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Raw safari adventure, Nyerere, Ruaha & Zanzibar

14 days from £5400pp

Elephant in Ruaha

Fitting nicely within two weeks, including international flights, this is one our absolute favourite itineraries for Tanzania. Nyerere and Ruaha are such a great combination of safari destinations. Nyerere is home to impressive variety of predators and plains wildlife and bird life here is seriously impressive. Contrastingly Ruaha is a very dry park with more open plains and hilly outcrops. Here you are likely to see more varied plains wildlife with huge herds of buffalo and elephant. As far as predators are concerned Ruaha is not dragging its feet with the park being home to an estimated 10% of the world’s population of lion as well as regular sightings of leopard, hyena, as well as cheetah. This sample itinerary finishes with time on the stunning tropical island of Zanzibar, perfect for kicking off your shoes and relaxing.

All of the itineraries that you see on our website are samples of what is possible, every holiday that we operate is completely tailor-made to your requirements, likes and dislikes. Just let us know your ideas when getting in touch and we will craft your plans around these, get your feedback, and keep working on it until everything is perfect.

Tour Highlights

  • Explore the stunning but very different Nyerere and Ruaha National parks.
  • Enjoy wildlife drives and walking safaris in both national parks and boat safaris in Nyerere.
  • Awe at the phenomenal wildlife including lion, buffalo, elephant, hippo, crocodile, wild dog and huge variety of plains wildlife and birdlife.
  • Spend time relaxing and enjoying activities in the beautiful tropical island of Zanzibar.

Price Includes

  • International flights
  • Light aircraft flights
  • All transfers
  • Private transfers in Zanzibar
  • Accommodation
  • All safari activities on a shared basis
  • All meals while on safari
  • Breakfast and dinner in Zanzibar
  • In country and 24-hour UK support
Make an enquiry
Slide 1
Day 1 - Overnight flight from the UK

Depart from the UK for your flight to Dar es Salaam. There is a huge range of airlines and routes available, please let us know your preferences when Getting in touch.

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Day 2 - Connecting flight to Dar es Salaam, light aircraft flight, or drive, to Nyerere (Selous). Overnight Nyerere.

You will be assisted on arrival to the domestic terminal where you will take a one-hour light aircraft flight to Nyerere (it is now possible to drive if you prefer although this can take up to five hours)...

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...This is a fantastic flight, cruising over the endless acacia tree forests and tall Borassus palms and you will also see the endless lake and river systems which makes Nyerere such a haven for wildlife. You will be met at the airstrip on arrival where you will game drive straight to your accommodation.

Settle in on arrival and before enjoying dinner in this enchanting setting. Make sure you spend some time star gazing. We guarantee, if you have not been to Africa before, you will have never seen a night sky like it!

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Day 3 - Shared morning and afternoon safari activities. Overnight Nyerere.

Your safari adventure begins today! Your early morning wake-up call will be accompanied by hot coffee and a small snack and then you head off to explore. You can choose between game drives, walking and boat safaris...

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...your hosts will help you decide day by day depending on what you would like to see and do. A game drive is a great way to start and allows you to explore further afield, in search of some of the bigger residents of Nyerere. You can expect close and regular sightings of a whole host of plains wildlife including elephant, kudu, impala, and zebra with predators often seen including lion, wild dog, and the ever-elusive leopard. The one thing for sure is that you will be amazed at all of the wildlife that you will see! Return to camp after your game drive to enjoy a delicious brunch.

An afternoon boat safari is the perfect way to end the day, gently cruising along the waterways, navigating between the pods of hippo and congregations of crocodile, stopping off at some point to enjoy sundowner drinks and snacks. Boat safaris are a fantastic way to see a huge variety of wildlife with some of the larger animals, that come to the water’s edge to drink, including elephant and buffalo. You will also see a huge variety of birdlife including kingfishers, fish eagles and storks to name a few. Freshen up back at camp and then share your adventures of the day around the campfire before enjoying dinner.

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Day 4 - Shared morning and afternoon safari activities. Overnight Nyerere.

Today you may decide to start the day with a morning walk. You will head into the bush with your safari guide and also a local ranger. The distance covered will depend on what you see along the way but rarely exceed two kilometres...

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...on flat ground, so are suitable for most. The aim for a walking safari is to learn about the smaller wildlife, plants, trees, and birds although nowhere is fenced in Nyerere so there is always the chance that you will come across something bigger which makes this not only fascinating but thrilling! The knowledge of your guides will blow you away, not only about the animals but also the wider flora and general environment.

