It was 2am, my first night in the most remote National Park in Tanzania. My choice, however - I did not want to feel cocooned in a bubble on safari, queuing behind dozens of Land Rovers for a photograph of a lion before returning to an air-conditioned camp with a well-equipped gym. And importantly, I wanted to travel with a company that took its environmental responsibilities seriously, and taught its guests something of the bush and the local people. So here I was, the only guest in a camp heaving with elephants and grunting lions, longing for the dawn.
ITINERARY
Selous, Makonde Plateau, Mikumi, Kitulo, Ruaha, Katavi, Mafia Island.
Day 1-2: Dar es Salaam
Arrive in Dar es Salaam, spend two nights at Golden Tulip.
Day 3- 4 - Kilwa and Makonde Pleteau.
You will be picked up from hotel and drive to Kilwa. With packed lunch.
Kilwa Kivinje, was in the 19th Century an Arabian slave and ivory trading town, where caravans started off into the interior. With the end of the Arab time at the end of the 19th century, the German colonial government built a fort and extended the town. From German times one can still find a Market Hall, the big Fort with a canon from the 1st World war, and two pillars one for the tribal dead of the Maji Maji War fought between the local tribes of Southern Tanzania and the German Colonial government and the other for two German traders also killed during the same Maji Maji War.
Kilwa Kisiwani, is where one will find the greatest collection of ruins. Directly on the Northern shore one will find the old Omani Fort, which is built on the foundations of the old Portuguese fort, in the early 19th Century, and where still an old wooden door remains. The Big Mosque is from the 12th Century and was further extended up to the 15th Century. It was said to be the largest mosque in East Africa.
The Makonde Plateau, a river gourged massif rising 900m above sea level which is home to Africa´s most famous woodcavers, the Makonde. The plateau itself is strikingly beautiful, if largely unvisited area, ideally suited for hiking. The Makonde are an ethnic group in southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique. The Makonde developed their culture on the Mueda Plateau in Mozambique. At present they live throughout Tanzania and Mozambique and have a small presence in Kenya
The remainder of the day you are free to rest or explore on your own.
Day 5 to 8: Selous Game Reserve
From Ruaha you will drive to Selous Game Reserve, the largest conservation area in Africa. Dominated by the Rufiji River, the Selous is the only park which offers boating safaris. Exploring the river on the adapted flat bottom boats is dramatic: you will be navigating through the hordes of hippos and crocs, and watching the elephants splash around at the water edge. Being a Reserve rather than a National Park the reserve offers great opportunities for walking safaris as well as 4x4 safaris. Stay at Mbega Tented Camp
Day 9: Mikumi National Park
Awake to bird song and early morning tea. Choose from a full day game drive with a packed lunch, exploring the hills and miombo woodland in pursuit of the elusive sable antelope and the endangered wild dog. Or remain on the plains to see lion hunts and leopards. Return to for lunch and a swim then start again in the afternoon. Guides can also tell you about the study of yellow baboons that has been taking place at Mikumi. Overnight at Genesis Hotel.
Day 10: Mikumi to Ruaha National Park
After breakfast Drive to Ruaha National Park. Ruaha is the largest national park in Africa, with species associated in both southern and eastern Africa: Grant’s gazelle, lesser kudu, striped hyena, greater kudu, Lichenstein’s hartebeest, roan antelope etc. The park has dramatic mountainous scenery and varied topography, ranging from the grassland plains - with cheetah and gazelle; - riverine forests - refuge to the delicate dik dik and bushbuck as well as hippo and crocs; Baobab-covered rocky kopjes - home to elephant, klipspringer, and leopard. There are also a staggering 1600 plant species and 526 bird species. Ruaha River Lodge is positioned to give spectacular views up and down the river. Wildlife amasses along this limited water resource and you can you can sit on your private veranda and watch giraffe, impala, greater kudu and warthogs.
Days 11-12: Ruaha National Park
Awaken to a chorus of birds and Egyptian geese by the water’s edge. Take breakfast in the riverside dining room or the main bar and restaurant set amongst the rocks and baobabs at the top of a rocky kopje. Morning and afternoon game drives will explore the river both upstream and downstream allowing you to return to the lodge for lunch. Or you could take a full day game drive onto a plateau of miombo woodland favoured by sable antelope. Or a full days drive following the Great Ruaha River to the treeless plains, with the chance of spotting cheetah and gazelle. Look out for leopards in the Acacia branches or try to spot the lions resting beneath shaded bushes. Overnight at Ruaha Bandas/Ruaha River Lodge
Day 13 – Ruaha - Kitulo National Park
One of the most important watersheds for the Great Ruaha River, Kitulo is well known for its floral significance not only a multitude of orchids, but also the stunning yellow-orange red-hot poker and a variety of aloes, proteas, geraniums, giant lobelias, lilies and aster daisies, of which more than 30 species are endemic to southern Tanzania. Big game is sparsely represented, though a few hardy mountain reedbuck and eland still roam the open grassland.
But Kitulo – a botanist and hiker’s paradise - is also highly alluring to birdwatchers. Tanzania’s only population of the rare Denham’s bustard is resident, alongside a breeding colony of the endangered blue swallow and such range-restricted species as mountain marsh widow, Njombe cisticola and Kipengere seedeater. Endemic species of butterfly, chameleon, lizard and frog further enhance the biological wealth of God’s Garden.
Day 14: Kitulo to Katavi National Park
An early start sees you on your way via Sumbawanga to Katavi National Park. Huge herds of buffalo, zebra, topi and giraffe. Once on the ground, your guide takes you across the Katuma river where you will be astonished by up to 600 hippo and monster crocs. You may also see otters, various snakes and mongeese. From here you skirt round the Katisunga floodplain, and its thundering herds, to arrive at Katavi Wildlife Camp, which has been carefully sited for a continuous parade of animals, wander past your private verandah. Also from this vantage point the golden Katisunga floodplain sprawls before you offering panoramic views over one of the wildest places on earth and the last great herds of buffalo in East Africa. A resident pride of lion have also discovered this spot. Overnight in Katavi Wildlife Camp
Days 15-18: In Katavi National Park
Over the next couple of days you will explore the central Katisunga plain, the Katuma river, and Chada plain with morning and afternoon game drives in your open vehicle or full day game drives with a packed lunch. You can also head in the opposite direction through the miombo woodland to an area locally referred to as Paradise in search of rare roan and sable antelope. Overnight in Katavi Wildlife Camp.
OPTION
Day 18: Katavi National Park to Mafia Island
Fly to Dar es salaam then Mafia Island
