Explore Southern Tanzania on an 8-day midrange safari covering Mikumi, Udzungwa and Ruaha National Parks, with wildlife, scenic landscapes and memorable safari experiences.
A quick look at the tour style, experiences, travel months and accommodation for this package.
Experience a rewarding 8 day Southern Tanzania midrange safari connecting Dar es Salaam with Mikumi National Park, Udzungwa Mountains National Park and Ruaha National Park. This overland journey combines open savannah wildlife viewing, tropical mountain forest exploration and the remote baobab landscapes of Ruaha in one carefully paced itinerary. Several full game drive days provide meaningful opportunities to observe elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, antelopes, predators and birdlife, while Udzungwa introduces primates, forest trails, waterfalls and dramatic mountain vegetation. Comfortable midrange accommodation throughout gives travelers time to rest properly between activities, and the return through Mikumi creates a final opportunity for wildlife viewing before completing the safari in Dar es Salaam.
5:30 AM to 11:30 AM Road Journey from Dar es Salaam
Your safari begins early when your driver guide collects you from your hotel or agreed location in Dar es Salaam. Leave the coastal city behind and travel inland toward Mikumi, watching urban surroundings gradually change into farms, villages, hills and open countryside. Short refreshment and comfort stops are included naturally during the drive, making the journey more comfortable while allowing you to experience landscapes that travelers using domestic flights often miss.
12:00 PM to 2:30 PM Arrival Lunch and Safari Preparation
Reach the Mikumi area around midday and take time for lunch before beginning the wildlife portion of your journey. Your guide will complete the necessary arrangements while you relax, organise cameras or binoculars and prepare for the afternoon activity. This quieter period after the road transfer is useful because it allows you to enter the park refreshed rather than moving immediately from several hours of driving into another long activity.
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM Afternoon Game Drive in Mikumi
Enter Mikumi National Park as the strongest midday heat begins to decrease and start exploring the Mkata plains and nearby woodland. Search for giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest and antelopes while your guide explains the habitats and animal behaviour encountered along the route. The softer late afternoon light adds beauty to the broad savannah scenery, and wildlife may become increasingly active as evening approaches. Leave the park around sunset and continue to your midrange accommodation.
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6:30 AM to 10:00 AM Early Morning Wildlife Exploration
After breakfast, begin your full Mikumi game drive while the air is still cool and wildlife is active. Travel slowly across open plains and woodland edges, looking carefully for fresh animal tracks, feeding herds and predators returning from overnight activity. Elephants and giraffes can provide memorable early sightings, while zebra and wildebeest groups bring movement to the grasslands. Your guide will avoid unnecessary rushing and spend additional time whenever an interesting encounter deserves closer observation.
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Plains Safari and Picnic Lunch
Continue exploring deeper into productive wildlife zones, including areas around water and sections of the Mkata ecosystem where different animals gather throughout the day. Stop around midday at a suitable picnic location and enjoy lunch surrounded by the atmosphere of the park. After eating, there will be enough time to stretch and relax before returning to the vehicle, making the day's programme comfortable rather than continuously driving from sunrise to late afternoon.
2:00 PM to 5:30 PM Afternoon Wildlife Circuit
Resume the safari as temperatures slowly begin to fall and continue toward additional plains and woodland habitats. Watch for elephants leaving shaded areas, giraffes browsing among trees and large grazing herds moving across open country. The afternoon may also provide opportunities for lions or other predators depending on natural wildlife movements. Complete the full day at around 5:30 PM and return to your midrange lodge for dinner and overnight.
7:00 AM to 9:00 AM Breakfast and Transfer to Udzungwa
Enjoy breakfast before leaving Mikumi and travelling toward Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The road journey is relatively short compared with other safari transfers, allowing you to watch the scenery transform from savannah into greener agricultural valleys and mountain slopes. As Udzungwa approaches, forest covered ridges dominate the landscape, introducing a completely different ecosystem from the plains explored during the previous two days.
