Remote Tan zania Although both are quite remote, they are easily accessed by bush flights from the capital, Dar es Salaam, to airstrips within the two reserves. Of course, the concentrations of animals will not match the numbers of the wildebeest migration in Serengeti, yet you will be rewarded with a greater diversity of wildlife reflecting the meeting of eastern and southern African species. One thing you won’t encounter in Ruaha and Nyere National Parks are crowds of fellow travellers. Both destinations have just a few lodges and camps scattered around the parks, ranging from contemporary luxury to simply rustic. Ruaha National Park Spanning over 20,000 km2, Ruaha is Tanzania’s largest national park. This vast tract of bush, similar in size to Wales, is home to ten percent of Africa’s lions and East Africa’s highest population of elephants. Skinny palm trees and bulbous baobabs dot the landscape bordered by distant hills and granite outcrops or kopjes. The Ruaha River is the heart of the park. Tumbling across rocky boulders in the wet season and transforming into a broad sand river when it’s dry, it’s a magnet for the wildlife. It is one of the best places in Africa to see rare and elusive packs of wild dog. Nyerere National Park (Formerly part of the Selous Game Reserve) Selous Game Reserve, a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, was Africa’s largest game reserve: spanning some 48,000 km2, roughly three times as large as the Serengeti (and the size of Switzerland!). However, in 2019, the northern section of 30,893 km2, was redesignated and renamed Nyerere National Park thus reducing the area of land allocated to private hunting blocks. This vast space opens up extraordinary potential, but for the moment most camps are located close to the Rufigi River to the north. This ‘frontier’ park is a magical place of lush landscapes dominated by the river and a chain of lakes that make for excellent wildlife watching with ample opportunity for walking safaris, boat trips and fly-camping, all contributing to that special sense of discovery and a true wilderness experience. Adding a stay on Zanzibar creates the perfect ‘safari and sand’ Southern Circuit combination. Whilst most safari visitors to Tanzania are likely to follow the well-trodden Northern circuit that includes both Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park, those in search of a real ‘off the beaten track’ safari experience should consider the country’s southern circuit, focusing on the lesser visited Nyerere and Ruaha National Parks. Off the beaten track in the southern parks
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