Ruaha National Park 

Ruaha is the second-largest national park in Tanzania, home to many wildlife species. Due to its low visitor numbers, a safari here feels secluded and exclusive.

Introducing Ruaha National Park

Lounging under the shade of a baobab tree, a baby elephant eagerly awaits her afternoon snack. Her mother, the matriarch, tears off a branch to the delight of the infant. Ruaha National Park has the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in East Africa. Here, you're at crossroads between southern and eastern safari ecosystems. The park derives its name from the Great Ruaha River which flows through the south-eastern section of the park and attracts a broad range of wildlife. Ruaha National Park is an integral part of the Rungwa-Kizigo-Muhesi ecosystem. The ecosystem spans across an area of 45,000km², and it includes the Rungwa Game Reserve, the Kizigo and Muhesi Game Reserves, and the Mbomipa Wildlife Management Area. Ruaha National Park has a stunning and diverse landscape with a vast savannah, a river which attracts a plethora of wildlife, and mountains in the south and west. Ruaha National Park is home to rare species, including wild dogs, cheetahs, and leopards.

Experience the Ruaha National Park

  • Wildlife
  • Birdlife

Wildlife at the Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park has the largest concentration of elephants in East Africa with a population of around 10,000 of these gentle giants. Ruaha National Park is also home to 10% of global lion populations. You also have a chance of seeing leopards, cheetahs, zebras, elands, giraffes, impalas, bat-eared foxes, snakes, crocodiles, and jackals. Ruaha’s unique position on the verge of Southern Africa means that it is home to species from Southern and Eastern Africa. The greater and lesser kudu can both be found at Ruaha National Park. Whilst the greater kudu is traditionally found in Southern Africa, the lesser kudu is found in East Africa.

Ruaha is home to dozens of rare species, including the sable and roan antelopes. Cheetahs and leopards are difficult to spot in most places, but they are often sighted as they pursue their prey in the open plains of Ruaha. The wild dog is endangered worldwide, but around 100 wild dogs live in the park.

Birdlife at the Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise and 571 bird species have been sighted at the park. Ruaha also has beautiful landscapes which are dotted with acacias, baobabs, and over 1,650 plant species. The Ruaha National Park is inhabited by some endemics such as the Ashy starling and the Yellow-collared Lovebird. The resident birds of the Ruaha National Park are: the Crested barbet, Dickinson's kestrel, Pale-billed hornbill, Violet-crested turaco, Racket-tailed roller, Plovers, Kingfishers, Hornbills, Green-wood hoopoes, Sunbirds, Bee-eaters and Egrets.

The Ruaha National Park is visited by Eurasian migrants twice a year – from October to November and from March to April. Among the migrants in the Ruaha National Park you can see the Sooty falcon, whose breeding grounds are in the Sahara and in the Middle East, and the Eleonora's Falcon, whose breeding grounds are in the Mediterranean. The national park is also inhabited by birds of prey such as Pel's fishing owl, the African hawk, the Bateleur, and Eagles such as the Long-crested, Martial and Snake eagles.

Best time to visit Ruaha National Park

Like most other Tanzanian national parks, it is best to visit Ruaha during the long dry season from June to October. It is relatively cool during this period compared to the hot dry season from mid-December to mid-March. The dry season also provides great conditions for wildlife viewing because animals are drawn to the dwindling water sources and the grass is too short for them to hide.

For bird enthusiasts, the European winter months (December to April) are the best time to visit as migratory birds make their way down to Tanzania. Some lodges close in the long-wet season (March-May), so you will need to be flexible when you are finding your accommodation.



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