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Guided Forest Nature Experience
After registration, meet a local forest guide and begin exploring Udzungwa on foot. Walk beneath dense vegetation while looking for monkeys, forest birds, butterflies and unusual plants, with the guide explaining how this mountain ecosystem supports species that cannot easily be encountered in open savannah parks. The slower walking pace makes it possible to hear bird calls, notice animal movements in the canopy and appreciate smaller details that are often missed during vehicle safaris.
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Waterfall Trails and Forest Exploration
After a short lunch or rest break, continue through another section of the forest according to the selected trail and your fitness level. The afternoon can include mountain streams, scenic viewpoints and waterfall areas, with regular pauses for photographs and interpretation by your guide. Rather than focusing on distance, the activity is designed around experiencing Udzungwa's vegetation, primates and natural atmosphere. Finish during the late afternoon and proceed to your midrange accommodation.
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6:30 AM to 9:30 AM Early Forest Walk and Primate Search
Begin the morning while temperatures are comfortable and the forest is active with birds and primates. Follow a guided trail through lush vegetation and listen for monkey calls while scanning the canopy for movement. Morning conditions can also be excellent for birdwatching and photography because softer light reaches parts of the forest. The route can be selected to complement the previous day's experience so that you explore new surroundings rather than simply repeating the same trail.
9:30 AM to 11:00 AM Breakfast Refreshments and Departure Preparation
Return from the morning walk and enjoy breakfast or refreshments before collecting luggage for the next stage of the safari. This break allows you to recover from the walking activity and prepare comfortably for the longer road journey ahead. Your guide will organise the vehicle while you have time to freshen up, pack cameras and enjoy a final view of the Udzungwa Mountains before leaving the forest environment behind.
11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Scenic Overland Journey to Ruaha
Travel toward Ruaha through Southern Tanzania's varied countryside and the Iringa region, with lunch and comfort stops arranged along the way. Mountain landscapes gradually change into drier woodland as you move closer to Ruaha, creating another major transition in scenery. Arrival is expected later in the day, when you will check into your midrange lodge, enjoy dinner and rest in preparation for the following morning's full game drive.
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6:30 AM to 10:00 AM Morning Wildlife Search in Baobab Country
Enter Ruaha shortly after breakfast and begin exploring its rugged landscapes while temperatures remain relatively cool. Massive baobabs, open woodland and seasonal river systems give the park a distinctive character, while elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and numerous antelope species create regular wildlife opportunities. Your guide will follow tracks and signs of animal activity, stopping whenever a significant encounter develops rather than attempting to cover as many kilometres as possible.
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM River Habitats and Wilderness Picnic
Continue toward river associated areas and wildlife corridors where animals may gather according to seasonal conditions. Keep watch for predators as well as elephants, giraffes and antelope herds moving between feeding and drinking zones. Around midday, enjoy a picnic lunch in an approved location and take a short break from game driving. The natural sounds and wide landscapes make even the lunch stop feel like part of the safari experience.
2:00 PM to 5:30 PM Afternoon Game Drive Across Ruaha
Return to the safari tracks for another extended wildlife session as afternoon light begins to soften. Explore a different habitat from the morning wherever possible, allowing you to see how dramatically the park can change within one day. Elephants against baobab backgrounds, giraffes moving through woodland and predators resting near river corridors can produce memorable scenes. Leave the park in the late afternoon and return to your midrange accommodation.
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6:30 AM to 10:30 AM Remote Ruaha Wildlife Circuit
Begin earlier again and travel toward areas that were not heavily explored during the previous day's safari. The second full day is particularly valuable because there is no pressure to repeat the same route or hurry toward another destination. Spend time examining quieter wilderness sections for elephants, buffalo herds, antelopes, giraffes and signs of predator activity while appreciating Ruaha's sense of space and isolation.
10:30 AM to 2:00 PM Wildlife Observation and Midday Picnic
Continue slowly through riverbeds, woodland and open country, remaining longer at productive sightings where interesting behaviour develops. Wildlife observation becomes more rewarding when animals are given time to behave naturally rather than being treated as quick photographic stops. Pause around midday for a picnic lunch and use the break to rest, review photographs and enjoy the landscape before beginning the final portion of the day's game drive.
