Tanzania's Wildest Safari Frontier
While the world queues at the Serengeti's northern crossings, a different Tanzania waits in the south — a Tanzania of 22,000 km² elephant herds, of hippo pods 200-strong in shrinking lagoons, of chimpanzees unlearned in the ways of tourists, of forests that have never heard a road. The Southern Circuit is not Tanzania's easiest safari — it requires small aircraft, rough roads, and a willingness to leave comfort behind. But for those who make the journey, it offers Africa as it was, and as it still can be.
The Three Parks
Each Park Is a World Apart
22,000 km² | Best: June–October (dry season), November–April (birding and wild dog)
Ruaha National Park
“The wildest park in East Africa you have probably never heard of”
At 22,000 km², Ruaha is Tanzania's largest national park — larger than Wales or New Jersey. It was formed by the merger of the former Ruaha National Park and the Rungwa Game Reserve. The result is a vast, remote wilderness with one of the highest elephant populations in Africa and the largest packs of African wild dog on the continent. Lions are abundant, cheetah patrol the open grasslands, and the rare giant eland roams the rocky outcrops. You will share the park with very few other vehicles.
Key Wildlife
- →Elephant (largest population in East Africa)
- →Wild dog (largest pack densities in Africa)
- →Giant eland
- →Ruwenzori gerenuk
- →Lion prides
- →Cheetah
Visitor Level
Extremely low — fewer visitors than almost any other East African park
Access
Daily scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam and Arusha to Ruaha airstrip (Iringa route)
From $3,200/person for a 5-day fly-in safari
4,471 km² | Best: October–November (dry season peak — hippo pods concentrated, elephant herds massive)
Katavi National Park
“Tanzania's most remote and dramatic wilderness”
Katavi is the definition of off-grid safari — no flights from Arusha (you fly from Dar or fly into nearby Mpanda), limited camps, and a park so remote that when the floodplains dry up in October, you can sit at a hippo pool with 200 hippos and nobody else for 100 kilometres. The floodplains of the Katuma River are the heart of Katavi — in the dry season, hippo pods crowd the remaining water holes, crocodiles sun themselves on sandbanks, and elephant herds migrate through. Lion prides of 20+ are common. This is Africa as it was before tourism.
Key Wildlife
- →Hippo (largest pods in Africa — 200+ individuals)
- →Crocodile (massive Nile crocs)
- →Elephant herds (huge aggregations in dry season)
- →Buffalo herds (thousands)
- →Lion (large prides)
- →Wild dog (resident population)
Visitor Level
Near-zero — you will often be the only vehicle in the park
Access
Daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda, then 90-minute game drive to park gate
From $3,800/person for a 4-day fly-in safari
1,650 km² | Best: June–October (driest, easiest forest tracking), December–February (chimpanzee births)
Mahale Mountains National Park
“Track wild chimpanzees on the shores of Lake Tanganyika”
Mahale is unlike any other safari destination in Tanzania — a mountain park covered in tropical rainforest, rising from the crystal-clear shores of Lake Tanganyika (the world's second-deepest lake). No roads exist inside the park. Access is exclusively by boat along the lake shore. The star attraction is the wild chimpanzees — some of the most habituated in Africa, studied by Japanese researchers for over 30 years. Tracking them through the forest with an experienced guide is one of Africa's most extraordinary wildlife experiences. Between chimp sessions, you can snorkel in the lake's clear shallows (which contain over 500 species of fish found nowhere else on earth), kayak to secluded coves, or simply relax on the beach with a cold drink.
Key Wildlife
- →Chimpanzee (approximately 1,000 individuals, multiple habituated groups)
- →Blue monkey
- →Angola colobus
- →Red-tailed monkey
- →Yellow baboon
- →250+ bird species
Visitor Level
Extremely low — camps are small, daily visitor numbers are tightly controlled
Access
Boat transfer from Kalya Village on Lake Tanganyika (accessible by air to Arusha, then charter to nearby airstrip, then boat)
From $4,200/person for a 4-day fly-in safari including chimp trekking
The Complete Southern Circuit
Combining Ruaha, Katavi & Mahale
A 10-14 day Southern Circuit safari combining all three parks is the most complete remote Tanzania experience available. Fly into Ruaha for 4-5 days of exceptional elephant and wild dog sightings, transfer by light aircraft to Katavi for 3-4 days of raw floodplain wilderness, then fly to Mahale for 3-4 days of chimp trekking and lake life. This itinerary suits experienced safari travellers who want to see Tanzania's wildest side — the parks that even many Tanzanian operators never visit.
10–14 days | From $7,500/person
Best For
Questions Answered
Southern Circuit Safari FAQs
How is the Southern Circuit different from the Northern Circuit?
Is the Southern Circuit suitable for first-time safari travellers?
When is the best time to visit Ruaha National Park?
Can you see the Great Migration in the Southern Circuit?
What makes Mahale Mountains National Park special?
Ready to Explore Tanzania's Southern Circuit?
The Southern Circuit requires more planning than the Northern Circuit — aircraft bookings, camp availability, and multi-park logistics all need coordinating. We handle every detail. Tell us your travel dates and we will design a bespoke Southern Circuit safari that exceeds expectations.