Iringa to Ruaha National Park and Afternoon Safari
Ruaha is an outstanding safari park because it showcases a crossover of East and Southern African species in both flora and fauna. One reason for the hordes of animals in Ruaha is the Great Ruaha River, a vital water source throughout the year, especially during the dry season. The reliability of the river contributes greatly to the success of game drives in this region, as animals gather predictably along its long shores.
Lions live here in large prides, often numbering more than twenty individuals. Leopards and cheetahs love hunting on the open plains, while many smaller species are equally at home here - serval, caracal, civet, genet, and banded wildcat. Cheetahs are remarkably common, making sightings of the three main cat species very likely - something that is rare anywhere in Africa nowadays.
Other mammals also thrive in Ruaha in abundance. The park's elephant herds are absolutely humongous. Buffalo are plentiful too, as are zebra, giraffe, hippopotamus, and an exciting assortment of antelope species such as roan, sable, eland, impala, gazelle, reedbuck, hartebeest, and klipspringer - along with the largest population of greater kudu in all East Africa. Predators, in addition to the cats, include black-backed jackal, spotted hyena, and the less common striped hyena. The park is also an important area for wild dog, hosting more than a hundred dogs at last count.
Transfer to Ruaha National Park with pick-up from your hotel, then depart for the park. It takes about 3 hours to reach the main entrance. After checking in, start your game drive, followed by lunch. Later, enjoy afternoon and evening game drives until late sunset. After dinner, spend time around the bonfire, sharing stories about African culture and wildlife. Dinner and overnight stay inside the park.
