10 Days Southern Tanzania Safari & Isimila Stone Age Site

Southern Tanzania is the ultimate definition of true African wilderness experience, an area home to some of the purest remaining tracts of bush in Africa boasting a few select national parks and reserves.

Tanzania’s southern parks offer the real bush experience Most of the accommodations are in the high-end of the price range, because they are intimate and cater to small groups. Southern Tanzanian camps offer a variety of different ways of seeing the wildlife – Boat safaris, walking safaris, sleeping out under the stars are just some of the activities that you will expect to take on while on safari in southern Tanzania.

Safari highlights

• Game drives and boat cruise in Nyerere national park
• Game drives in Ruaha national park
• Hiking in Udzungwa Mountains
• Game drives in Mikumi national park
• Visit the Isimila Stone Age site

Detailed safari itinerary

Day 1: Drive from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere national park

Morning depart for Nyerere NP, you will have a short break for hot lunch in Kibiti. The journey to Nyerere national park will take about 5 to 6 hours. Arrive for afternoon boat safari along the mighty Great Rufiji River.

Boat safari brings you into close contact with hippo, crocodile and fantastic birdlife. Animals make their way to the river to drink and boat may approach elephant, waterbuck and other on the river banks to within a few meters. Crocodile glide into the water as your boat approaches and hippo appear in frightening proximity, grunting and blowing steam.

Day 2: Full day game drive in Nyerere NP

You will have full day game drive In Nyerere NP exploration of the park by 4wd vehicle; will permit you to have good photographic opportunities and the chance to explore different sections of vast park.
The Nyerere NP is now the largest National Park in Africa, is a newly established Park which is part of what is known as Selous Game Reserve. The Park has been established in year 2019 and covers an area of over 30,000 square kilometers. Nyerere NP is famous for its Elephants, commonly seen are lions, wild dogs, buffalo, bushbuck, impalas, elands, baboons, zebra, wildebeest and greater kudu.

Day 3: Morning Walking safari and drive to Morogoro town

After morning breakfast you will check out of the lodge and head to the park to meet the armed safari guides that will lead to the park on foot, Nyerere national park is famous for elephants. Other species commonly seen are lions, wild dogs, buffaloes, bush bucks, impalas, elands, baboons, zebras and greater kudus. It was originally set aside as a hunting area where animals are abundant but more shy then the Northern Parks after discovering the park on foot you will then drive to Morogoro town for overnight

Day 4: Drive from Morogoro to Ruaha National Park

After breakfast start the journey to Ruaha National Park with stopover in Iringa Town for lunch.
Afternoon game drives in the park look hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, reedbuck and buffalo venture to the river’s edge to drink, attracting the attention of lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. There are many birds in the park include migrants that comes to visit the park twice a year.

Day 5: Full day game drive in Ruaha National Park

After Morning breakfast, you will head out with packed lunch for full day game drives in Ruaha National Park.

A fine network of game viewing roads follows the Great Ruaha River and its seasonal tributaries, where during the dry season impala, waterbuck and other antelopes risk their life for a sip of life sustaining water. And the risk is considerable not only from the pride of 20-plus lion that lord over the savannah, but also from the cheetah that stalk the open grassland.

Day 6: Another full day game drive in Ruaha National Park

Wake up for early morning game drive which will take about two hours then drive back at the cottage for breakfast. After breakfast you will proceed with full day game drive to explore the beautiful of the park, with its full of rocky, kopjes and ancient baobab trees. Lunch time you will drive back to the cottage for hot lunch. After lunch you will continue with game drive until sunset.

Day 7: Drive from Ruaha NP to Udzungwa Mountain NP via Isimila Stone Age Site

After breakfast you will start driving to Isimila Stone Age Site via Iringa town. This tour will take about two hours then drive to Udzungwa Mountain National Park.

The tour of the site begins at the little museum where a guide gives a brief introduction to the formation of the site and explains more about the fossils and tools that are displayed. The tour then continues into the canyon down a steep footpath. Once there the guide shows you some of the beds where the tools were found and explained how the rock towers were formed. The walk is very scenic, the earth has a warm reddish tint and it is also a good spot to see birds.

Day 8: Full day hiking in Udzungwa Rainforest Mountain

Udzungwa Mountain NP is one of Tanzania’s most outstanding, pristine, paradise and unique exciting wilderness mountains forested with greatest altitudinal range of forest. It is one of the thirty four “World Biodiversity Hotspot” and one of 200 WWF Eco Region of global critical importance, With Picnic lunch you will hike to the wonderful Sanje waterfall which is 170m high. You can get a chance to swim in one of the waterfall plunge pools. You will walk up to 1600m above sea level with beautiful view of Kilombero valley. You will get the chance to see six species of monkeys include endemic species of Sanje Crested Mangabey and Iringa Red Colobus Monkey.

Day 9: Drive from Udzungwa to Mikumi national park for game drives

After breakfast check out and start your journey to Mikumi National Park this will take about two hours. Arrive for game drive in Mikumi NP.

Animals commonly found Include lion, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, elephants and many more. Wild dog can come and go in this park. The open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata Floodplain. Over 300 species of birds have been observed in this park.

Day 10: Visit the Maasai Tribe hen drive back to Dar es Salaam

Wake up for breakfast in the camp and later drive to visit the Maasai tribe. Today you will get the chance to visit Maasai Boma to see how they live and get the history of their tribe. After visiting Maasai Boma you will start driving back to Dar es Salaam with a short stop for hot lunch in Morogoro town.

Safari includes

• Accommodation
• Vehicle, guide and Fuel
• All park entrance fees
• All game drives
• Walking safaris and boat cruises
• Government taxes
• Conservation fees
• Hiking fees in Udzungwa national park
• Entrance fees to Isimila stone age site
• Enroute meals and drinking water

Safari excludes

• International flights
• Tanzania tourist Visa
• Travel insurance
• tips
• alcoholic drinks
• pre and post safari accommodation
• optional activities not included on the final itinerary

When to book the safari packages

3 to 6 months in advance.

Best time to visit Southern Tanzania for a safari

The best time to visit southern Tanzania is any time outside of the March to early May rains. This can cause travel disruption in the remote south, and wildlife disperses as food and water become more abundant.