Prices are per person, double occupancy. Single Supplement $1,495
The Selous Game Reserve is the largest game reserve in Africa, covering 52,000 km of pristine wilderness. The park supports a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, crocodile and many antelope and bird species.
Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s second largest, covering 13,000 sq kms, and home to huge herds of elephant and buffalo.
In these remote parks and reserves in southern Tanzania, vast rivers, woodlands and floodplains attract animals in staggering numbers.
The Selous and Ruaha are two vast wildernesses in southern Tanzania. Beautiful, wild places, providing a safari experience of incredible depth and diversity. Southern Tanzania is rarely on the tip of most traveler’s tongues, but for those in the know it is a secret treasure! This is true wild Africa, somewhere that will be enjoyed by first time visitors and never fail to surprise the old hands.
LUXURY PRIVATE SAFARI
This tour offers you a chance to meet and interact with indigenous people on a personal and intimate level. Our authentic village visits stand apart from other similar activities as we carefully consider the impact of tour activities on the communities.
Visit a Maasai village to learn about the tribe’s customs and daily life, and watch a private Maasai dance performance, during your Ngorongoro Camp stay. Gain a sense of everyday life in Africa today as you ride by tuk-tuk and enjoy a visit to the market in the vibrant town of Mto wa Mbu. Visit a vibrant Tanzanian village, get a sense of daily life as you ride by tuk-tuk and explore the local market, and then enjoy a lunch of local cuisine.
WILDLIFE DIVERSITY & UNDISTURBED NATURE
This is home to the world’s largest concentration of elephants. Maximize your game viewing while avoiding the crowds as you take in the pristine majesty of Africa’s largest game reserves. Less-frequented than the parks of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, the vast expanses of Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park harbor a stunning diversity of species and ecosystems.
This is 8 days tour limited to 18 people, private safari in southern Tanzania (Selous Game Reserve & Ruaha National Park). Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s second largest, covering 13,000 sq kms, and home to huge herds of elephant and buffalo.
The central spine of the park is the watershed between the Nzombe and Ruaha Rivers, with a dramatic escarpment, above which lie enormous stretches of Miombo Woodland. The dry climate means that certain species not found elsewhere in Tanzania, such as the greater Kudu, can be seen in Ruaha.
FLY IN & OUT OF DAR-ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA
ARRIVE DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
SELOUS GAME RESERVE,
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK,
DEPART DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
EXTEND YOUR TRIP
POST TOUR EXTENSION: ZANZIBAR 4 days from $2,195 (per person)
POST-TOUR EXTENSION: MAHALE MOUNTAINS, 4 days from $1755 (per person)
A small group is essential for optimal wildlife viewing. We generally have the smallest group sizes in the safari industry, though we take a maximum of approximately 18 on this trip, divided into several vehicles. Small groups mean we get closer to the herds, get better photos, and enjoy more personalized interaction with our Expedition Leader.
A WINDOW SEAT FOR EVERY TRAVELER
We guarantee a window seat for every guest. Whereas many safari operators use crowded mini-buses, and even luxury operators often utilize every seat, including middles, we know how important unimpeded views are when you’ve come all this way to see and photograph the migration. That’s why we split our group into separate vehicles, each guest with a guaranteed window seat.
This is the period conventionally considered to be the best time to visit the park, the main ‘dry season’, although as the charts above show, one can still expect light rain to fall roughly one in every three days on average. Reasonably high temperatures are significantly exaggerated by high relative humidity, usually around 80% to 85%. Afternoons can be stifling and nights sticky.
Because of this continued rainfall throughout the year and because of the presence of so much surface water in the form of lakes and rivers, Selous does not operate in quite the same way as a more conventional dry season reserve. The usual inward migration from dry hinterlands in towards the permanent sources of water does take place, but the effect is slightly less pronounced. Wildlife concentrations in the areas around the camps to improve noticeably, especially into July and August, but never reach the levels of more arid and harsh environments such as Tarangire, Katavi or Ruaha.
