What is the difference between Selous and Ruaha?

Ruaha is a national park (2,290 km²) with excellent infrastructure for walking safaris and game drives. Selous is a game reserve (50,000 km²) — much larger, more remote, and offering genuine frontier safari experiences including overnight fly-camping. Selous was recently renamed Nyerere National Park but is still commonly called Selous. Ruaha is more accessible from the north (flies directly from Dar es Salaam or Arusha); Selous is reached via Mafia Island airstrip or a long road transfer from Dar es Salaam.

Why go to the Southern Circuit instead of the Northern Circuit?

Choose the Southern Circuit if you have already done the north and want something different, if you specifically want walking safaris, if African wild dog is on your wildlife wish list, if you want to experience genuine wilderness solitude, or if you have 10+ days and want the most complete Tanzania experience possible by combining both circuits. The south is not better than the north — it is different. More wild, more intimate, more demanding.

The vast wilderness of Tanzania's Southern Circuit — a landscape of extraordinary solitude and beauty

Safari Circuits

Tanzania Southern Circuit Safari

Q: What is the Tanzania Southern Circuit?

The Southern Circuit refers to Tanzania's collection of southern and southwestern national parks and game reserves: Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park, and Nyerere National Park. These parks are more remote, less visited, and ecologically distinct from the famous Northern Circuit parks. The south is characterised by vast wilderness, exceptional walking safaris, fly-camping opportunities, and some of Africa's best African wild dog sightings.

Plan My Safari

Africa's last great wilderness safari circuit.

While the Northern Circuit captures the world's attention with the Great Migration and the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania's Southern Circuit offers something increasingly rare in Africa: genuine wilderness. Here — in Ruaha, Selous, and Mikumi — you will find some of the last intact ecosystems on the continent, exceptional walking safaris, and the chance to see African wild dog in one of their last strongholds. This is safari for the traveller who wants more than a wildlife checklist.

Why go south

Why the Southern Circuit Is Different

Africa's last great wilderness

In the Southern Circuit, you will regularly drive for an hour without seeing another tourist vehicle. In Ruaha, you might be the only group at a leopard sighting. The density of tourism that characterises the Northern Circuit during peak season simply does not exist here. This is safari as it was thirty years ago — before the word became synonymous with crowding.

The best walking safaris in Tanzania

Walking in the Southern Circuit is categorically different from game drives. Accompanied by an armed guide, you move through landscapes where vehicles cannot go. The proximity to wildlife on foot — elephants at close range,跟踪 lion tracks, approach a herd of buffalo — creates an intensity of attention and adrenaline that no game drive can match. Ruaha and Selous are the best destinations in Tanzania for serious walking safaris.

African wild dog

Ruaha has one of the largest remaining populations of African wild dog in Africa — estimated at 15-20 packs. Seeing wild dog in the wild is one of Africa's most elusive wildlife experiences. They move constantly, communicate in ways that require an expert eye to interpret, and are present in sufficient numbers in Ruaha that sightings, while never guaranteed, are achievable. No other park in Tanzania offers the same probability of a wild dog encounter.

Fly-camping — sleeping in the wild

True fly-camping — a night in a simple fly camp deep in the bush, with nothing between you and the African night except a canvas sheet and the sounds of the wilderness — is one of the most primal and unforgettable experiences available in Tanzania. Available in Ruaha and particularly in Selous, fly-camping connects you to the land in a way that no permanent camp, however luxurious, can replicate.

The three southern parks

Each Park Is a Different World

Tanzania's best-kept safari secret

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha is Tanzania's largest national park — 2,290 square kilometres of rugged, beautiful wilderness in the central-south. It is one of the best places in Africa to see African wild dog, with an estimated 15-20 packs calling the park home. The Great Ruaha River runs along the park's eastern boundary, and during the dry season elephant herds concentrate along its banks in extraordinary numbers. Ruaha is genuinely remote — you will regularly have wildlife sightings to yourself, and the walking safaris here are among the best in Africa.

Best for

African wild dogWalking safarisRemote wildernessLion pridesElephant herds

Key wildlife

African wild dog (best place in Tanzania) · Elephant (large herds, 8,000–10,000 in park) · Lion (high density, large prides) · Cheetah · Giraffe · Hippo · Crocodile

Access

Light aircraft from Dar es Salaam (1.5 hours) or Arusha (2 hours)

Recommended

4–5 days recommended

A boat safari on the Rufiji River in Selous — a unique perspective on Tanzania's wilderness

Africa's largest game reserve — genuine frontier

Selous Game Reserve (Nyerere National Park)

Selous — recently renamed Nyerere National Park — is the largest game reserve in Africa, covering 50,000 square kilometres. It is one of the last truly wild places in Tanzania. The reserve is named after Captain Frederick Selous, the famous big-game hunter and conservationist. What makes Selous extraordinary is the combination of habitats: savannah, acacia woodland, riverine forest, and wetlands. Boat safaris on the Rufiji River are a unique feature — hippo, crocodile, and elephant observed from the water. True fly-camping — sleeping in the bush under canvas — is one of Selous's signature experiences.

Best for

Fly-campingBoat safarisRemote wildernessWalking safarisSolitude

Key wildlife

Elephant (large populations) · Buffalo (massive herds) · Hippo · Crocodile · Lion · Leopard · Wild dog (lower density than Ruaha)

Access

Light aircraft from Dar es Salaam to STC airstrip; road transfer from Mikumi (4 hours)

Recommended

3–4 days minimum

The accessible southern wilderness

Mikumi National Park

Mikumi is Tanzania's fourth-largest national park, bordering Selous to the south. At 3,230 km², it is substantially smaller than Ruaha and Selous, but it is also the most accessible of the southern parks — readily reached by road from Dar es Salaam (approximately 4 hours) or as a stop on a drive between the north and the south. Mikumi has excellent wildlife viewing, particularly elephant, buffalo, and lion, and the surrounding mountains create a dramatic backdrop. It is an excellent introduction to the southern circuit for travellers who want a taste of the wilderness without the logistics and cost of the more remote parks.

