Tanzania · National park
Ruaha National Park
Big cats and baobab wilderness
Size
About 20,000 km²
Location
Central-southern Tanzania
Best time
June – October
Known for
Lions · Elephants · Wilderness
About the park
Tanzania’s great wilderness
Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s largest national parks, a rugged landscape of baobabs, rocky hills and the Great Ruaha River. It sees only a small fraction of the visitors of the northern parks, so the feeling of true wilderness is hard to beat.
Ruaha is famous for its large lion prides and big elephant population, and it’s one of the best places in Tanzania for wild dogs. Because it sits where East and Southern African ecosystems meet, you can also see species that are rare in the north, such as greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope. Walking safaris and fly-camping add to the adventure.
Highlights
Why visit Ruaha
Big lion prides
Some of the largest lion prides in East Africa.
Baobab landscapes
Rugged hills and ancient baobabs along the river.
Rare antelope
Greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan.
Walking & fly-camping
Explore on foot and sleep under the stars.
When to visit
The dry season, June to October, is best, when animals gather along the river. Many camps close during the long rains (March to May).
Wildlife you may see
Lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, greater and lesser kudu, sable, roan and over 500 bird species.
Getting there
A 1.5–3 hour flight from Arusha, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar to an airstrip in the park.
Visit with Asili
Trips including Ruaha
Plan your Ruaha safari
Tell us when you’d like to travel and we’ll design a private journey that includes Ruaha.
Enquire now