Reviews of safaris to Ruaha National Park

"My daughter and I absolutely loved our safari and bush experiences. The bush camp staff were exceptionally committed, knowledgeable, and hospitable.

Unfortunately, we were terribly disappointed with the last part of the trip in Zanzibar." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"This was a wonderful trip and our first experience of a safari holiday. It exceeded all our expectations.

We didn't have to worry about any of the arrangements and were met when we were supposed to be met and given clear instructions of timings to be collected. The safari camps were different in their own way but were both most satisfactory. The free laundry service was an added bonus and our rooms (tents) were kept spotlessly clean and tidy. At Impala Camp we had our own Masai man to escort us to and from our tents in case there were any visiting animals. He was always there and yet was unobtrusive.

The only concern was the tipping system, particularly in Mwagusi Camp. Here it appears the staff were only given their tips once a year, including the guides. We would have preferred to tip the guides separately as we did in Impala. We were put in a difficult position and this needs to be sorted.

It is essential to have cash! Neither camp had the facility to pay by card. We also needed to pay by cash at the hotel in Dar es Salam because their internet was down.

Pongwe Beach Hotel was almost the icing on the cake." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"As a first time visit to Tanzania I quickly fell in love with Ruaha's stark beauty. The majestic baobab forests, the picturesque riverbeds snaking through the dry vegetation, the elegant palms rustling in the wind, puncturing the sky with their impossibly thin trunks.

The time of year (October) was perfect and a significant consideration for us as in the dry season the two rivers here provide the only water in this arid area, becoming an exciting hot spot for prey and predators alike. Sightings got better as the days passed and I wished we could have stayed much longer to enjoy every opportunity that would have undoubtedly presented itself before the rains. However, I was more that satisfied with our sightings and wildlife encounters.

Selous was exiting in different ways. We were spoiled with animal sightings around Lake Manze and also around the camp which was set amongst beautiful lush clumps of palms along the lake shores. However there were far fewer sightings away from the main body of water. Surprisingly we found that the zebras and eland that we came across were extremely skittish, but the lake itself was the biggest and best delight of all. As the water in the lake diminished and became very shallow it attracted thousands of waterbirds congregating for a fishing bonanza. The bird life was diverse and spectacular, from pelicans to yellow billed storks, spoonbills, marabous, numerous egret species, kingfishers, skimmers and lots of crocodiles, each using their own technique to catch the unbelievable amount of fish, which at times jumped out of the shrinking muddy water. I've never seen so many fish eagles in one place and watching them dive in succession gave me plenty of photo opportunities to try and get the perfect shot.

The walking safaris in both locations felt like a bit of an afterthought and certainly not consistent with the high standard of bush-walks in places like Zambia and Botswana. The walks were very short with few route options if you wanted to do more than one walk." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Tanzania safari

"Good.

Ive already exhausted myself writing detailed reviews of every aspect and my Tanzanian Tummy is beckoning me elsewhere very soon." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 10 on a Tanzania safari

"It was a memorable experience and we were completely satisfied with our wildlife viewing.

We did not want luxurious accommodation or fine dining and went to Africia to see the people and the animals.

We will be back!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari

"We had a fantastic time and everything ran very smoothly, I would definitely recommend Expert Africa and will use again for our next trip!" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"Once again EA fulfilled all our expectations in terms of providing an excellent safari experience this time in Tanzania.Over the past number of years we have come to expect a certain level of excellence from Expert Africa and once again they delivered in every aspect of the trip, from planning, advice through to implementation.

Claire provided all the information that we asked for however trivial the request seemed.

We would have no hesitation in recommending EA to anyone looking to venture to southern Africa.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

How do you improve upon perfection!!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"This was a trip of a lifetime and we had an outstanding time. The number of different animals on safari was incredible and the differences between Ruaha and Selous made the trip complete. Great camps, great service, great food and great activities. Who could ask for anything more? Memories to last a lifetime." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari

"Wonderful trip!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 14 on a Tanzania safari

"Really excellent holiday.....only small problem was nobody met us at Dar domestic terminal to take us to the International terminal so we had to get a taxi after waiting to see if anyone came for us.

The arrangements from when we started discussions with Freddie to our return home were excellent and we can’t wait for another safari holiday in two years time.

This was our sixth safari holiday and just about the best." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 13 on a Tanzania safari