Welcome to your impressive Tanzania safari into the untouched south! You arrive at Dar es Salaam airport and are taken to your beachfront hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax.

1 night · double room · half board The Mediterraneo Hotel & Restaurant lies right on the coast of Dar es Salaam and offers a calm, relaxed atmosphere overlooking the Indian Ocean. The well-kept gardens with palm trees and tropical vegetation create a pleasant retreat away from the busy city traffic. The rooms are cosily furnished in a Mediterranean-inspired style and are spread over several small buildings within the grounds. Light colours, wooden elements and private terraces create a relaxed holiday atmosphere. Some rooms also offer a lovely sea view. The hotel has a swimming pool, a restaurant serving fresh international and local cuisine and various quiet seating areas right on the coast. Especially in the evening, the seaside location invites you to relax and watch the sunset. The hotel is ideal as a relaxed start or finish to a trip through Tanzania.

Early in the morning you set off towards Mikumi National Park, having lunch along the way. After arriving at your accommodation, you take a walk through Mikumi Village. Your guide explains the significance of the old ficus tree in the village. While watching a performance by the Kisamasa Vitua drumming group, you get to know the daily life of the local community. By arrangement you visit the market and learn all about it – from brick-making to the craft of basket and mat weaving. Why not try the local beer or enjoy a rosella tea before heading to today's lodge for the night.

2 nights · double room · full board Camp Bastian Mikumi is a small, personally run lodge not far from Mikumi National Park in southern Tanzania. Surrounded by tropical vegetation and vast nature, the camp offers a calm and relaxed atmosphere after eventful safari days. The cosy rooms and safari tents are simply and comfortably furnished and spread across spacious grounds with a pool and garden. Particularly pleasant are the family atmosphere, the warm hospitality and the good location as a base for game drives in Mikumi National Park and excursions into the surrounding region.

Today full-day game drives in Mikumi National Park are on your programme. Mikumi is Tanzania's fourth-largest national park. To the south it shares its border with the Selous Game Reserve, linking the two ecosystems. Elephants, zebras, buffalo and predators move across the boundaries. The park is scenically very attractive, surrounded by mountains and foothills. The well-known heart of Mikumi National Park is the floodplain of the Mkata River.

After breakfast your Tanzania safari heads towards Ruaha National Park. A somewhat longer day of driving through Tanzania's most varied landscapes lies ahead of you. On the way you enjoy a picnic lunch. In the afternoon you reach your camp. The rest of the day is free to relax, for example by your camp's pool. The authentic Tandala Tented Camp has its own waterhole, where elephants, impalas and many other animals gather.

3 nights · double room · full board The Tandala Tented Camp lies at Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania and offers a classic safari experience in the midst of one of the country's most pristine wildlife regions. The small camp is surrounded by baobab trees and open bush and blends harmoniously into the park's nature. The spacious safari tents are comfortably furnished and combine an authentic safari atmosphere with stylish simplicity. Natural materials, wooden elements and open verandas create a pleasant connection with the surroundings, while the camp's small size ensures a personal and quiet atmosphere. Particularly characteristic is the camp's close-to-nature design with open lounge and dining areas that look out over the landscape. This creates a very authentic safari feeling far from larger lodges and tourist centres.

In recent years Ruaha National Park has become one of the most popular national parks in southern Tanzania. The areas around the Great Ruaha River in particular have a very high concentration of wildlife, especially in the dry season. Crocodiles and hippos frolic in the river itself, while on its banks you can find elephants (approx. 10,000 in the park), buffalo, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, sable and roan antelopes, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, mongooses and much more. A real must-see on your Tanzania safari. You spend the whole day on safari in Ruaha National Park.

After a leisurely breakfast at the camp, you visit the local Maasai community of the Ruaha region. You take an exciting tour of the village, learn all about the everyday life of the Maasai and – depending on the day of the week – see a local primary school and a pharmacy. You enjoy lunch at the camp before going on a last exciting game drive in Ruaha National Park in the afternoon.

Early in the morning your Tanzania trip continues towards the Udzungwa Mountains. The dense, green mountain forests seem primeval and are home to an enormous wealth of species. It is the largest and most biologically diverse of a total of twelve mountain ranges. This region is a true paradise for nature lovers. In the afternoon you reach your rustic camp for the next two nights. You can take an optional nature walk around the camp. The path winds gently along the edge of the forest. Discover the wonderful vegetation and look out for birds, monkeys and other wildlife on and around the trail. In the evening, over a drink by the campfire, you can listen to the primates leaping around you.

2 nights · double room · full board The Hondo Hondo Camp lies on the edge of Udzungwa Mountains National Park in southern Tanzania and is surrounded by tropical rainforest and dense vegetation. The small lodge offers a particularly quiet, close-to-nature atmosphere in a region known for its exceptional biodiversity. The spacious safari tents and cottages are comfortably furnished and harmoniously embedded in the green surroundings. Natural materials, wooden elements and open verandas create a pleasant connection with nature, while the camp's small size ensures a personal atmosphere. Particularly characteristic is its location right by the rainforest, which means birds, monkeys and other animals can often be seen around the camp. The open design of the communal areas and the view into the lush vegetation give the Hondo Hondo Camp a very relaxed and authentic ambience.

