10 Day Southern Circuit And Zanzibar

Destinations: Tanzania, Ruaha National Park, Nyerere National Park, Mikumi National Park and Zanzibar

This 10-day trip strings together Ruaha, Nyerere, Mikumi and Zanzibar, spreading the days across the best of the region. The park holds around ten percent of the world’s lions in prides that can top twenty animals. The Rufiji, the largest river in Tanzania fans out through the park into channels, sandbanks and lakes. Its Mkata floodplain draws comparisons with the Serengeti for the way lion, buffalo and elephant sit out on open grass.

Day By Day

Day 1 Arrival At Ruaha

You fly in from Dar es Salaam, the flight lifts off from Dar es Salaam and turns inland over the coast, and land near Ruaha National Park, where your guide meets you and the transfer to camp works as your first afternoon out in the park. As the dry season bites, the shrinking Great Ruaha River pulls elephant, buffalo and antelope down to drink. Greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan show themselves here in ways they rarely do up north. Ruaha is one of Africa’s last strongholds for the endangered African wild dog.

You settle into camp as the light goes. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle. Ancient baobabs stand over the sand rivers, glowing gold in the low afternoon light. The park list runs to more than 570 bird species so the river fringe stays busy through the day. Ruaha is the largest national park in Tanzania at over 20,000 square kilometres and it sees a fraction of the vehicles the northern parks do.

Light aircraft wing at the bush airstrip in Ruaha National Park — Day 1 flies in to Ruaha, the quietest park on the route and the first stop of four.

Day 2 Game Drives In Ruaha

A full day in Ruaha National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Ruaha is one of Africa’s last strongholds for the endangered African wild dog. Ancient baobabs stand over the sand rivers, glowing gold in the low afternoon light. The park list runs to more than 570 bird species so the river fringe stays busy through the day. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

Ruaha is the largest national park in Tanzania at over 20,000 square kilometres and it sees a fraction of the vehicles the northern parks do. The park holds around ten percent of the world’s lions in prides that can top twenty animals. As the dry season bites, the shrinking Great Ruaha River pulls elephant, buffalo and antelope down to drink. Greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan show themselves here in ways they rarely do up north.

Lioness lying in dappled shade beside her pride in Ruaha National Park — A full Ruaha day before the hop east. Prides here can top twenty animals.

Day 3 Transfer To Nyerere

A short morning out on game drives at first light in Ruaha, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Nyerere National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Nyerere in the afternoon. You head out on a boat safari and game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. The park holds big herds of elephant and buffalo, good lion and leopard, and a strong wild dog population. Unlike the parks up north, Nyerere lets you walk with an armed ranger. You swap between boat and vehicle as the day allows.

The Rufiji, the largest river in Tanzania fans out through the park into channels, sandbanks and lakes. A boat safari puts you at water level with hippo pods and big crocodiles hauled out on the banks. Nyerere is 30,893 square kilometres gazetted in 2019 from the northern Selous and a UNESCO World Heritage area. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush.

Two hippos and a crocodile in calm water in Ruaha National Park — Hippo and crocodile in Ruaha, seen from the bank. On the Rufiji you meet them from a boat instead.

Day 4 Boat Safari In Nyerere

A full day in Nyerere National Park. You are out on a boat safari and game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Unlike the parks up north, Nyerere lets you walk with an armed ranger. Nyerere is 30,893 square kilometres gazetted in 2019 from the northern Selous and a UNESCO World Heritage area. The Rufiji, the largest river in Tanzania fans out through the park into channels, sandbanks and lakes. Sundown over the water, with hippo surfacing, closes the day.

A boat safari puts you at water level with hippo pods and big crocodiles hauled out on the banks. The park holds big herds of elephant and buffalo, good lion and leopard, and a strong wild dog population. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.

Day 5 Transfer To Mikumi

A short morning out on a boat safari and game drives at first light in Nyerere, then to the road for the move to Mikumi National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Mikumi in the afternoon. You head out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Mikumi is 3,230 square kilometres and the fourth-largest park in Tanzania, reached on the tar road from the coast. Its Mkata floodplain draws comparisons with the Serengeti for the way lion, buffalo and elephant sit out on open grass. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

Zebra, wildebeest, impala and tall Masai giraffe spread across the plain. Lilac-breasted rollers sit on every third bush, and the birding is strong year round. The Hippo Pools in the north hold pods you can watch on foot from a viewing point. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.

