How to Get to Ruaha National Park?

How to Get to Ruaha National Park? Figuring out how to reach Ruaha National Park is a question every traveller should consider, as it is located in remote areas of Tanzania.  Ruaha National Park’s remoteness is part makes it one of the least visited national parks in Tanzania, however, the park’s inaccessibility has given it an advantage of remaining untouched with fascinating best-kept adventures and thus still reasonably accessible. There are various way to get to the park, but the easier way is by air transport means. Ruaha National Park is a vast and untamed area situated west of the Selous Game Reserve and south of Serengeti National Park, it is a really an amazing destination with its unbelievable Wildlife but its geographical location is a long distance from the big towns in Tanzania.

Getting Ruaha National Park by road

Ruaha National Park is situated abut 108km from Iringa which is easily passable all year round. It is about 625 Km from Dar es Salaam as well as 480 Km from Mbeya City. Driving   from Dar es Salaam can be quite challenging as the roads are bumpy and dusty as well as tiresome as it is a very long distance and takes about 10 hours’ drive on the road.  Upon arriving to the park, visitors are highly recommended to use 4×4 wheel drive vehicle since most roads within the park are all weather

Getting to Ruaha National Park by air

The easiest way on getting to the park is by Air. From Dar es Salaam and Arusha is the easiest way to travel to Ruaha. There are daily chartered flights with coastal aviation and safari Air link serving mainly from Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha, and Kigoma that land onto the park’s airstrips which are Airstrips are Msembe Airstrip at Msembe (park central station) and Jongomero Airstrip close to the Jongomero Ranger Post.

Coastal Aviation has also introduced a new flight service that links Serengeti National Park and Ruaha National Park. This is perfect for those who want to combine safaris in different parks. There are also flights that connect all the parks in the southern circuit, typically departing from Mikumi National Park or the Selous. If you’re starting your journey in Arusha, you can catch flights to the northern circuit that will also take you to Ruaha National Park.

About Ruaha National Park 

Ruaha National Park is situated in the central region of the country, Ruaha features a wide range of stunning landscapes, including steep hills and wide-open grasslands. This stunning park was the protected area was first established in 1910 as Saba game reserve. Later in 1946 the name was changed to Rungwa game reserve. The southern part of the reserve was then gazetted as Ruaha National Park. Ruaha National Park is 20,226 sq. km which makes it one of the Tanzania’s biggest national parks. Within the vast stunning remote landscape, there are diverse wildlife to explore. These include east African cheetahs, lions, buffaloes, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, giraffes, hippos, and sable antelopes among others.

More than 571 species of birds have been identified in the park, making it a great birding tour destination. As an important birding area, Ruaha national park diverse bird species include among others Meyer’s parrot, Southern ground hornbill, Tanzanian red-billed hornbill, White-bellied go-away-bird, White-bellied Bustard, Buff-crested Bustard, and Black-bellied Bustard

Vegetation in Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is home to variety of plants species including riverine forests, Miombo woodlands and open savannah with acacia trees, kopjes, dry bush lands, rolling hills, flat plains, and swamps. Ruaha National Park also hosts a number of rivers like River Jongomero, Great Ruaha River, Mwagusi and Mzombe which serve as lifeline of the park. The waterfalls along the Ruaha River serve as habitat for crocodiles, hippos and other aquatic wildlife.

In the dry season, the Ruaha River shrinks down to a few waterholes, which attract predators who lie in wait for antelopes coming to drink. The riverine vegetation on the shores around the river helps provide enough cover for predators making it the best hunting ground in the park. Overall, the rich vegetation throughout Ruaha serves as a perfect home for a wide range of plants and animals, providing excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Wildlife in Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park in East Africa is famous for its large elephant population, which numbers around 10,000. But that’s not all the park has to offer; it is also home to a variety of other mammals. Some animals are commonly seen, while others are a bit more elusive. You might spot Lion, Cheetah, Wild Dog, Leopard, Hyena, jackals and bat-eared foxes. Other large mammals in the park include Elephant, Buffalo, White and Black Rhino. You can also find Giraffe, Wildebeest, Hippo, Zebra, lesser kudu, greater kudu, elands and various types of antelopes, such as lesser and greater kudu, elands, and others. Ruaha is unique as it’s the only park in East Africa where you can see both lesser and greater kudu together.

In addition to its mammals, Ruaha is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 570 species, including both resident and migratory birds. Some notable bird species you may encounter are the Yellow-collared lovebird, goliath heron, emerald-spotted wood dove, white-bellied go-away -bird, Eleonora’s falcon, Ruaha red-billed hornbill, collared palm-thrush, crested barbet, southern ground hornbill, sooty falcon, buff-crested bustard, Namaqua dove, ashy starling, African fish eagle, long-crested eagle, red- cheeked Cordonbleu, golden-breasted bunting, red-billed quelea, African grey flycatcher among others. These birds thrive in the park’s savannah woodlands, which are beautifully scattered with acacia and baobab trees.

Accommodation in Ruaha national park

Ruaha National Park offers a variety of places to stay that cater to different budgets, from affordable options to more upscale accommodations. Some of the choices you can find there include; Kigelia camp, Jongomero camp, Ruaha River Lodge, Mwagusi safari camp, Tandala tented camp, Sunset Mountain lodge, Ruaha hilltop lodge, Jabali Ridge among others.