RUAHA NATIONAL PARK

The gateway to Ruaha National park is decorated with a unique specie of staffed animals. These are black and pale kudu.

The park was established way back in 1910 as part of Saba game reserve and was declared as a national park in 1964. Before its declaration, the area was inhabited by a small groups of the Wahehe people. The park is part of Ruaha Eco-system which also includes Rungwa-Kisigo game reserve to the north west. The eco-system protects a large part of the catchments for the great Ruaha and Mzombe rivers. Ruaha is interesting as it represents a transition zone where eastern and southern African species of Fauna and Flora overlap. Miombo woodland and its attendant fauna is common in central African but not found further north in Tanzania. The park is the most southerly protected area where Grants gazelle, lesser kudu and striped hyenas are found. A small portion (about 20 percent) of the park is along the Great Ruaha river in the rift valley comprising mainly woodland with many baobabs. This is the part mostly visited by tourists due to the good game viewing, its scenic attractions and the well developed road network. The majority of the park is formed by a plateau 100m higher to the north and west of the rift valley. Surface water is available year round in many parts of the park, especially in the west thus allowing animals to remain widely distributed. However the Great Ruaha and Mzombe rivers are important water sources.




Different pictures showing the confluence of the great Ruaha river forms the boundary to the eastern side of the national park. The river is a resource for wildlife as it provides water for drinking at the park. The conservation of the vegetation around is highly maintained by the Tanzania National Park in order to preserve the region in its natural creation.

To be able to see both greater and lesser kudu and roan and sable antelope in the same park is one of the special attractions of Ruaha national park. Visitors often see lions, leopards and cheetahs as well as wild dogs and smaller predators. Groups of elephants frequent many areas of the park, crocodiles and hippos are numerous in the Great Ruaha river. According to geologists, more than 400 species of birds have been recorded in Ruaha more than any other East African park. Its geographical location means that it is visited by both northern and southern migrants. Ruaha also has a great variety of resident species due to the diversity of habitats. The best time for keen birds watchers to visit is between January and April. About the weather at the park is that, the average rainfall at the park headquarters is about 500mm and usually comes between November and April. The coolest month is normally July with a daytime maximum of 30 degrees of Celsius dropping to 15 degrees of Celsius at night temperatures then rise until it rains in November or later. They can reach 40 degrees in the day and only fall to 25 degrees at night.