Tanzania Southern Tourism Circuit : The Tanzania southern safari circuit is not more famous and visited when compared to other tourism circuit but it has some of the amazing and outstanding unique attractions for visitors to enjoy from this hidden tourism zone. Because of its low profile, it is likely the only part of the country where travelers may get a closer look at the African scenery.
Tanzania’s southern safari circuit stretches across the country and the optimum/best time to visit the southern safari circuit is during the dry season. The infrastructure is significantly more rudimentary and limited than what you’ll find up in northern tourism zone. There are also fewer Tanzania safari camps and lodging alternatives in the southern circuit than in the more popular northern one, but this is part of the park’s attraction as an off-the-beaten-path destination. The southern safari circuit, according to TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority), consists of three national parks: Katavi National Park, Ruaha National Park, and Kitulo National Park.
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK:
It’s in a secluded location, but that’s part of what makes it such a unique spot and destination for true safari fans. However, it is a return to the early days of safaris, when safari-goers experienced complete solitude, serenity, and tranquility. Katavi National Park is a largely undisturbed natural paradise in Tanzania’s western region, home to the world’s largest herds of buffalo. The park has a diverse range of habitats, including thick reedy floodplains and dense waterways teeming with hippo and crocodiles, as well as woodlands, open grasslands, forests, and beautiful seasonal lakes. Katavi National Park is Tanzania’s fourth/third-largest park. It’s also one of the least visited places in the country, making it a true wildlife haven. Because of its remote position, it is difficult to reach by car, so charter planes are the most convenient method of getting in and out.
Few travelers to Africa ever make it to Katavi, maybe the most isolated and unspoilt wildlife haven to visit on a pristine tour of Tanzania. It takes 3 to 4 hours to fly from Arusha or at least 24 hours of unpleasant driving to reach the area where huge herds of Cape buffalo, giraffes, antelopes, and zebras evade hungry lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, and jackals deep in virgin territory. The park is tranquil, floriferous, and lush during the rains, with colorful butterflies and speckled birds, but when the water runs low, the park becomes harsh and savage, with hundreds of battling crocs and hippos vying for a space in a muddy wallow. The park’s vegetation includes a diverse mix of bushland, Miombo forests, riverine forests, and grasslands.
The dry season (June to October) is by far the best time to watch animals for anyone fortunate enough to visit Katavi national park. During the dry season, the Katuma River is one of the only sources of water, and it is a lifeline for both large and tiny animals that cluster along the river to drink and bathe. Then, as the last lakes and wetlands dried up, tens of thousands of hippos would snuggle together for that last drop of water. Large crocodiles can be observed in the mud pools or lazing in the sun.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
Ruaha National Park, one of the Tanzania’s largest national park by land, lies about 320 kilometers (200 miles) from Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub. Most safari itineraries from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha National Park include visits to Mikumi or Udzungwa National Park. Individual tours to Ruaha National Park are still possible, but they are best done as fly-in/fly-out safaris.
It is one of Tanzania’s least visited wildlife parks due to the long distances from Dar es Salaam and the few flights that operate from Arusha. This has greatly helped in maintaining the park’s ecosystem, which provides the ideal habitat for a variety of large and small wild creatures, as well as birds. Ruaha National Park is best seen as part of a longer safari in Southern Tanzania, and our knowledgeable travel experts can advise you on how to include it in the lengthier multi-day safaris in the region, Tanzania Southern Tourism Circuit.
KITULO NATIONAL PARK.
It is yet another national park in Tanzania’s southern safari circuit. The park’s history dates back to 1870, when an explorer named Fredrick Elton paid a visit to the area. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization took over a wide region in the 1960s for wheat and sheep schemes. Because neither wheat nor sheep prospered in the area, the land was converted to a dairy farm in 1972, which is still in operation today. On September 16, 2005, portions of the farm, Livingstone and Nhumbe Forest Reserves, were proclaimed Kitulo National Park in response to concerns from conservation groups and other stakeholders. Today kitulo national park is famous and known for its frola species on which it is Sayed to have over 30 species, and it is known as the Serengeti of flowers.
The climate at Kitulo National Park is more conducive to tourism because it is influenced by altitude and Lake Nyasa, and is mostly temperate. Between December and April, the maximum daily temperature ranges from 14.5°C to 18°C, while the minimum ambient temperature ranges from 7°C to 8°C, with temperatures as low as 0.5°C in June and August, when frost occurs. The yearly rainfall averages 1600mm, with ranges between 1500 and 1700mm. From October until May, the rainy season begins.
Kitulo National Park is easily accessible from Mbeya town, which is around 110 kilometers away by Chimala road and 70 kilometers away via the Isyonje route. Songwe Airport is roughly 90 kilometers away. Songwe Airport serves the city of Mbeya and the surrounding areas in Tanzania’s southern highlands region. It has the capacity to handle commercial jet traffic. Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Fast Jet, and Tropical Air provide domestic flight services.
Visitors to Kitulo National Park can enjoy a variety of attractions. There are huge swaths of undulating upland grassland, rounded hills stretching to the horizon, waterfalls, rivers, and Crater Lake can be found in the park. Visitors can participate in a variety of tourist activities while visiting the park. Hiking, nature walking safaris (short and long), picnicking, bird watching, camping, filming, cycling, and other activities are among the activities available.
Why visit the southern Tanzania safari circuit?
fewer tourists and no traffic jams caused by visitors’ automobiles compared to the most popular safari spots in Northern Tanzania, where there are often as many safari vehicles as there are animals, it’s impossible to avoid the throng. The South attracts significantly fewer tourists, providing space and solitude for those who do trek there. Most importantly, seeing wildlife will be an once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you will most likely be the only ones there.
Spend less: Lodges and motels offer excellent value for money, with rates up to 15% lower than those found in busier tourist areas.
