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About the Southern Circuit
Tanzania's Best-Kept Safari Secret
Tanzania's Southern Safari Circuit is one of Africa's greatest wildlife destinations — yet it remains beautifully uncrowded. Parks like Ruaha National Park and Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) are vast, remote, and teeming with wildlife, offering the kind of raw wilderness encounter that has become rare in East Africa's busier northern parks.
Here you will find the continent's largest concentration of lions, elephants, and wild dogs. You can walk through the bush at eye-level with elephants, drift along the Rufiji River as hippos surface beside your boat, or track leopards in silence under an endless sky. And you will do all of this with few other vehicles in sight.
Gnade Safaris specialises exclusively in Tanzania, and our Southern Circuit packages are designed by local experts who know every dry riverbed, seasonal track, and secret watering hole. Every itinerary is private — just you, your guide, and the wild.
Big Five Wildlife
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo & rhino across diverse southern ecosystems
Walking Safaris
Guided bush walks for an authentic on-foot wilderness adventure
More Affordable Safaris
Enjoy exceptional wildlife experiences with generally lower costs than Northern Tanzania safaris
Boat Safaris
Unique river & lake safaris in Nyerere — an experience not available in northern parks
Fly-In Options
Scenic light aircraft connections between southern parks and major destinations
Easy Zanzibar Connections
Convenient flights from southern parks to Zanzibar, perfect for a safari and beach combination holiday
All Gnade Safaris Southern Packages
Tanzania Southern Safari Packages
Every package is 100% private, fully all-inclusive, and designed by Tanzanian experts. Choose by duration, destination, or experience type — or contact us for a custom itinerary.

FLAGSHIP
15 Days
Nyerere, Ruaha, Mikumi & Udzungwa
15-Day Southern Circuit Expedition
The definitive journey through Tanzania's entire southern wilderness. All four parks. Boat safaris on the Rufiji. Walking safaris in Ruaha. Primate tracking in the Udzungwas. The most comprehensive experience the Southern Circuit offers.
From
$ 6,712/Person

SUPER LUXURY
14 Days
Nyerere, Ruaha, & Mikumi
14-Day Super Luxury Fly-In Southern Tanzania Safari
Designed for the true safari purist. Fly between private camps in exclusive concessions, never sharing a game drive. White-glove service, gourmet bush dining, and the kind of exclusivity only southern Tanzania's remoteness can provide.
From
$ 13,122/Person

LUXURY FLY-IN
10 Days
Nyerere & Ruaha
10-Day Luxury Fly-In Safari in Southern Circuit
Elevate every moment. Skip the roads and step directly from chartered aircraft into the heart of Nyerere and Ruaha, where some of Africa's most exclusive bush camps await. No crowds. No compromises. Best Luxury Northern Circuit Safari
From
$ 9,950/Person

BEST VALUE
10 Days
Nyerere, Ruaha, Mikumi & Udzugwa
10-Day Southern Tanzania Safari Adventure
The grandest road-based exploration of the Southern Circuit. Comprehensive coverage of all four parks, big cat sightings in Ruaha's dry riverbeds, boat safaris on the Rufiji, and a forest walk through Udzungwa's cathedral canopy.
From
$ 3,520/Person

OFF-THE-BEATEN PATH
8 Days
Nyerere, Ruaha & Mikumi
8-Day Best of Southern Tanzania Safari
Elevate every moment. Skip the roads and step directly from chartered aircraft into the heart of Nyerere and Ruaha, where some of Africa's most exclusive bush camps await. No crowds. No compromises. Best Luxury Northern Circuit Safari
From
$ 2,921/Person

PHOTOGRAPHIC
7 Days
Nyerere & Ruaha
7-Day Photographic Safari to Nyerere & Ruaha
​For photographers who need wide-open frames, undisturbed animal behavior, and the golden light that only low-density parks afford. Guided by a specialist naturalist-photographer, this itinerary maximizes composition opportunities from dawn to dusk.
From
$ 6,221/Person

FLY-IN
7 Days
Ruaha
7-Day Ruaha Fly-In Safari Northern
Ruaha is one of Africa's best-kept secrets — lions, leopards, wild dogs, and the largest elephant population on the continent, all in a landscape of ancient baobabs and dramatic riverbeds. This fly-in package puts you there in hours, not days.
From
$ 5,251/Person

