Mwagusi, as it is always known, is a long-standing camp, which has been operating in Ruaha National Park for well over a decade. The game in the surrounding area is well habituated as a result – and that, along with Mwagusi's very competent guides results in a fantastic game viewing experience.
Set on the banks of the seasonal Mwagusi River, this is a smart and very comfortable camp. The thirteen rooms and main dining area all look out over the river, which during the dry season gets game meandering through.
Mwagusi Camp is quite rustic in feel – with thatch roofs and waist-high reed walls. Though they also have very stylish edge – with polished red stone floors and bits of drift wood built into the walls.
Another other key feature of this camp is that it is owner-run. This is something of a rarity in Tanzania these days! The owner and usual host of Mwagusi is the charismatic Chris Fox. Having been born in Tanzania, Chris is passionate about Africa, the park and wildlife, and is thoroughly engaging.
Activities here focus mainly on drives in 4x4 vehicles – head out in the morning after breakfast and the again in the late afternoon when it has cooled down. Though sometimes there is the option of all-day trips – which allow you to explore deep into the park.
If you want to experience the bush on foot – then there are two options. If you don't quite feel like a full three-hour walking activity, then Mwagusi offers informal bird walks around the outskirts of the camp in the early morning. These don't travel far, but can often tally up a good number of different bird species.
For a more serious walk, you can opt for a walking activity with a camp guide and one of the parks rangers. These walks need to be arranged in advance – so it is best to let us know if you want to do one. These walks start at the rangers post, and are three to four hour safari walks through the bush or along the river.
Mwagusi has long been a popular camp – and when we last re-visited it, in 2007, our game experience was is fantastic and the camp was beautiful. We think that it is still probably Ruaha's best camp. Mwagusi is not an expensive camp when compared with the top camps in other parks in Tanzania, though you may have to stretch your budget a little, as it does cost more than most of the alternatives in Ruaha.
Ideal length of stay: We generally recommend spending at least three to four nights here to explore Ruaha National Park
Central facilities: Mwagusi's main dining and lounge area is a spacious open-sided room – with views out over the Mwagusi River. Under the high-thatch ceilings, are dining tables where guests have breakfast and lunch. There is also a number of sofas offer a comfortable place to relax and a great spot to look out for animals.
Fascinating animal skulls and items collected from the bush are dotted around – giving a wonderfully rustic atmosphere. Though the highly-polished red stone floors and immaculate reed walls make it feel smart as well.
In front of the main banda is an area where guests gather in the mornings around the camp fire. There are a number of directors chairs here; it's a lovely place to relax and absorb the calm atmosphere in the cool mornings and evenings.
Adjacent to this area is a further lounging area and small library – with a table and chairs, wildlife books, and also comfortable, built in sofas covered in bright coloured fabrics.
Mwagusi is a smart camp – though it doesn't have quite the modern, stylish feel of Tanzania's top-end camps. It is also very quirky, having grown up over many years – with a different people adding design ideas and making changes – and as a result sometimes feels slightly haphazard. However this seems to make Mwagusi feel all the more homely and welcoming. It's quite a contrast from the lodges that have been created by professional architects and designers, which can feel quite stilted sometimes.
Directions: Ruaha is a two and a half hour flight from Dar es Salaam – then it is a further hours' drive to Mwagusi Camp.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer
Key personnel
Owner: Independent / Owner Run
Food & drink
Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: Mwagusi's two key chefs – Meru and Mohammed. Both have been working in the kitchens and producing tasty food for a number of years.
In the mornings, guests usually gather around the campfire for a cup of tea or coffee. Then at around 8am everyone sits together for breakfast. There is always plenty of fruit and fresh bread on offer – as well as Mwagusi's famous cinnamon rolls (which are quite an institution!). There is also a cooked breakfast on offer every morning.
Lunch is usually a relatively light meal – with plenty of cold salads and meats – served when people return from their morning activities. The various options are set out on a table in a buffet-style, and you can help yourself to as much or as little as you like. Then a desert is served to you at your table.
Dinner is a slightly more formal affair – often served outside, frequently in a different location each evening. After dark, you will be escorted from your room by a member of the team and shown to dinner. First you'll probably lurk around the camp-fire, enjoying a drink, as all of the guests arrive. Then everyone sits around one large table, dinner-party style, for the three-course meal which is served to you.
On our last visit, the food at Mwagusi was tasty, imaginative, and consistently good; the team there had no problem catering for special dietary requirements.
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Room service: No
Drinks included: No drinks are included here.
A beer costs around $3
Special interests
Birdwatching: Ruaha's unique position at the centre of Tanzania gives it an interested cross section of birds - and makes it a fascinating park for the bird-watcher.Early-morning bird-walksare a very popular activity at the camp - checking out the dawn chorus with a guide before breakfast.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for birdwatching in Tanzania
Wildlife: Ruaha has all the usual big game, and the team here take a very enthusiastic approach to finding it for you. There's also a tremendous depth of experience at this small, owner-run camp; it's the right choice if you're passionate about your experience and your game-viewing!
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for wildlife in Tanzania
Children
Attitude towards children: Mwagusi welcomes children
Age restrictions: There are no age restrictions at Mwagusi.
Activities: Mwagusi are able to provide a cot on request.
Generally recommended for children: No
Notes: Mwagusi welcomes children of all ages, although we would not recommend the camp for very young children. We'd suggest it for children over the age of about eight years old who are mature and well-behaved. Because of the dangerous game that wanders through the camp, children need constant supervision by their parents.
Central communications
Communications: There is intermittent mobile phone reception at points within Ruaha National Park – but none at Mwagusi. In an emergency situation, one of the team may be able to drive you to a point where you can get reception.
The camp also has basic text-only email , which guests could use in cases of emergency.
TV & radio: There are no radios or TVs in the tents.
Health & safety
Malarial area: Yes
Medical care: There is first aid equipment at the camp, and members of the team are trained to help with minor medical situations. For serious cases, the camp has links with the flying doctors.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: Mwagusi has a number of askaris (guards) dotted around the camp at night. Guests should always insist upon being escorted to and from their tents at night.
Extras
Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Laundry is included – it takes 24 hours but isn't suitable for delicate clothing, as it is all hand washed a coal ironed.
Money: Mwagusi is in a very remote spot; it is unable to offer any form of currency exchange.
Accepted payment: Mwagusi can only accept cash in US dollars, pounds and euros. (Notes older than the year 2000 will not be accepted.) The camp has no facilities to accept credit cards at all.
Mwagusi Safari Camp review
One of the few camps we've been to twice. It didn't disappoint. Wonderful attention to detail which runs from the food, through the service and kindness of staff, to the excellent guiding. ...
Mwagusi aims to please
We stayed at Mwagusi for four nights at the beginning of July. The camp is medium sized and there regularly seemed to be about twenty plus tourists coming and going.
Staff were friendly, efficient ...
Mwagusi Safari Camp review
Fantastic - in fact I'm struggling to find any constructive feedback... really lovely atmosphere - particularly dinners in the bush great
