Ruaha National Park is one of the underrated and rarely mentioned National Parks in Africa, yet is a typical African wilderness area worth of praise and exploring during a safari. It keeps the hidden secrets of Africa and for whatever you ever desired in an African destination can be found in Ruaha National Park.
Location of Ruaha National Park.
This outstanding Protected Area sits at the heart of Tanzania with an area of over 20, 226 square kilometers (approximately 7809 square miles), making it the largest Park in the country and East Africa in general. Even in Africa, few Parks can match up with its breathtaking size.
Ruaha National Park together with the adjacent Rungwa, Kizigo and Muhesi Game Reserves as well as Mbomipa Wildlife Management Area form part of the massive Rungwa-Kizigo-Muhesi ecosystem that extends for 45,000 square kilometers (17,000 square miles).
Historical background of Ruaha National Park.
The national park’s name was derived from the mighty Ruaha River, which drains through the south-eastern boundary of the Park and is the hot spot for wildlife viewing. The name Ruaha originated from the word-“Ruvaha” in the local dialect to mean “River”. The National Park was first gazetted by Germans in 1910 as Saba Game Reserve but changed by the British Colonialists to Rungwa Game Reserve in 1946. 18 years later, the southern part of the Reserve received a full National Park status and in 1974 a small part of the south-Eastern side of River Ruaha was integrated into the Park.
Vegetation of Ruaha National Park.
Ruaha National Park is characterized by semi-desert kind of vegetation with two vegetation zones-Zambezian (mainly Miombo woodland) as well as the Sudanian (characterized by Acacia). Popular tree species here are Baobab Acacia species and many other semi-arid tree types. So far, 1650 species of flora have been recorded within this magnificent National Park.
Wildlife.
Ruaha National Park is known for its remarkable predator concentrations, with over 10% of the World’s population of lions being in this Park alone. Also, you won’t believe that it shelters the third (3rd) largest population of wild dogs in the entire World. It doesn’t get any better. That’s not all, Ruaha National Park also contains one of the four cheetah populations within the East African region and you will not find any Park in Africa with the large buffalo and elephant herds as experienced in this unacknowledged Park.
Other popular wildlife species here are the zebras, spotted hyenas, lesser kudus, Roan antelopes, leopards, sable antelopes, giraffes, Grant’s gazelles, greater kudus, bat-eared fox, Defassa waterbucks, Jackals and Hippos among others. Additionally, several reptile and Amphibian species such as Monitor lizards, poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, Agama lizards, Crocodiles and frogs live in the Mzombe and Great Ruaha Rivers, within the Park.
Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve are the two main destinations within the southern circuit but the latter is more popular, receiving more tourists yet the former is wilder on top of offering more wildlife. This is mainly attributed to the difficulty on accessing it, fewer accommodation facilities and thus the few that visit experience its wilderness in a less-thronged environment.
Over 571 species of birds call the different ecosystems of Ruaha National Park home, and these include migratory and resident bird species. Some of the popular species are the superb starlings, crested barbets, African fish eagles, Southern citril, black-collared lovebird, white-bellied go-away bird, Eleanora’s falcon, black-billed bustard, Black-backed barbets, Racket-tailed roller, African Hill babbler, Emerald spotted wood dove, the Tanzanian red-billed hornbills and many others. This Park is also one of the migration route for Palearctic and Eurasian bird species that include Amur falcons and many others.
Other attractions in Ruaha National Park are hot springs (such as Makinde, Mkwawa, Maji moto and Mwayembe hot springs), Rivers (such as the Great Ruaha River, Mzombe River, Jongomero and Mwagusi Rivers), awe-inspiring rolling hills and mountains, Rock kopjes and the Escarpment wall along the western Valley side among others.
TOURIST ACTIVITIES IN RUAHA NATIONAL PARK.
Game Viewing.
The outstanding wildlife species in Ruaha National Park offer remarkable opportunities for day and night game drives, although with the latter you will need advance booking to be assigned an armed guide.
Game drives in this park increase chances of encountering zebras, spotted hyenas, lesser kudus, Roan antelopes, Porcupines, leopards, giant forest hogs, sable antelopes, giraffes, Civets, Grant’s gazelles, greater kudus, genet, the giant eagle owls, bat-eared fox and hippos, during an African safari.
Bird watching.
