8 Days Southern Circuit 🌟 3 Price Tiers

Marvels of the South – Ruaha, Mikumi & Nyerere (Selous)

8Days
3Parks
Big 5Wildlife
RufijiBoat Safari
WalkingSafari
100%Tailor-Made

Package Overview

A Journey into the Wild Unknown

This is not the Africa most travellers see. This is deeper. Quieter. More real. Far from the busy northern routes, this 8-day journey takes you into the untouched heart of southern Tanzania — where the wilderness stretches endlessly, where silence is broken only by nature, and where every encounter feels like it was meant just for you.

Beginning in Dar es Salaam, you travel deep into Ruaha National Park — Tanzania’s largest national park and one of Africa’s greatest secret wildernesses — before continuing to the sweeping plains of Mikumi National Park and finally into the vast, labyrinthine ecosystem of Nyerere National Park, formerly known as the Selous Game Reserve — the largest protected area in Africa. Here, ancient baobab forests, elephant-filled floodplains, and the mighty Rufiji River create a wilderness experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else on earth.

If you are searching for something authentic… this is where your story begins.

📅 8 Days / 7 Nights
📍 Starts & Ends Dar es Salaam
🦁 Big Five Wildlife
🚶 Walking Safari
🚤 Rufiji River Boat Safari
🚙 4×4 Safari Vehicle
👤 Private, Tailor-Made
🌲 Ancient Baobab Forests
🌄 Off The Beaten Path
🍽️ Full Board Included

Trip Highlights

Why Southern Tanzania is Extraordinary

Ancient Baobab Wilderness

Ruaha's iconic landscape of ancient baobab trees standing like sentinels over golden savannah is unlike anything in northern Tanzania.

Ruaha's Rare Predators

One of Africa's largest lion populations — along with wild dogs, cheetah, leopard and hyena — roam Ruaha's vast untouched terrain.

Rufiji River Boat Safari

Drift along the powerful Rufiji River as hippos surface beside you, crocodiles line the banks, and waterbirds call overhead in the golden silence.

Guided Walking Safari

Step out on foot with an expert guide — no engine, no distance. Every sound, track and rustle becomes a vivid story of the wild.

Elephant Kingdoms

Southern Tanzania hosts some of Africa's largest elephant herds, moving freely across riverbeds, floodplains and ancient forest corridors.

True Wilderness Solitude

With far fewer visitors than the northern circuit, you experience the raw, unfiltered soul of Africa — just you, your guide, and the wild.

Day by Day

Your 8-Day Itinerary

1
DAY ONE

DAR ES SALAAM → RUAHA

Your journey begins in Dar es Salaam, where the pulse of the city slowly fades behind you.

As you drive toward Ruaha National Park, the landscape transforms—villages pass by, children wave, baobab trees stand like ancient guardians, and the road opens into the vast African wilderness.

It’s a long journey, but not a tiring one—it’s a transition. A slow entry into another world.

By the time you arrive, the air feels different. Wild. Untouched. Alive.

🚙 Hotel Pickup & Fumba Transfer
⛵ Dhow Departure
🐬 Wild Dolphin Swimming
🤿 Coral Reef Snorkelling
🐢 Sea Turtle Spotting
📸 Ocean Photography
2
DAY TWO

LOST IN RUAHA’S WILDERNESS

In Ruaha National Park, time slows down.

There are no crowds here. No rush. Just you and the raw rhythm of nature.

You may watch elephants move gracefully beneath ancient baobabs, lions resting in the golden grass, or the silent tension of a hunt unfolding in the distance. Every moment feels intimate—like nature is revealing its secrets only to you.

As the sun sets, the sky burns in shades of orange and gold. Back at camp, the night comes alive with distant roars and whispers of the wild.

This is not just a safari. This is connection.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)
3
DAY THREE

RUAHA → MIKUMI

The journey continues to Mikumi National Park, where the landscape opens into sweeping plains.

Here, wildlife moves freely across the horizon—zebras, giraffes, elephants—all set against an endless sky.

The afternoon game drive feels gentle yet exciting, like a quiet conversation with nature before night falls.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)
4
DAY FOUR

MIKUMI → SELOUS (NYERERE NATIONAL PARK)

At sunrise, you take in your final moments in Mikumi before heading toward the vast wilderness of Nyerere National Park.

This is where the true remoteness begins.

