Ruaha National park
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park, located in south-central Tanzania, is the former largest national park in Tanzania (now Nyerere National Park) and one of the largest protected areas in East Africa. The Great Ruaha River, which flows along the park’s entire eastern boundary and serves as a focal point for game viewing, also serves as one of the main water sources during the dry season.
Ruaha National Park remains untouched and unexplored, with only a few visitors. Ruaha National Park is likely to continue receiving only a few visitors each year due to its pristine ecosystem and unique location. As a result, Ruaha National Park is an excellent choice for an off-the-beaten-path itinerary. Ruaha National Park is located where two vegetation zones, the Zambezian and the Sudanian, meet, making this national park a mix of tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, shrublands, drier grasslands, and acacia savannas, providing diverse and interesting wildlife with stunning scenery to explore.
Ruaha National Park is a birder’s paradise, with over 571 species of birds. Apart from offering spectacular birding, Ruaha is also home to the magnificent Greater Kudu. Many rare wildlife species, such as sables and wild dogs, can be found here. Giraffes, zebras, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and many other animals abound, not to mention crocodiles and hippos. The water supply of this national park serves not only the wildlife within it but also humans. Because it supports agricultural activities and contributes to hydroelectric power, this national park is economically significant.
Many seasoned safari-goers consider Ruaha to be the most rewarding East African game reserve. Not only because of the wildlife but also because of the authentic wilderness feel and incredible terrain features. One such feature is where the park’s name comes from. The Great Ruaha River, which flows along its southeastern border, is a popular spot for game viewing, especially during the dry season.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
Tourist Attractions in Ruaha National Park are thrillingly diverse and remarkably diverse on a wide range due to the national park’s thrilling atmosphere emanating from its unrestricted wilderness, which has a great combination of untouched vegetation and fascinating landscapes characterized by different species from the East and the South that supports the animal’s reliability.
Ruaha National Park, despite being one of the least visited national parks due to its relative inaccessibility, has numerous plant species, over 500 bird species, and mammal species from both Southern and Eastern Africa inhabiting the park at the same time.
Wildlife
The main tourist attraction in Ruaha National Park is its wildlife. There are high predator concentrations of lions, cheetahs, leopards, and striped hyenas, as well as the largest population of African wild dogs in the world and 10% of the world’s lion population. These predators are frequently seen with herds of elephants, buffaloes, and other prodigious game. Additionally, it’s thought that Ruaha National Park has the greatest number of elephant herds in all of East Africa.
Greater and lesser kudu, grant gazelles, impalas, elands, sable and roan antelopes, Defassa waterbucks, ostriches, giraffes, black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, hartebeests, as well as hippos and crocodiles, can all be found in Ruaha National Park. These magnificent mammals can also be seen from the great Ruaha River. The park is home to a variety of reptiles and amphibians, including poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, monitor lizards, agama lizards, and frogs, in addition to large mammals.
Birdlife
The birdlife in Ruaha National Park is abundant, with over 500 bird species recorded, including an abundance of raptors, vultures, and hornbills, as well as numerous water birds and migrating species from Europe, Asia, the Australian rim, and Madagascar that come to the river, particularly the sooty falcon from the Sahara desert and the rare Eleanora’s falcon from the Mediterranean. The recently annexed wetland, the Usangu basin, has been designated as an important bird area (IBA) by Birdlife International. Birds can be seen in Ruaha National Park all year, but the best time to see them is during the wet season, especially in March.
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Reptiles and amphibians
Aside from large animals, the park is home to a variety of reptiles and amphibians, including crocodiles, poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, monitor lizards, agama lizards, and frogs. Crocodiles are thought to prefer the Great Ruaha and Mzombe rivers as their preferred habitats.
Vegetation
The park is distinguished by semi-arid vegetation, baobab trees, Acacia, and other species. More than 1650 plant species have been identified. The park is located at the crossroads of two vegetation zones: the Zambezian (characterized by Miombo vegetation) and the Sudanian (characterized by Acacia vegetation).
Historical and cultural sites
The park contains several historical and cultural sites that allow visitors to learn about the tribes of southern Tanzania. The Arab caravan’s early trade routes passed through here. These coastal traders expanded their routes northward in 1830, and other European explorers such as Burton and Speke used these routes from 1857 to 1858. Chief Mkwawa traveled the same paths to his chiefdoms in Sangu and Gogo.