An afternoon game drive or boat safari is a great way to spend the afternoon after stretching your legs in the morning. Be sure to ask your guide as many questions as you can along the way, their knowledge is encyclopaedic and enthusiasm infectious!

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Day 5 - Shared morning game drive to the airstrip. Light aircraft flight to Ruaha. Transfer on arrival and lunch at your accommodation. Afternoon wildlife drive. Overnight Ruaha

This morning you will set off on a wildlife drive to the airstrip for your flight to Ruaha. Don’t discount this drive and do keep your camera to hand...

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...there could be an incredible sighting around any corner. Your light aircraft flight to Ruaha will take just over an hour and is a fantastic flight, the birds eye view of Ruaha is superb and you may be able to spot some of the larger animals in the park like giraffe and elephant as you descend to land. You will be met on arrival and take a slow wildlife drive to your chosen accommodation where you can settle in and enjoy lunch in this beautiful setting.

Later this afternoon you will head out by vehicle for your first full game drive where the difference between Nyerere and Ruaha will become apparent with more open spaces and varied landscapes. Perhaps you will come across the huge herds of buffalo or elephant that Ruaha is famous for and, of course, lion are always somewhere nearby. There is usually time to stop for a sundowner drink while out in the bush and, in our opinion, there is nothing more magical and soul settling than having your favourite drink in hand, watching the setting sun with the gentle sounds of the African bush.

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Day 6 - Shared morning and afternoon safari activities. Overnight Ruaha.

Your first full day on safari in Ruaha, you will be woken at dawn with a hot drink of your choice and a small snack and then head straight into the bush for a morning safari activity when the wildlife, particularly the predators, are most active...

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...Wildlife drives in Ruaha are often conducted around the Great Ruaha River area as this is where much of the wildlife of the area congregate. The drives are thrilling here as you follow the tracks around, over, and often through the river in search of the incredible wildlife of the area. Perhaps you will spot a leopard lazing in a tree or elephant digging in a dry riverbed for water.

After being out for two to three hours you will return to camp for brunch and then have a few hours to rest or enjoy the wildlife around camp before heading out on an afternoon safari activity. This afternoon you may see some of the more interesting plains wildlife like the beautiful and graceful greater kudu with their incredible horns or perhaps the huge eland that can jump incredibly high when needed. Return to camp after your safari activity and settle around the campfire for pre-dinner drinks and perhaps some star gazing.

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Day 7 - Shared morning and afternoon safari activities. Overnight Ruaha

Your final full day on safari in Ruaha. The guides discuss wildlife sightings every day so know approximate areas of recent sightings so, if there is anything that you are particularly keen to see, do let your guide know and they will do their best to get you in the right place...

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...If you are keen to stretch your legs while in Ruaha a walking safari is an option at some of the camps and lodges but must be pre-booked to ensure availability of armed rangers. Walking here is superb and offers a completely different aspect of getting into the bush and appreciating the smaller wildlife, insects, and plant life which is fascinating. That is not to say you won’t see some of the larger wildlife that the park is famous for…

There is one animal that it is almost inconceivable not to see as the numbers are so strong in Ruaha, the mighty lion. It is not uncommon to see lion every day while in Ruaha and they are amazing to see up close.

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Day 8 - Shared morning wildlife drive to the airstrip. Light aircraft flight to Zanzibar. Private transfer to your hotel. Overnight Zanzibar

This morning you will head out on your last wildlife drive on your way to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Zanzibar...

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...Don’t pack your camera away though, there is always wildlife to see on the way and you never know what is around the next corner! Your light aircraft flight will take just over two hours depending on how many stops there are on the way. You will be met on arrival and assisted to your private vehicle and driver who will take you straight to your hotel. This transfer will take between 40 minutes and an hour so you will be relaxing on the perfect sandy beaches in no time!

Settle in and relax on arrival and then enjoy dinner in this fantastic setting.

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Day 9 - Day at leisure. Overnight Zanzibar.

Day at leisure. You will probably want to take it easy today and rest after your safari adventure, sit back, kick off your shoes and take a break! The beaches here are some of the best in the Indian Ocean...

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...at high tide, snorkelling is superb. You may want to have a chat with hotel staff about some recommended activities for the rest of your time, they are always happy to share their wisdom and book these for you. If you prefer, we can pre-book activities for you, just let us know.

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Day 10 - Day at leisure. Overnight Zanzibar

Day at leisure to do as much or as little you please. There are a host of ‘inland’ activities that are well worth exploring while staying in Zanzibar. Often referred to as one of the spice islands, with a trade history dating back to the 16th century, a spice farm tour is fascinating and well worth a visit...

