7 Days
7-Day Southern Tanzania Safari: Nyerere, Mikumi & Udzungwa
A private road-trip through the crowd-free Southern Circuit — boat cruises and wild dogs in Nyerere, tree-climbing lions on the Mkata Floodplains of Mikumi, and a waterfall hike through the ancient rainforest of the Udzungwa Mountains.
Tour Highlights
Nyerere Boat Safari
Glide past hippos, crocodiles, and drinking elephants on the Rufiji River at sunset.
African Wild Dogs
Nyerere is one of Africa’s best strongholds for this endangered predator.
Mikumi’s Mkata Floodplains
A “miniature Serengeti” of wide savanna, giraffes, elephants, and tree-climbing lions.
Udzungwa & Sanje Waterfalls
Hike to a 170-meter waterfall and spot endemic primates found nowhere else on Earth.
Day by Day
Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park
Your guide collects you from your hotel or the airport in Dar es Salaam for a 5-to-6-hour scenic drive south to Africa’s largest protected wilderness. After a hot lunch at your lodge, set out at around 4:00 PM on a sunset boat safari along the Rufiji River, past pods of hippos and crocodiles. Dinner and overnight at a riverside camp.
Nyerere National Park
An early breakfast, then a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch, tracking lions, leopards, and large herds of Cape buffalo. Nyerere is also one of the absolute best places in Africa to find the endangered African wild dog. After lunch under a shady acacia, explore the palm-fringed lake circuits before returning for sundowners and dinner.
Nyerere to Mikumi National Park
An early morning bush walking safari led by an armed park ranger, tracking footprints and learning about local plants up close. Then drive northwest to Mikumi through Tanzanian villages and mountain landscapes, arriving late in the afternoon as the animals become active. Dinner and overnight at a camp near or inside the park.
Mikumi – Mkata Floodplains
A morning game drive across the Mkata River Floodplain, where wide savanna horizons make wildlife easy to spot — wildebeest, zebras, impalas, and towering Masai giraffes, plus Mikumi’s famous elephant herds and tree-climbing lions. In the afternoon, visit the Mikumi hippo pools to watch the animals at close range. Dinner by the campfire.
Mikumi to Udzungwa Mountains National Park
A final morning game drive in Mikumi, then a short 2-hour drive to the base of the Udzungwa Mountains, where dry savanna gives way to towering ancient rainforest — a biodiversity hotspot often called the “Galapagos of Africa.” After checking into your eco-lodge, take a guided afternoon walk along the forest edge to spot the Iringa red colobus and the Sanje crested mangabey, which live nowhere else on Earth.
Sanje Waterfalls Trek
After a hearty breakfast, trek with a local guide through pristine rainforest canopy to the Sanje Waterfalls — a moderate hike to a magnificent 170-meter fall, with views across the Kilombero valley below. Reward yourself with a swim in the cool, clear plunge pools at the top, then head back down for a relaxing final evening at your forest lodge.
Return to Dar es Salaam
A relaxed breakfast to the sound of morning bird calls, then the return drive to Dar es Salaam (approximately 6 hours). Your guide drops you at your city hotel or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) for your flight home — end of safari service.
What's Included
- Private 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and onboard fridge
- Professional English-speaking Tanzanian driver-guide
- 6 nights at mid-range tented camps and eco-lodges, full board
- All meals from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 7
- All national park fees, concession fees, and vehicle permits for Nyerere, Mikumi, and Udzungwa
- Sunset Rufiji River boat safari, ranger-led bush walk in Nyerere, and local guide fee for the Sanje Waterfalls hike
- Private pickups and drop-offs from your hotel or airport in Dar es Salaam
- Cold bottled water throughout the trip
What's Not Included
- International flights to/from Dar es Salaam (DAR)
- Tanzania tourist visa ($50 USD for most nationalities, $100 USD for US citizens)
- Tips for the safari guide (customary $30–40 USD per day in total)
- Alcoholic drinks and sodas at the lodges (only bottled water is included on game drives)
- Travel insurance (medical, trip cancellation, and baggage)
- Personal items (souvenirs, laundry, SIM cards)
