Description
A visit to Ruaha National Park is essential for anyone seeking a true wilderness experience. Covering a conservation area of 10,300 square kilometres in the south west of Tanzania, Ruaha sprawls within and along the Great Rift Valley, covering a unique transition zone where the eastern and southern species of both fauna and flora meet against a dramatic topographical backdrop. This is also one of the few Tanzanian parks where sightings of the rarer antelope, such as sable, roan and both lesser and greater kudu, are a probability rather than a possibility.
Located in this magnificent setting is Jongomero Camp, a luxury safari camp set under shady acacia trees on the banks of the Jongomero Sand River. Accommodation at Jongomero comprises eight large and well appointed tents under enormous thatched roofs that also encompass a spacious private verandah. The dining and living areas are both original and very comfortable, offering a great vantage point from which to take in the sights and sounds of the African bush surrounding the camp.
The camp itself is not fenced and animals are free to pass through as they please. Elephants are daily and nightly visitors to the camp, vast herds of buffalo come within close proximity to the camp itself. Lion occasionally pass through and once every so often the tracks of a leopard can be seen winding down the main pathway as they make their way through the camp. The tents are perfectly secure and guests are frequently subjected to the wonderful feeling of huddling in a tent silently, trying to guess the identity of the enormous pachyderm which may wander by in the continuous quest for herbage.
Although without the massive teeming herds common in the North of the country, Ruaha holds an incredible amount and array of animals with an estimated 20,000 elephants in this one park alone. Ruahas' greatest secret lies in its extraordinary diversity of animals, plants and birds. Within the park as a whole there are over 1600 species of tree, twice as many as the great Selous Game Reserve which is also twice the size of Ruaha. There are a recorded 530 different species of birds here, half of all Tanzania's bird species may be glimpsed in this park making it one of the continents premier birding destinations. With the recent doubling of size of this park the bird list can only increase due to the incorporated wetlands and marshes of the South.
Guide price
£795
per person
£795 Per person for 4 nights, based on 2 people sharing a tented suite, on a full board basis, including flights from Dar es Salaam, with activities as specified.
Accommodation
Accommodation at Jongomero comprises eight large and well-appointed tented suites, all built on raised wooden platforms and under enormous thatched roofs that also encompass a spacious private veranda. All tents are spread out, situated on the edge of the sand river which is often used by a multitude of different animals to make their way to the river system for water.
Childcare
Jongomero is not suited to very small childen and therefore only children over 12 are welcome. Please note there are no specific childcare facilities but meals can be adapted to suit younger tastes.
Facilities
Swimming pool
Activities
Game drives go out twice per day, in the morning and afternoon. All game drives are driven by qualified guides in an open 4X4 landrover with a canopy for shade and no more than six guests per vehicle. For the specialist there are afternoon bird and photography drives. There are daily bush walks through this great wilderness accompanied by an armed guide and a park ranger. and also the chance to go fly-camping; a one or two day expedition on foot through the reserve sleeping in remote camps.
When to travel
Tanzania is a large country, with a varied climate. Generally, the long rains run from March to May - the temperature is warm and the humidity is high. June to October is the long dry season, and the short rains are in November and December, much lighter than the long rains. January and February are again dry (the short dry season) so this is another good time to visit.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Jongomero is set along the banks of the seasonal Jongomero river, in the Ruaha National Park. Situated in the South-West of Tanzania Ruaha sprawls within and along an ancient arm of the Great Rift Valley.
How to get there
9.5hour international flight to Dar es Salaam. From there is a 3hour domestic scheduled flight from Dar es Salaam to the Jongomero airstrip, which is just 10 minutes from the camp.
