7-Day Southern Circuit Wild

The 7-day southern circuit safari in brief

This 7-day southern Tanzania safari flies you from Dar es Salaam into the country's two great southern parks: Nyerere National Park, the former northern Selous, and Ruaha National Park. You spend two nights on the Rufiji River in Nyerere, with boat safaris and a walking safari, then four nights in Ruaha, a big, dry, little-visited park known for lions, elephants and wild dogs. Every transfer is by light aircraft, and you share sightings with very few other vehicles.

• Route: Dar es Salaam, Nyerere (Rufiji River), Ruaha, Dar es Salaam
• Nights: 2 Nyerere, 4 Ruaha
• Travel: three scheduled light-aircraft flights, no long road transfers
• Best months: June to November
• Style: private vehicle and senior guide, boat safaris and two walking safaris with an armed ranger

Why the southern circuit

Tanzania's southern parks are what many repeat visitors come back for, and what many first-timers wish they had known about. The wildlife is excellent, and in some categories the south leads: wild dog viewing, walking safaris, boat safaris and the sense of having a huge landscape almost to yourself.

The two parks complement each other. Nyerere is a river wilderness, where the Rufiji spreads into channels and oxbow lakes and much of the best viewing is from a boat. Ruaha is higher, drier and rockier, with baobabs, sand rivers and a mix of East and Southern African species, including both greater and lesser kudu. Together they give you water, woodland and hills in one week.

Accommodation here is mostly small, mid-to-premium camps; there is very little budget lodging in the southern parks, and the flights that make the trip easy add to the cost. Our southern Tanzania safari guide explains the trade-offs.

Who it suits, and who should go north first

The southern circuit is a strong fit for:

• Repeat safari travellers who have done the Serengeti or Kenya and want something quieter.
• First-timers who value wilderness over checklists and dislike crowds at sightings.
• Wild dog and big-cat enthusiasts. See our wild dogs in Tanzania guide.
• Walkers and photographers who want to get out of the vehicle or see wildlife from water level.

Go north first if:

• You want the Big Five. Rhino are very unlikely here; the Ngorongoro Crater is far better for them.
• You want the wildebeest migration. It happens in the Serengeti, not the south. The 7-Day Classic follows it.

How it compares with the 10-day northern and southern

The 10-Day Northern and Southern gives you the northern circuit plus three nights in Nyerere, but no Ruaha. This 7-day trip goes deeper into the south: Nyerere and Ruaha together, with four nights in Ruaha. If you have never been on safari and want both the migration and the south, the 10-day is the better shape. If you have done the north or simply want quiet, this is. For a broader comparison, see northern vs southern circuit.

Best months for the southern parks

• June to October (dry season): the best time. Water is scarce, wildlife gathers at the rivers, the bush thins and visibility is good. Wild dog packs often den in June to August. Nights in Ruaha can be cool in June and July.
• November: the end of the dry season, hot, with the first rains arriving late in the month. Still very good.
• December to March: green, hot and humid, with good birding and fewer people. Some roads become difficult.
• April and May: the long rains. Many southern camps close.

See the Ruaha and Nyerere destination pages for month-by-month detail.

What a day looks like in the south

Southern safari days mix activities rather than repeating the same drive. In Nyerere, a typical day might be a boat trip at first light, brunch back at camp, a rest through the heat and an afternoon walk or drive. In Ruaha, the rhythm is closer to a classic safari: a dawn drive, often with a bush breakfast, a midday break and an afternoon drive until dusk. Night drives are not permitted inside the national parks.

Walking safaris are slow and quiet. An armed ranger leads, your guide explains, and you spend around three hours reading tracks, identifying plants and watching birds and smaller animals. Our walking safari guide has more on what to expect.

It is hot in the south, especially in Nyerere and especially from October, when afternoons often top 35°C (95°F). Ruaha's dawns can be chilly in mid-year. Pack light layers in neutral colours, a warm top and a wide-brimmed hat.

