Day 1 - Mikumi National Park
At around 7 a.m., you will have a meet-and-greet session in Dar es Salaam, then drive for about six hours and with packed lunch to Mikumi National Park. Animals commonly seen in the area include the elephant, giraffe, zebra, antelope, wildebeest, eland, crocodile, hippo, and baboon. If you are lucky, you may also see the lion and leopard. Another attraction in the park are the hippo pools, where you can watch hippos wallowing and snorting at close range.
Over 300 species of birds are seen in the park as well, including the saddle-billed stork, hamerkop, malachite kingfisher, lilac-breasted roller, yellow-throated longclaw, bateleur, and others. Enjoy a late-afternoon game drive with sunset viewing, and watch the animals drinking water at the hippo pool. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at Camp Bastian Mikumi.
Day 2 - Travel to Ruaha National Park
After breakfast, you will drive for about six hours with packed lunch to Ruaha National Park. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at the Ruaha Hilltop Lodge.
Day 3 - Ruaha National Park
Lunch will be packed so you can enjoy a full day of game driving in Ruaha National Park. This less-visited park lies deep in the south with its striking, rugged landscapes and abundant wildlife. The Great Ruaha River flows through the eastern side of the park and provides life to hippos, crocodiles, and over 400 species of birds such as the racket-tailed roller, pale-billed hornbill, Shelley’s sunbird, and hoopoe.
The park also provides a home to one of Tanzania’s largest elephant populations, and is famous for lions, giraffes, Grant’s gazelles, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, buffaloes, and for rare or endangered animals such as the sable antelope, greater kudu, and roan antelope. Your dinner and overnight stay will again be at the Ruaha Hilltop Lodge.
Day 4 - Return to Mikumi National Park
After breakfast, drive for about six hours with your packed lunch back to Mikumi National Park. Enjoy a late-afternoon game drive then have dinner and an overnight stay back at Camp Bastian Mikumi.
Day 5 - Dar es Salaam
After breakfast, you will drive back to Dar es Salaam, again for about six hours and with packed lunch. You will be dropped off at either your hotel for the night, the seaport, or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) for your flight home.
