Ruaha National Park Tanzania is one of the remote and perfect wilderness Tanzania safari destinations that tourists can visit for an amazing and rare Tanzania safari experience of game viewing blended with fascinating landscapes. Ruaha National Park is rich in plants and animal sightings including the Greater Kudu which cannot be found elsewhere in Tanzania. Ruaha National Park boasts of untouched, untampered with and largely unexplored ecosystem making tourists’ Tanzania safari experience very unique in Ruaha National Park.
Ruaha National Park Location
Ruaha National Park is located in the south central Tanzania west of Iringa town.
How large is Ruaha National Park?
Ruaha National Park is one of the largest protected areas in Tanzania and Africa, which tourists can visit for mazing Tanzania wildlife safaris. Ruaha National Park covers a total size of 20,226 square kilometers inhabiting an array of animal and bird species, rewarding travellers with amazing game drive experiences.
Ruaha National Park was first gazetted as Saba Game Reserve by the Germans in 1910 but was changed to Rungwa Game Reserve by the British in 1946. In the year 1964 the part of the South Eastern part of the Great Ruaha River was incorporated into the park size. In 2008 the Usangu Game Reserve and other wetlands were incorporated into the park, making it the largest Tanzania national park and one of the largest in East Africa.
What is Ruaha National Park famous for? / Attractions in Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is famous for its excellent wildlife sighting opportunities, grassy plains and hills, acacia and miombo forests which are a great inhabitant for wild animals and birds. There are a number of attractions in Ruaha National Park which tourists can encounter while on Tanzania safaris in Ruaha National Park. Ruaha National Park attractions include birds, animals, historical and cultural sites, vegetation, Rift Valley, rivers, natural springs, and landscapes.
Ruaha National Park Animals
Ruaha National Park animals are one of the top attractions in Ruaha National Park. Ruaha National Park animals include elephants, Greater Kudu Lesser Kudu, Sable antelopes, Roan antelopes, Wild dogs, lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, elands, impala, bat eared foxes, and jackals among so many others can be seen on Ruaha National Park game drives and other activities in Ruaha National Park.
Birds
Ruaha National Park is a birder’s paradise with more than 571 bird species. With over 571 birds in Ruaha National Park, some of the birds are migrating birds, from Europe, Asia, Australia, and Madagascar. Most birds in Ruaha National Park can be seen all throughout the year given the annexed Usangu basin is an Important Birding Area according to Birdlife International.
Vegetation
The vegetation in Ruaha National Park is beautifully characterised by semi-arid type of vegetation, baobab trees, acacia and other species. there are over 1650 plant species that have been identified in Ruaha National Park thus making botanists among other kind of travellers frequent the park on Ruaha National Park safaris.
Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley crosses Ruaha National Park. The Rift Valley escarpment wall along the western valley side is about 50-100m high in the north-eastern parts, giving amazing views to the travellers who visit Ruaha National Park.
Rivers
Ruaha National Park has a number of rivers running through the park, including Mzombe River, Mdonya River, Mwagusi River and Jongomero River along with the Great Ruaha River from where the park derives her name.
Landscapes
Ruaha National Park has undulating landscape which includes land and hills like Kilimamatonge, Nyamasombe, Nyangwa, Igawira, Kibiriti, Magangwe, Isukanvyiola, Ndetamburwa and Magangwe. These are great habitants for klipspringers.
Ruaha National Park Activities
With such a variety of attractions in Ruaha National Park, there are a number of activities in Ruaha National Park which tourists who visit Tanzania on Ruaha National Park safari. Some of the most amazing Ruaha National Park activities include game drives in Ruaha National Park, birding safaris, guided walking safaris, bush meals, camping, as well as community walks.
When Can I visit Ruaha National Park? / Ruaha National Park Best Time to Visit
Ruaha National Park can be visited all throughout the year. The best time to visit Ruaha National Park is during the dry season which a perfect time for game viewing as animals in Ruaha National Park gather in the still filled up rivers in Ruaha National Park. Birds in Ruaha National Park can be seen all throughout the year, but a variety of migrating birds can be seen in the wet season.
Getting to Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park can be accessed by both air and road. By air Ruaha National Park can be accessed by scheduled and chartered flights to the park mainly from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma as well as Dar es Salaam. The Ruaha National Park airstrips include Msembe and Jongomero airstrips. By road Ruaha National Park is about 130km from Iringa town and 625km from Dar es Salaam city. Getting to Ruaha National Park by air is most recommended given the long distance drives involved.
Ruaha National Park Accommodation
Ruaha National Park accommodation can be found both inside and in the outskirts of the park. Ruaha National Park accommodation is mostly luxury camping and lodges, with few mid-range and budget accommodation options. There are several luxury Ruaha National Park accommodation including Old Mdony River Tented Camp, Ruaha River Lodge, Mwagusi Safari Tented Camp, among others.
Ruaha National Park is one of the best Tanzania national parks that travellers can visit for mazing Tanzania safari tours. Travellers after some bit of exclusivity away from crowds could best opt to visit Ruaha National Park, leaving the northern safari circuit parks like Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park and even Lake Manyara National Park which are quite sought after by a number of travellers who visit Tanzania. Looking to explore Ruaha National Park? Get in touch with a reputable tour company to help you pitch together an amazing Ruaha National Park safari package, which you can also incorporated with other Tanzania safari destinations like Zanzibar.
