Ruaha national park is one of Tanzania’s famous wilderness areas where one can have a rare experience of game viewing spiced up by the fascinating landscape. The park is rich in plants and animals such as Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) which can not be found in any other national park. The park boasts of its almost untouched and unexplored ecosystem, making visitors’ safari experience very unique.

The Great Ruaha River and other rivers like Mwagusi, Jongomero, and Mzombe save as the lifeline of the park. During the dry season, these rivers become mostly the main source of water for wildlife. There are few natural springs saving the same purpose.

In the pick dry season, elephants obtain water from dry sand rivers using their front feet and trunks. The remaining waterfalls along the Great Ruaha River are also an important habitat for hippopotami, fish, and crocodiles.

CLIMATE
Ruaha National Park has a bimodal pattern of rainforests; the short rainfall season begins from November to February, while the long season is between March and April. The annual mean rainfall ranges between 500mm-800mm with an average annual temperature of about 280c. The park experiences its dry season between June and October when the temperature at Msembe headquarter reaches 350c.

PARK HISTORY
The park’s history dates back to 1910 when it was gazetted Saba Game Reserve by Germany then the name was changed by the British to Rungwa Game Reserve in 1946. In 1964 the southern portion of the Game was gazetted as Ruaha national park and in 1974 a small section of South Eastern part of the Great Ruaha River was incorporated into the park. The name “Ruaha” originates from the Hehe word “Ruvaha”, which means “river”. Ruaha National Park is part of the Rungwa-Kizigo –Muhesi ecosystem which covers more than 45000 km2. In 2008 Usangu game Reserve and other important wetlands in the Usangu basin have been annexed into the park, making it the largest park in Tanzania and East Africa with an area of about 20226 km2.

PARKS SIGNIFICANCE
Ruaha National Park has a high diversity of plants and animals including elephants, buffalos, antelopes, and some of the rare and endangered species like wild dogs. The park serves as a water shade both for wildlife and human being. This makes it to be economically significant as it supports agricultural activities down stream and contributes to hydroelectric power (HEP) for the country at Mtera and Kidatu dams.

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS
Birds
The park is one of the Tanzania birds’ paradise with more than 571 species and some of them are known to be migrants from within and outside Africa. Migrating species from Europe, Asia, the Australian rim, and Madagascar have been recorded in the park. Species of interest in the park include Ruaha red-billed hornbill (Tokus ruahae) which is dominant in the area. The recently annexed wetland, the Usangu basin is one of the country’s important bird areas (IBA) as recognized by Birdlife International. Though birds can be seen all year round, the best time for bird watching is during the wet season.

Animals
Ruaha is believed to have a high concentration of elephants than any national park in East Africa. It is also a place where, magnificent mammals like Kudu (both Greater and Lesser), Sable and Roan antelopes can easily be spotted in Miombo woodland. The male Kudu have beautiful spiraled horns while the male Sable antelope have impressive curved horns. The park is also a habitat for endangered wild dogs. Other animals in the park include lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, elands, impalas, bat-eared foxes, and Jackals.

Reptiles and Amphibians
Apart from large animals, the park also harbors a number of reptiles and amphibians such as crocodiles, poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, monitor lizards, agama lizards, and frogs. The Great Ruaha and Mzombe rivers are presumably the most preferred habitat for crocodiles.

Vegetation
The park is characterized by semi-arid types of vegetation, baobab trees, Acacia, and other species. There are over 1650 plant species that have been identified. The park is the transitional point of two vegetation zones, the Zambezian (characterized by Miombo vegetation) and Sudanian (characterized by Acacia vegetation).

Historical and cultural sites

There are several historical and cultural sites in the park that offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the tribes of southern Tanzania. This is where the early trade routes of the Arab caravan crossed. In 1830, these coastal traders extended their routes northward, and in 1857 to 1858, other European explorers such as Burton and Speke also used these routes. Chief Mkwawa used these same routes to visit his chiefdoms in Sangu and Gogo.