The park area is frequently referred to as the land of the brave Chief Mkwawa, the Chief of the Hehe people who resisted the German attack in the late nineteenth century. The Hehe tribe became well-known in the southern highlands of Tanganyika (Tanzania) for their fierce and successful battle tactics against the German invasion. The Hehe tribe, led by Chief Mkwawa, was dominant in the Ruaha region. Some of the outcrops in the area are known as the hiding places of Chief Mkwawa, who went into hiding after the Germans conquered his empire (kalenga) in 1894. In summary, it is believed that this ancient land (Ruaha National Park) contains many of Chief Mkwawa’s secrets.
Some of the cultural sites used for rituals include “Ganga la Mafunyo,” Nyanywa, and Chahe; the “Gogo” chief’s “Mapenza” grave at Mpululu; and the “Mkwawa” spring area, which is thought to have been used by Chief Mkwawa. Other nearby historical sites include the Isimila pillars near Iringa town, Kalenga, Mlambalasi, Lugalo, and God’s Bridge, to name a few.
PHYSICAL FEATURE
The Great Rift Valley, river systems, natural springs, wetlands, hot water springs, and kopjes, as well as the beautiful rolling hills and mountains, are all part of Ruaha National Park.
Rift valley
The Great Rift Valley runs through the park. The escarpment wall that runs along the western valley side is about 50–100 m high in the north-eastern part of the valley and rises in height to the southwest. The Great Ruaha River Valley is thought to be an extension of the Great Rift Valley. The Great Ruaha River runs for 160 kilometers along the country’s entire eastern border, through rugged gorges and open plains.
Natural springs
They are found throughout the park and are associated with the base of the Western Rift Valley escarpment, particularly the springs of Mkwawa, Mwayembe, Makinde, and Majimoto. These are wildlife refuges during the dry season, when most rivers dry up.
Undulating landscape
Kilimamatonge, Nyamasombe, Nyanywa, Chariwindwi, Igawira, Mwayiui, Kibiriti, Magangwe, Ndetamburwa, and Isukanvyiola are among the undulating land and hills in the park. These serve as kopjes, providing habitat for animals such as klipspringers, which can be found in some of these hills.
TOURISM ACTIVITIES
- Bird watching,
- Picnicking
- Bush meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) in the untouched bushes.
- Game viewing by safari vehicles is done on a well-maintained network of roads.
- Walking safari accompanied by well-trained guides and an approved armed park ranger.
- Night game drives in approved camps and lodges
- Balloon safari
THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE WILDLIFE
Ruaha National Park is a year-round safari destination that can be visited at any time of the year. However, visiting during the dry season (June to October) is the best option. These months provide unrivaled game-viewing opportunities. This is because, during the dry season, animals tend to congregate around water sources, providing visitors with some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities. The wet season (January through April) is ideal for bird watching, lush scenery, and wildflower viewing. The male Greater Kudu is most visible in June, when they are breeding.
WHY VISIT RUAHA NATIONAL PARK?
As soon as you enter the Ruaha National Park, you will be met with a breathtaking view that will leave you speechless. This amazement is a natural result of the park’s pristine beauty. Without human intervention, the forests in this area have changed and evolved, resulting in stunning baobab forests. Near the Ruaha River, you can encounter many different animal species and go on an unforgettable safari in Tanzania. Here are other reasons to visit Ruaha in your Tanzania Safari Tour:
- The greatest number of lesser and greater antelopes, as well as the largest population of elephants in Africa—roughly 12,000—can be found in the park.
- Astonishing and magical views where nature has grown unhindered and unpolluted are also waiting for you in the park’s 1,400 plant species, making for an unforgettable spectacle.
- The park is also home to a huge number of predators, including 20 lion and cheetah prides.
- Additionally, Ruaha is home to over 500 different species of birds, both year-round and permanent.
- The park is well known for offering excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing with few visitors, making it the perfect destination for those who dislike tourist-heavy parks.
- It is Tanzania’s second largest safari park, with a pleasantly dry climate and stunning scenery that is ideal for photo opportunities.
- The park offers a unique opportunity to see wildlife, and Ruaha’s breathtaking scenery adds to the experience.
GETTING TO RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
By car: The drive to Ruaha National Park from Dar es Salaam will take you about ten hours.
By Air: The most effective way to get to Ruaha is by air. Daily flights from Serengeti, Dar es Salaam, Selous, Arusha, and Zanzibar are provided by Coastal Aviation.