The road takes you through landscapes few travelers ever witness—untouched, wild, and deeply peaceful. You begin to feel completely removed from the modern world.

And that is the beauty of it.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)
5
DAY FIVE

THE SOUL OF SELOUS

Nyerere National Park is not just a destination—it’s a feeling.

Vast and untamed, it offers a safari experience that feels almost private. You may encounter rare wildlife, watch elephants gather near the river, or witness predators moving silently through the bush.

There is a sense of freedom here. Of space. Of something ancient and unchanged.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)
6
DAY SIX

WALK WITH NATURE, FLOW WITH THE RIVER

This is the day you truly become part of the wilderness.

Step out on foot for a guided walking safari—no engine, no distance, just you and the earth beneath your feet. Every sound matters. Every track tells a story. It’s humbling, thrilling, and unforgettable.

Later, drift along the powerful Rufiji River.

The water moves slowly, reflecting the sky as hippos surface nearby and crocodiles rest along the banks. Birds call overhead, and the world feels calm… untouched.

It’s a moment of peace you didn’t know you needed.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)
7
DAY SEVEN

RETURN TO DAR ES SALAAM

As you journey back to Dar es Salaam, something has changed.

You carry more than memories—you carry a feeling. Of silence. Of wild beauty. Of being truly present.

And long after the journey ends, a part of you will remain out there… in the heart of the wilderness.

🏝️ Sandbank Relaxation
🦞 Seafood BBQ Lunch
🍹 Tropical Fruits & Drinks
🏊 Free Swim & Snorkelling
⛵ Sunset Dhow Return
🚙 Hotel Drop-Off (5:00 PM)

Safari Route

Your Southern Circuit Route

Total journey: approx. 1,200 km through southern Tanzania's most remote wilderness

  • Dar es Salaam
  • Ruaha NP
  • Ruaha (Day 2–3)
  • Mikumi NP
  • Nyerere NP
  • Rufiji River
  • Dar es Salaam

Safari Gallery

See What Awaits You in the South

Wildlife Spotlight

Animals You May Encounter

Southern Tanzania's three-park circuit offers one of Africa's most diverse and least-crowded wildlife experiences — with exceptional sightings of species rarely seen in the more visited northern parks.

Lion

Elephant

Black Rhino

Flamingos

Wildebeest

Giraffe

What's Included

Package Inclusions & Exclusions

 

✅ Always Included

  • All national park entry & conservation fees
  • Professional English-speaking safari guide
  • Safari vehicle (shared or private depending on tier)
  • 7 nights accommodation (lodge or tented camp)
  • Full-board meals throughout the safari
  • Walking safari in Nyerere National Park
  • Rufiji River boat safari
  • Return flights from Dar es Salaam (see tier notes)
  • All government taxes & levies
  • Bottled water throughout

 

❌ Not Included

  • International flights to/from Tanzania
  • Tanzania entry visa (apply online before travel)
  • Travel & medical insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Premium alcohol (varies by tier)
  • Gratuities / tips for guide & camp staff
  • Personal items & laundry
  • Optional activities not listed in itinerary
  • Personal purchases

Guest Reviews

What Our Southern Tanzania Travelers Say

 

★★★★★

“We’ve done safaris in Kenya, Botswana, and the Serengeti — and nothing prepared us for Ruaha. The sheer wildness of it. No other vehicles. Just us and the elephants and the most extraordinary lion sightings of our lives. Wildflip’s guide was a true expert — passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in every moment. The Rufiji boat safari on Day 7 was the single greatest wildlife experience of my life.”

Jonathan & Claire — Australia· April 2026
★★★★★

“We chose the Premium Explorer tier and it was absolutely worth every penny. The boutique tented camp in Nyerere had views of the river from our private deck — we watched hippos from our bed in the mornings. But it’s the walking safari that will stay with me forever. On foot, with nothing between you and wild Africa, you understand this continent in a completely different way. Deeply, deeply special.”

Natalia R. — France· March 2026
★★★★★

“Southern Tanzania is a revelation. I was sceptical it could match the Serengeti — I was completely wrong. The absence of crowds transforms the entire experience. In Ruaha, we watched wild dogs hunt at dawn — something our guide told us he’d only witnessed a handful of times. The 8-day format felt perfect — enough time to truly settle into each place and feel the wilderness, not just pass through it.”

David K. — United States· February 2026

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