TANZANIA SOUTHERN CIRCUIT
The National parks of southern Tanzania have earned a reputaion, the best secret on the african safaris ciruit. The remote location limited bedspace and boundless bushes ensure that the safari experince of Tanzania’s southern land, remain the true and unadultrerated variety. The lesser-trodden Southern Circuit includes the Selous Game Reserve, the Udzungwa Mountains, Mikumi, and Ruaha National Parks, Saadani National Park, Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park, and Kitulu National Park.
BEST ATTRACTIONS SOUTHERN CIRCUIT
OVERVIEW - SOUTHERN CIRCUIT DESTINATIONS
This relatively small (3230 sq km) National Park lies 300 km west of Dar-es-Salaam and is the closest park to the capital. It is nestled between the Uruguru mountains to the East and the Rift Valley escarpments to the Southwest. As it is close to the Selous ecosystem and therefor part of it, it benefits from the highest game density of the entire conservation area, while it is easily to access. Although less spectacular regarding Flora and Fauna, the Mikumi national park obtains a good impression of the African animal world and is suitable very well for a short visit.
Selous Game Reserve is the largest fauna reserve in the world, spanning over 55,000 km², almost four times the size of the Serengeti. Selous is considered important enough to be a World Heritage Site in which the lucky few can experience a safari in absolutely wild and unspoiled bush. The reserve was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, whose adventure books on Africa became best sellers in Victorian England. Among its unique attractions, the reserve contains one third of all the African hunting dog population in the world. Witness the majesty of large migrations of elephants, get close up with all the Big Five, and even enjoy game fishing while you are here.
Udzungwa National Park is a lush high-elevation rain forest and a great site for walking and moderate hiking. It is one of thirty-four “World Biodiversity Hotspots” and one of 200 World Wildlife Federation ecoregions of global critical importance. The Udzungwa forest is part of the so-called Eastern Arc, which is a series of mountains ranging from the Southern Highlands through the Uluguru and Usambara mountains northwards to Pare. The forest is home to many indigenous species of plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, butterflies, and insects of which some of species are found nowhere else in the world. Udzungwa is also a unique cultural site for containing caves that have been used in the spiritual traditons and rituals of nearby tribes over many years—these have remained preserved so that one can get a sense of ancient religious traditions upon visiting.
Ruaha National Park, located in the middle of Tanzania about 130 km from Iringa, is the second largest park in Tanzania, covering an area of more than 13,000 km2. The main vegetation types in Ruaha are Miombo woodland, acacia grasslands, and large baobab trees, all which attract diverse number of animals species. Some of the major attractions include large populations of elephants, giraffes, impalas, buffalo, lions, leopards, and hunting dogs. The Great Ruaha River that borders the park in the east, provides habitation for hippopotamus and crocodiles. Ruaha is also a prime destination for birdwatchers, with 436 species that have been identified so far.
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