The southern circuit of Tanzania is getting more and more popular. Although it is less frequently visited than the northern circuit, it offers a similar variety of wildlife, varied landscapes, and culture.
The Nyerere National Park is the largest in Africa, approximately the size of Switzerland and is a vast open landscape with savanna plains, woodland, and many lakes and swamps in the Rufiji valley. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to its diversity of wildlife and undisturbed nature.
A guided boat trip on the Rufiji River will be arranged during which you will see many majestic birds, hippos, and crocodiles, probably elephants and, if you are lucky, a Nile monitor or a pride of lions coming down to drink.
Mikumi National Park can be visited in one day from Dar es Salaam, but if you have more time, this charming park is well worth a more extended visit. The vast expanses of the Mkata Floodplain are full of wildlife: lions, wildebeest, impala, eland, and buffalo migrate across the plains. In the Miombo woodland on the foothills of the local mountains, greater kudu and sable antelopes can be seen. More than 400 species of birds have been sighted in Mikumi.
We will also visit Udzungwa - the largest and most biologically diverse chain of forests in Tanzania. This archipelago of isolated massifs has been dubbed the Galapagos of Africa for its treasure trove of endemic plants and animals. Known collectively as the Eastern Arch, the ancient crystalline mountains were formed more than 200 million years ago. Geological changes caused the rising of the central plateau, now the Tanzania/Kenya Highlands, and the formation of the Rift valley.
Enjoy this 5-day tour with us and check the itinerary section for more details.