The Ruaha National Park is the second largest natural park in Tanzania. It is situated inland and the fact that it’s difficult to reach, makes it a pristine location. It is named after the Great Ruaha river which, like the other rivers, such as Mwagusi, Jongomero, and Mzombe, has the fundamental role as the lifeline of the National park.
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.
About Ruaha National Park
Size: 130 kilometres (81 mi).
Location: Northern Tanzania, northeast of Arusha town..
Getting there
By air
There are both scheduled and chartered flights into the park mainly from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma and Dar-es-salaam. Park’s airstrips are located at Msembe and Jongomero
By road
It is about 130km drive from Iringa town and 625km from Dar-es-salaam city.
The road into the park is passable throughout the year.
Accommodation
There are park and privately owned facilities
Park facilities
– Self catering tourist bandas
– Special camping sites
– Public camping sites
– Rest house
– Hostel for school groups
– Park cottages
– Family cottage
– Single room with sitting room
– Single room without sitting room
What to do
Tourism activities in the park include Game viewing, long and short wilderness walking safari, bird watching, picnic, bush meals (break-fast, lunch, dinner) in the untouched bushes.
The wet season (January –April) is best for bird watching, lush scenery and wildflowers. The male Greater kudu is most visible in June which is their breeding season