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...Renowned for trading in clove, nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli, and black pepper, you will learn how these spices are grown and harvested and can even buy some to bring home.

You could also visit the nearby Jozani forest while in the area. This guided tour takes you through a nature trail of verdant forest which is a habitat for many birds and animals but is famous for the rare Red Colobus Monkey.

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Day 11 - Day at leisure. Overnight Zanzibar

If you enjoy diving and snorkelling then the extraordinary underwater landscapes, which are alive with wonderful and strange marine creatures, will be a dream destination for you...

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...The coral reefs in Zanzibar are some of the most abundant in the world with over 500 species of marine life. Here you will enjoy reef, wall, and wreck diving at over 30 dive sites and with ocean temperatures consistently around 27°C, with visibility that often exceeds 30m, this is a fantastic underwater safari, some of the absolute best in the Indian Ocean.

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Day 12 - Day at leisure. Overnight Zanzibar

For anyone with an interest in history and culture a visit to Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a must and we highly recommend it. We can just arrange transfers and then you explore under your own steam, but...

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...we recommend using a local guide to help you understand and explore the highlights. While you wander around the labyrinth of narrow streets, most to narrow for cars, you will see mosques, churches, and temples side by side as well as some very impressive intricately carved wooden doors that Stone Town is famous for.

Some of the highlights of a visit includes the old slave market and museum, Darajani marketplace, the House of Wonders, the old fort, and the Sultans palace where your guide will explain their importance and history. This is an absolutely fascinating part of Zanzibar, we love it!

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Day 13 - Private transfer to the airport. Overnight flight to the UK

Depending on your flight time you may have some more time at leisure today. You will be picked up from your hotel, by private vehicle and driver, and taken to the airport for your flights back to the UK. There are several airlines and routes which we can discuss, please let us know your preference when getting in touch.

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Day 14 - Arrive back into the UK

Arrive back into the UK and then start planning your next adventure!

Get in touch now.

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Example accommodation options for this itinerary

