Is this a private safari?

Yes. You have your own vehicle, your own guide and your own schedule. We do not put unrelated guests together unless you specifically ask us to, in order to share costs.

Can you change the itinerary?

That is rather the point. Every itinerary on this site is a starting draft. Add nights, drop a park, change the comfort level, start from Zanzibar instead — tell us what you want and we will rebuild it and re-cost it.

What is the vehicle like?

A Toyota Land Cruiser adapted for safari: pop-up roof, charging points, a cool box, and enough space that nobody sits in a middle seat. Windows open fully on both sides.

How far ahead should we book?

For July to September, nine to twelve months if you want the better camps. For the green season, three to four months is usually enough. We can occasionally do much shorter notice — ask.

It is customary but not compulsory. As a guide, most guests give their driver-guide around US$20–30 per vehicle per day, and leave something in the camp staff box.

5 Days Ruaha Safari

Ruaha National Park

Duration

5 days / 4 nights

Starts

Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar or Arusha

Ends

Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar or Arusha

Safari style

Luxury

Group

Private — your own vehicle and guide

Best time

June to October. Most camps close March to May.

Safari overview

The five-day version of the Ruaha trip, and the one we would rather you took. Four nights in a single park is a very different experience from four nights across four parks: you stop navigating and start recognising individual animals, particular trees, which pool the elephants use in the afternoon.

Ruaha rewards that. It is a transition zone between East and Southern African species, which produces an unusual list, and the dry-season concentration along the Great Ruaha River is among the most dramatic in Tanzania.

Walking and night drives are both permitted here, so not every activity happens through a window.

Ruaha National Park
Ruaha
Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar / Arusha

Safari highlights

            01
            Four nights in one park — enough to stop rushing
          

            02
            The Great Ruaha River in the dry season, when everything comes to it
          

            03
            Large lion prides and regular buffalo hunts
          

            04
            Walking safaris and night drives, both permitted here
          

            05
            Baobab and sand-river landscape that photographs beautifully
          

            06
            Very few other vehicles at any time of year
          

Day by day

Every day below can be moved, lengthened or dropped. This is how we would run it.

Scheduled flight in, landing mid-morning. The drive from the airstrip to camp follows the river and takes as long as the animals make it take.

Flight to Ruaha
Game drive from the airstrip
Afternoon drive along the river

Travel time: Flight, then a game drive to camp

Overnight: Ruaha National Park

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Ruaha River Lodge

Tonight · Lodge · Classic

Or a similar camp of the same standard, such as Jongomero Camp, depending on availability.

Where you stay

These are the camps we would book. If any are full on your dates we substitute something of the same standard — and we tell you what changed and why.

Ruaha River Lodge

LodgeClassic

Stone bandas along the Great Ruaha River, in one of the best game-viewing stretches of the park.

RatesOn request View lodge

Prices

Prices per person by season and group size
Season	Solo	2–3 guests	4–5 guests	6+ guests
Low season 01 April – 31 May The long rains. Lowest prices, greenest landscape, some camps closed.	US$3,665	US$2,945	US$2,530	US$2,320
Shoulder season 01 March – 31 March Also 01 November – 19 December.	US$3,995	US$3,210	US$2,755	US$2,530
High season 01 June – 30 June Also 01 January – 28 February and the month of October.	US$4,360	US$3,505	US$3,010	US$2,760
Peak season 01 July – 30 September Also 20 December – 02 January. Book nine to twelve months ahead.	US$4,690	US$3,770	US$3,235	US$2,970

All prices are per person sharing, in USD.

Supplements & child rates

Single supplement For guests travelling alone or wanting a room to themselves.	US$790 per stay
Child sharing with two adults Children under 3 travel free of our costs; park fees may still apply. Ages 3–11	US$1,670 per person
Room upgrade — luxury tier Upgrade the safari camps to the next comfort level throughout.	US$975 per person

How our pricing works. Prices are indicative and move with your travel dates, group size, the camps that still have space and any upgrades you choose. The per-person cost drops as the group grows, because the vehicle and guide are shared. Ask us for a personalised quotation and you will get an exact figure, not a range.