The park area was often referred to as the land of the brave Chief Mkwawa, the chief of the Hehe people, who resisted the German attack in the late 19th century. The fierce and successful battle tactics against the German invasion made the Hehe tribe famous in the southern highlands of what was then Tanganyika (Tanzania). The Hehe tribe, led by Chief Mkwawa, dominated the Ruaha area. Some of the rocks in this area are known to be the hiding places of Chief Mkwawa after the fall of his kingdom (Kalinga) to the Germans in 1894.

In short, this ancient land (Ruaha National Park) is believed to hold many secrets of Chief Mkwawa.

Some of the cultural sites that were used for rituals are “Ganga la Mafunyo”, Nyanywa and Chahe, the painting rock in Nyanywa, the grave of “Gogo” chief “Mapenza” in Mpululu and the “Mkwawa” spring area believed to have been used by chief Mkwawa. Other historical sites near the park include Isimila Pillars near the town of Iringa, Kalenga, Mlambalasi, Lugalo, and God’s Bridge, to name a few.

Physical Features

Ruaha National Park has a variety of physical features from the Great Rift Valley, river systems, natural springs, wetlands, hot springs and kopjes to the beautiful rolling hills and mountains.

Rivers

The river systems and watersheds are of economic, social and environmental importance to the park itself and to the country as a whole. Major rivers include the Great Ruaha, Mzombe, Mdonya, Mwagusi and Jongomero.

Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley traverses the park. The escarpment along the western side of the valley is about 50-100 m high in the northeastern parts and increases in height toward the southwest. The Great Ruaha River valley is believed to be an extension of the Great Rift Valley. The Great Ruaha River flows for 160 km along the entire eastern border through rugged gorges and open plains.

Natural springs

They occur throughout the park and are associated with the base of the Western Rift Valley, especially the Mkwawa, Mwayembe, Makinde, and Majimoto springs. They are a refuge for wildlife in the dry season and when most rivers go dry.

Hill Country

The park consists of undulating land and hills such as Kilimamatonge, Nyamasombe, Nyanywa, Chariwindwi, Igawira, Mwayiui, Kibiriti, Magangwe, Ndetamburwa and Isukanvyiola. These act as kopjes and form good habitats for animals such as klipspringer, which are usually seen in some of these hills.

TOURIST ACTIVITIES

Tourist activities in the park include game viewing, long and short walking safaris in the wilderness, bird watching, picnics and bush meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) in the pristine bushveld.

The rainy season (January-April) is the best time for birding, lush landscapes and wildflowers. The male Greater Kudu is best seen in June, the breeding season.

How to get there

By plane

There are both scheduled and charter flights to the park, mainly from Arusha, Dodoma, Kigoma and Dar-es-Salaam. The park’s airstrips are located at Msembe and Jongomero.

By road

The park is about 130 km from the city of Iringa and 625 km from the city of Dar-es-Salaam.

The road into the park is passable all year round.

Accommodation

There are facilities in the park and privately owned

Park facilities

– Self-catering bandas for tourists

– Special campsites

– Public campsites

– Rest House

– Hostel for school groups

– Park houses

– Family cottages

– Single room with sitting area

– Single room without lounge

Private facilities

Inside the park

There are several luxury tented camps in the park including Jongomero, Kigelia, Mwagusi Safari, Old Mdonya River, Kwihala and Flycatcher as well as one lodge, Ruaha River Lodge. These are privately owned.

Outside the park

There are several accommodation options outside the park: the Hilltop Lodge, the Sunset Lodge and the Tandala Tented Camp, to name a few.

General park rules and regulations

Please abide by the following park rules and regulations.

– Do not disturb or feed any animals.

– Do not make noise or cause disturbances that injure other visitors

– Do not pick or destroy flowers or plants

– Litter, lighted cigarettes or matches are strictly prohibited

– Pets are not allowed in the park

– Never go on a walking safari without an official armed guide/ranger from the park

– Always stay on the approved trails during walking safaris

– Hunting and collecting of plant and animal specimens is not allowed.

– Tourist activities should only be conducted between 6 am and 7 pm. During the rest of the time, visitors should stay in their accommodations (i.e. lodges, camps and/or campsites).

– Driving off the road is strictly prohibited.