In the morning, you fly from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi and can already enjoy a fascinating view of the rich wildlife and spectacular landscapes of southern Tanzania during the flight. On arrival, you will be met at the airstrip and taken to a lodge nearby in Mikumi National Park for your lunch. In the afternoon, you will go on your first game drive and gain an insight into the wildlife and nature of Mikumi, which is home to a very special ecosystem. Four different vegetation zones converge here: Miombo woodland from southern Africa, dry bushveld from the north, the coastal areas from the east and the mountains of Uluguru and Ruhumero in the north and west. Like the different habitats, the wildlife in each area is also different. Lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, several species of antelope and many other animals can be spotted. The African wild dog, which is an endangered species, can still be found here in large herds. Mikumi National Park is also an important center for observing primates, such as the yellow baboon. The national park is surrounded by an arc of towering mountains that encircle Mikumi to the north, east and west. Perhaps it is the shadows of the mountains that bathe the landscapes of Mikumi in an almost magical light, bringing out the most beautiful colors. The impressive light conditions and splendid colors will delight photographers. You spend your night in a lodge inside the park.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Today you will go on a trip to the fascinating Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The drive to the Udzungwa Mountains takes around 1½ hours. Pristine, remote and ancient – the forested Udzungwa Mountains are a magical and charming place, an untouched, green paradise interspersed with primeval nature and home to many endemic animal and plant species. The Udzungwa Mountains are one of the most biodiverse areas on the entire continent. More than 25% of all plant species are endemic and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Udzungwa may not be a typical safari destination, but it is an attraction for hikers and nature lovers. The national park offers an exceptionally good network of forest trails. There are no passable roads within the park, so only hikes through the rainforest are possible. We take a hike through the untouched nature, past trees up to 30 meters high and with a view of the unbroken canopy of the ancient forest, to the Sanje waterfalls, which plunge almost 170 meters into the depths. From up here you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Rift Valley below. The hiking tour leads partly over steep passages. Alternatively, shorter hikes are also possible. On the way you can get to know the unique flora and fauna of the Udzungwa Mountains. With a bit of luck, you may spot dwarf galagos, tiny primates with huge beady eyes, amidst the dense, pristine nature, before returning to Mikumi National Park. You spend your night inside the park.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, you will go on another game drive and enjoy the wildlife and natural beauty of Mikumi one last time. You will then be taken to the airstrip and fly to Ruaha National Park. You will be met at the airstrip and transferred to your lodge. In the afternoon, you will go on a game drive and get a first insight into the fascinating flora and fauna of the huge protected area, where an extraordinary variety of habitats awaits you. The vegetation ranges from tree savannahs, semi-arid plains with baobab trees to green miombo woodlands and rugged riverine landscapes, and the river valleys are impressive with acacias, tamarind trees, palms and open grassland. The hilly plateau of the park is covered with baobabs, woodland and scattered acacia trees. The flora of the park will also impress you, there are more than 1400 different plant species, much more than in the Serengeti, where there are only 600 different species. In the midst of this landscape, you can observe giraffes foraging for food, herds of elephants, zebras risking their lives to make their way to the scattered waterholes to catch a sip of the vital commodity. Your lodge is in an exceptionally good location in a bend of the great Ruaha River and offers wonderful views of the river, which is frequented by many animals for drinking. From the lodge you can relax and watch the park’s wildlife. Numerous hippos and crocodiles live in the river and you can even watch lions and leopards hunting from the lodge. You spend the night inside the park. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The next two days are spent with game viewing in Ruaha National Park, where you can observe pure wilderness on your game drives: larger prides of lion, cheetahs racing across the vast savannah and the graceful leopard, which lies in wait, protected by the thicket. Ruaha is particularly known for its huge elephant population, so your chances of spotting a “weighty” representative of the “Big Five” are guaranteed. In addition to a large variety of antelopes, you can spot hunters such as the endangered African wild dog or the crocodile in the river water, hippos, hyenas and jackals. Remarkable is the greater kudu, which is known for its corkscrew-shaped horns. It is also the animal symbol of the Ruaha park emblem. For bird lovers and ornithologists, the national park is a true paradise. Estimates put the number of species at around 500, including the colorful tricolored glossy starling, Kaffir hornbill, two-spotted kingfisher and mighty lesser spotted eagle. During the long dry season, Ruaha’s rich wildlife is concentrated along the Great Ruaha River and the few remaining waterholes. This makes game viewing particularly easy at this time. In the rainy season, the park is transformed into a completely new world; the leaves of the trees burst forth and bathe the landscape in a soft green, the Ruaha River swells up into a proud river. You spend your nights inside the park. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner