Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tanzania's Southern Parks: Nyerere (Selous) and Ruaha
8 days from Dar es Salaam, flying to three nights on the Rufiji River in Nyerere National Park and three nights among the baobabs of Ruaha.
8 days · Round trip from Dar es Salaam · up to 12 guests
Elephants on the Ruaha river flats at sunset Photo: Brian Harries, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elephants_At_Sunset,_Ruaha_National_Park.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Dar es Salaam
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly game drives and boat trips. Two guided walking safaris of about 2 to 3 hours each, covering roughly 4 to 6 km at a slow pace on flat, uneven ground in heat, led by an armed ranger. Both walks can be swapped for a game drive. Early starts, no long road days, three light-aircraft flights with a soft-bag limit.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,250 (estimated price)
- Season
- Dry season
Highlights
Why this trip
- A late-afternoon boat safari on the Rufiji River, past hippo pods and crocodiles as elephants come down to drink
- A walking safari in Nyerere at first light, reading tracks with an armed ranger
- Three nights in each park, so there is time to wait at a sighting
- Ruaha's baobabs and the sand bed of the Great Ruaha River in the dry season
- Few other vehicles: Ruaha is remote and lightly visited
- Short flights between parks instead of long road days
- An optional night at a Ruaha fly camp under a mosquito-net tent
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,250 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Dar es Salaam
Julius Nyerere International Airport to Dar es Salaam
- Dinner
- Stay in Dar es Salaam
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), Tanzania's main gateway on the Indian Ocean coast. We meet you after arrivals and drive you to a hotel near the airport, chosen so that tomorrow's light aircraft is a short ride away rather than a crawl through the city's traffic.
Evening
Before dinner your See Sight Tours guide hosts a welcome briefing: how a day in a fly-in camp runs, why game drives start at first light and pause through the midday heat, the rules for walking with an armed ranger, and how to repack into one soft bag of about 15 kg for the small planes. Anything that does not fit can stay in storage here until you fly home. If you land early, rest at the hotel; a short visit to the city's fish market or national museum is possible only when your arrival time and the traffic allow, and your guide will say on the day.
Included
- Pick-up at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR)
- Welcome briefing and dinner with your guide
- Bag storage in Dar es Salaam for anything over the light-aircraft limit
Optional experiences
- Short city visit if you land early: fish market or National Museum, with your guide
Free time: Rest of the day free
Activity: Any arrival time works on day 1. If your flight lands late, your guide catches you up at breakfast.
Fly to Nyerere, a boat on the Rufiji
Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park by light aircraft, then the Rufiji River by boat
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nyerere National Park
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive to the airport for a light aircraft of about 45 minutes south-west over farmland and coastal forest to an airstrip in Nyerere National Park, the protected area carved in 2019 from the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve. The flight saves a long, rough road day. A camp vehicle meets the plane, and you often see giraffe or impala on the short drive to camp.
Afternoon
Lunch is at camp, then a rest through the heat of the early afternoon. Around four o'clock we board a small boat on the Rufiji River or one of the lakes beside it. This is the part of the trip the northern parks cannot give you: hippo pods surfacing a few boat lengths away, crocodiles on the sandbanks, fish eagles, kingfishers and storks, and elephants and buffalo coming down to drink as the light goes gold.
Evening
We are back at camp by dusk for dinner.
Included
- Light-aircraft flight from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park
- Late-afternoon boat safari on the Rufiji River or its lakes
- Nyerere National Park and concession fees
Free time: Early afternoon free at camp
Activity: About 45 minutes in the air and a short airstrip transfer. The boat trip is about 2 to 3 hours, seated.
Nyerere on foot, then by vehicle
Nyerere National Park: walking safari and game drive
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nyerere National Park
Morning
We start at first light, before the heat, with a walking safari. An armed park ranger leads, with a walking guide, at a slow pace over about 4 to 6 km of flat, uneven ground.
Evening
The point is not distance but detail: fresh tracks in the sand, dung that tells you who passed in the night, termite mounds, birdsong you would never hear over an engine, and the odd thrill of seeing a giraffe or a herd of impala at eye level. Rules are strict and briefed before you set off. The walk ends with a late breakfast or brunch back at camp, and the middle of the day is yours to rest. In the late afternoon we head out on a game drive in an open vehicle, six guests at most, looking for lions, the park's buffalo herds and, with luck, African wild dogs, which Nyerere is known for. Dinner at camp.
Included
- Guided walking safari with an armed ranger, about 2 to 3 hours
- Late-afternoon game drive
- Walking safari fee
Easier option: Skip the walk and take a morning game drive instead, or stay at camp.
Free time: Midday free at camp
Activity: The walk is about 4 to 6 km at a slow pace in heat. Wear closed shoes and khaki, beige or olive. Minimum age for walking is usually 16.
The lakes of Nyerere
Nyerere National Park: game drive to the Rufiji lakes
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nyerere National Park
Morning
A long morning on the drive circuits around the lakes the Rufiji feeds in the dry season, with borassus and doum palms along the shore and animals drawn in from the drying bush. We leave at first light, when lions and wild dogs are most active, and stop for a picnic breakfast by the water. Expect elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebra, impala, waterbuck and plenty of hippos; leopards are possible but shy.
Evening
Your guide and the driver-guide decide the route on the day from what the camp's other vehicles reported the night before. We are back at camp for lunch, and the afternoon is free: sleep, read on your tent's veranda or watch the waterhole. If you would rather be out again, there is a second late-afternoon game drive, or a second boat trip if the camp can run it. Dinner at camp, and a fire under the stars before bed.
Included
- Morning game drive with a picnic breakfast
- Late-afternoon game drive, by choice
Optional experiences
- Second boat safari, where the camp can run one
Easier option: Stay at camp for the afternoon.
More active option: Second late-afternoon game drive.
Free time: Afternoon free at camp
Fly west to Ruaha
Nyerere National Park to Ruaha National Park by light aircraft
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Ruaha National Park
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A last short drive at dawn, then breakfast and the transfer to the airstrip.
Afternoon
The light aircraft flies west over the Udzungwa Mountains and the dry central plateau to Ruaha National Park, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on stops, landing around midday. Ruaha is one of Tanzania's largest parks and one of its least visited, so expect to see few other vehicles all week. Lunch at camp, a rest, then the first game drive in the late afternoon along the Great Ruaha River. In the dry season the river shrinks to pools and channels, and its banks draw elephants, giraffes, impala and the park's big lion prides. Ruaha sits where eastern and southern African species overlap, so watch for greater and lesser kudu, and with luck sable or roan antelope.
Evening
We are back at camp after sunset for dinner.
Included
- Short dawn game drive in Nyerere
- Light-aircraft flight from Nyerere to Ruaha
- Late-afternoon game drive along the Great Ruaha River
- Ruaha National Park and concession fees
Easier option: Skip the dawn drive and sleep in before the flight.
Free time: Early afternoon free at camp
Activity: About 1.5 to 2.5 hours in the air, with a possible stop. Soft bags, about 15 kg each.
Baobab country and the sand rivers
Ruaha National Park: full-day game drive
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Ruaha National Park
Today is a long day out, timed for the light.
Morning
We leave at first light into the baobab country away from the river, where the huge grey trunks stand over thorn scrub and elephants strip their bark in the dry months. Then we follow the sand rivers, which look empty but where elephants dig for water and lions rest in the shade of the banks.
Afternoon
Lunch is a picnic under a tree with the vehicle as a hide, not a rushed sandwich. Through the hottest hours we park by a pool and watch who comes to drink, then work back towards camp through the late-afternoon light. With so few vehicles in Ruaha you can often stay with a pride or a herd as long as you like. If you chose the fly camp, you skip the drive back: in the late afternoon you leave the vehicle and walk out with a ranger to the fly camp, sleep under a mosquito-net tent and walk back to the main camp for breakfast.
Included
- Full-day game drive with a picnic lunch
Optional experiences
- One night at a simple fly camp with a walking guide and armed ranger, priced at booking and subject to the camp
Easier option: Return to camp at midday and skip the afternoon drive.
More active option: The fly camp night, walking out in the late afternoon.
Activity: A long day in the vehicle with a rest stop at midday. The fly camp has a bucket shower and a basic toilet.
A walk in Ruaha, a last sunset
Ruaha National Park: walking safari and game drive
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Ruaha National Park
Morning
Fly-campers walk back for breakfast; everyone else starts with a second walking safari, this time in Ruaha, again with an armed ranger and a walking guide.
Evening
The ground here is different from Nyerere: rocky ridges, dry riverbeds and baobabs, and the ranger reads what the night left in the sand. After breakfast the middle of the day is free at camp for a swim if there is a pool, a sleep, or just watching the river from your tent. In the late afternoon we go out on a final game drive and stop for a sundowner at a viewpoint over the river as the light turns red and the baboons and elephants settle for the night. Your guide will go through tomorrow's flight times and the bag storage pick-up in Dar es Salaam. The last dinner at camp is the farewell meal of the trip.
Included
- Guided walking safari in Ruaha with an armed ranger, about 2 to 3 hours
- Late-afternoon game drive with a sundowner
- Farewell dinner at camp
Easier option: Morning game drive instead of the walk, or a slow morning at camp.
Free time: Midday free at camp
Activity: The walk is about 4 to 6 km at a slow pace on rocky ground. Closed shoes needed.
Fly back to Dar es Salaam
Ruaha National Park to Dar es Salaam by light aircraft
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
One last early look at the river from camp, or a short game drive if the flight time allows, then breakfast and the transfer to the airstrip.
Afternoon
The light aircraft back to Dar es Salaam takes about 2 to 3 hours, usually with a stop on the way, and lands at Julius Nyerere International Airport in the early afternoon. Your guide collects any bags you left in storage and stays with you until you are at the right terminal for your flight home. Book international departures that leave after about 6 pm; we confirm the light-aircraft schedule for your date when you book, and because these small planes run circuits with stops, the arrival time can shift by an hour or two on the day. Most long-haul connections from Dar es Salaam go through hubs such as Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Addis Ababa, Nairobi or Amsterdam.
Evening
If you would like to add Zanzibar or a night on the coast, we can arrange it. The trip ends at the airport in Dar es Salaam.
Included
- Light-aircraft flight from Ruaha to Dar es Salaam
- Help with stored bags and drop-off at your terminal
Optional experiences
- Extension to Zanzibar or the coast, arranged separately
Activity: Book international flights leaving Dar es Salaam after about 6 pm. Light-aircraft times can shift on the day.
- Dar es Salaam1 night
- Nyerere National Park3 nights
- Ruaha National Park3 nights
- Dar es Salaamend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Late June to October is the dry season in the south. Days are warm to hot, nights cool in June and July, and it gets hotter towards October. As water dries up, animals gather at the Rufiji, its lakes and the pools of the Great Ruaha River, and the bush thins so they are easier to see. Many camps close in the long rains, around April and May, so we do not run then.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who have done the Serengeti, or want a safari without the crowds
- Anyone who wants to see Africa on foot and from a boat, not only from a vehicle
- Early risers happy with a rest at camp through the midday heat
- Solo travellers who want a small group and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Travellers set on the great migration herds: they are in the northern parks
- Anyone who wants hotels with a town outside the door
- Travellers who cannot pack into one soft bag of about 15 kg
- Anyone who does not want malaria precautions or tsetse flies
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Dar es Salaam1 night
- Nyerere National Park3 nights
- Ruaha National Park3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 1 at a hotel near the airport in Dar es Salaam, 3 at a tented camp or lodge in Nyerere National Park, 3 at a tented camp or lodge in Ruaha National Park
- Proper beds and a private bathroom with flush toilet and hot shower in every room; at least a 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at and drop-off to Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), Dar es Salaam
- Three light-aircraft flights: Dar es Salaam to Nyerere, Nyerere to Ruaha, Ruaha to Dar es Salaam
- Airstrip and camp transfers
- Open or open-sided 4x4 game-drive vehicles with a licensed driver-guide, at most 6 guests each, seats rotated daily
- Boat safari on the Rufiji River
- Drinking water in the vehicles
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, including the flights
- Licensed driver-guides in every vehicle
