Ruaha National Park is one of the most exciting regions to walk with an expert guide, immersing yourselves in the bush and learning so much as you go. Wildlife viewing is exceptional here!
We also offer private fly camping in Katavi National Park and the Selous Game Reserve. Fly camping is just that, camping on the fly. To get even closer to the essence of Africa, why not sleep out for a night on a bedroll, which is made for you in a gauze tent meaning you can look up at the stars at night.
These fly camps are erected for one or two nights and subject to weather. One can either walk to the fly camp as part of a walking safari or be driven by vehicle.
This is one of the finest parks in all of Tanzania! Ruaha is the largest national Park in Tanzania, yet inconceivably has the fewest number of places to stay, which means you pretty much have this park to yourself! Ruaha has 10 percent of the entire African continent’s population of lion! This means that outside of the Serengeti/Masai Mara eco system, this is the best park to witness a kill, due to the lion population.
It also has an excellent elephant population, too. This is one of the prettiest parks in Tanzania and is renowned for its iconic Baobab trees which dominate the park’s features. Apart from being a botanical paradise with over 1650 plants to be found here, the park has incredibly diverse vegetation ranging from flat, treeless savannah grasslands to swamps and riverine forests, to dry bushland and miombo woodland.
The camp overlooks the Great Ruaha River. It is owned by Moli who is arguably the finest walking guide in Tanzania. But, one can equally game view here, too.
The dining and sitting room areas are cosy, extremely comfortable and chic, with views over the river. Moli and his partner Noelle are fabulous hosts as well as being a wealth of information! Noelle’s food is delicious, and one feels instantly at home!
Moli is like a younger version of David Attenborough! His walks are a constant feed of wondrous information, an intricate weave of the symbiosis of life and the environment surrounding you. They also have a fly camp should you wish to simply go walking into the bush for a few days with Moli, returning to the luxury camp for either game drives or simply some luxury!
The Selous Game Reserve
The Selous is just simply vast, centred around two of East Africa’s mightiest rivers, the Ruaha and Rufiji and featuring a huge diversity of habitats and landscapes including open plains, woodland, networks of river channels and swamps and much more besides This makes for an extraordinary game viewing experiences, and the Selous is particularly known for its elephant, hippo and wild dog populations. One can walk with a guide, coming across animals on foot and watching them at the river drinking.
Katavi National Park
Katavi is a safari-enthusiast’s nirvana! Isolated in the south-west of Tanzania and therefore rarely visited, this is the ideal location for a private safari for those who don’t want to come across any other visitors. The landscape comprises a series of floodplains, hidden by fringes of forest. In the dry season wildlife congregates around these dwindling water sources making for fantastic wildlife viewing, especially of the very large herds of buffalo and huge pods of hippo Katavi is known for. Once can also see lion and wild dog in this park.
What sort of accommodation is available for luxury mobile camping?
In fly camps, one has a tent set up for you each night, sometimes along a dry riverbed or along the bank of a river or looking out across the plains. Sometimes these are a traditional-style Meru tent, or they may be simply gauze tent allowing you to see the stars and feel the night breeze. There is a short drop toilet and a separate bucket shower with hot water, where you can shower beneath the stars at night which is incredibly romantic!
In Ruaha, the camp differs from our offerings above as it is static although it is still seasonal and taken down during the rains. The lovely camp has just three enormous tents, (although we can make them four at most).
The camp is charming, with beautiful tents, tastefully furnished. There is a separate bathroom area which has a separate long drop toilet and separate bucket shower with hot water and a shower rose. There is also a sink with a mirror.
What activities are available?
Are mobile safaris in Southern Tanzania suitable for children?
Due to the nature of the safari, children must be over 16 to take a safari in Ruaha National Park.
When is the best time to visit Southern Tanzania?
Ruaha is best in the dry months – from June through to December. From November it gets incredibly hot the main rainy months are in April and May.
Also, for the Selous and Katavi, the dry season is best, from June to October/November.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is a mobile safari safe?
Yes! All of our private mobile safaris have 24 hour askaris (guards) and you have all your tent crew, too. There is a fire made at night which keeps animals at bay, so you are completely safe.
What about battery charging?
These days, there is no problem with recharging all your batteries for you.
Can mobile camps wash my laundry?
Laundry is undertaken on all these mobile camps. It is subject to the vagaries of weather, but you will never have better ironed clothing with the most amazing creases! Regular laundering means you don’t have to take much luggage with you!
Can you cater to my dietary and drink requirements?
Given sufficient notice, we can cater to all dietary requirements. You will be amazed at the quality of the food given the limited conditions and facilities the chefs have! Please also let us know if you have any particular brand of drink you favour, and we will do our best to accommodate your requests!
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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore – Dream – Discover - Mark Twain - You can view clips of some of our own favourite discoveries here.
- Utterly designed and tailored around you and your requirements
- Totally unique every time you travel with us
- The very best hand picked guides which can make the difference between a good and an outstanding holiday
- Established over 30 years ago we have been around longer than most
- Our specialists come from, have lived in or travelled extensively in the regions we cover
- Unparalleled knowledge provides you with the best possible experience
- Philanthropy is our philosophy
- Our founding principle is to always ‘put something back’
- An amount from each holiday is donated to our selected conservation and humanitarian charities
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