Southern Tanzania — 9-Day Safari Adventure

Overview

Day by day

1. Day 1 Arrival in Dar es Salaam
   • Arrival: Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
   • Transfer to Hotel: After arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel to relax and prepare for the upcoming safari.

   Activities:

   • Explore Dar es Salaam for a quick city tour (if you’ll arrive early).
   • Visit the National Museum or local markets for cultural insight.
   • Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Dar es salaam.
2. Day 2 Dar es Salaam to Mikumi National Park
   • Drive to Mikumi: Early morning, you’ll depart from Dar es Salaam for the drive to Mikumi National Park (~5-6 hours). Along the way, you’ll pass through rural villages and scenic landscapes.
   • Afternoon Game Drive: After checking into your lodge, you’ll enjoy an afternoon game drive in Mikumi National Park, known for its open savannas and a variety of wildlife including lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, and wildebeests.

   Activities:

   • Afternoon Game drive
   • Dinner and overnight at a lodge in Mikumi national park
3. Day 3 Full Day in Mikumi National Park

   Full-Day Game Drive Spend the day exploring Mikumi with a full-day game drive. The park is sometimes compared to the Serengeti due to its flat plains and large populations of herbivores and predators. The Mkata River floodplain offers great opportunities to see lions, wild dogs, and other big game. Activities:

   • Full-day game drive.
   • Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park or at your lodge.
   • Afternoon Game Drive: Continue your exploration of the park in the afternoon, with a chance to see some of Mikumi’s 400+ bird species.
   • Dinner and overnight at the same lodge or camp in Mikumi
4. Day 4 Mikumi to Udzungwa Mountains National Park

   -Drive to Udzungwa Mountains:After breakfast, you’ll drive to Udzungwa Mountains National Park (~2-3 hours), known for its unique biodiversity and hiking opportunities. -Check-In & Leisure: Arrive at your lodge and relax or explore the nearby village. Udzungwa is one of Tanzania’s most important biodiversity hotspots, home to endemic species like the Iringa red colobus monkey. Activities:

   • Village tour for a cultural experience with local tribes.
   • Dinner and overnight at a lodge in Udzungwa Mountains National Park.
5. Day 5 Hiking in Udzungwa Mountains

   -Hiking in Udzungwa: Start early for a full day of hiking. The park offers several trails, the most popular being the Sanje Waterfall Trail, which leads to a 170-meter-high waterfall with stunning views of the surrounding forest and plains. Along the way, spot endemic primates, birds, and a variety of plant species. Activities:

   • Hiking
   • Picnic Lunch: Enjoy a packed lunch at the waterfall or another scenic spot.
   • Afternoon Leisure: After your hike,you’ll return to your lodge for some relaxation.
   • Dinner and overnight at the same lodge in Udzungwa Mountain National Park.
6. Day 6 Udzungwa to Ruaha National Park

   -Drive to Ruaha: After breakfast,you’ll depart for Ruaha National Park (~6-7 hours), one of Tanzania’s largest and most remote national parks. Ruaha is known for its rugged landscapes, large elephant populations, and predators. -Check-In & Leisure: Upon arrival, you’ll check in at your lodge and relax. Enjoy the wilderness setting and prepare for the next day’s adventures. -Dinner and overnight at a lodge in Ruaha National Park

7. Day 7 Full Day in Ruaha National Park

   -Morning Game Drive: Start your day with a morning game drive in Ruaha. This park is home to large prides of lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, and vast herds of buffalo, elephants, and giraffes. The Great Ruaha River is a major water source for wildlife, especially during the dry season. Activities:

   • Morning game drive
   • Lunch at the lodge or enjoy a picnic lunch in the park.
   • Afternoon Game Drive: Continue exploring the park, focusing on its unique baobab-dotted landscapes and spotting more wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of antelope species.
   • Dinner and overnight at the same lodge in Ruaha National Park
8. Day 8 Full Day in Ruaha National Park

   -Full-Day Game Drive: Another day to explore the vastness of Ruaha National Park. You can either split the day with a morning and afternoon game drive or take a full-day drive with packed lunches to reach more remote areas of the park. Ruaha is particularly famous for its large populations of elephants and predators, especially lions. Activities:

   • Full-day game drive
   • Walking safari (optional) with an experienced guide, offering a different perspective of the park’s wildlife and ecosystems.
   • Picnic lunch in the bush
   • Dinner and overnight at the same lodge in Ruaha National Park
9. Day 9 Ruaha to Dar es Salaam & Departure

   -Flight to Dar es salaam: Enjoy a short morning game drive as you head towards the airstrip before catching your fight to Dar es salaam (~2-2 ½ hours). -Drive to Dar es Salaam (Optional): Depending on your schedule, you can opt to drive back to Dar es Salaam (~9-10 hours). -Arrival in Dar es Salaam: Upon arrival, you can either transfer to a hotel in Dar es salaam for an overnight stay or proceed to Julius Nyerere International Airport for your international flight.

Photographs