BEST VALUE
7 Days
Mikumi, Udzungwa & Nyerere
7-Day Wildlife Safari to Mikumi, Udzungwa & Nyerere
Savannah, ancient forest, and river ecosystem in seven days. This three-park journey moves from Mikumi's open plains to Udzungwa's primate-rich montane forest, and finally to Nyerere's boat-safari waterways. Southern Tanzania Safari
From
$ 1,872/Person

GREAT SAFARI
6 Days
Mikumi & Udzugwa
6-Day Southern Tanzania Mikumi & Udzungwa Safari
An underrated pairing: Mikumi's big five game viewing combined with Udzungwa's extraordinary endemic primates — six species of monkey found nowhere else on Earth — across Tanzania's most geologically dramatic landscapes.
From
$ 1,652/Person

HONEYMOON
5 Days
Ruaha
5-Day Luxury Honeymoon Safari to Ruaha National Park
From the beaches of Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, your private bush escape begins. Giant baobabs frame the horizon. Lions call at dawn. This is Ruaha as a couple's retreat — intimate, remote, and genuinely unforgettable. Southern Tanzania
From
$ 4,710/Person

FLY-IN
5 Days
Nyerere
5-Day Nyerere Safari at Selous Impala Camp
Stay at the acclaimed Selous Impala Camp, positioned at the heart of Nyerere's most rewarding wildlife areas. Morning game drives give way to afternoon boat safaris on the Rufiji River — Africa's great wilderness rhythm. Southern Tanzania
From
$ 3,850/Person
FROM ZANZIBAR
5 Days
Nyerere
5-Day Nyerere National Park Safari from Zanzibar
Seamless fly-in, fly-out itinerary that adds five days of serious wildlife watching to your Zanzibar holiday. The perfect beach-and-bush combination — turquoise waters one morning, hippos and wild dogs the next. Southern Tanzania Safari
From
$ 2,472/Person

FROM DAR
5 Days
Nyerere
5-Day Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park Safari
The most immersive way to experience southern Tanzania's greatest wilderness from Dar es Salaam. A full five days allows you to genuinely settle in — learning the land, reading animal behavior, building the pace that only longer safaris reveal.
From
$ 1,827/Person

QUICK ESCAPE
6 Days
Nyerere
3-Day Nyerere National Park Safari from Dar es Salaam
Three days. Game drives, a morning boat safari on the Rufiji, and the raw silence of Africa's largest reserve. Departs from Dar es Salaam and returns you to the city without the need for domestic flights — the fastest way into the wild.
From
$ 972/Person

