The Southern parks
A safari in the southern parks of Tanzania is a very different experience to the northern parks. Although in our opinion there is no ‘better’ safari, for some people, the southern parks are definitely more suited to them compared to the northern parks. This is because of the fewer visitors, the varied safari activities and the overall landscape of the southern parks.
At a size of over 45,000 km², the Selous Game Reserve is Africa’s largest game reserve. To put that into perspective, the Selou is three times the size of the Serengeti. The Selous is a beautiful reserve and features a wealth of varying landscapes – from lakes, open plains, dense vegetation and palm-fringed streams. The main focus of the reserve is the mighty Rufiji River which runs through the park. Almost all of the safari activities are focussed around the river: your safari guide will drive along the river banks for your game drive, you will have lunch and sundowners on the boat safaris, and you can even enjoy catchand-release fishing on the Rufiji.
The other national park in southern Tanzania is Ruaha. In comparison to the Selous, Ruaha National Park is very dry. Parts of the Great Ruaha River dry up in the dry season (July to October) and the earth exposes its red soil. Often the safari camps will use the dry riverbeds to set up dinners or sundowners in the evening. The activities here are also varied – you can do walking safaris, game drives and even fly camping. As a park, Ruaha is known for its buffalo herds, its native huge baobab trees and its lion population. In fact, Ruaha is home to 40% of Tanzania’s lions.
The final national park located in southern Tanzania is Katavi. Because of its remoteness and limited accommodation options (two main safari camps here), Katavi is probably one of the least visited national parks in Tanzania. That said, if you are looking for a complete wilderness, fairly basic accommodation and authentic experience with very few other travellers, this is a good option for you. You can fly to Katavi from Ruaha National Park.
Are the southern parks for me?
So as you have just read, the southern parks offer a much wider variety of activities which allow you to get a broader safari experience. In the southern parks, you can do walking safaris, fishing, fly camping, game drives and boat safaris whereas in the northern parks, you are limited to just game drives most of the time. The southern parks are also much quieter, with much fewer camps and tourist numbers. This means that you will often get a sighting to yourself or, at least, with only one or two other vehicles nearby.
Because of the varied activities and the much lower tourist numbers, we would recommend the southern parks for honeymooners in particular. The camps in the Selous and Ruaha have no more than 8-10 rooms so they are all very intimate and have an authentic feel to them. This is great for honeymooners who are looking for fantastic service – the staff will immediately know you by name and will organise countless surprises to make your honeymoon special.