Throughout this period Selous is a sweltering, languid place, wonderfully atmospheric, with reliable vehicle safari, but where motorboat and walking safaris are at least if not more enjoyable.
The arrival of the short rains in November can be much less of an event here as it is in Ruaha for example. The fact that the dry season is not usually completely dry, means that the arrival of light rains tends to have relatively little effect on either flora or fauna, although one can expect a little more seasonal flowering of plants and a slight dispersal of wildlife to the hinterlands.
Selous is therefore usually considered to be still in prime condition for safari right through November and December, making it a particularly attractive proposition over the Dec/Jan holiday season.
Into February however the rains really should be more pronounced. Dry area flora should start to show new growth and the park as a whole should take on a fresh sheen. Many of those animals which remain accessible will start to have their young. So this period tends to be a favorite amongst more experienced safari people who are less concerned about the volume of sightings.
April is usually the month which sees the greatest rainfall here in Selous, with May not far behind. Most of the camps are closed for this period and flight services from Dar es Salaam are suspended.
Internal Airfare: Economy class from $1,690 (Dar/Selous/Ruaha)
Minimum age is 10 years.
Departures are guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 2 guests.
Solo traveler prices are available upon request.
Prices are per person based on double occupancy.
Internal and international air not included.
English-Speaking Resident Family Tour Director and Local Guides
Internet Access (Where Available)
Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfers
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Day 2-7)
Entrance Fees, Taxes and All Gratuities Except Resident Tour Director®
24/7 A2A Safari On-Call Support
The logistics of this itinerary are excellent, access via Dar es Salaam and it’s just one-hour flights between the bush and beach. Take advantage of the full range of activities in the Selous and Ruaha, each day offers a different experience. Activities range from game drives, walking safaris, boat trips, birding excursions, fishing and spa treatments. Explore the waterways of the Selous on a boat cruise in search of hippos and large Nile crocodiles. Sleep-out under the stars on a Selous sandbank
FLY BETWEEN KEY LOCATIONS, TO REDUCE LONG DRIVES & ENHANCE TIME ON SAFARI
Take advantage of three internal flights, allowing us to cover a vast territory without long, dusty overland drives—we maximize your time with wildlife instead!
Rather than subject you to long, dusty drives between camps, we have included three separate flights—this is a tremendous advantage when it comes to adding more time on safari with wildlife, and less time bouncing around in a vehicle on rough roads. Compare itineraries carefully: we doubt you’ll find such transportation advantages on most safaris!
Fly to Selous Game Reserve and transfer to your safari lodge. The drive to your camp takes you along the river, so keep your eyes peeled for hippopotamus. After settling in, embark on your first game drive in Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary.
Fly to Ruaha National Park and transfer to your safari lodge set high on a rocky kopje overlooking spiky palms and bulbous baobabs. Here, expert guides lead walking safaris, game drives and night drives in one of the continent’s largest and most bio-diverse wilderness areas.
This morning, join your guide to explore the park’s rolling lowlands and wide sand rivers, keeping watch for herds of impala, greater kudu, waterbuck, zebra and elephant.
Fly to Dar es Salaam, where you are transferred to relax in your reserved day-room. Later, you are transferred to the airport to board your departure Flight.
YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS
Hand Selected By A2A Safari For An Unmatched Experience.
Long gone are the days when a Safari had to mean roughing it in the wilds. From luxurious hotels to private reserves and classic tented camps, these are our experts’ favorite luxury safari lodges in East Africa.
Our collection of accommodations includes smaller, intimate luxury camps and lodges, each chosen for its authenticity, personalized experience and proximity to the region’s best wildlife encounters.
Our luxury lodges on this trip are chosen for their unrivaled location, a wealth of amenities, phenomenal views, outstanding service, and attention to detail.
1540
LUXURY MOBILE TENTED CAMPS
Be In The Heart Of The Action On Our Luxury Tented Camps.