WEEKEND SAFARI
3 Days
Mikumi
3-Day Mikumi National Park Safari from Dar es Salaam
Seamless fly-in, fly-out itinerary that adds five days of serious wildlife watching to your Zanzibar holiday. The perfect beach-and-bush combination — turquoise waters one morning, hippos and wild dogs the next. Southern Tanzania Safari
From
$ 855/Person
Why Book With Gnade Safaris
Tanzania's Southern Circuit — Done Right
Locally owned. Locally operated. Every guide, every vehicle, every camp is personally selected by our Arusha-based team who live and breathe this land.
TripAdvisor Top Rated
Recognised as Arusha's top safari operator on TripAdvisor. Real reviews from real travellers who experienced the southern circuit with us.
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100% Private Safaris
Every departure is private — your 4×4 Land Cruiser, your guide, your schedule. No shared groups, no compromises, no strangers at your bush dinner. .
Flying Doctors Covered
Every Gnade Safaris package includes Flying Doctors emergency medical evacuation coverage — so you can explore the wild with complete peace of mind. .
Responsible Tourism
​We partner with community conservancies and eco-certified camps. Part of every booking supports local conservation and the communities living alongside Tanzania's wildlife.
Instant WhatsApp Response
Our team is based in Arusha and responds to WhatsApp messages within minutes — not hours. When you're in the bush, we're available. Always.
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Destination Guide
Southern Tanzania National Parks Guide
Everything you need to know about southern Tanzania's parks before you book your safari with Gnade Safaris.
Africa's Predator Capital
Ruaha National Park
Tanzania's largest national park and Africa's most important lion stronghold. Remote, dramatic, and entirely uncrowded, Ruaha's ancient baobab woodland, rocky escarpments, and Great Ruaha River create a landscape unlike anywhere else on the continent. The park is home to the continent's highest lion density, exceptional African wild dog packs, and over 12,000 elephants.
Night safaris reveal leopard, aardvark, civet, and genet. Walking safaris take you into the wilderness at ground level alongside your armed ranger. With a bird list exceeding 570 species, Ruaha is equally exceptional for birders. Our 7-Day Ruaha Fly-In Safari and 5-Day Honeymoon Safari are tailored specifically to this extraordinary park.
20,226 km² Best: June–Oct Fly-In Access Night Drives Walking Safaris 570+ Bird Species
Africa's Largest Game Reserve
Nyerere National Park (Selous)
Formerly Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park is Africa's largest protected area — a UNESCO World Heritage Site larger than Switzerland. The mighty Rufiji River runs through its heart, creating a mosaic of lakes, channels, and forest that is the setting for Tanzania's most unique safari experience: the boat safari. Elephant herds of hundreds, vast hippo pods, and the continent's largest wild dog population call Nyerere home.
Our packages covering Nyerere range from the short 3-Day safari from Dar es Salaam and the convenient 5-Day safari from Zanzibar all the way to the 7-Day Photographic Safari and the 8-Day Best of Southern Tanzania.
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30,893 km² UNESCO Heritage Best: Jul–Oct Boat Safaris Walking Safaris 440+ Bird Species
Southern Tanzania's Gateway
Mikumi National Park
Mikumi is Tanzania's most accessible southern park, just 5–6 hours from Dar es Salaam on good tarmac road. Its broad Mkata floodplain delivers Serengeti-quality wildlife viewing — lion prides, elephant herds, massive buffalo congregations, giraffe, zebra, and hippo — without the price tag or logistics of a fly-in safari. It's the perfect starting point for the southern circuit and an outstanding standalone destination for families and budget-conscious travellers.
Our 3-Day Mikumi Safari from Dar es Salaam (with Maasai cultural experience), 6-Day Mikumi & Udzungwa Safari, and 7-Day Mikumi, Udzungwa & Nyerere package all begin in this accessible, rewarding park.
3,230 km² Year-Round Road Access (Dar) Family Friendly Budget Options Maasai Village
Eastern Arc Biodiversity Hotspot
Udzungwa Mountains Park
Udzungwa is unlike any other Tanzania destination — an ancient Eastern Arc mountain forest that has been isolated for 30 million years, producing endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. The critically endangered Udzungwa red colobus monkey and the Sanje mangabey are both unique to this forest. Hike to the spectacular Sanje waterfall through canopy so ancient it feels primordial.
Udzungwa pairs brilliantly with Mikumi (just 65km away) or Ruaha for a safari that moves from primates and rainforest to big-game savannah in a single trip. Our 6-Day Mikumi & Udzungwa and 7-Day Mikumi, Udzungwa & Nyerere packages showcase this combination perfectly.
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1,990 km² Best: Jun–Oct Road Access Endemic Primates Waterfall Hiking Eastern Arc Forest
Western Tanzania's Last Frontier
Katavi National Park
Katavi is Tanzania's most remote national park and one of Africa's last truly unspoilt wild places. Accessible only by light aircraft, it receives just a few hundred visitors per year — meaning the wildlife is completely unfamiliar with tourist pressure and encounters are profoundly raw. During dry season, hundreds of hippos are squeezed into shrinking pools in a spectacle of prehistoric intensity, while enormous lion prides stalk massive buffalo herds across open flood plains.
Katavi features in our 15-Day Southern Circuit Expedition — the only package that reaches this extraordinary, seldom-visited destination. Available June to October only.
4,471 km² Jun–Oct Fly-In Remote & Wild Hippo Spectacle Wild Dogs
When to Visit
Best Time for a Southern Tanzania Safari
The dry season from June to October delivers the finest game viewing across all southern parks. Wildlife concentrates around permanent water, vegetation thins for improved visibility, and tracks are dry and accessible. July and August are peak for predator sightings in Ruaha and for the extraordinary hippo spectacle in Katavi. Katavi and some Nyerere camps close March to May.
The short dry season (January to March) is also excellent — parks are green and beautiful, baby animals are plentiful, and bird life is exceptional with migratory species present. Prices are lower and visitor numbers are minimal. Mikumi and Nyerere's accessible areas operate year-round with consistently good results.
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Peak: Jul–Oct Good: Jan–Mar Birding: Nov–Apr Katavi: Jun–Oct Budget: Feb–May Mikumi: Year-round
Frequently Asked Questions
Southern Tanzania Safari FAQ
Common questions from travellers planning a southern Tanzania safari with Gnade Safaris.
Plan Your Southern Tanzania Safari Today
Our Arusha-based team responds within minutes on WhatsApp — or send an email for a detailed, no-obligation itinerary and quote. Every safari starts with a free consultation.
No payment needed. No commitment. Just expert safari planning from Tanzania's southern circuit specialists.

