Mikumi & Ruaha Safari: Lions, Elephants & Wild Dogs

Track wild dogs in packs and lions at the river's edge across two parks.

A five-day safari from Dar es Salaam combining Mikumi and Ruaha national parks with private transport, accommodation at lodges and camps, and daily game drives led by an English-speaking guide. You'll spend mornings and afternoons in open vehicles watching for lions, elephants, wild dogs, buffalo, giraffe and antelope, with a walking safari in Ruaha where you move on foot with your guide, and a stop at the Ismila Stone Age Site on the return to Dar es Salaam.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Dar es Salaam to Mikumi National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Depart to Mikumi National Park
• Game drives in Mikumi National Park
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 2 — Travel to Ruaha National Park

• Breakfast at camp
• Check out and travel to Ruaha National Park
• Lunch in Iringa Town
• Arrive at Ruaha National Park
• Evening game drive or leisure
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 3 — Full day game drives in Ruaha

• Breakfast at camp
• Full day game drives in Ruaha National Park
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 4 — Walking safari and travel to Iringa

• Breakfast at camp
• Walking safari with guide
• Lunch at camp
• Afternoon game drive
• Travel to Iringa Town
• Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 5 — Ismila Stone Age Site and return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Short tour to Ismila Stone Age Site
• Depart to Dar es Salaam
• Arrive and drop off at hotel or airport

The Experience

The safari opens in Mikumi National Park the morning after you depart Dar es Salaam. Game drives take you through terrain where lion, wild dog packs, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, eland and hartebeest move across open grassland. You stay at Camp Bastian and return each evening for dinner and rest before the next day's drives.

On day two you travel to Ruaha National Park, stopping for lunch in Iringa Town before arriving in the afternoon for a short game drive. Ruaha holds a different cast of animals—roan and sable antelope, hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, reedbuck—and the rivers draw predators: lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal gather where prey comes to drink. The park also hosts Eurasian migrant birds that arrive twice yearly. You stay at Ruaha Hill Top Lodge.

Day three is a full day in Ruaha with morning and afternoon game drives. On day four, a walking safari with your guide lets you move on foot through the landscape—what the operator calls the chance to "touch the wild"—followed by an afternoon drive to Iringa Town where you overnight. The final morning brings a short tour of the Ismila Stone Age Site before the drive back to Dar es Salaam, arriving late evening.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the five days.
• accommodation at Camp Bastian in Mikumi, Ruaha Hill Top Lodge in Ruaha, and Iringa Sunset Lodge in Iringa Town.
• daily game drives with an English-speaking guide.
• a walking safari in Ruaha on day four.
• meals at the lodges and camps (breakfast, lunch and dinner each day except the final evening arrival).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Migration Venture Africa Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private vehicle and guide for two parks in one trip—Mikumi's grasslands and Ruaha's river valleys—rather than sharing a group safari.

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Top questions

What animals will I actually see on this safari?

Mikumi holds lion, wild dogs in packs, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, eland and hartebeest. Ruaha adds roan and sable antelope, hippo, crocodile, waterbuck and reedbuck, plus the same predators—lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal—that gather at the rivers. Both parks host birds, including Eurasian migrants in Ruaha.

How much time do I spend actually driving and watching for wildlife?

Game drives happen each morning and afternoon across the five days, with the exception of travel days and the walking safari on day four. Most of your time in the parks is spent in open vehicles with your guide, scanning for animals.

What is the walking safari in Ruaha like?

On day four you walk through the park accompanied by an experienced guide, moving on foot instead of by vehicle—the operator describes this as the chance to "touch the wild." Lunch follows at the lodge, then an afternoon game drive before you depart for Iringa Town.

Where do I sleep during the safari?

You stay at Camp Bastian in Mikumi, Ruaha Hill Top Lodge for two nights in Ruaha, and Iringa Sunset Lodge in Iringa Town. All accommodation is included in the tour price.

Does the tour include the drive from Dar es Salaam?

Yes, private transportation is included throughout—from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi on day one, to Ruaha on day two, and back to Dar es Salaam on day five. Your guide speaks English and travels with you.

What happens on the last day?

After breakfast you visit the Ismila Stone Age Site for a short tour, then depart for Dar es Salaam, arriving late in the evening for drop-off at your hotel or airport.