Tanzania's Southern Parks

Selous Game Reserve

The Selous, occupying an enormous land area of 55,000 sq.km. is the largest Game Reserve in Africa. The Reserve is one of Africa's greatest wilderness, where the forest and bush are untamed and the animals unmolested by man. The Rufiji River system which flows through the Reserve, flooding it during rain season, further limits human trespass into this animal kingdom which boasts of over a million wild animals including some of the biggest population of elephants in the world.

Other species commonly seen are lion, wild dog, buffalo, bushbuck, impala, warthog, leopard, hartebeest, rhino, sable antelope, reedbuck, waterbuck, giraffe, eland, baboon, zebra, greater kudu and the countless hippos and crocodiles which flock the Rufiji River (the greatest in East Africa).

Walking safaris accompanied by a ranger can be organised together with game drives and boat trips. The Selous is inaccessible during the rainy season - March to May - due to floods and the best time to visit the Reserve is from June to October.

Ruaha National Park

Covering 18,000 sq.km. this relatively new and undisturbed Park is one of Tanzania's largest elephant sanctuaries.

Its name derives from the great Ruaha River which flows along its entire eastern border creating spectacular gorges and scenery. Hippo, crocodile and fish inhabit the river. The Park is rich in all forms of wildlife,except some of the typical plains animals such as Thomson's gazelle,wildebeest and topi whose range does not extend into this area.

On the other hand, both Grants gazelle and ostrich are found in the Park as well as the rare greater and lesser kudu and the roan and sable antelope. The birdlife is very interesting and varied and over 370 species have been recorded here, some of which are not found in Northern Tanzania.

Katavi

Filling the floor of the Rukwa Valley - a minor fault of the western rift - Katavi National Park spans over a million acres. From the escarpments, fragile rivers run down through Tamarind, Fig and Albida forests to feed vast floodplains. Across these plains run the last great herds of buffalo in East Africa. Hippopotamus mass along the creeks, grazing and sparring in the high heat of the day; elephant shake fruit from the great borassus palms. This truly is the land of the megaherbivores.

Chada Katavi is situated in the core of Katavi National Park, reputed to be one of the wildest places on earth. From its elevated vantage point on a peninsula that rises out of the miombo woodland, the camp is perfectly positioned for panoramic views over the Chada plain.The canopy of acacias, kigelias and tamarinds are a popular source of shade and food for the abundant bird and animal species that inhabit the region, creating world-class game viewing opportunities, almost without you having to leave the camp. But the true wonder of Chada Katavi awaits when you venture out to meet the animals face to face.

From Chada Katavi you can take your pick from game drives in open 4 wheel drive vehicles, walking with an armed guide, fly camping out for the night under the stars or simply enjoying soaking it all up from your tent veranda. With a maximum of 12 guests in camp at any time, you are guaranteed as much privacy and isolation as you wish.

Within Katavi lies an abundance of wildlife with huge herds of plains game spread across the flood plains and forests, rivers and escarpments. Predators are plentiful, especially lion and leopard, and birdlife is prolific.

Mahale

150km down the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika is a mountainous forest island called Mahale National park. The mountains rise up from the water to 2500m, their western slopes carpeted with rich semi-tropical gallery forest; all around, below, is the somewhat monotonous, dry bushland that covers most of western Tanzania. Mahale National Park is home to the Mimikere Group Chimpanzee population - they cover a home range of around 15 square miles. These chimps are completely wild but are habituated to humans.

On a wide, golden beach along the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika, sheltered by the dense forests of the Mahale Mountains, is the tiny sanctuary of Greystoke Mahale. This most isolated of settings is home to the world’s largest known population of chimpanzees, with approximately 1000 inhabiting the Mahale Forest. Greystoke Mahale Camp is located within hiking distance of the chimpanzees, making it the world’s premiere location for studying and interacting with these almost human animals. Your home at Greystoke Mahale is one of only six double tents, which are tucked away beneath the palms along the edge of the beach. As the sun sinks slowly into the horizon, there’s nothing better than a refreshing swim in the lake before heading to the large, covered dining area to catch up with the other guests or simply relax and read a book from the small library.

Lake Tanganyika is the largest body of fresh water in Africa and home to a variety of Cichlids living around the underwater rock formations off the lake shore. Hippopotamus group in small pods also making for a unique wildlife experience by boat looking down through the crystal clear waters to see the water horses trundling along the lake bottom.

An evening sundowner aboard a traditional Arab Dhow compliments the other activities at Mahale celebrating the end of a magnificent day!

Please contact us for more information on Chimp tracking and water activities on Lake Tanganyika with Wildlife Explorer

Rubondo Island National Park

The Park is situated in the south-western end of Lake Victoria. Covering an area of approximately 93 square miles, the Island has various indigenous animals including hippo, bushbuck, crocodile, marsh mongoose and vervet monkeys. The main attraction among these indigenous species is the sitatunga (antelope).

There are no large predators. The range of habitat (savannah and open woodland to dense forest and papyrus swamps), makes Rubondo a bird watchers paradise. Its population includes both water and forest species - either residents of East and Central Africa or migrants from Europe and South America. Frequently seen are fish eagle, martial eagle, Goliath heron, sacred ibis, saddle-billed stork, kingfisher, cuckoo, bee-eaters, sunbirds and many different water-fowl.

There are no vehicles on Rubondo so viewing is either on foot or by boat and the island is reached by chartered plane.