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Introduction to Ruaha National Park

Hot, wild, and vast, the Ruaha National Park offers an ultimate daytime game drive safari.

On top of that, the park is outstanding in showcasing the crossover of Southern and East African flora and fauna species.

So, remember to bring your binoculars and camera on the trip!

Why visit Ruaha National Park?

Ruaha is well known for its high densities of elephants, with over 10,000 individuals.

The park also houses enormous numbers of predators like the 20 prides of lions, lions, and cheetahs.

Ruaha also houses over 500 permanent and seasonal bird species, making the park a birders’ paradise.

The park is renowned for its excellent wildlife viewing opportunities with only a few visitors, making it an ideal destination for those who dislike touristy parks.

It is the biggest safari park in Tanzania, with a pleasantly dry climate and dramatic scenery, perfect for picture-taking opportunities.

The park offers a rare game-viewing experience spiced up by Ruaha’s incredibly stunning landscape.

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Getting to Ruaha National Park

By Road

Traveling from Dar es Salaam will take around 10 hours to drive to Ruaha National Park.

By Air

Flying is the best way to reach Ruaha. Coastal Aviation offers daily flights from Serengeti, Dar es Salaam, Selous, Arusha, and Zanzibar.

Best Time to visit Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is the usual dry-season park.

That said, visiting during the dry season from June to October is the best choice. These months offer unbeatable game viewing opportunities.

That’s because, during the dry season, animals usually gather around water sources, giving visitors some of the best wildlife viewings.

Let's plan your trip around Ruaha National Park.

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Weather in Ruaha National Park

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Things to do in Ruaha National Park

Though renowned for excellent game viewing, Ruaha has a lot to offer. Check out some of these things below.

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Wildlife in Ruaha National Park

There’s no limit to what you can see in Ruaha. Thus, you better not leave your binoculars at home!

Among the animals you'll likely encounter in Ruaha are the lesser and greater kudu. They have spiral horns and white hair between their eyes.

Greater Kudu

Ruaha houses several antelope species, including sable antelopes. You can identify species with their long faces, short necks, dark mane, and impressive ringed horns.

Antelopes

Since Ruaha is vast, striped-hyenas sightings are not guaranteed. However, you can recognize them with their dark eyes, thick muzzle, broad heads, and large pointed ears.

Striped Hyena

Housing over 10,000 individuals of elephants, these animals are among the wildlife you'll see during your Ruaha trip. These gentle giants will surely satisfy you during your visit.

Elephants

Another animal encounter you'll likely have in Ruaha is the giraffes. These animals usually tower over the park's trees, making them easier to spot.

Giraffe

With their horse-like bodies and unique black-and-white prints, zebras are surely one of the animals worth seeing in Ruaha. They have interestingly short, erect hair and tufted tails.

Zebras

Distinguished by their well-camouflaged fur, leopards are among the animals that reside in Ruaha. They usually live in arid and montane areas and can run up to 58 km/h (36 mph).

Leopards

The world's largest reptiles are among the animals you'll likely see on your Ruaha trip. They own powerful jaws, many conical teeth, and webbed toes.

Crocodiles

Distinguished by their well-camouflaged fur, leopards are among the animals that reside in Ruaha and can run up to 58 km/h (36 mph).

Hippos

Brave, strong, and stubborn—buffalos are one of the Big Five you'll likely see in Ruaha. These animals have massive heads, triangular-shaped horns, and ox-like bodies.

Buffalo

Wild dog sightings are rare as one of the world's most endangered animals. Hence, you'll only see them if you are lucky enough.

Wild Dogs

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Birds in Ruaha National Park

There are over 500 resident and seasonal bird species in Ruaha. So, get your binoculars out because your eyes will surely get busy!

Distinguished by its huge size and greyish-purple color, the goliath heron can interestingly weigh up to 4 to 5 kilograms.

Goliath heron

When you do birdwatching, one bird species you'll likely spot is the long-crested eagle. These eagles are relatively small, with black and white bands and all-dark feathers.

Long-crested eagle

Usually found in the park's low and middle elevations, the Namaqua dove is among the birds you'll likely see during your Ruaha visit.

Namaqua dove

The southern ground hornbills are interestingly about the size of a turkey. They are recognized by their yellow eyes, jet-black feathers, and bright red throat.

Southern ground hornbill

A relatively small and slim bird, the long-tailed hornbills are often found in areas with acacias and scenic baobabs. So, make sure to have your binoculars ready!

