Tanzania Safari – The Best Attractions in Southern Tanzania
Tanzania southern tourist circuit includes Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park and Udzungwa National Park. Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest reserves in Africa and remains untarnished by volume of visitors and affords visitors low-impact exclusivity, unlike the usual tourist haunts of the Northern Tanzania like the Serengeti ecosystem. It was named after Sir Frederick Selous, a famous British big game hunter and early conservationist, who died in this territory in 1917.
The seleous game reserve is served by rivers Rufiji, Ruaha and Kiliombero. This reserve supports a big population of the big five plus wildebeest, zebra, bush buck. The vegetation comprises of dense of miombo and Mopane thickets, expansive plains and a large selection of trees with thick evergreen bush along the riverine areas.
The Selous game reserve has at its disposal open four wheel drive vehicles or one could also choose to have the bush experience the old fashioned way by camping, hiking or foot safaris.
Visitors who opt to indulge in foot safaris or game walks within the reserve are accompanied by an armed park ranger. This is probably the most indigenous way to reconnect with Mother Nature. There are magnificent sight to see like the rolling grass plains, wetlands, swamps and dense forests.
The Rufigi River Delta is a striking feature of the game reserve. It connects the Great Ruaha River with the Rufigi River and not far from the park boundaries empties out into the Indian Ocean along the Tanzanian Coast. The Rufigi River is the largest water catchment locations in the region, and as such, is home to a plethora of varied water and bird life. You can take a boat safari where you will explore the different channels and lakes of the Rufiji River System. The water is usually full of hundreds of hippos as well as groups of crocodiles that laze in the sun on the sandbanks in the river. The river also teems with large variety of water birds like herons, storks, ducks and stilts.
Scheduled flights operate every day from Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar with a transfer at Mtemere airstrip. Flights from Dar es Salaam take 45 minutes. Distance from Dar es Salaam is 250 km, via Kibiti and 250km from Morogoro via Uluguru Mountain.
For visitors seeking accommodation they can find it at the Rufiji River Camp. It is well equipped with 20 private tents and is ideally located on the banks of Rufiji River. Each tend has a private verandah that has a commanding view of the river plus a bathroom. The bar & restaurant is the epicenter of the camp. The camp sports a large swimming poll with sun loungers and a library.
A visit to Selous Game Reserve offers visitors the opportunity to visit the nearby Mikumi National Park and Udzungwa National Park, and the three locations make a varied and pleasant safari circuit.
The Mikumi National park is acclaimed for its diversified animal population that comprises of elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, elands, antelopes. As it is the norm with every food chain predators are present like the jackal, wild hunting dogs, and leopards and last but not least we have the king of the jungle the lion.
Vuma Hills Tented Camp offers luxury accommodation in Mikumi National Park The restaurant/bar area is very pleasant having good views of the plain and provides an ideal place to relax and eat. As with all the tented camps the menu is limited, but the food is good. There is a small, well maintained swimming pool, overlooked by the restaurant.
The Vuma tented camp is a 2 hour journey from THE National mountain park of Udzungwa which offers the ideal choice for travelers to go hiking or walking. Its is a haven of choice with bird watchers and boasts to having over 400 bird species.
For those who want an off beaten track safari, Tanzanias southern circuit is worth considering.
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