RUAHA NATIONAL PARK

Discover new oceans in Ruaha National Park by taking the courage to lose sight of the shore in your home country and visit the land of the wild in Tanzania. It’s home to carnivores such as lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and wolves. Herbivores like elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and antelopes. Reptiles such as snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles. Primates such as monkeys, baboons, and gorillas, to name just a few. The tourists are given a deluxe stay in accommodations with a conference room, a swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, and restaurants. The hotels include:
Jabali Ridge Lodge
Kwihala Camp
Asilia Africa Lodge
Ikuka Safari Lodge
The great Ruaha National Park is located in the center of Tanzania, close to Iringa, Dar es Salaam, and Arusha. It got its name from a Hehe word that means “river.” The river within the park is the source of water for both wildlife and domestic use and is also used in the generation of hydroelectric power. This remote area can be accessed by road transport while making stopovers at Iringa (to see the amazing rock formations and archaeological site of Isimila), Mikumi, Udzungwa, or Morogoro. You can even travel to Zanzibar using a well-crossed safari car before driving it, whether it has fuel or is in good shape to travel long distances. Tourists can make stopovers to have lunch and dinner at Neema Crafts. This place trains people with disabilities to acquire skills so they can support their loved ones, giving tourists unforgettable memories. The surprising thing is that this National park receives fewer visitors since the means of transport are not always well-detailed on their website.
The best times to visit Ruaha National Park are:
Throughout the year: The National park can be visited throughout the year because it’s always open to serve people of different tastes.
During the rainy season: This season favors driving safaris because during the rainy seasons, all airstrips are closed to avoid strong turbulence in the air that may damage planes, potentially causing loss of lives. Safari cars become busy and expensive during this period. The land absorbs enough water during this season, and the green grass blossoms, covering the entire park, making it look like Eden with God-created creatures feeding on the lush grass, where some make it their shelters, like the male lions that take naps in the tall grass.
Dry season: Airstrips are open during this period, allowing you to book a flight to the park and see the dry, desert-like covering that characterizes the entire park. The heat during this period dries up the area, turning the green covering brown. This makes the wildlife search for places to find food, resulting in the great migration during this period, allowing tourists to see a large number of wildebeests.
The fun way to explore the National park is by taking part in the following activities:
Walking Safaris: This involves following animals in the park on foot while observing their normal schedules. However, you should not get too close to them; usually, a sensible distance is given, and making noise is discouraged, as it can disturb the animals. Littering or feeding the animals is also forbidden, as it may disrupt the food web in the National park and make the wild species lazy to hunt. The smell, morning dew on plants, beetles, and butterflies attract tourists to trek for hours. Trekking is done with the guidance of a skilled tour guide.
Game drives: Tourists wake up early in the morning, like school-going children, in safari cars, and pause around rivers, waiting for the thirsty mammals to come and drink water. They also watch for the strategic predators that wait for grass eaters at these points. Some tourists prefer trekking Kilimanjaro Hill to see hungry leopards and observe the bright morning and sunrise.
Hot air balloon trip: A hot air balloon safari done high in the air is another way to explore the park. It allows you to see the tips of the landscape, as well as spot animals that cannot be easily seen when visiting in seasons when they are in hiding.
Attractions at the Mighty Ruaha National Park include:
Rivers: The Ruaha River is a watershed feeding the park’s ecosystem. It is also a sighting area for numerous birds and games. Other rivers in the park include River Mbonya, River Mwangosi, and River Mzumbe, fed by both big and small rivers. Big rivers include Lukosi, Yovi, Kitete, Sanje, while small rivers include Umrobi, Lunwa, Mambi, to name a few.
Historical and cultural sites: Ruaha National Park is known for hosting cultural and historical safaris. It has a variety of historical sites, including being a Hehe land. The history of their chief Mkwawa brings many tourists to come and experience the stories they read about in history books. Other sites include Mpanze grave, which belongs to the Gogo chief and is a burial ground, and Indinda Rock painting, which consists of cultural art materials that are assumed to have been made by the natives of the land before the establishment of the National reserve.
Rift valley: This rift valley is crossed by the Ruaha river and is an extension with high escarpments in the North-eastern parts.
Natural Springs: The hot springs in this area are associated with the base of the western rift valley escarpment. These include Mkwawa, Mwayembe, Makinde, and Majimoto hot springs. These catch the attention of many travelers, and you can’t leave the park without spotting the smoky hot water vicinity.
The entry fee at the park is $15 for adults, while children pay $5 (non-residents). A normal lake is notable, and a great lake holds all the mysteries of an ocean. Make your heart like a lake with a calm, still surface and great depths of adventure by trekking to Ruaha National Park, where all serenity originates.