Ruaha National Park was established in 1964. Today it is one of the most popular and visited nature reserves in the country. In addition, Ruaha is the second largest (after the Serengeti) national park in Tanzania. It got its name from the Great Ruaha River, which flows among the mountain gorges along its eastern border, and flows into the Rufiji River. Check jibin123 for customs regulations and visa requirements of Tanzania.
How to get there
In Tanzania, it is best to use two main roads, the first of which Dar es Salaam – Mbeya (A7 / A17) leads to the Southern Mountains through the cities of Morogoro, Iringa to the Selous Nature Reserve and Ruaha National Park. The second – Dar es Salaam – Arusha and the Serengeti (B1), determines the route of the Northern Circle, passing through the cities of Tanga, Moshi, the national parks of Kilimanjaro, Sadani, Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
To get to Ruahi, you will have to spend more than ten hours driving or an hour and a half flight from the international Dar es Salaam Salaam airport, or use regular flights of small planes from the airports of Zanzabar, Iringa or Mbey.
Visiting Rules
The national park entry fee is $50 per tourist, without paying for vehicles, and is valid for a 24-hour stay. The cost of a safari, of course, depends on the living conditions in the parks and can range from $150 to $1,500 per person per night.
Ruaha is one of the few national parks in Tanzania where a guided walking safari is allowed.
Weather in Ruah
The best time to travel to Ruaha for animal watching is during the dry season from May to December. Ornithological safaris are most interesting from January to April, during the migration of birds from Eurasia.
Ruahi Hotels
There are four lodges in the park: Mwagusi Safari Camp, located on the natural reservoir of the Mwaguzi River; Jongomero Camp overlooking the river; Mdonya Old River Camp, located on the remote Mdonya River and Ruaha River Lodge on the Ruaha River, where you can see the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
Entertainment and attractions
Here you can see: elephants, hippos, deer and buffaloes, antelopes (large and small kudu, impala, black and gray hartebists, Grant’s gazelles), as well as giraffes, zebras, mongooses, porcupines, wild cats, viverras. The waters of Ruaha are full of crocodiles. Lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, jackals come here for watering and hunting. The number of birds living here is also great: there are 370 species of birds in the park, including kingfishers, hornbills, sunbirds, egrets, plovers.
3 things to do in Ruach
- Immerse yourself in the historical and archaeological riches of the reserve, as Isimila and Iringa are of particular interest to tourists – areas where the ruins of antiquity, dating back to the Stone Age, have been preserved.
- Enjoy a unique phenomenon – the Eurasian migration of bird flocks, which occurs twice a year (March-April and October-November).
- Buy a lot of souvenirs. The cost of national shirts, robes, overalls, etc. varies from 8 thousand shillings, Masai blankets and fabrics cost 13-15 thousand, paintings in the style of tingatinga folk art – from 20 thousand shillings, Makonde ebony products – from 10 thousand shillings, jewelry made of gold, diamonds and tanzanites (stone of the group sapphires mined only in Tanzania) – from a few hundred dollars per item to thousands per set. The most purchased piece of jewelry – a gold pendant with the profile of Africa – costs from 24 to 60 dollars. You can also stock up on Tanzanian tea and coffee – from 2 to 7 thousand shillings per package and be sure to grab a CD with national music for 5 thousand shillings.
Ruaha River
The largest river of the Ruaha of the reserve of the same name is not the only one: the Njombe River, ringing the northern part of the reserve, connects with the Rufiji River and flows into the Indian Ocean, the two rivers Mdonya and Mwaguzi, called rivers of sand, flow into the Ruaha River and feed it with water during the rainy season. The park, thanks to high water, has become home to a huge number of exotic animals, birds and mammals. The prominent representatives of Ruahi are crocodiles, which are found here in abundance.
The Jongomeru area is characterized by attractive picturesque southern slopes dotted with herds of elephants and kudu antelope.
