Reviews of safaris to Ruaha National Park
490 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Ruaha.
Mr & Mrs L
Utah
"My Jul 2021 trip"
I visited Tanzania between 15 Jul 2021 and 9 Aug 2021
"We have been planning this trip for three years, and one of things we wanted to experience was the wild, remote and old part of Africa. That is the main reason we chose to go to the Selous, Ruaha and these camps. We accomplished our goal.
There is so much more to see and experience here than just the mammals. The Bao Bab and Tooth Brush trees... the Agama lizards, Puff Adder, Black Spitting Cobra and African Butterflies all prove that. I added 124 new bird species to my life list which I am quite proud of.
This was a trip during the Covid-19 age and yes, we had to put forth a little extra effort to get the PCR testing done in order to get to Tanzania and then back home, but we felt it was worth it. My wife and I for the most part felt like we were the only guests there. Some nights, we were the only guests in the camp. Most of the time we were the only car there watching lions. Very few other visitors were there while we were and it was nice and intimate. I'm sure the camps would like to have more visitors though.
All in all, it was a great trip and we can't wait to do it again." Read full review: 25 nights in Africa; 20 on a Tanzania safari
There is so much more to see and experience here than just the mammals. The Bao Bab and Tooth Brush trees... the Agama lizards, Puff Adder, Black Spitting Cobra and African Butterflies all prove that. I added 124 new bird species to my life list which I am quite proud of.
This was a trip during the Covid-19 age and yes, we had to put forth a little extra effort to get the PCR testing done in order to get to Tanzania and then back home, but we felt it was worth it. My wife and I for the most part felt like we were the only guests there. Some nights, we were the only guests in the camp. Most of the time we were the only car there watching lions. Very few other visitors were there while we were and it was nice and intimate. I'm sure the camps would like to have more visitors though.
All in all, it was a great trip and we can't wait to do it again." Read full review: 25 nights in Africa; 20 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
srgumins
California
"My Aug 2020 trip"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 22 Aug 2020 and 19 Sep 2020
"Maruska put together a trip in 3 days and did an exceptional job. We had enormous fun and everything was private as there were very few tourists.....I highly recommend you plan a trip soon....can you imagine walking 80k in the Serengeti and never seeing another tourist or hearing a car.....go now and I promise an incredible experience."
Read full review: 28 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Jo
Cambridge
"Greystoke Mahale and Kichaka Ruaha"
I visited Tanzania between 4 Feb 2020 and 15 Feb 2020
"A really amazing experience at Greystoke, and a fun time at Kichaka sadly hampered by the weather, but Moli and the location stood out here as making it a great place to visit."
Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
M&A
Austria
"A Great Green Season Safari"
I visited Tanzania between 1 Feb 2020 and 15 Feb 2020
"Despite some tricky conditions everything worked very well, and we had a diverse and very enjoyable trip. We´vee been very happy with the services of Expert Africa and will gladly book with them again.
Tanzania had an unusually wet season. We did have quite some rain and some very dull lighting conditions but the sun came out often enough to keep us happy. Some areas in Selous and Ruaha were inaccessible but that was no issue for us, we covered a lot of ground, doing mostly full day outings.
We loved the lush green environments, it was nice to see happy animals enjoying the abundance of food. Predators were a bit scarce, and the high grass a problem for visibility sometimes but we had expected that. Birding was really good, we recorded almost 300 species and photographed about 250. Udzungwa was a really cool place to be, loved the hiking there. Snorkeling in Mafia was a revelation - like swimming in an aquarium, really beautiful. We cannot quite join in the chorus of devoted Chole followers though.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions - really impressed with the quality of service. Thanks again!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Tanzania safari
Tanzania had an unusually wet season. We did have quite some rain and some very dull lighting conditions but the sun came out often enough to keep us happy. Some areas in Selous and Ruaha were inaccessible but that was no issue for us, we covered a lot of ground, doing mostly full day outings.
We loved the lush green environments, it was nice to see happy animals enjoying the abundance of food. Predators were a bit scarce, and the high grass a problem for visibility sometimes but we had expected that. Birding was really good, we recorded almost 300 species and photographed about 250. Udzungwa was a really cool place to be, loved the hiking there. Snorkeling in Mafia was a revelation - like swimming in an aquarium, really beautiful. We cannot quite join in the chorus of devoted Chole followers though.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions - really impressed with the quality of service. Thanks again!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Good
M & C
London
"My Dec 2019 trip"
I visited Tanzania between 18 Dec 2019 and 1 Jan 2020
"Excellent trip, and we loved Tanzania - people, location and activities.
