The Great Ruaha River
The focus of game viewing.
Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0
Ruaha National Park is among Tanzania's largest, reaching about 20,226 square kilometres after the Usangu reserve was added in 2008. It lies 130 km west of Iringa, away from the busy tourist routes, and suits anyone wanting quiet and huge baobab trees. Germany gazetted the Saba Game Reserve here in 1910, and the British renamed it Rungwa in 1946. In 1964 its southern part was made a full park. It belongs to a wide ecosystem of 45,000 square kilometres and is named after the Great Ruaha River, which flows along its southeastern edge. Game viewing centres on the river, among huge boulders, giant baobabs and golden plains. It is rated a key area for lion conservation, and is home to cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, buffalo and two kinds of kudu, with more than 571 bird species. Hills glow behind the trees at sunset. You reach it by a dirt road from Iringa or by light aircraft to the Msembe airstrip. Allow two or three nights. In the dry season from May to October daytime temperatures can reach 35 °C, water runs low and animals gather by the river. Bring sun protection and light clothes, stay in the vehicle and heed the elephant warnings at lodges.
The focus of game viewing.
Huge among the boulders.
A key area for them.
About 130 km west of Iringa, central Tanzania
The dry season from May to October is best, as animals gather by the river.
By a dirt road from Iringa, or by light aircraft to the Msembe airstrip.