Tanzanian red-billed hornbill

Like mousebirds, white-bellied go-away birds have long tails with smoky-grey plumage. On top of that, they have towering crests, making them look more attractive.

White-bellied go-away bird

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Landscape in Ruaha National Park

Located remotely, Ruaha boasts stunningly diverse landscapes abundant with wildlife. Check out some of these landscapes below.

Another notable landscape in Ruaha is the Miombo woodlands. This landscape comprises a sparse open deciduous woodland of Eastern Africa's dry parts.

Miombo Woodlands

The Great Ruaha River is a vital water source in the park, flowing through the east of the Rufiji River and the Usangu wetlands.

Great Ruaha River

Another landscape that you'll see in Ruaha is acacia woodlands. This is where some lions often climb.

Acacia Woodlands

Known as the Tree of Life, the scenic baobab trees dot Ruaha. These trees are enormous, looking like an upside-down umbrella.

Scenic baobab trees

Another distinctive landscape found in Ruaha is grassy plains and hills. This is where some animals graze freely and enjoy their time.

Grassy plains and hills

Ruaha is known for its rugged parts due to its remoteness. These are rocky outcrops—which comprise exposed bedrock areas.

Rocky outcrops

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Where to stay in Ruaha National Park

Refreshing, comfortable, and affordable best describes Ruaha’s accommodations, especially the Jabali Ridge. Check out your other best options below.

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Reviews of Ruaha National Park

Top questions answered for Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is unlike anywhere you’ve been before. So, you have questions. We’ve been visiting for decades. So, we have answers.

When was Ruaha National Park established?

The Ruaha National Park was established in 1964 by Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). Since then, more areas close to the park have been systematically added.

After ten years, a South Eastern land in the Great Ruaha River was added. By 2008, an important wetland area surrounding the Usangu Game Reserve was integrated too.

At that time, it was Tanzania’s largest national park until 2019, when Nyerere National Park—formerly Selous Game Reserve—was declared in the South. Currently, at 20,226 kilometers square, the Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s second largest national park.

What is Ruaha National Park famous for?

Ruaha National Park is famous for its excellent wildlife sightings. If you combine this with the low number of visitors, this makes Ruaha an incredible safari destination.

How many elephants are there in Ruaha?

Ruaha houses the largest elephant concentration in East Africa, with around 10,000 elephant individuals. That said, your eyes will surely get enough of these gentle giants.

How large is Ruaha National Park?

The Ruaha National Park covers a total area of 20,226km². It is also a vital part of the Rungwa-Kizigo-Muhesi ecosystem, spanning an area of 45,000km²comprising Kizigo and Muhesi Game Reserves, Rungwa Game Reserve, and the Mbomipa Wildlife Management Area.

The Rungwa-Kizigo-Muhesi ecosystem combines the best East and Southern African nature and unbeatable wildlife.

How many lions are in Ruaha National Park?

On average, there are approximately 30 individuals of pride. Given these numbers, the lions specialize in large prey like buffalo and giraffes.

Where to camp in Ruaha?

While five public campsites in Ruaha offer tent space, many private operations within the park provide glamping opportunities in permanent and seasonal camps. Some offers include a “back to the basics” approach, which comprises a meal, a tent, and a fire.

Others offer more extravagant outfitters, boasting luxury camping suites and main tented lodges like the Kigelia Camp, Kichaka Expedition Camp, and Ikuka Permanent Tented Camp.

Where did the name of the park come from?

The park gets its name from the Great Ruaha River, which flows through its southeastern section, attracting a wide range of wildlife.

What is so unique about the Ruaha National Park?

As one of Tanzania’s most remote safari destinations, the Ruaha National Park is among the least-frequented parks in the country. This, combined with the park’s enormous size, makes the safaris here feel super-exclusive.

Sharing sightings with other vehicles is very rare. Moreover, few wild places like this are left in the world, making Ruaha more special.

On top of that, Ruaha’s flourishing ecosystem is pristine and stunning, dotted with ancient and scenic baobab trees.

What is the wildlife experience like in the Ruaha National Park?

The wildlife experience in Ruaha National Park is spectacular. Combined with the low number of visitors annually, the park offers a pleasant and uncrowded game-viewing experience.

The park also boasts the highest elephant concentration in East Africa and houses about 10% of the world’s lion population. Also, on the Great Ruaha River’s shores, you will likely encounter countless hippos and crocodiles cooling themselves from the sun’s heat.

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Other parks, lakes, and mountains

Besides visiting the largest national park in Tanzania, you may add other parks to your main safari destination, such as those shown below.

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