As one of Tanzania’s top birding Paradises, over 571 species of birds can be encountered in Ruaha National Park. Count yourself Lucky to have seen the Park’s specialty-Ruaha red-billed hornbills in addition to the other species such as the Ashy starling, superb starlings, Goliath herons, crested barbets, racket-tailed rollers, African fish eagles, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Speckle-fronted weavers, white-bellied go-away bird, Eleanora’s falcon, Bare-eyed thrush, black-billed bustard, Miombo scrub robin, spot-flanked barbets, Miombo grey tit, white-headed buffalo weavers, Emerald spotted wood dove and many others. Birding can also be conducted within Usangu basin (the recently annexed wetland) that is praised for being a fantastic birding area within the region and Tanzania as a whole.
Hot air balloon safaris.
The out-of-this-World feeling of floating above the boundless wilderness of Ruaha National Park provides the tranquility that is impossible to be matched anywhere else.
Guided walking safaris.
With a network of walking trails in Ruaha National Park, visitors can explore the wilderness on foot. With 2-3 hours of this activity, you will uncover the hidden treasures and best kept secrets of the Park with the help of experienced local guide to include plants, wildlife, birdlife and other natural features like hot springs and many others. Guided walks offer more detailed information on the animals, their habitats, behavior and feeding habits among others. Short walks last 1-4 hours while long walking tours in Ruaha National Park last for more than 5 hours, sometimes lasting several days to complete.
Picnics and Camping.
There are a number of Picnic and Camping Sites in Ruaha National Park that will bring you closer to the wilderness.
Cultural and Historical tours.
During your visit to Ruaha National Park, you will learn about the ancient Hehe Empire that was once ruled by a fearless warrior-Chief Mkwawa who is said to have resisted against German rule in the 19th Century. His rise to power in the late 1800s is believed to have coincided with German expansion from the Coast to the untouched interior but because he was seen as a threat, plans were made to overthrow him.
Unfortunately Colonial troops set the Hehe Villages on fire, assassinated his guards and sieged the entire village, prompting him to hide. Even in hiding, he didn’t leave the colonialists to rest by launching guerilla attacks until he was finally captured to face death sentence. He unfortunately chose to commit suicide by shooting and when his remains were found, they were first displayed at an Anthropological Museum in Bremen.
100 years later, his remains were returned for proper burial at an area not far from Iringa. Today a small site Museum sits within Iringa Village, housing a number of Mkwawa’s personal belongings such as guns, clubs spears and house remains (foundation of his house).
These tours will also introduce you to other cultural/historical sites such as Isimila Stone Age Site, Rock painting at Nyanywa and many others.
Best time to visit.
Ruaha National Park is open all year round for visitors but the dry season-Months of January, February, June, July, August, September and December is when most of the Park’s magic happens. Because of too much sunshine, most water holes and Rivers tend to dry up, prompting the animals to converge around water points thus rewarding visitors with the best wildlife viewing experiences. The dry season is also the peak season.
The wet season-months of March, April, May, October and November are characterized by few visitors thus the few that visit have the entire wilderness to themselves. This season also offers excellent birding opportunities, because breeding is at its peak and is also when migratory bird species are in large numbers.
Entry fees.
Entry fees for Ruaha National Park are categorized into fees for non-residents, East African residents and East African Citizens. Non-resident adults (16 years and above) pay $30, non-resident children (5-15 years) pay $15, non-resident students pay $15 and non-resident children below 5 years enter for free.
East African citizen/resident adults (16 years and above) pay Tsh. 5000, children and students pay Tsh. 2000 while those below 5 years enter for free.
Where to stay?
When it comes to places to stay, there are few accommodation facilities in Ruaha National Park, but the few collaborate with Nature to make your visit memorable. These facilities include Ruaha River Lodge, Mdonya River Camp, Tandala Camp, Sunset Mountain Lodge, Ikuka Safari camp, Jongomero Tented Camp, Ruaha Hilltop Lodge, Kigelia, Jabali Ridge Lodge, Mwagusi Safari Camp, Ruaha Flycatcher and Kwihala Camps among others.
How to get there?
Situated within the middle of the country, Ruaha National Park is approximately 625 kilometers from Dar es Salaam City as well as only 130 kilometers west of Iringa, and can be accessed by air and road transport.
For air transport, visitors have two options – via Msembe Airstrip at the park headquarters as well as Jongomeru Airstrip close to Jongomeru Ranger post with scheduled or chartered flights from Dodoma (the Capital City), Kigoma, Arusha, Dar es Salam. For visitors opting for road transport, the Park can be accessed on a dirt road from Iringa.