Slightly disappointed by the weather (more long periods of rain than we had expected) and the wildlife were also elusive, but overall it was an excellent trip and we would happily return. Lodges were all excellently run, with high standards, as expected." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari
Slightly disappointed by the weather (more long periods of rain than we had expected) and the wildlife were also elusive, but overall it was an excellent trip and we would happily return. Lodges were all excellently run, with high standards, as expected." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & MS L
Connecticut
"Short rains - Long fun!"
I visited Tanzania between 6 Dec 2019 and 15 Dec 2019
"We had a great time despite an error made by our hotel in Dar.
Not Expert Africa's fault. Service from Jessica and her colleagues was great." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
Not Expert Africa's fault. Service from Jessica and her colleagues was great." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mrs H
Bristol
"Fantastic Safari and Lovely Beach Holiday"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 13 Nov 2019 and 1 Dec 2019
"We had a fantastic holiday.
In most cases it exceeded our expectations with just a couple of exceptions. Our 4 days at Lake Manze were brilliant. The game viewing was great, as were the guides, managers and all aspects of the camp. Our 4 days at Old Mdonya were also great. The game viewing was brilliant and so were the guides however we found the present managers at the camps to be a little distant at times and I think the running of the camp would benefit if the managers engaged more with the guests and the staff as was the case with the previous managers.
Pongwe Beach hotel is fantastic in all ways and the whole family thoroughly enjoyed their stay. Generally all our travel arrangements worked well and our flights and transfers were good apart from our final transfer at Dar when the Coastal Shuttle bus failed to turn up and we had to pay out for taxis. All in all a great holiday and one that I would love to repeat at some time in the future." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
In most cases it exceeded our expectations with just a couple of exceptions. Our 4 days at Lake Manze were brilliant. The game viewing was great, as were the guides, managers and all aspects of the camp. Our 4 days at Old Mdonya were also great. The game viewing was brilliant and so were the guides however we found the present managers at the camps to be a little distant at times and I think the running of the camp would benefit if the managers engaged more with the guests and the staff as was the case with the previous managers.
Pongwe Beach hotel is fantastic in all ways and the whole family thoroughly enjoyed their stay. Generally all our travel arrangements worked well and our flights and transfers were good apart from our final transfer at Dar when the Coastal Shuttle bus failed to turn up and we had to pay out for taxis. All in all a great holiday and one that I would love to repeat at some time in the future." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
CC.
Porto Alegre
"Tanzania is awesome"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 9 Nov 2019 and 22 Nov 2019
"We are very happy with our experience. Lyndsey was very helpful all times, thanks for your help."
Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
J&B
Wirral
"Excellent Trip"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 4 Nov 2019 and 18 Nov 2019
"We were both really happy that we chose the itinerary we did. From the short stop at the Southern Sun in Dar, to the excellent safari camps in Selous (Beho Beho) and Ruaha (Ikuka) we had a brilliant time. We could not recommend these places highly enough. Also the contrast between Selous (Green, hot and humid) and Ruaha (brown, hot and dry) was stark, but we were able to see lots of wildlife in both locations and the vistas were simply stunning. The game drives were excellent - with very few other jeeps seen in Selous and only a few more in Ruaha. This was a great time to visit - there was some rain but it did not detract from the experience and it was uncrowded.
We booked 5 nights in Zanzibar to relax after the safaris and chose the Baraza Resort. It is a stunning place with excellent villas and vistas - but we did have some customer service issues - mainly centred around attention to detail by the hotel and not to be confused with the service of the hotel staff - which was excellent
Expert Africa did a superb job for us. Thanks again Lyndsey.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not much to add - you put together a very good itinerary for us. I really like the objectivity of your website and the service from Lyndsey.
So we'll be saving up and looking to go on another safari somewhere else in Africa - and I'll certainly contact you when that time comes." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
We booked 5 nights in Zanzibar to relax after the safaris and chose the Baraza Resort. It is a stunning place with excellent villas and vistas - but we did have some customer service issues - mainly centred around attention to detail by the hotel and not to be confused with the service of the hotel staff - which was excellent
Expert Africa did a superb job for us. Thanks again Lyndsey.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not much to add - you put together a very good itinerary for us. I really like the objectivity of your website and the service from Lyndsey.
So we'll be saving up and looking to go on another safari somewhere else in Africa - and I'll certainly contact you when that time comes." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Dr & Dr S.
