10 Day Mikumi, Ruaha, and Selous Safari Adventure

Overview

10-Day Southern Tanzania Safari: Ruaha, Selous & Mikumi Adventure

Embark on a thrilling 10-day safari adventure that takes you to the heart of Tanzania’s Southern Circuit, where you’ll explore the stunning landscapes of Ruaha National Park, the vast wilderness of Selous Game Reserve, and the scenic beauty of Mikumi National Park. With a perfect blend of wildlife encounters and relaxation, this safari promises to be an unforgettable journey, offering a close-up view of Africa’s Big Five and much more.

Day 1: Arrival in Dar es Salaam

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon your arrival in Dar es Salaam, our friendly representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation in the city center for an overnight stay. Enjoy a relaxing evening to prepare for the adventure ahead.

Day 2: Mikumi National Park

After a delicious breakfast, we begin our journey to Mikumi National Park, one of Tanzania’s largest and most accessible parks. The drive from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi takes approximately 4 hours, passing through scenic landscapes. Upon arrival, enjoy a game drive in the park, renowned for its vast open plains and abundant wildlife. The Mkata Floodplain, often compared to the Serengeti Plains, is home to diverse wildlife, including elephants, lions, and giraffes. After the game drive, retreat to your lodge for a restful night.

Day 3: Ruaha National Park

Today, we travel to Ruaha National Park, known for its dramatic landscapes and diverse ecosystems. This expansive park is famous for its large elephant population, the Great Ruaha River, and the opportunity to spot rare species like kudu, sable, and roan antelope. Arriving in the afternoon, you’ll enjoy an exciting game drive, spotting lions, leopards, cheetahs, and an array of other wildlife. Afterward, settle in at your lodge for a peaceful evening.

Day 4-5: Ruaha National Park

Spend two full days exploring the magnificent Ruaha National Park. Each day, you’ll enjoy both morning and afternoon game drives, discovering new wildlife and scenic landscapes. With its remote location, Ruaha offers a tranquil safari experience with few crowds. The park’s vast size and rich biodiversity make it a true wildlife haven. Don’t miss the chance to witness the mighty Great Ruaha River, teeming with crocodiles and hippos. Meals and overnight stays will be at your lodge, where you can unwind after your safari adventures.

Day 6: Mikumi National Park

After breakfast, we make our way back to Mikumi National Park. Along the way, enjoy a leisurely game drive, soaking in the sights and sounds of Tanzania’s wildlife. Mikumi’s proximity to Selous Game Reserve makes it the perfect stop before we head to the next destination, offering a unique opportunity to explore both parks. Upon arrival in Mikumi, enjoy a game drive in the late afternoon before retreating to your lodge for the night.

Day 7: Selous Game Reserve

This morning, we depart for Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s largest protected wildlife area. As we drive towards Matemwe Gate, enjoy scenic views of the Uluguru Mountains and pass through local villages. Depending on your time of arrival, you can either embark on a short game drive or relax at your lodge, preparing for the two exciting days of safari in the Selous Game Reserve.

Day 8-9: Selous Game Reserve

Spend two days immersed in the wilderness of Selous Game Reserve. This vast reserve offers an unspoiled environment, perfect for wildlife photography and sightings of Africa’s most iconic animals. The northern part of the reserve, known for its photogenic landscapes, allows for fantastic safari opportunities. Here, you can expect to see elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalo, and a variety of bird species. For a more adventurous experience, optional activities such as walking safaris or boat cruises on the Rufiji River can be arranged (at an additional cost).

Day 10: Return to Dar es Salaam

After a morning game drive, we journey through the Mtemere Gate towards the Indian Ocean. Arriving in Dar es Salaam around noon, you’ll have time to relax before your departure. You’ll be transferred to the airport or your hotel, where your safari adventure will come to a close.

Safari Highlights:

  • Explore Mikumi, Ruaha, and Selous—three of Tanzania’s most pristine and diverse wildlife areas.

  • Spot the Big Five—lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo—along with rare species like wild dogs, kudu, and sable.

  • Enjoy private game drives in comfortable 4×4 vehicles with your expert guide.

  • Relax in comfortable lodges and camps in remote locations for an authentic safari experience.

  • Witness the impressive Great Ruaha River, home to hippos and crocodiles, and visit the bird-rich Lake Magadi in Ngorongoro Crater.

  • Optional activities like walking safaris and boat cruises in Selous Game Reserve for a more immersive experience.


Why Choose This Safari: This 10-day safari tour offers a perfect mix of wildlife sightings, nature exploration, and cultural experiences. With exclusive access to some of Tanzania’s best game reserves, this is a must-do for wildlife enthusiasts seeking an authentic and adventurous African safari. The flexibility in travel arrangements and variety of safari activities make this tour ideal for both first-time visitors and seasoned safari-goers.

