The Great Southern Circuit — 6-Day Safari
Six days through the two giants of Tanzania's Southern Circuit — Mikumi's magnificent open plains at Dar es Salaam's doorstep, then the long drive into Ruaha: Tanzania's largest national park, Africa's greatest lion population, and a remote wilderness where elephant herds of 200 move through ancient baobab landscapes along the Great Ruaha River.
The Great Southern Circuit — 6-Day Safari — Southern Tanzania
Six days through the two giants of Tanzania's Southern Circuit — Mikumi's magnificent open plains at Dar es Salaam's doorstep, then the long drive into Ruaha: Tanzania's largest national park, Africa's greatest lion population, and a remote wilderness where elephant herds of 200 move through ancient baobab landscapes along the Great Ruaha River.
Haven Trails operates this itinerary in a private 4x4 Land Cruiser with a 360° pop-up roof, an expert English-speaking southern circuit guide, and all accommodation, park fees, and safari meals included. The Southern Circuit is Tanzania's hidden gem — wilder, less crowded, and in many ways more rewarding than the more famous Northern Circuit. This is the Africa that most visitors never see.
The Parks — What Awaits
Mikumi National Park
Tanzania's most accessible major national park from Dar es Salaam — a compact and superb open-plains game drive destination delivering reliable Big Five encounters across the Mkata flood plain. An ideal first-night introduction to southern Tanzania safari before the long drive west to Ruaha.
Ruaha National Park
Tanzania's largest national park and one of Africa's most extraordinary wilderness destinations. Ruaha has the highest lion density of any national park on the continent — with prides of up to 20 individuals hunting along the Great Ruaha River. Elephant herds of 200+ gather at the river in the dry season. The baobab-studded landscape is unlike anything in northern Tanzania. Over 620 bird species have been recorded — including the Ruaha hornbill. Remote, uncrowded, and utterly magnificent.
The Itinerary
1
Dar es Salaam → Mikumi — Afternoon Game Drive
Morning pickup from Dar es Salaam and the drive west to Mikumi National Park via Morogoro, where a hot lunch stop breaks the six-hour journey. You enter the park in the afternoon — and the Mkata plain delivers immediately: elephant families at the waterholes, lions resting in the acacia shade, Masai giraffes silhouetted against the afternoon sky. The evening game drive extends until sunset, then dinner at Camp Bastian and an early night before the long drive to Ruaha tomorrow.
2
Mikumi → Ruaha National Park
An early breakfast and then the drive to Ruaha — 274 kilometres via Iringa through some of the most beautiful countryside in Tanzania. The road climbs through the Iringa highlands, passing tea farms, rolling hills, and traditional villages before descending into the dry savanna of the Ruaha landscape. You enter Ruaha National Park in the afternoon — and the landscape transformation is dramatic: ancient baobab trees of extraordinary size, the Great Ruaha River glinting through the thornbush, and the first lion sightings of a park legendary for its predator density.
3
Full Day Ruaha — Lion Country
The first full Ruaha day. The park's extraordinary lion density is the defining feature — prides of up to 20 individuals hunt along the Great Ruaha River, and the morning circuits consistently deliver close encounters with these magnificent animals. Beyond the lions: cheetah on the open ground, leopards in the river's fig trees, elephant herds of 200+ gathering at the river's pools. The Ruaha River circuit is the game drive of the safari — following the river's bend from one wildlife concentration to the next, with picnic lunch at a riverbank spot where crocodiles surface from the water.
4
Full Day Ruaha — River & Baobab Country
A second full Ruaha day explores the park's remote circuits — away from the main river and into the vast baobab woodland and miombo that covers the park's interior. The remote circuits are where wild dog packs move across their large territories and where the buffalo herds number in the thousands. The Ruaha River's lower reaches reveal a different river character — shallower, wider, with hippo pods in every pool and the endemic Ruaha hornbill calling from the riverside trees. A full day of extraordinary, uncrowded, genuinely wild Africa.
5
Ruaha → Mikumi — Afternoon Return Game Drive
Breakfast at Ruaha Hilltop Lodge, then the return drive to Mikumi with packed lunch en route. You arrive at Mikumi in the afternoon — back on the open plains after three days of Ruaha's baobab wilderness — and a final Mikumi game drive covers the hippo pool, the flood plain, and the Mwanambogo Dam circuit before returning to Camp Bastian for the last dinner of the safari.
6
Early Morning Drive → Return Dar es Salaam
Early breakfast at Camp Bastian and a final en route game drive through Mikumi as you head toward the gate — the park's early morning hours consistently the best for lion activity on the flood plain. Then the six-hour drive back to Dar es Salaam, with a packed lunch for the journey. You arrive at your hotel, the Julius Nyerere ferry terminal, or the airport in the afternoon — six days after the journey began.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Return 4x4 Land Cruiser (pop-up roof) from Dar es Salaam
- Expert English-speaking naturalist guide
- All national park entry and conservation fees
- All accommodation (5 nights, as per itinerary)
- All safari meals as per the itinerary
- Bottled water and soft drinks in the vehicle daily
- Government taxes
- Hotel/airport pickup and drop-off in Dar es Salaam
- International flights to/from Tanzania
- Tanzania tourist visa (required — approx. $50 USD)
- Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended)
- Alcoholic beverages throughout
- Safari guide and crew gratuities (discretionary)
- Optional activities not listed in itinerary
- Personal items and souvenirs
Why Haven Trails Adventures
Our southern circuit specialists have guided extensively in Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa. They know the best game drive routes, the wildlife concentrations by season, and the hidden corners of these vast, untouched parks.
All southern safaris depart in a private, custom-built 4x4 Land Cruiser with a 360° pop-up roof — never shared with strangers. Your vehicle, your pace, your experience.
The Southern Circuit is Tanzania's most undiscovered safari destination — fewer tourists, wilder landscapes, and wildlife encounters with depth and intimacy impossible in the Northern Circuit's busier parks.
Haven Trails is based in Moshi, Tanzania — not a booking platform abroad. Our local team has deep knowledge of road conditions, seasonal wildlife movements, and the best lodges throughout the Southern Circuit.
Every southern safari can be extended, combined, upgraded, or tailored to your group. Add the Udzungwa hiking experience, extend with Kilwa Beach, or combine with the Northern Circuit. Tell us your vision.
Haven Trails operates in strict compliance with TANAPA and TAWIRI regulations. We use community lodges where available and support anti-poaching initiatives in Nyerere and Ruaha. TATO licensed and MNRT certified.
