Trip expedition of 7 days combines three national parks in the Southern Circuit; Mikumi National Park, Selous Game Reserve and Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Southern Circuit is still unspoiled with more lions ever seen. This trip will take you over Mikumi National Park which borders with Selous forming a huge eco system. This park is well known for its large of buffalo. Then you will be heading to Udzungwa Mountains for trekking. Enjoy unlimited game drive, Boat safari, walking safari and hiking on this trip.
Day 1. Dar es salaam to Selous
Just 200 kilometers west of the city of Dar es Salaam, there is the great Selous Game Reserve which is the biggest national park in Africa. It is 4 times the size of the Serengeti; occupying over five percent of Tanzania’s area as well as bigger than Switzerland. Fed by waters of River Rufiji, this reserve is habitat to more than one million large animals as well as home to more than half of the elephant population in Tanzania. The Selous possesses more than 2,100 plant species, 350 bird species, 60,000 elephants, about 1,300 of the 4,000 remaining uncommon wild dogs in the worlds, and 108,000 buffalos enabling its guests to view all of these uncommon animals within an un- spoilt wilderness. When arriving in Selous you will go for boat trip in Rufiji river to explore Hippo and Crocodiles as well as enjoying evening sunset.
Accommodation: Selous Jimbiza Camp
Day 2. Game Drive in Selous
Following the breakfast, you will go for Game Drive with a lunch box. There are huge numbers of elephant within the park. Roughly, seventy percent which is 60,000 of the total elephant population live within this reserve. Other popular animals are the hippos about 40,000 around the river systems, decreased numbers of black rhinos, numerous buffalos – more than 160,000, wild dogs in addition to 5,000 lions. Also, the animals living here are cheetahs, Nyasaland gnu, leopards, brindled gnu, wildebeest, hartebeest, giraffe, greater kudu, zebras, sable antelope, warthog, eland, waterbuck, reed buck, and the bushbuck. You will find more than 350 types of birds such as the southern ground hornbill, African snipe, geese, bateleur eagle, kingfishers, crested lark, herons, green-headed oriole, and knob-billed duck. Reptiles like crocodiles as well as other snakes plus lizards can also be seen.
Accommodation: Selous Jimbiza Camp
Day 3. Walking Safari and Village Tour in Selous
On this day you will wake up early in the morning around 6:00 am and have a cup of coffee if you want to, then start a walking safari. The walks are guided and normally accompanied by an armed ranger. A walking safari is an excellent break from game drives where visitors will learn some fascinating facts about nature, birds, reptiles, insects and medicinal use of local plants which you may not fully appreciate from the city of your safari car. While the scents and sounds of the African bush are better sensed on foot, it is without a doubt an adventure and a thrilling experience especially when the walk extends into wildlife habitats where encounters with freely roaming animals are the norm like in the Selous. At 8:00 am you will go back to your accommodations for full breakfast then followed by village tour around 9:30 am. Now, during village tour you will be able to enjoy local tradition dance and also you will be able to learn different ways of prepare local food from inhabitants. Later in the evening you will go back to your accommodation to spend a night
Accommodation: Selous Jimbiza Camp
Day 4. Game drive in Selous and depart to Mikumi
You will have an early morning game drive from 6.00 am to 10.00 am where you will be back to the Hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, drive for six to seven hours to Mikumi with packed lunch boxes, while crossing in the middle of the Selous Game Reserve. This once again provides you a chance of enjoying the wildlife. You will arrive in Mikumi in the evening.
Accommodations: Mikumi Wildlife Camp
Day 5. Full day game drive in Mikumi
Today after breakfast you will go for morning game drive until afternoon when you will sit for lunch. Then you will proceed with game drive till evening where you’ll go back to your hotel for dinner and cover night
Accommodations: Mikumi Wildlife Camp
Day 6. Trekking in Udzungwa Mountains
Morning after breakfast you will be heading to Udzungwa Mountains. After an early breakfast, go for a full-day game drive across the park while passing Mikumi’s most attractive point, The Mkata floodplain, until sunset. During the game drive, you can see over 400 species of birds as well as large numbers of giraffe, buffalo, and elephants. You may also be able to spot lions, leopards, and African wild dogs. Likely to be seen animals include zebras, hippos, hartebeest, wildebeest, impala, warthog and antelope. The biodiversity of this park is by far one of Tanzania’s most special features. Habitats include mountain forests, tropical rainforests, Miombo woodlands, grasslands and steppe. The Udzungwa Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains which are found in Kenya and Tanzania and were formed some 200 million years ago. Today they hold a unique collection of flora and fauna and cover only 2% of Tanzania’s area but hold between 30-40% of the countries plant and mammal species. The most popular trail is to the magnificent Sanje waterfalls, a 5km circuit with spectacular views across the plains and three wonderful waterfalls where you can swim and relax in the plunge pools and enjoy a picnic lunch. In the evening you will be back to Mikumi National park and this time Camp Bastian will be your place to spend night.
Accommodation: Camp Bastian
Day 7. Half Day game drive in Mikumi and depart to Dar es salaam
On this day, early in the morning you will go for game drive from 6.00 am to 10.00 am then back to the Hotel for breakfast. After breakfast prepare for a trip to Dar es salaam as this mark the end of your package.
INCLUDED:
- Park fees
- All transfers
- Accommodation with meals
- Knowledgeable guide with open roof land cruiser 4×4.
- Fuels
