Classic Southern Explorer 8 Nights/9 Days

Tour Summary/ Features:

The safari takes you to the top parks in southern Tanzania in a leisurely 9 days. You start with majestic Selous, the largest protected wildlife sanctuary in the whole of Africa. Selous, a UN World Heritage site, is a pristine wilderness of rolling savanna woodland, grassland plains with a network of lake and rivers. You have the chance to view game in a novel way, while sailing or rafting down the Rufiji River. Then to unspoilt Ruaha, home to thousands of elephants and numerous plain animals and the predators that follow them -lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. Then you head to Mikumi, where all the usual suspects of wild Africa have gathered, not to mention a few peculiar ones such as yellow baboons. Your stay is in top class accommodation throughout

Day 1: Selous 0700 hrs- depart by road for Selous Game Reserve, making it for lunch at Rufiji River Camp. At 1500 hrs, enjoy an evening game drive in the Selous Game Reserve. Selous Game Reserve occupies an area larger than Switzerland and is the largest protected wildlife sanctuary in the whole of Africa. This UN World Heritage site is a pristine wilderness of rolling savanna woodland, grassland plains with a network of lake and rivers. The lifeblood of the Selous is the Rufiji River and sailing or rafting down the river is a novel way of seeing game. You will find an amazing concentration of wildlife including elephant, lion, buffalo, crocodile, hippo, and wild dog. Other species resident here are zebra, baboon, giraffe, greater kudu, baboon, bushbuck and impala. Dinner and overnight at Rufiji River CampDay 2: Selous0800 hrs- armed with your lunch box, depart for a full day tour of the Selous. Dinner and overnight at Rufiji River CampDay 3: Selous 0700 hrs- go for an early morning walking safari, returning to the Camp for lunch. 1500 hrs- take an evening boat safari on the mighty Rufiji River. This is a superb way of sporting game especially in the dry season between June and October. Crocodiles, hippo, and various antelope species can be seen.Dinner and overnight at Rufiji River CampDay 4: Selous0800 hrs- collect your lunch box and proceed for a full day tour of the Selous. Dinner and overnight at Rufiji River CampDay 5: Selous/Mikumi 0700 hrs- check out from Rufiji River Camp. Armed with your lunch box depart for Mikumi National Park, to the north of the Selous Game Reserve. You will enjoy game viewing enroute with a stop over for lunch. Mikumi is located 300 km for Dar es Saalam and is the most accessible park for those departing from Tanzania's capital. Prominent features of the park are the Mikumi flood plain and the mountain ranges that rise on two sides of the park. You will encounter elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, wildebeest, eland and Lichtenstein's hartebeest. Lion and wild dogs are among the carnivores common here. Towards the southern end of the flood plain live families of yellow baboon. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Many are Eurasian migrants who stay between October and April. Dinner and overnight at Vuma Hill Camp Day 6: Mikumi/Ruaha 0600 hrs -depart before sunset for Ruaha National Park. You arrive in time for lunch at Ruaha River Lodge. At 1500 hrs go for an evening game drive in the park. Ruaha National Park is an unspoilt wildlife park in central Tanzania. It occupies 10,000 sq km and carries 8000 tuskers making it the biggest elephant sanctuary in the country. The Great Ruaha River with its spectacular gorges flows along the parks' eastern border and is host to hippo and crocodile. The river is the parks lifeblood and provides drink for waterbuck, reedbuck and buffalo. This in turn attracts the predators: lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. Plain animals thriving in the grasslands of the Ruaha include: greater and lesser kudu, impala, sable and roan antelope, giraffe, zebra, dik-dik and Grants gazelle. Birds are plenty too- over 370 species have been recorded. Ruaha River Lodge is the only safari lodge built along the banks of the Great Ruaha River. Dinner and overnight at Ruaha River Lodge Day 7: Ruaha After breakfast, pack your picnic lunch in readiness for a full day tour of the Ruaha National Park. Dinner and overnight at Ruaha River LodgeDay 8: Mikumi 0600 hrs- check out early from Ruaha River Lodge for your return to Mikumi National Park. You will have lunch at the Vuma Hill Camp. Proceed at 1500 hrs for an evening game drive in the park. Dinner and overnight at Vuma Hill Camp Day 9: Mikumi/Dar es Salaam 0800 hrs- enjoy a morning game drive in Mikumi National Park. You return for lunch at 1200 hrs and thereafter depart for Dar es Salaam.