Day 6 Transfer To Zanzibar

A short morning out on game drives at first light in Mikumi, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Zanzibar. The country changes on the way, and you reach Zanzibar in the afternoon. You reach the coast as the light softens, salt in the air after a week of dust. Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. The north and east coasts are lined with white sand behind a protected coral reef. Fresh seafood by the water closes the day.

The food is a highlight, grilled seafood, coconut and spice along the Swahili coast. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site a maze of lanes, carved doors and old trading houses. Mnemba atoll offers the island’s best snorkelling, with reef fish, turtles and dolphins offshore. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count.

Day 7 On The Coast At Zanzibar

A full day at Zanzibar. You are by the sea, and the day is yours to shape around the tide, the reef and the old town. The north and east coasts are lined with white sand behind a protected coral reef. Mnemba atoll offers the island’s best snorkelling, with reef fish, turtles and dolphins offshore. The food is a highlight, grilled seafood, coconut and spice along the Swahili coast. The tide, the reef and a long lunch set the pace.

Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site a maze of lanes, carved doors and old trading houses. Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.

Day 8 On The Coast At Zanzibar

A full day at Zanzibar. You are by the sea, and the day is yours to shape around the tide, the reef and the old town. Mnemba atoll offers the island’s best snorkelling, with reef fish, turtles and dolphins offshore. The food is a highlight, grilled seafood, coconut and spice along the Swahili coast. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site a maze of lanes, carved doors and old trading houses. It is proper downtime after the early mornings of the safari.

Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. The north and east coasts are lined with white sand behind a protected coral reef. Away from Stone Town the pace is slow, and most days need no plan beyond deciding when to swim.

Day 9 On The Coast At Zanzibar

A full day at Zanzibar. You are by the sea, and the day is yours to shape around the tide, the reef and the old town. The food is a highlight, grilled seafood, coconut and spice along the Swahili coast. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site a maze of lanes, carved doors and old trading houses. Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. Fresh seafood by the water closes the day.

The north and east coasts are lined with white sand behind a protected coral reef. Mnemba atoll offers the island’s best snorkelling, with reef fish, turtles and dolphins offshore. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.

Day 10 Departure

A final morning by the sea before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then your light aircraft flies you back toward Dar es Salaam. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site a maze of lanes, carved doors and old trading houses. Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. This 10-day trip links Ruaha, Nyerere, Mikumi and Zanzibar, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. The north and east coasts are lined with white sand behind a protected coral reef.

Mnemba atoll offers the island’s best snorkelling, with reef fish, turtles and dolphins offshore. The food is a highlight, grilled seafood, coconut and spice along the Swahili coast. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest.

What’s Included

All internal flights and road transfers on the route
Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
Park entry fees for the days shown
Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle

What’s Not Included

International flights and any visa
Travel insurance
Drinks, tips for guides and staff
Activities not listed and items of a personal nature

Why Should You Experience This Tanzania Safari?

This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. As the dry season bites, the shrinking Great Ruaha River pulls elephant, buffalo and antelope down to drink. Greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan show themselves here in ways they rarely do up north. Spice farms outside town still grow the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon that made the island rich. Linking Ruaha, Nyerere, Mikumi and Zanzibar in one route means you cover more of Tanzania than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 10 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.

Can You See Tanzania Properly in 10 Safari Days?

10 days across Ruaha, Nyerere, Mikumi and Zanzibar is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 10-day trip is balanced and full.

What Is the Typical Cost of a Tanzania Safari?

What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Tanzania, park fees run from about USD 35 per adult per day at Ruaha to roughly USD 70 to 85 in the northern parks, all of those with 18% VAT counted in; Ruaha’s is a USD 30 gate rate before the tax is added, and the Ngorongoro Crater sits at the top of the range. The park authorities review these rates each fiscal year, so treat them as indicative. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 3,000 to 6,500 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.

Getting the Most From the Ruaha Leg

Ruaha is the first stop and the wildest one. The Great Ruaha River explains why the dry season concentrates game so tightly, Where to Stay in Ruaha National Park covers the camps, and the Ruaha National Park: Complete Safari Guide pulls the whole park together in one place.

Related routes: the 7 Day Southern Tanzania Safari is this circuit without the beach, the 8 Day Ruaha And Zanzibar Beach Safari is the simpler one-park-plus-island version, and the 14 Day Ultimate Tanzania Safari And Zanzibar adds the northern parks.

This site is an independent visitor guide and does not take bookings. Once the shape of the trip is clear, send it to one of the operators who run Ruaha safaris, or start with the enquiry form on the homepage.