- Armed park rangers and walking guides on the walking safaris
Activities
- Nyerere National Park: boat safari on the Rufiji River, a walking safari and game drives on days 3 to 5
- Ruaha National Park: game drives on days 5 to 8, including a full day with a picnic lunch, and a walking safari
- All park, concession and walking fees in both parks
- A tipping pool for camp staff, driver-guides, boat crews and rangers
Meals
- Breakfast daily (7)
- 6 lunches, days 2 to 7, at camp or as picnics on drive days
- 7 dinners: a welcome dinner in Dar es Salaam and dinner every night in camp
Not included
- International flights to and from Dar es Salaam
- Tanzanian visa
- Travel insurance
- The optional Ruaha fly camp night
- Lunch on days 1 and 8
- Drinks other than water in the vehicles and with meals
- A tip for your See Sight Tours guide, which is optional
- Personal expenses such as laundry
- Extensions to Zanzibar or the coast
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,250 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in a Dar es Salaam hotel and two park camps, three light-aircraft flights, breakfast daily, full board in the parks, a welcome dinner, every park, concession and walking fee, a Rufiji boat safari, two walking safaris, game drives in both parks, airport transfers, water in the vehicles, a tipping pool for the local crew and your See Sight Tours guide throughout.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Game drives use vehicles with at most six guests each, so everyone has an outside seat, and seats rotate daily. A full group of 12 plus our guide may not fit one light aircraft, so we may book two planes or a charter; you fly the same route either way.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from arrival in Dar es Salaam to departure, including the flights between parks. In each park, licensed driver-guides drive the vehicles and boat crews run the river trips, and every walk is led by an armed park ranger with a walking guide.
How is this different from the northern circuit safari?
Our northern circuit trip covers Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro by road, with more wildlife density and more vehicles. This southern trip flies between two huge, quiet parks and adds what the north cannot: a boat safari on the Rufiji and walks with a ranger. Many travellers do the north first and the south next.
How fit do I need to be, and are the walks safe?
Moderately fit. The two walks cover about 4 to 6 km each at a slow pace in heat, led by an armed ranger and a walking guide who brief you first; you walk in single file and keep your distance. Either walk can be swapped for a game drive. The rest is early starts, bumpy tracks and climbing into small planes.
I am travelling solo. What will I pay?
A room of your own costs CAD 1,250 more, shown up front with no surprise at checkout. If you would rather share, ask when you book and we will try to match you with another solo guest of the same gender; if we cannot, we tell you before you pay.
When is the best time to go?
Late June to October, the dry season, which is when we run. Animals gather near the Rufiji, its lakes and the Great Ruaha River, and the bush is thin. It gets hotter towards October. Many southern camps close in the long rains around April and May, and roads and airstrips can flood.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations?
Most visitors, including Canadians, need a Tanzanian visa: apply for the e-visa online before you fly. Carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from or transit through a country with yellow fever risk. Both parks are malaria areas, so see a travel clinic about prevention well before you go.
How much luggage can I take on the small planes?
About 15 kg per person including hand luggage, in a soft bag without a rigid frame, because the bags go into a small hold. Bags are weighed at the airstrip. If you are over, we store the extra in Dar es Salaam until day 8; an extra seat for heavy camera gear can sometimes be bought, priced at booking.
What happens if a bush flight is delayed or cancelled?
We rebook you on the next flight or a charter, and your guide stays with the group until you are on your way. Delays of an hour or two are common because the planes stop at several airstrips. How any extra night is paid for is set out in your booking terms, so leave a gap before your flight home and take insurance covering missed connections.
Can I travel privately or on my own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle in each park. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, send an inquiry from the dates section and we will quote the same camps and flights.
How does booking work?
Choose small group or private and a start date, then send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. The small group starts from CAD 7,835 per person sharing, taxes included.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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