13 Days
The wild of Southern Circuit - Self Drive
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Tour Overview
This road trip begins and ends in Dar es Salaam and takes you to the less visited national parks of south east Tanzania. Ideal for those that want to get off the tourist trail at friendly prices. Go on world class safaris in Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve, experience local village life in traditional Tanzanian highland villages, and go birding and chimp trekking in the Udzungwa Mountains.
These are the recommendation lodges we like to stay in when we are roadtripping ourselves; small-scale, good price-quality ratio and owner-managed when possible.
- TOUR PROGRAM
Day 1
Arrival Dar Es Salaam
- Slipway Hotel or CBD Hotel
Day 2
Start: Dar Es Salaam
Destination: Mikumi National Park
Drive 300 km approximately 5 hours
- Camp Bastian Lodge or Tan-Swiss Lodge
Day 3
Enjoy: Mikumi National Park
- Camp Bastian Lodge or Tan-Swiss Lodge
Day 4
Start: Mikumi National Park
Destination: Iringa
Drive: 193 km approximately 3 hours
- Iringa Sunset Hotel or Neema Craft Guest House
Day 5
Start: Iringa
Destination: Ruaha National Park
Drive: 100 km approximately 2 hours
- Ruaha Hilltop Lodge or Mdonya Old River Camp or Ruaha River Lodge
Day 6-7
Enjoy: Ruaha National Park
- Ruaha Hilltop Lodge or Mdonya Old River Camp or Ruaha River Lodge
Day 8
Start: Ruaha National Park
Destination: Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Drive: 350 km approximately 5.5 hours
- Udzungwa Forest Lodge or Udzungwa Falls Lodge
Day 9
Enjoy: Udzungwa Mountains National Park
- Udzungwa Forest Lodge or Udzungwa Falls Lodge
Day 10
Start: Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Destination: Morogoro
- Simbamwenni Lodge or Mbuyuni Farm Retreat
Drive: 154 km approximately 2.5 hours
Day 11
Start: Morogoro
Destination: Nyerere National Park ex Selous
Drive: 140 km approximately 5 hours
- Nyerere Tented Camp or Selous Tented Camp or Lake Manze Tented Camp
Day 12
Enjoy: Nyerere National Park ex Selous
- Nyerere Tented Camp or Selous Tented Camp or Lake Manze Tented Camp
Day 13
Start: Nyerere National Park
Destination: Dar Es Salaam
Drive: 190 km approximately 5 hours
- Hotel Slipway or CBD Hotel
Price from US$ 1950 per car – max 4 people in a car
Price includes: 13 days Toyota Hilux double cabin rental, airport pick up, delivery & drop off in Dar es Salaam.
Price excludes: fuels, accommodations, park fees, drinks, driver guides, travel insurance and items of a personal nature
- NOTE: We can arrange accommodation, park fees and driver guide if you require.
Travel time and road conditions in south east Tanzania
13 days / 11 car rental days is the minimum to follow this route.
The Tanzam Highway – the inland road from Dar es Salaam to Iringa – is asphalted and in good condition. The park entrance of Ruaha lies 100 km west of Iringa along a dirt road that takes about 2.5 hours to drive and requires a 4×4 vehicle. As for Selous Game Reserve, you will enter the park from the west coming from Morogoro. It’s 140 km on a dirt road. Exploring Selous Game Reserve requires a Landcruiser due to river flooding and deep sandy tracks.
Best time to visit the south east of Tanzania
Selous Game Reserve is a highly seasonal safari destination and it tends to be hotter than any other park in Tanzania due to its low altitude. The optimum time to visit Selous is during the dry season (June to September). Game viewing is good through October and early November, but it becomes extremely hot. Wildlife spotting is a bit less reliable from November to February, but the scenery is lovely and green, and birdwatching is at its finest. Roads become very challenging and many camps close during April and May.
Ruaha is best visited between July and November.
- EXPECTED TO SEE
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