Most people associate tents and camping with a sore back and tight squeeze but luxury tented camping is so far from uncomfortable that many travelers prefer it to lodges. With a luxury tented camp, you are one step closer to the great outdoors without moving one inch away from comfort.
The luxurious open-styled tents create a glamorous awareness of one’s natural surroundings. The beauty of the outdoors is seamlessly brought indoors. Sunrise is your morning alarm and the call of the wild is your lullaby. Camping in luxury rejuvenates the senses in spectacular style thanks to five-star pleasures.
Contemporary luxury hotel looking out over Dar es Salaam’s main harbor. Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam,The Kilimanjaro, is a modern oasis in the heart of the largest Tanzanian city. The five-star hotel’s superb waterfront location, spectacular views of the harbor and Indian Ocean, and proximity to the city’s International Airport ensure it is among the best-situated luxury hotels in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Known fondly by locals as “The Kili”, The Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam is an iconic hotel that has been a landmark in Dar es Salaam since it opened its doors in 1965. For over 20 years now, it has served as the country’s leading hotel, regarded as “the” hotel in East Africa and popular among foreign travelers and dignitaries, from celebrities like pop star Michael Jackson to world leaders like Nelson Mandela.
Explore Dar! – lots to see and do in this vibrant city; Explore Dar before heading out to your holiday destination or catching your international flight home
Sand Rivers is situated in the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve which is one of the largest protected wildlife areas in Africa. Sand Rivers offers stylish, luxurious safari accommodation on the banks of the Rufiji River. The camp can be accessed via 15 minutes’ road transfer from Kiba airstrip. It’s situated on a broad curve of the Rufiji river and surrounded by trees, within a peaceful region of the Selous Game Reserve.
Stunning position right on the Rufiji River
Explore The Selous on foot, with a fantastic guide to bring the experience to life
Open fronted rooms taking advantage of the views
Fly camping, with just a mosquito net between you and the vast African night sky
Just eight adventurous guest cottages overlooking Rufiji River
Pleasant lounge and dining areas, bar, curio shop, swimming pool
Jabali Ridge is a sophisticated base from which to explore Ruaha’s incredible landscape and wildlife. The lodge is situated on a rock kopje, offering superb vistas across the palm-studded plains and down to the Mwagusi River. This area is first rate for game viewing – as soon as you exit Jabali Ridge, you are on safari! It’s small and intimate camp with stunning views of the surrounding wilderness. Immerse yourself in pure luxury within the thick of fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities.
8 private and stunningly designed rooms with beyond beautiful views of the remote and truly wild Ruaha National Park.
Enjoy delicious food created by your very own talented private chef
Beautiful infinity pool and plenty of areas to relax in between safari activities
Located near the Mwagusi River, a wildlife hotspot within the park
Far-reaching views of this wild and beautiful national park
POST-EXTENSION ZANZIBAR
Combining your African safari with an idyllic beach escape to the gorgeous and vibrant Zanzibar really is the best of both worlds.
4 days from $3,695
Internal air from $825 (Dar Es Salaam- Zanzibar – Dar Es Salaam)
Arrival and departure airport transfer in Zanzibar
Accommodation and meals as specified in the itinerary
Fly to the spice island of Zanzibar. Situated off the northern coast of Tanzania and surrounded by the tranquil Indian Ocean, this tropical island is the perfect conclusion to any safari. The Zanzibar Serena Hotel, our home for the next three (3) nights, is located in Stone Town, overlooking the Indian Ocean.
The day begins with breakfast and a spectacular view over the Indian Ocean. A walking tour is the best way to experience the Old Town, which exists today much as it did in the days when the “Isle of Spices” was a great trading centre known the world over for spices, timber and slaves. As we move away from the market, the winding streets grow serene and mysterious with whitewashed houses, ornately carved wooden doors and balconies studded with brass. We visit the Zanzibar Museum and the Old Fort. After lunch we experience an afternoon of exploring the plantations where cinnamon, cardamom and strong, flavorful Arabic coffees are grown. And, of course, we see the cloves—the gold of Zanzibar—the world’s finest and most desired spice. Overnight Zanzibar Serena Hotel.
