Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park boasts an almost untouched and unexplored ecosystem, making a Tanzania safari experience one of a kind. The Great Ruaha River along with the Mwagusi, Jongomero and Mzombe Rivers serve as the lifelines of the park. During dry season, these rivers become the main source of water for wildlife although here are few natural springs available year round as well.

In the peak of dry season, elephants obtain water from dry sand rivers using their front feet and trunks to tunnel into the sands. The remaining waterfalls along the Great Ruaha River are also important habitats for hippopotamus, fish and crocodile.

he park history dates back to 1910 when it was gazetted Saba Game Reserve by the Germans. In 1946, the name was changed by the British to Rungwa Game Reserve. In 1964 the southern portion of the reserve was gazetted as Ruaha National Park and in 1974 a small section of South Eastern part of the Great Ruaha River was incorporated. The name “Ruaha” originates from the Hehe word “Ruvaha”, which means “river”. Ruaha National Park is part of Rungwa-Kizigo–Muhesi ecosystem which covers more than 17374 sq miles. In 2008 Usangu Game Reserve and other important wetlands in Usangu basin were annexed into the park, making it the largest park in East Africa with an area of about 7,809 sq miles.

Today the park is one of Tanzania’s birding paradises with more than 571 species including migrants from as far away as Europe, Asia,Madagascar and the Pacific rim have been recorded in the park. The recently annexed wetland, the Usangu basin, is one of the country’s most important bird area as recognized by Birdlife International. Though birds can be seen all year around, the best time for a bird safari is during the wet season.

Ruaha is also believed to have higher concentrations of elephant than any national park in East Africa and magnificent mammals like Kudu (both Greater and Lesser), Sable and Roan antelopes are often easily spotted on a safari game drive in Miombo woodland. The male Kudu have beautiful spiraled horns while male Sable antelope have impressive curved horns. The park is also a habitat for endangered wild dogs. Other animals in the park include lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, zebras, elands, impala, bat eared foxes and jackals.