11 Days Southern Circuit Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Dar es Salaam – Welcome to Tanzania

Upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, you’ll be warmly greeted by your driver-guide and transferred to your hotel for a relaxing evening. The bustling coastal city offers a glimpse of Tanzania’s vibrant culture and Indian Ocean charm. Enjoy dinner and rest as you prepare for your adventure through the country’s wild southern frontier.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Dar es Salaam

Day 2: Dar es Salaam – Mikumi National Park

After an early breakfast, set out on your drive to Mikumi National Park, the gateway to the Southern Circuit. The journey takes you through rural villages, farmland, and scenic highlands before arriving at the park by mid-day.

Enjoy an afternoon game drive across the Mkata floodplain, where herds of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest roam freely. Mikumi’s open savannah resembles the Serengeti in miniature, offering excellent photographic opportunities and frequent predator sightings.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp inside Mikumi

Day 3: Full-Day Game Drive in Mikumi National Park

Spend the day exploring Mikumi’s diverse landscapes, from acacia woodlands to vast grasslands and seasonal wetlands. Look out for lions lounging under shade trees, playful baboons near the park’s entrances, and hippos wallowing in the Mkata River pools.

After a picnic lunch, continue your game drive until late afternoon before returning to your lodge for dinner under the star-filled African sky.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in Mikumi

Day 4: Mikumi – Ruaha National Park

After breakfast, continue your journey deeper into Tanzania’s southern wilderness toward Ruaha National Park, one of Africa’s largest and most unspoiled reserves. The drive offers stunning views of the Southern Highlands and rural villages.

Arrive at your lodge by late afternoon, where you’ll settle in and enjoy sundowners overlooking the Great Ruaha River, a magnet for wildlife, especially elephants, hippos, and crocodiles.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or camp in Ruaha

Day 5: Full-Day Safari in Ruaha National Park

Spend a full day exploring the incredible diversity of Ruaha National Park. This vast wilderness is known for its rugged terrain, massive baobabs, and thriving populations of predators such as lions, leopards, and wild dogs.

Game drives along the Ruaha River reveal spectacular sightings of elephants, antelope, and colorful birdlife. You may also choose to take a guided bush walk with an armed ranger for an up-close encounter with the park’s unique flora and fauna.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or camp in Ruaha

Day 6: Ruaha – Another Day of Game Viewing

Enjoy another full day in Ruaha, where each game drive brings new discoveries. The park’s remote nature ensures an exclusive safari experience—no crowds, just pure wilderness. Explore lesser-visited areas where cheetahs roam and kudu navigate rocky outcrops.

After a picnic lunch in the bush, return to camp in the evening to relax by the fire and listen to the distant roar of lions echoing through the valley.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or camp in Ruaha

Day 7: Ruaha – Morogoro Town

After breakfast, enjoy a final morning game drive in Ruaha before departing for Morogoro, a picturesque town at the base of the Uluguru Mountains. The drive offers changing landscapes, from arid savannah to lush highlands, revealing Tanzania’s geographical diversity.

Arrive by evening and check into your lodge for dinner and relaxation.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge or hotel in Morogoro

Day 8: Morogoro – Selous Game Reserve (Nyerere National Park)

Today, continue your journey to Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s largest protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park’s immense size and diversity make it one of Tanzania’s last great wilderness frontiers.

Arrive in the afternoon for a boat safari on the Rufiji River, where you can observe hippos, crocodiles, and a dazzling array of birdlife along the riverbanks. The sunset over the Rufiji is nothing short of spectacular.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Safari lodge or tented camp in Selous

Day 9: Full-Day Game Drive in Selous Game Reserve

Rise early for a full-day game drive in Selous, exploring its wide network of rivers, open plains, and miombo woodlands. The park is home to large populations of elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and rare African wild dogs.

Your experienced guide will help you spot elusive wildlife and interpret the intricate relationships within this ecosystem. Return to camp in the evening for a candlelit dinner beneath the stars.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Safari lodge or tented camp in Selous

Day 10: Selous – Walking Safari & Sunset Boat Cruise

Begin your day with a guided walking safari, accompanied by an armed ranger. Experience the bush on foot—learn to identify animal tracks, plants, and bird calls as you feel the heartbeat of Africa up close.

After lunch, embark on another sunset boat cruise along the Rufiji River, a serene and scenic way to end your Southern Circuit exploration.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Safari lodge or tented camp in Selous

Day 11: Selous – Dar es Salaam / Departure

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely drive or optional charter flight back to Dar es Salaam. Depending on your departure schedule, you may take a short city tour or enjoy lunch before being transferred to Julius Nyerere International Airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Batwa Cultural Experience

Spend the day with the Batwa community, the original forest dwellers of Bwindi. Engage in traditional songs, storytelling, and demonstrations of ancient hunting and medicinal practices. Their cultural resilience and deep connection to the forest offer rare insight into Uganda’s indigenous heritage.

Day 13: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi – The Place of Many Little Birds

After breakfast, drive to Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes. The serene islands and terraced hillsides create a perfect atmosphere for relaxation. Spend your afternoon canoeing, visiting local island communities, or simply enjoying the tranquility of your lakeside lodge.

Day 14: Return to Entebbe and Departure

After breakfast, begin your journey back to Entebbe, enjoying the changing scenery and small-town life along the way. Depending on your flight schedule, you may stop at the Equator line for photographs and souvenir shopping before connecting to your international flight home.