Knutsford
"Amazing trip to Selous, Ruaha and Zanzibar"
I visited Tanzania and 1 other country between 3 Nov 2019 and 18 Nov 2019
"We had a brilliant trip to Tanzania, with a great variety of scenery, wildlife and culture.
We appreciated the gentle encouragement to go to 2 separate safari parks as we had been put off visiting Ruaha by the extra cost, but it was worth every penny. The contrast in environment and scenery between Selous and Ruaha was particularly marked during our visit as the rains had come early in Selous but yet to arrive in Ruaha. We hadn't realised quite how striking the differences between the 2 parks and wildlife were. We appreciated that Olivia didn't pressurise us to book a more expensive holiday but we would recommend highlighting these differences explicitly to future customers.
The variety of walking, boat and driven safari was brilliant, with expert guides and drivers able to find/spot wildlife and share insights about every species. Sharing these experiences each night at the communal dining areas was lovely too.
The guidebook sent to us before the trip was a really useful extra and we used it to book a recommended eco-tour to Jambiani village as an extra. The leather travel wallet has a lovely construction but could do with being a tiny bit larger (just an extra centimetre?) to accommodate the A4 documents sent out before the holiday.
The camps, hotels and transfers all worked seamlessly - there were no niggles beyond a minor adventure with an aircraft stuck in the mud at an airstrip after overnight rain. We felt very well looked after at each destination and extend our thanks to every member of the teams for making our holiday so memorable." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari
We appreciated the gentle encouragement to go to 2 separate safari parks as we had been put off visiting Ruaha by the extra cost, but it was worth every penny. The contrast in environment and scenery between Selous and Ruaha was particularly marked during our visit as the rains had come early in Selous but yet to arrive in Ruaha. We hadn't realised quite how striking the differences between the 2 parks and wildlife were. We appreciated that Olivia didn't pressurise us to book a more expensive holiday but we would recommend highlighting these differences explicitly to future customers.
The variety of walking, boat and driven safari was brilliant, with expert guides and drivers able to find/spot wildlife and share insights about every species. Sharing these experiences each night at the communal dining areas was lovely too.
The guidebook sent to us before the trip was a really useful extra and we used it to book a recommended eco-tour to Jambiani village as an extra. The leather travel wallet has a lovely construction but could do with being a tiny bit larger (just an extra centimetre?) to accommodate the A4 documents sent out before the holiday.
The camps, hotels and transfers all worked seamlessly - there were no niggles beyond a minor adventure with an aircraft stuck in the mud at an airstrip after overnight rain. We felt very well looked after at each destination and extend our thanks to every member of the teams for making our holiday so memorable." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari
Overall trip
Excellent
490
reviews of Ruaha by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
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Where to stay in Ruaha
Our suggestions for safari camps in Ruaha National Park
Mdonya Old River Camp
Designed with simplicity in mind, Mdonya River Camp focuses on a great wilderness experience rather than creature comforts.
Mwagusi Safari Camp
Mwagusi is a long-established, permanent, tented safari camp, on an attractive bend of the seasonal Mwagusi River.
Kwihala Camp
Kwihala is a permanent tented camp in Ruaha National Park, offering a high level of comfort and guiding in a natural setting.
Ikuka Safari Camp
Upmarket and stylish, Ikuka Safari Camp is set high on an escarpment with spectacular panoramic views over Ruaha National Park.
Jongomero Camp
A stylish and luxurious camp in a remote part of Ruaha, Jongomero offers excellent guiding and service in a remote, wilderness area.
Kigelia Camp
Kigelia is a stylish tented camp, set amid a grove of sausage trees, and combining a simple set-up with comforts and luxury.
Kichaka Expeditions
In a remote corner of Ruaha, Kichaka is a private mobile camp focusing on superbly guided walking safaris.
Ruaha River Lodge
In a lovely location beside a rocky river, the unpretentious Ruaha River Lodge is the largest and most economical camp in Ruaha National Park.
Kichaka Zumbua
Kichaka Zumbua is a small, luxurious camp offering on outstanding walking safaris in a remote area of Ruaha.
Jabali Ridge
One of Ruaha's most luxurious camps, Jabali Ridge nestles among kopjes and baobabs, with beautiful views of the surrounding area.
Jabali Private House
Jabali Private House in Ruaha National Park provides luxurious accommodation for private groups booked on an exclusive basis.
Jongomero Walking
Fly-camping and walking safaris from Jongomero Camp give you the chance to explore remote safari areas in Ruaha National Park.
Asanja Ruaha
Asanja Ruaha Ndembo is a smart new safari lodge in a picturesque setting overlooking the Great Ruaha River.