2:00 PM to 5:30 PM Late Afternoon Predator and Elephant Search
Use the cooler final hours to revisit promising habitats or follow fresh information about wildlife movement. Elephants may emerge from woodland, antelope herds become more active and predators can begin changing position as evening approaches. Your guide will choose the most suitable route according to conditions on the day, keeping the experience flexible and natural. Return to your lodge in the late afternoon for your final night near Ruaha.
5:30 AM to 10:30 AM Early Departure from Ruaha
Begin the day earlier than usual because the road transfer from Ruaha toward Mikumi is substantial. Have breakfast, load the vehicle and leave the Ruaha area while morning light spreads across the highland and woodland scenery. The drive takes you back through the Iringa region, with short comfort stops arranged during the journey. Although this is mainly a transfer period, the changing landscapes remain part of the broader Southern Tanzania experience.
10:30 AM to 2:30 PM Road Journey and Lunch Stop
Continue toward Mikumi through towns, farmland and long stretches of countryside. Stop for lunch at a suitable location and take time to relax before completing the final section of the transfer. Your guide will monitor timing carefully so that, where road conditions allow, you reach Mikumi with enough daylight remaining for a short wildlife session rather than treating the entire day only as transportation.
3:30 PM to 6:00 PM Evening Game Drive in Mikumi
Enter Mikumi for a late afternoon game drive if arrival and park timing permit. Returning to the park after several days away provides an interesting comparison with Ruaha, as the landscape again opens into broad plains with giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, zebras and wildebeest. Concentrate on areas close enough to the exit to make the most of the remaining daylight. Leave around sunset and continue to your midrange lodge for dinner.
6:30 AM to 9:30 AM Final Morning Game Drive in Mikumi
Begin your last safari activity early while the park is still cool and wildlife is active. Follow quieter tracks through the plains, giving yourself one final opportunity to watch elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes and predators before leaving the national parks behind. The morning drive is deliberately shorter than previous game drives, but it provides a satisfying conclusion and allows you to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere before the return journey.
9:30 AM to 11:00 AM Breakfast and Safari Departure
Leave the park and return for breakfast or refreshments while your luggage is prepared for the final drive. Use the time to review the highlights of the safari, organise cameras and relax after the early morning activity. Your driver guide will then prepare the vehicle for the journey toward Dar es Salaam, with the remaining schedule adjusted according to road and traffic conditions.
11:00 AM to Evening Drive to Dar es Salaam
Begin travelling east toward Dar es Salaam, passing once again through the countryside that introduced the safari eight days earlier. Stop for lunch and comfort breaks as required before continuing toward the city. Arrival is expected during the late afternoon or evening, where your guide will drop you at your hotel, residence or another agreed location, completing your Mikumi, Udzungwa and Ruaha journey.
We offer two pricing options:
The cost is shared within your private group. More people means a lower price per person.
Join others on a fixed-date tour at a set per-person rate—ideal for solo travelers or small groups.
| No of pax | Adult Price | Child Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Pax | From $2,433 pp | From $1,825 pp |
| 2 Pax | From $1,558 pp | From $1,169 pp |
| 3 Pax | From $1,266 pp | From $950 pp |
| 4 Pax | From $1,121 pp | From $840 pp |
| 5 Pax | From $1,033 pp | From $775 pp |
| 6 Pax | From $975 pp | From $731 pp |
| 7+ Pax | From $933 pp | From $700 pp |
The Booking Form
Explore Southern Tanzania on an 8-day midrange safari covering Mikumi, Udzungwa and Ruaha National Parks, with wildlife, scenic landscapes and memorable safari experiences.
N.B: After you send your booking we will get back to you with in 24 hours.
Follow the journey from Start to End. Numbers show the order of destinations and arrows show the direction of travel. Lines connect approximate locations, not actual driving or flight paths.
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