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In wildlife densities and ease of viewing, the southern safari circuit isn't quite on a par with the northern circuit. However, its 'off-the-beaten-track' character makes for a more holistic wilderness experience. Tourist densities are lower and camps tend to be more exclusive, catering to a more upmarket clientele.
The southern circuit is often the choice for a second safari on which ticking off the big five is less of a concern. The circuit is also popular as an add-on to a beach holiday in Zanzibar or around Dar-es-Salaam. In most cases, you will fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar-es-Salaam and fly on by chartered plane to Ruaha or Selous. The immense Selous Game Reserve is most popular because of its proximity to Dar-es-Salaam.
You can easily drive here from the city and take in the less impressive Mikumi National Park on the way. Selous lies on the Rufiji River and, aside from the usual game drives, boattrips and walking safari are offered. The very remote and wild Ruaha National Park is one of Africa's best kept secrets with excellent game viewing, including many animals that aren't easily seen in the north, like wild dog and several unusual antelope species.
Swirls of opaque mist hide the advancing dawn. The first shafts of sun colour the fluffy grass heads rippling across the plain in a russet halo. A herd of zebras, confident in their camouflage at this predatory hour, pose like ballerinas, heads aligned and stripes merging in flowing motion.
Mikumi National Park abuts the northern border of Africa's biggest game reserve - the Selous – and is transected by the surfaced road between Dar es Salaam and Iringa. It is thus the most accessible part of a 75,000 square kilometre (47,000 square mile) tract of wilderness that stretches east almost as far as the Indian Ocean. The open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata Floodplain, the popular centrepiece of Mikumi, draw frequent comparisons to the more famous Serengeti Plains.
Lions survey their grassy kingdom – and the zebra, wildebeest, impala and buffalo herds that migrate across it – from the flattened tops of termite mounds, or sometimes, during the rains, from perches high in the trees. Giraffes forage in the isolated acacia stands that fringe the Mkata River, islets of shade favoured also by Mikumi's elephants.
Criss-crossed by a good circuit of game-viewing roads, the Mkata Floodplain is perhaps the most reliable place in Tanzania for sightings of the powerful eland, the world’s largest antelope. The equally impressive greater kudu and sable antelope haunt the miombo-covered foothills of the mountains that rise from the park’s borders.
Ruaha national park is one of the few Tanzania’s famous wilderness area where one can have a rare experience of game viewing spiced up by the fascinating landscape. The park is rich of plants and animals such as Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) which can not be found in any other national park. The park boasts of her almost untouched and unexplored ecosystem, making visitors’ safari experience very unique.
The Great Ruaha River as other rivers like Mwagusi, Jongomero and Mzombe save as the life line of the park. During dry season, these rivers become mostly the main source of water for wildlife. There are few natural springs saving the same purpose.
Uduzungwa Mountains National Park is arecently established conservation area of about 2,000sqkm and iringa and morogoro regions of south- central Tanzania. The park is bordered by the Great Ruaha to the north and the Mikumi Ifakara road to the east.
The major attraction of the park is its bio-diversity and unique rainforest, where many rare plants, not found anywhere else in the wold, have been identified, from a tiny African violet to 30 metre high trees. As well being home to about six types of primates including two endemic species the Iringa red colobus monkey and the sanje crested mangabey the plateau supports populations of elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and wild dog as well as rare species of forest birds, four of which were only discovered in the last few years.
The Selous Game Reserve is located in the south of Tanzania and is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world. Some of the typical savannah animals like elephants, hippopotamus, African wild-dog, Cape buffalo and crocodiles are found in this park in large numbers than in any other game reserve or park. A section of the northern park along the Rufiji River has been designated a photographic zone and is a popular tourist destination.
Several high end lodges and camps mainly situated along the river and lake systems are available in the park. Attractions in the park include the river rufiji which flows into the Indian Ocean opposite Mafia Island and the stiegler gorge – a canyon 100 meters wide and 100 meter deep. Walking safaris are permitted in the Selous and boat trips on the Rufiji are a popular activity.
