13 Days Southern Circuit

 Description & Routing

This tour takes you to four most famous parks of the southern safari circuit in Tanzania. Each of these parks boasts of unique aspects that put them on the top of every traveller?s bucket list. Mikumi national Park, your first stop after a night in Dar Es Salaam, is the fourth largest national park in Tanzania and it?s sheer size leaves a lot to be explored. Its massive floodplains are home to a vast array of wildlife and bird species including the rare African Wild dog, making this park truly unique.

From thereon, Udzungwa Mountains National Park is your next stop. A day here will be one of the many highlights on this trip. Fondly known as the ?Galapagos of Africa? this park boasts of large number of endemic animal and bird species with its latest discovery being the Udzungwa forest partridge in 1991! The park is only accessible on foot and activities include hiking to waterfalls and trekking a variety of trails that lead into pristine jungle habitats.

Ruaha and Selous Game Reserves are possibly the best known wildlife refuges in the southern circuit. Being the largest national park and game reserve in Africa respectively, each hold a potential for excellent game viewing that will be hard to beat elsewhere.Night game drives, walking safaris and boat excursions add up to the fun in this adventure packed trip as you explore the last bit of Africa as it was a century ago ? wild, untouched and completely uninhabited!

Accommodation on this trip comes in the form of Hotels, lodges and tented camps, each offering maximum comfort and relaxation and set to provide the best experience on every leg of your safari. All properties are handpicked by our team of seasoned safari planners to fit in with your budget needs while offering maximum exposure to the wildlife and keeping you away from the crowds.

1. Comfortable 4?4 Vehicle Customized for Game viewing, unlimited miles.
2. English Speaking Guide.
3. Full Board Accommodation in lodges and Tented Camps
4. Park fees, Crater Fees, Conservation fees, Wma fees, walking safari fees, armed ranger fee.
5. Taxes.
6. Night Game drives and Boat Safaris as mentioned
7. Bottled water
8. Airport pickup & Drop off Dar es Salaam
9. Accommodation before safari.

1. Tips (recommended $10- $15 per person per day to guide, $10 per person to armed ranger per walk).
2. Travel Insurance.
3. All items of personal nature.
4. Beverages and laundry except where shown.

Day 1: Arrival -Dar es Salaam

After arriving at Dar es Salaam?s Julius Nyerere International Airport, your guide will collect you and drive you to the hotel for the evening. Transfer time is approximately 45 minutes.Get yourself settled in, unwind the jetlag and get ready for the start of your adventure packed trip next day!

• Activity: Relaxing and getting ready for the start of the safari.
• Overnight at Holiday Inn, Dar.

Day 2: Mikumi National Park

After breakfast depart for Mikumi national park approx 2.5 ? 3hrs drive with packed lunch, upon clearance with the permits your guide will drive you through this pristine park for extensive game drives, visiting the flood plains and checking out the famous hippo pools. Continue with game drives and head to your lodge in the evening for a much needed shower and to recollect the day?s events while enjoying world class hospitality.

• Activity: Extensive game drives.
• Overnight at Tan-Swiss Lodge

Day 3: Udzungwa Mountains National Park

After breakfast, depart for Udzungwa Mountains National Park with packed lunch, a drive that will take approximately 3hrs. Enjoy walking through the lush tropical forests of Udzungwa on your way to majestic waterfalls.Search for elusive primates and endemic birds as you enjoy this heaven of a park. At the end of an exhausting but rewarding day, walk back to your tented lodge at the edge of the park?s forest.

• Activity:Transfer, Water fall and Forest Hike.
• Overnight at Hondo HondoUdzungwa Forest Camp at the edge of the park.

Day 4: Udzungwa Mountains National Park

After an early breakfast grab your gear and packed lunch and head into the green forests of Udzungwa for a day of trekking to the park?s highest peaks. These offer a bird?s eye view of the forest?s below together with some excellent photo opportunities. After a beautiful day, walk back to your tented lodge for dinner and an overnight?s sleep.

• Activity: Hiking, Summit the Luhomero 2576AMSL and Mwanihana
• Overnight at Hondo Hondo Udzungwa Forest Camp.

Day 5: Udzungwa Mountains National Park – Ruaha National Park

After Breakfast and armed with packed lunches, embark on a 7-8hr drive to Africa?s largest National park ? Ruaha. Arrive at your tented camp in the heart of the park and settle down for dinner and a goodnight?s sleep.

• Activity: Transfer to Ruaha National Park
• Overnight at Kilimatonge camp.

Day 6: Ruaha National Park

After breakfast, your guide will take you on a full day of exploration in this massive park which is almost twice the size of the Serengeti. Fall in love with the giant baobabs, search for the elusive Greater Kudu and go crocodile spotting on the great Ruaha River. Packed lunches will keep you energized for the eventful day. Our adventures this day will take a bit more longer where we will go for few hours of night game drives after dinner at camp, a great chance to explore the nocturnal species in an open Game 4?4.

• Activity: Full day game drives, 2-3Hrs Night Game drives.
• Overnight at Kilimatonge camp.

Day 7: Ruaha National Park

Wake up to the call of ring necked doves and the warming rays of an African sunrise. Enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading out on a 2-3hr walk before heading back to camp for a hot lunch and a late afternoon game drive.

• Activity: Morning bush walk and late afternoon drive.
• Overnight at Kilimatonge camp.

Day 8: Ruaha National Park

Head out on a morning game drive with your guide after breakfast, spending yet another beautiful day in this beautiful park. After an engaging morning, head back to camp for hot lunch and some relaxation before heading out again for an evening game drive.

• Activity: Morning and evening game drive.
• Overnight at Kilimatonge camp.

Day 9: Transfer: Ruaha National Park ? Morogoro

After breakfast and carrying your lunchboxes, fasten your seatbelts for a day?s journey (8-9hrs) to Morogoro, a small town near the famed Selous Game Reserve. Spend the night here as you ready yourself for the next day, the beginning of yet another adventurous leg of your safari.

• Activity: Transfer from Ruaha National park to Morogoro town.
• Overnight at Mbuyuni Chili Farm.

Day 10: Morogoro – Selous Game Reserve

After breakfast, depart for the legendary Selous Game Reserve with packed lunches. This drive will take an approximate 5-6hrs with game drives en route the reserve. Arrive at your camp for dinner and much needed sleep in the evening.

• Activity: Transfer from Morogoro to Selous Game Reserve with game drives en route.
• Overnight at Selous River Camp.

Day 11: Selous Game Reserve

Head out for a day of game watching in the Selous Game Reserve after having breakfast in camp. Follow the mighty Rufiji as it snakes its way down into the Indian Ocean and go in search of the African hunting dog which calls Selous home. Lunch will find you in camp and a boat excursion will be awaiting you in the evening, where you will be able to view Selous? wildlife from a completely new perspective.

• Activity: Game drives and evening boat drives.
• Overnight at Selous River Camp.

Day 12: Selous Game Reserve

After breakfast venture into the vastness of the Selous game reserve for our last day of game drives with packed lunch, we will embark for extensive game drives on our last day with picnic lunch served at our favorite spot. Later in the late afternoon exit the park and head to camp for dinner and overnight.

• Activity: Game drives
• Overnight: Selous River Camp

Day 13: Transfer: Selous Game Reserve ? Dar es Salaam

After breakfast, hit the road for Dar es Salaam with packed lunches. Your driver will take you straight to the airport for your flight back home. This drive will take approximately 7-8hrs from bush to town.

• Activity: End of tour, transfer back to Dar?s JNIA for flight back home.