Typical safari trip in the southern circuit of Tanzania will include a flight into Dar Es Salaam.

Your guides pick you up at the airport and transport to accomodations.

Visit to Ruaha National Park – The largest national park in Tanzania is known for its vast, remote, and wild landscapes with large populations of elephants and pedators like lions, cheetahs, leopards, and wild dogs. The Great Ruaha River is vital to the park’s continued prosperity. With fewer visitors than the northern parks, it makes for less crowds on game drives.

Iringe – a visit to this city is worth the time. Set on a cliff overlooking the Ruaha River Valley provides spectacular views and beautiful sunsets. Take a tour to the Isimila Stone Age Site with a short hike through the ruins. View the fossils and sandstone pillars that formed over several thousands of years. Considered one of East Africa’s most important archaeological discoveries. There is also a small museum to learn more of the history of Isimila.

Mikumi National Park was established in 1964 and is located near the town of Morogoro. You will see some animals here not found in the other parks. The Sable antelope, African hunting dog, the blue wildebeest, and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest to name a few. The landscape in Mikumi is similar to Serengeti with many baobab and acacia trees. The giraffes of Mikumi are considered the link between the Masai giraffe and the reticulated giraffe. (Not all giraffes are alike!) And of course, you will see many hippos.

Nyrerere National Park is very large. Total area of the park is 30,893 sq km (11,928 sq mi). About the size of Belgium. The park is part of the former Selous game reserve. Many crocodiles and hippos in this park. You can hike through some of the mangrove forests to some beautiful waterfalls. Animals in the park also include lions, leopards, giraffes, impala, hyenas, zebra, wildebeest, and thousands of birds. Approximately 13,000 elephants are in Nyrerere, down from over 100,000 due to poaching. Now that it is a national park (1970s), the poaching has been stifled. There are several airstrips in Nyrerere Park, so getting there can be easy to access from Dar Es Salaam or Arusha.

End your Southern Circuit Safari with an extended few days in Zanzibar.