Southern Circuit 8-Day Safari Adventure

The Southern Circuit of Tanzania offers a more remote, wild, and less crowded safari experience compared to the popular Northern Circuit. It’s characterized by vast, untamed wilderness and different safari activities.

Best Time to Go:

Dry Season (June to October): This is the prime time for the Southern Circuit. Animals concentrate around permanent water sources (like the Rufiji River in Nyerere and the Ruaha River in Ruaha), making them easier to spot. The vegetation is thinner, and the weather is generally dry and sunny. This is when game viewing is at its peak.
Shoulder Season (November-March): While more challenging due to potential rains, the ‘green season’ offers lush scenery, excellent birdwatching (migratory birds), and often good opportunities to see young animals. It’s significantly less crowded and offers better rates.

Typical Itinerary Outline:

Day 1: Arrival in Dar es Salaam & Fly to Nyerere National Park.
- Arrive at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam.
- Connect with a scheduled light aircraft flight to a remote airstrip within Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve).
- Transfer to your camp and enjoy an afternoon activity (e.g., walking safari or boat safari).
Day 2-3: Nyerere National Park.
- Unique Activities: Nyerere is famous for its diverse activities beyond traditional game drives.
  - Boat Safaris: Explore the Rufiji River and its associated lakes, providing unique perspectives on hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds, and often elephants and other animals coming to drink.
  - Walking Safaris: Guided walks with armed rangers, offering a chance to learn about smaller creatures, tracks, and the ecosystem on foot.
  - Game Drives: Explore the vast savannahs for lions, leopards, wild dogs (a highlight here!), elephants, buffalo, and a wide array of antelope.
Day 4: Fly to Ruaha National Park.
- Enjoy a final morning activity in Nyerere, then transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Ruaha National Park.
- Ruaha is Tanzania’s largest national park, known for its rugged, arid beauty, massive baobab trees, and one of Africa’s largest lion populations.
- Afternoon game drive upon arrival.
Day 5-7: Ruaha National Park.
- Spend full days exploring Ruaha’s diverse landscapes, which include the Great Ruaha River, rocky escarpments, and miombo woodlands.
- Highlights: Excellent predator sightings (lions, leopards, cheetahs, and strong populations of endangered African wild dogs). Also known for large herds of elephants and diverse antelope species like sable and roan.
- Activities: Game drives, walking safaris (highly recommended here), and sometimes even fly-camping for a truly immersive wilderness experience.
Day 8: Departure. Enjoy a final morning game drive or breakfast, then fly back to Dar es Salaam (DAR) for your international departure.

Logistics from Uganda: You would typically fly from Entebbe (EBB) to Dar es Salaam (DAR) as your entry point for the Southern Circuit. All internal flights to the parks would depart from Dar es Salaam.