Wildlife you can expect in each park

• Nyerere: hippo and Nile crocodile in large numbers along the Rufiji; elephants at the river; lion, buffalo, giraffe and impala in the woodland; African wild dog, one of the park's specialities; and a remarkable list of water birds from the boat, including skimmers, kingfishers, storks and fish eagles.
• Ruaha: large lion prides and big-tusked elephants; leopard in the riverine trees; cheetah on the more open plains; African wild dog; and antelope you won't see in the north, including greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan.

What you won't see is the wildebeest migration, which happens in the Serengeti, or, realistically, rhino. Our wild dogs guide and leopards guide cover the two species people most often come south for.

Getting there from the US

This trip starts and ends at Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), which has one-stop connections to the US through hubs such as Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Addis Ababa. Plan to arrive the day before the safari and stay overnight in Dar es Salaam, because the flight to Nyerere leaves in the morning. If you want a beach finish, Zanzibar is a short flight from Dar, and you can fly home from Zanzibar instead.

Where you stay

In Nyerere you stay on the Rufiji at Sand Rivers Selous, Roho ya Selous or a camp of a similar standard, depending on availability. Boat safaris use the camp's own boats, and walks are with the camp's ranger.

In Ruaha you stay at Mwagusi Safari Camp, Jongomero Camp or Kichaka, depending on dates. All give access to the Mwagusi and Mdonya river systems, where dry-season wildlife concentrates, and the camps' guides and trackers share wild dog reports daily. Rooms are tented or open-fronted bandas, with en-suite bathrooms and meals at camp.

Getting there and around

The trip starts and ends in Dar es Salaam, the natural gateway to the south. Scheduled light aircraft fly Dar to Nyerere (about 45 minutes), Nyerere to Ruaha (about 1.5 hours) and Ruaha back to Dar, usually with a stop. The flights are part of the experience: low over the Rufiji floodplain and the miombo hills. Luggage is limited, typically to about 15 kg (33 lb) in a soft-sided bag. Our Coastal Aviation guide explains domestic flights in more detail.

Is the southern circuit worth the extra cost?

Per day, the south usually costs more than a comparable northern safari, for two reasons: every transfer is a flight, and almost all accommodation is small, mid-to-premium camps. What you get for that is space. In Ruaha and Nyerere you rarely share a sighting, you can walk and take boats as well as drive, and the guiding at the better camps is outstanding. For travellers who found the crowds at Seronera or the crater frustrating, or who want their safari to feel like wilderness, that is the point. If budget matters more than solitude, the northern circuit gives more wildlife per dollar.

What's included

All park and concession fees and taxes; the bush flights from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere, Nyerere to Ruaha and Ruaha back to Dar; a private vehicle and senior guide in both parks; all meals, drinking water and soft drinks; accommodation as listed; two walking safaris with an armed ranger; and airport transfers in Dar es Salaam. International flights, the visa, travel insurance, alcohol and tips are not included. For how fees and flights affect prices, see our Tanzania safari cost guide.

Safety, rules and health

• On walks, follow the ranger. Walk in single file, stay quiet and follow hand signals. Children below a minimum age cannot join walks; ask us if you are travelling with children.
• On boats, stay seated and keep hands inside, as hippo and crocodile are close.
• On drives, stay in the vehicle except at designated sites.
• Malaria risk is real in these low-lying parks. Talk to your doctor about prevention and read our vaccinations and health guide.
• Tsetse flies occur in parts of both parks. Avoid dark blue and black clothing, which attracts them.
• Insurance must include medical evacuation.

US travellers should read our Tanzania visa guide for US citizens. Zanzibar is a short flight from Dar es Salaam if you want to finish on the beach; see our Zanzibar trips. For chimpanzees instead, see the 5-Day Mahale Chimpanzee Safari. When you're ready, send us your dates.