In the morning you set off with a local hiking guide on an approx. 6-hour hike to the Sanje Falls through the lively montane rainforest with over 2,500 plants, over 250 birds, butterflies and mammals. The Sanje Falls, over 180 m high, are very impressive, surrounded by rainforest with a wonderful view over the Kilombero floodplain. At the top you can swim in a refreshing pool. In the afternoon, depending on your energy reserves, you have the option of visiting Mang'ula Village with your guide (surcharge: € 13 p.p.). The village is a typical rural Tanzanian village through which the famous TAZARA train passes on its way between Dar es Salaam and Lusaka in Zambia. You get to know the lively little dukas (shops), mechanics' workshops, rice mills and colourful market stalls. Alternatively, you can explore the village by bicycle instead of on foot (local bicycles, where riding comfort is not the priority).

Today your Tanzania safari continues into the northern part of Nyerere National Park (part of the huge Selous Game Reserve). Your drive takes you through bustling Morogoro and then through many pretty villages. You have lunch along the way. After arriving at the beautiful Sable Mountain Lodge, you have the chance to stretch your legs and enjoy the rest of the day by the pool or on your veranda with a wonderful view over the Beho Beho hills.

2 nights · double room · full board The Sable Mountain Lodge lies in the hills near Nyerere National Park, the former Selous Game Reserve, in southern Tanzania. Surrounded by dense vegetation and with wide views over the region's landscape, the lodge offers a quiet, secluded atmosphere far from larger tourist centres. The rooms and cottages are spacious and combine natural safari style with comfortable amenities. Wooden elements, natural materials and open verandas create a pleasant connection with the surroundings, while the lodge's elevated position offers beautiful views again and again. Particularly characteristic are the small lodge's quiet atmosphere and the close-to-nature design of the open communal areas. The combination of mountain scenery, bush surroundings and personal atmosphere makes the Sable Mountain Lodge a special place to stay in southern Tanzania.

Early in the morning you go on a guided bush walk around the Sable Mountain Lodge area with a ranger. You explore the region's birdlife, get to know various plants and enjoy the view from the lodge's so-called "hide" (viewing spot at a waterhole). After breakfast at the lodge, you set off on game drives in Nyerere National Park, which was established in 2019 from parts of the Selous Game Reserve. The northern sector covers only 5% of the total area of the Selous Game Reserve The Selous Game Reserve is the largest wildlife reserve in all of Africa. It offers numerous habitats and varied landscapes of savannahs, gentle hills, elevations, swamps and much more. In the evening another walk through the local village awaits you before you enjoy dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast you set off towards central Nyerere National Park, home to the mighty Rufiji River. The Rufiji is the lifeline of this impressive wildlife reserve and also the largest river in Tanzania. With its extensive network of lakes, riverbeds, lagoons and tributaries, it decisively shapes the park's ecosystem. On the way you visit Lake Tagalala, known for its many hippos. You have lunch at your camp for the next two nights. The authentic Selous Wilderness Camp is idyllically located on the bank of the Rufiji River and offers a wonderful view of the surrounding nature. The area is green, wild and varied – ideal for unforgettable wildlife viewing. In the late afternoon you go on an exciting boat safari on the Rufiji River. Have your camera ready: hippos, crocodiles and numerous bird species gather on and in the water. You enjoy dinner by the cosy campfire – with a bit of luck, the odd wild animal will pass by at a safe distance.

2 nights · double room · full board The Selous Wilderness Camp lies right on the bank of the Rufiji River and offers a quiet, close-to-nature atmosphere in the midst of the wilderness. The comfortable safari tents are stylishly furnished and have proper beds, a private bathroom with shower and WC and a private veranda overlooking nature. Natural materials and loving details create a pleasant and authentic ambience. In the open main area with lounge and restaurant, guests enjoy their meals overlooking the river and the passing landscape. The Selous Wilderness Camp combines an authentic safari feeling with solid comfort.

Before sunrise you set off on a bush walk with a local ranger. Enjoy the atmosphere on the Rufiji River before returning for breakfast. With a bit of luck, a few giraffes will stop by your breakfast table. You spend the rest of the day on your last morning and afternoon safaris in Tanzania.

After your last breakfast in Tanzania, you drive back to Dar es Salaam. On your approx. 5-hour drive you pass numerous small villages that give you one more insight into local life. On arrival, a day room in a hotel near the airport is at your disposal until your departure. Here you can freshen up before you finally say goodbye. Kwaheri and see you next time in Tanzania! TANZANIA'S UNTOUCHED SOUTH.