There are few places in the world where the red Colobus monkey can be found. Here is one of them. After breakfast we travel across the island through quaint villages and lush vegetation to the enchanting Jozani Forest. We enjoy the Jozani Forest where we have wonderful opportunities to see Old World monkeys leap acrobatically throughout the arboreal canopy in troops of up to a hundred creatures. Overnight Zanzibar Serena Hotel.
Today brings a farewell to the island of Zanzibar. Depending on your departure time, you may have time for one last trip (optional) to the marketplace for that fantastically carved teakwood chest or supply of intensely scented pomanders as a reminder of our sojourn in this ageless Swahili paradise.
An exciting experience for ages 12 and over. Trek through the forests of Mahale Mountains see chimps in their natural habitat marvel at their behavior – playing, fighting, grooming each other
Travel by traditional dhow across Lake Tanganyika to renowned Greystoke Mahale, a striking lakeside camp set within Tanzania’s best chimp habitat
Join expert guides to track endangered chimpanzees on three separate hiking expeditions into Mahale Mountains National Park
Enjoy a host of activities around camp including waterfall hikes, swimming, kayaking, dhow sailing or just relaxing on your private balcony overlooking the sandy beach
Bid the staff at Kigelia farewell before you head back to Msembe airstrip for the early morning flight to Katavi. Look out for elephants and buffalo on the plains as you enjoy lunch. Connect
CONNECT FLIGHT TO MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
About an hour flight. On arrival you’ll board a dhow for the 90 minute ride on Lake Tanganyika to Greystoke Mahale, arriving in time for lunch. The rest of the day is free for you to do as you wish. You’ll have the option of a dhow cruise on the lake, trying your hand at fishing, going for a short hike near the camp or simply resting on the beach. Later you can mingle with fellow guests in the bar before sitting down to dinner within sight of the lake. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Breakfast at the Lodge .After breakfast depart for morning Chimpanzee trekking. View the chimpanzees in their natural habitat! The Mahale National Park is one of the few protected chimpanzee areas in Tanzania. The chimpanzee population of this park is the largest in the world.The landscape of the Mahale Mountains National Park is hilly and dominated by the Mahale Mountains. The highest point of the Mahale Mountains is Mount Nkungwe with an altitude of 2,462 m. Return to the Lodge for Lunch Afternoon at Leisure Dinner and Overnight :lodge/camp site according to the type of accommodation options requested. Breakfast at the Lodge.
After breakfast depart for morning Chimpanzee trekking. The hikes to spot chimpanzees can take anything from half an hour (when the chimpanzees come down the mountain to the lake) to 8 hours (when the chimpanzees are high up the ridges).On some occasions, the chimpanzees can be simply beyond reach and thus we advise visitors to stay for at least three days to increase their success rate of spotting the chimp’s. Return to the Lodge for Lunch Afternoon at Leisure Evening Sundowners on the Beach Dinner and Overnight :lodge/camp site according to the type of accommodation options requested.
Breakfast at the Lodge.Morning 1.5 hour transfer by Dhouw boat to the Mahale Airstrip. Depart with Shared Charter Flight from Mahale to Arusha with Packed Lunch
Eastern Africa, classically presented as a major dry climate anomaly region in the otherwise wet equatorial belt, is a transition zone between the monsoon domains of West Africa and the Indian Ocean. Its complex terrain, unequaled in the rest of Africa, results in a huge diversity of climatic conditions that steer a wide range of vegetation landscapes, biodiversity and human occupations.
See the average temperature and rainfall for your destination.
This small-group Safari is guaranteed to operate with just two guests, and if the price goes down after you book, we’ll refund the difference. Read more..
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