Best for

AccessibilityWildlife varietyAffordableShort drives from Morogoro

Key wildlife

Elephant · Buffalo · Lion · Zebra · Wildebeest · Giraffe · Hippo

Access

Road from Dar es Salaam (4 hours) or Morogoro (1.5 hours)

Recommended

2–3 days

Plan your trip

Practical Information

When to go

—Best: June to October (dry season — wildlife concentrates around water, roads are passable
—Green season: November to May — lush landscapes, excellent birding, migratory birds
—Wildebeest calving in southern Serengeti: January to February (can combine with Ruaha or Selous)
—Avoid: April and May — heavy rains can make some roads impassable in Selous

How to get there

—Ruaha: Light aircraft from Dar es Salaam (1.5 hours) or Arusha (2 hours)
—Selous: Light aircraft to STC airstrip from Dar es Salaam (45 minutes); road from Mikumi (4 hours)
—Mikumi: Road from Dar es Salaam (4 hours) — no flight needed
—Combining with Northern Circuit: fly from southern park to Serengeti/Ngorongoro (1.5 hours)

How long to stay

—Minimum for one southern park: 3 days
—Recommended for one park: 4–5 days (allows for walking safaris + game drives)
—Combined north and south: 12–18 days (7–10 north, 4–6 south)

What it costs

—Fly-in flights: $200–$400 per person each way
—Guided walking safari premium: typically 20–30% above standard game drive cost
—Fly-camping: typically $150–$300 per person per night additional
—Overall: Southern Circuit safaris run 30–50% higher than equivalent Northern Circuit due to logistics

The complete Tanzania experience

Do Both Circuits — North and South Combined

For travellers with 14 or more days, combining the Northern and Southern circuits is the most complete Tanzania experience available. The typical itinerary: fly into Dar es Salaam, go to Ruaha first (4–5 days of genuine wilderness), then fly north to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro (7–10 days of concentrated wildlife spectacle), and depart from Kilimanjaro. Start south, finish north. The contrast between the wild remoteness of the south and the iconic density of the north is one of Africa's most compelling combined safari itineraries.

From $7,500 per person for a 14-day combined circuit

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Northern vs Southern Circuit

The full head-to-head comparison to help you decide.

Park Guide

Ruaha National Park

Deep dive into Tanzania's wildest national park.

Itineraries

Safari Itinerary Guide

14 to 21-day combined circuit itineraries.

Questions

Southern Circuit Safari — FAQ

What is the Tanzania Southern Circuit?

The Southern Circuit refers to Tanzania's southern and southwestern parks: Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve (now Nyerere National Park), and Mikumi National Park. These are more remote and less visited than the Northern Circuit, offering a wilder, more intimate safari experience. The south is best known for walking safaris, fly-camping, African wild dog sightings, and genuine wilderness solitude.

How do I get to the Southern Circuit from the Northern Circuit?

The most common approach is to fly: light aircraft from the Serengeti or Ngorongoro to Ruaha or Selous (approximately 1.5 hours). Alternatively, you can do a road transfer from the Northern Circuit to Mikumi (approximately 6–8 hours), then fly from Mikumi to Ruaha or Selous. We handle all logistics seamlessly as part of any southern circuit itinerary.

Is the Southern Circuit suitable for children?

The Southern Circuit is generally not recommended for children under approximately 12 years old. Walking safaris are not permitted for young children, some roads are rough, and the remote nature of the camps means less infrastructure than northern parks. For families with young children, the Northern Circuit is more suitable.

What makes Ruaha different from the Serengeti?

Ruaha is smaller than the Serengeti (2,290 km² versus 15,000 km²), more remote, and less visited. It has exceptional African wild dog populations that the Serengeti lacks in comparable density. The landscape is different — more rugged, with the Great Ruaha River and大片 mopane woodland. Where the Serengeti delivers scale and the Migration, Ruaha delivers solitude and a higher probability of wild dog sightings.

Can I combine the Southern Circuit with the Northern Circuit in one trip?

Yes — and for travellers with 14+ days, this is the most complete Tanzania experience available. The typical itinerary: fly into Dar es Salaam, go to Ruaha or Selous first (3–5 days), then fly to the Northern Circuit (7–10 days), depart from Kilimanjaro. Start south, finish north. The contrast between the wild remoteness of the south and the concentrated drama of the north is one of Africa's most compelling combined safari experiences.

What is fly-camping and is it safe?

Fly-camping is sleeping overnight in a temporary camp set up deep in the bush — away from any permanent structure. You sleep in a simple tent or under canvas with only an armed guide for company. It is entirely safe when arranged with an experienced operator — the guides are trained, the camps are secure, and the experience is controlled. The reward is an extraordinary night in the African wilderness with nothing between you and the sounds of the bush.

Why is the Southern Circuit more expensive than the Northern Circuit?

The primary cost driver is access: the southern parks are reached primarily by light aircraft (flights typically costing $200–$400 per person each way), whereas the Northern Circuit is accessible by road from Arusha. Additionally, the logistics of remote parks — fewer camps, less competition, specialist operators — add to the cost. The premium is real, but so is the experience.

Is the Southern Circuit worth it if I've already been on safari?

For travellers who have done the Northern Circuit and want something meaningfully different, the Southern Circuit is one of the best investments you can make. The walking safaris alone justify the trip. If you are planning your first safari, do the Northern Circuit first — you want the classic experience as your baseline. Then return for the south.

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