in the Ruaha Bush Stay Upscale tented camp in Ruaha National ParkMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
If your camp offers guided walks, today is a good day for one. On foot with your guide and an armed ranger, you notice things you miss from a vehicle: tracks in the sand, dung beetles at work, bird calls you would not otherwise hear. Walks usually start early and last a couple of hours. Return for brunch, rest through the heat, then set out on an afternoon game drive and finish with a sundowner as the light fades.
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Day 4 A Full Day Out in Ruaha Stay Upscale tented camp in Ruaha National ParkMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Pack a picnic and use the whole day to cover more of the park. Your guide picks the route based on recent sightings, perhaps following a dry riverbed, checking an area favored by a lion pride or scanning open ground for elephants on the move. With so few vehicles in Ruaha, you can usually stay at a sighting for as long as you like. Some camps can arrange a bush breakfast or a night in a simple fly camp; ask us when you book.
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Day 5 Final Morning and Flight to Dar es Salaam Meals Breakfast, Lunch
Depending on your flight time, use the early hours for a short game drive or a slow breakfast in camp. Your guide then drives you to the airstrip for the light-aircraft flight back to Dar es Salaam. Look out of the window: it is your last view of the park, this time from above. The safari ends at the airport in Dar es Salaam, where you can connect to your flight home or continue to the coast or Zanzibar for a few days by the sea.
Prices by season
Per person in US dollars. The price depends on when you travel and how many travelers share the trip.
| Season | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 Mar – 31 May | $4,121 | $2,747 | $2,427 | $2,320 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $4,338 | $2,892 | $2,555 | $2,442 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $4,821 | $3,214 | $2,838 | $2,714 |
Tour price includes
- Light-aircraft flights between Dar es Salaam and Ruaha
- Airport meet and greet with transfers
- Four nights in an upscale tented camp inside the park
- All meals as listed, plus local drinks at camp
- Daily game drives in a 4×4 Land Cruiser (up to 7 travelers)
- Professional safari guide
- National park fees and taxes
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Souvenirs and other personal spending
Questions about this safari
How do I get to Ruaha?
Most visitors fly. The park is remote, and driving there from Dar es Salaam takes most of a day, so this trip uses light-aircraft flights from Dar es Salaam to an airstrip in the park and back. Both flights are included in the price. Luggage limits on small planes are tight, so pack in a soft bag.
When is the best time to visit Ruaha?
The dry season, roughly June to October, is the classic time, as animals gather near the river and the remaining waterholes. The green months bring lush scenery and more birds, though some tracks can be harder to use after heavy rain. Our lowest rates apply from March to May.
How is this different from the 3-Day Ruaha Fly-In Safari from Zanzibar?
The shorter trip starts and ends in Zanzibar, spends two nights at a luxury camp and costs more per person. This one starts and ends in Dar es Salaam, gives you four nights at an upscale tented camp and moves at an easier pace, with room for a walk and a full day out with a picnic.
Before you go
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