Embark on a thrilling 10-day safari adventure that takes you to the heart of Tanzania’s Southern Circuit, where you’ll explore the stunning landscapes of Ruaha National Park, the vast wilderness of Selous Game Reserve, and the scenic beauty of Mikumi National Park. With a perfect blend of wildlife encounters and relaxation, this safari promises to be an unforgettable journey, offering a close-up view of Africa’s Big Five and much more.

    Itinerary

    • Day 01: Arrival Dar es salaam Airport and Transfer to Hotel

      Embark on a thrilling 10-day safari adventure that takes you to the heart of Tanzania’s Southern Circuit, where you’ll explore the stunning landscapes of Ruaha National Park, the vast wilderness of Selous Game Reserve, and the scenic beauty of Mikumi National Park. With a perfect blend of wildlife encounters and relaxation, this safari promises to be an unforgettable journey, offering a close-up view of Africa’s Big Five and much more.

      Dinner
      Hotel Stay
      dar-es-salaam-tanzania-city
    • Day 01: Arrival Dar es salaam Airport and Transfer to Hotel

      Arrive in Dar es Salaam, meet and greet with our representative and transfer to the city center for overnight

      • Breakfast
      • , Lunch
      • , Dinner
      Hotel Stay
    • Day 2 - Mikumi National Park

      After breakfast, drive from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi National Park with packed lunch for a game drive. Mikumi is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park. It’s also the most accessible from Dar es Salaam. With almost guaranteed wildlife sightings, the open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata Floodplain, the popular center piece of Mikumi, draws frequent comparisons to the more famous Serengeti Plains. Head back to the lodge late afternoon for overnight.

      • Breakfast
      • , Lunch
      • , Dinner
      Hotel Stay
    • Day 3 - Ruaha National Park

      Today, we head to Ruaha National Park where we will have a game drive in the afternoon. This is a more extensive ecosystem, which includes Rungwa Game Reserve, Usangu Game Reserve, and several other protected areas. The name of the park is derived from the Great Ruaha River, which flows along its South-Eastern margin and is the focus for game-viewing. Ruaha is believed to have a high concentration of elephants than any National Park in East Africa. It is also a place where, magnificent mammals like Kudu, Sable and Roan antelopes can easily be spotted in Miombo woodland. The park is also a habitat for endangered wild dogs. Other animals in the park include lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, zebras, elands, impala, bat eared foxes and jackals.

      Hotel Stay
    • Day 4-5 - Ruaha National Park

      After breakfast, you dedicate these days in Ruaha for morning and afternoon game drives. You will have all meals at your lodge. Ruaha National Park (10.300km²) is the most visited National Park in the southern part of Tanzania. Due to its size and the fact that the South of Tanzania is less visited than the northern parks, you still have ample of space and you will see hardly any safari vehicles. Ruaha National Park forms a border between Africa’s eastern and southern eco- system. Here you will find kudus, which you will find seldom further north and during the same time you can see grant gazelles which reach their southernmost breeding area. The source of life in the park is doubtless the Great Ruaha River with its huge numbers of crocodiles and hippos.

      • Breakfast
      • , Lunch
      • , Dinner
      Hotel Stay
    • Day 6 - Mikumi

      After breakfast, we head for a game drive en route back to Mikumi. This is to make our way to the Selous Game Reserve the following day as Mikumi is bordered to the south with the Selous Game Reserve, the two areas forming a unique ecosystem.

      • Breakfast
      • , Lunch
      • , Dinner
      Hotel Stay
    • Day 7 - Selous Game Reserve

      Selous Game Reserve is the biggest wildlife conservation area in Africa and forms together with the bordering Mikumi and Udzungwa National Parks an area which is as big as Switzerland! Today, you drive through the northern part of the reserve which is open for photo safaris. On the way, you have plenty of time for unique wildlife encounters in this unspoiled environment. Besides the typical residents of the African bush, you can spot up to 400 different bird species. However, it is not always easy to see the animals and birds because of the dense vegetation. Optional Activities such as walking in the wilderness or boat cruise can be arranged at extra cost.

      Hotel Stay
    • Day 10 - Dar Es Salaam

      After breakfast, we drive towards the Indian Ocean through Mtemere Gate and at around noon you will reach Dar Es Salaam. Transfer to airport or hotel at your own arrangement.

      • Breakfast
      • , Lunch

    Inclusions

    This Tour Includes:

    • Park fees
    • All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
    • A professional driver/guide
    • All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
    • All Taxes/VAT
    • Roundtrip airport transfer
    • All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
    • Drinking water on all days
    • Camping Equipment

    This Tour Excludes but option service

    • International flights (from/to home)
    • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
    • Tips
    • Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
    • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
    • Alcoholic drinks
    • Rescue Fee
    • Climbing Gear
    • Sleeping Bag

    Accommodations

    Rufiji River Camp

    Vuma Hills Tented Camp

    Ruaha River Lodge

    Golden Tulip

    10 Day Mikumi, Ruaha, and Selous Safari Adventure

    From: $5,100

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