Browse all accommodation in Nyerere

Lake Manze Tented Camp

3.5 Star. Superb location on the lake shore and a fantastic all round camp.

Selous Kulinda Camp

3.5 Star. Large tented rooms with a lovely riverside location, super value.

Rufiji River Camp

4 Star. Large camp with comfortable rooms and great facilities.

Siwandu Camp

4.5 Star. Luxurious tented camp in a remote area. Absolutely superb.

Browse all accommodation in Ruaha

Mdonya Old River Camp

3.5 Star. Great location on a dry river bed and a fantastic all round camp. Super value for money.

Ruaha River Lodge

3.5 Star. Larger camp with huge rooms and a spectacular location. Stunning clifftop dining area.

Kwihala Camp

4 Star. Traditional safari camp with large and comfortable tented rooms and superb staff.

Browse all accomomdation in Zanzibar

Breezes Beach Club

4 Star. The best four star medium sized hotel in Zanzibar, excellent.

Zawadi Hotel

4.5 Star. Chic, stylish and high standards throughout, very good.

Kono Kono

4.5 Star. Fantastic location and stunning beach. Modern and stylish.

The Residence

5 Star. Excellent facilities. All rooms have an impressive private pool.

Testimonials

Carole
Emma organised our flights and Safaris perfectly in the three Camps in Botswana, just as we wished. The welcome and friendliness of the staff in all of the Camps and the accommodation couldn't have been bettered. In Rra Dinare, Zulu our guide and Sarah our tracker, in Xakanaxa, Kitty our guide and driver and in Camp Okavango, Vee our guide; they all went out of their way to ensure that we had wonderful animal sightings and the best experience. We would absolutely highly recommend Speke Travel.
Sarah
What an amazing experience
We spent a lot of time trying to plan our ‘once in a lifetime’ family holiday to Tanzania and needed some expert advice. We found Tim at Speke Travel as part of a Google search and he really made our trip an unforgettable experience. The support and expert knowledge given by Tim transformed a great trip into the most unbelievable experience that we will treasure forever. There is always going to be an element of luck on what you see on safari, however, getting the right trip planned will always help. The quality of the route, the safari guide and the camps/hotels that Tim planned meant we were given the best possibilities to see what we wanted ….. and so much more, it was mind-blowing. Throughout the whole process, we were very specific about what we wanted to do and Tim could not have been more helpful, nothing was too much trouble and he worked with us until we had the perfect trip arranged. The booking could not have been simpler and it was never a problem to ask Tim questions and make changes. Tim’s knowledge and enthusiasm for Africa is exceptional and set him apart from the competition, giving us complete confidence. For anyone looking for an African adventure we would highly recommend Tim and Speke Travel.
Karen Rowe
Zimbabwe/Botswana Safari
I recently went on a safari with a group of friends that was tailor made by Tim to fit a budget and ensure that we had a true African safari experience. The entire trip was amazing …everything went to plan with no hitches. We had three different locations over a period of ten days and each one gave a different experience that will never be forgotten…his expertise and knowledge made the trip one of the most amazing holidays I’ve ever had.
Diana
The experience was amazing
The 10day experience was amazing! From Johannesburg to Honeyguide Mantobeni safaris, Cape Town highlights to wine tasting in Stellenboch-all transfers were seamless. Speke has a strong network with South Africa!
Carol
We couldn’t have done it without Speke Travel
Tim Parry was our advisor, and he was a true professional with the experience required to navigate an African Safari for two couples traveling together but had some different needs. He was patient, thorough, informative, knowledgeable, and sensitive to the type of travel and experience we were looking for. He made us feel comfortable asking very basic questions and provided a wealth of information on a variety of subjects. He was quick to respond to our queries, and you could tell that he took time to answer our questions. The travel documents were detailed and organized. While there are many travel arrangements we can all do ourselves these days, Africa is huge and the experiences are unlimited, and we would not have been able to plan and execute this trip without Tim.
Bonnie Fair
The Trip of a Lifetime from Tim Parry at Speke Travel
Tim Parry at Speke Travel designed the trip of a lifetime for us in Tanzania with Asilia Africa. He responded to our many, many emails within a day (we are in California, USA, he's in the UK) in spite of our very different time zones. His advice and recommendations were all excellent, and we followed all of them. We can't imagine working with anyone who could have been more helpful and sincere in their effort to give us the best trip at the best price. We are forever grateful to have found him and highly recommend him to anyone seeking a safari in Africa. He is nothing less than outstanding as a travel agent.
Jim Kavanagh
The trip to Tanzania for a family of 6…
The trip to Tanzania for a family of 6 wasn’t easy to organise but Tim from Speke managed to get a bit of everything into the trip. Great organisation and plenty of dialog to create the trip. Thoroughly recommend the Speke team.
Andrew
Three Trips with Speke Tim at Speke really understands the…
Tim at Speke really understands the type of trip that you want, has excellent knowledge of the region and finds the route and type of accommodation that meets both expectations, timescales and budget.
Jane Cotton
Excellent service from start to finish – true experts!
A friend recommended Speke Travel to us as they'd had a number of fantastic experiences. They did not disappoint! Tim Parry planned a 3 week adventure in Tanzania and Zanzibar for our family of 5. He has a wealth of knowledge about the country and was able to tailor our itinerary to suit our preferences and our budget. It was just amazing to have every single detail taken care of so that we didn’t have to think about anything other than enjoying the many incredible places we visited. We are very much planning future trips to other parts of Africa, and will definitely call upon Tim's excellent service in the future. I would recommend Speke Travel to anyone planning an adventure to any African country.
Ed
Zimbabwe and Botswana Trip
We used Tim at Speke travel to organise our honeymoon in Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) and Botswana (Chobe and Okavanga Delta). Tim was pulled together some great options (varying price points) and was very helpful throughout. We had an amazing time and I would thoroughly recommend him.
Arabella Smith
Exceptional – will never use anyone else for Africa (and would use for the rest of the world if possible!)
Thank you for creating a honeymoon of dreams for us. Every step of the planning process was made so easy by Tim, and it really felt that we were creating something unique together. We loved every single second of our time away, especially Namibia, which now holds a special place in our hearts. Tim created an unforgettable experience for us and if we could, we would be giving 6 stars for this review! Seriously, if you’re thinking of travelling around Africa, look no further as Speke Travel/Tim will help you create an adventure of a lifetime.
Richard L, Georgia USA
Zimbabwe/Botswana
Having never been on a safari trip, I was apprehensive about the logistics and arrangements. Based on a friend’s advice we booked through Tim at Speke Travel. His advice and assistance with booking arrangements were absolutely essential to making our trip a tremendous success. The accommodations were excellent and the numerous safari outings that were included went beyond my expectations. Each of our three locations had daily activities arranged by Tim. Each one was more impressive than the last. The logistics to move us from one location to the other (across international borders) went perfectly. I have already recommended his services to friends and will continue to do so.
Andrew Bradley
South African wildlife and Wine Safari
I ditto everything my traveling companion Susan Durman mentioned. The fact that our missed flight was rearranged so quickly and with out fuss was fantastic and saved us a load of hassle. Couldn’t recommend Speke Travel enough.

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