Accommodations in Ruaha National Park
Accommodations in Ruaha National Park : Ruaha National Park is located in the south of the central midpoint of Tanzania. The national park encompasses an area of 7,809 square miles (20,226 sq km) .
JONGOMERO CAMP
Situated in the isolated south-western region of Ruaha National Park, by the seasonal banks of the Jongomero River, Out of all the camps in Ruaha National Park, Jongomero Camp is the most westwardly located. Situated on the Jongomero Sand River, it is roughly 70 miles from Msembe headquarters and not far from the confluence of the Great Ruaha River.
The camp is conveniently reachable by air from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, despite being a considerable distance away by road. Its own airport is just a short 15-minute flight away from the larger Ruaha strip.
Accommodation: Jongomero Camp has eight spacious, opulent tents with double, twin, and single beds situated atop high wooden platforms. Additional features include a huge shower space inside the tent, bedside tables and lighting, solar-heated hot water, a large private verandah, and 24-hour electricity.
Facilities: Beneath the deep shadow of an old riverine tree, the public area, which includes the restaurant and bar, is attractively situated with an unobstructed view of the Jongomero River and the surrounding wilderness.
The average day’s worth of game viewing at Jongomero includes game drives and picnics to explore the park’s outside regions. The game is probably a little harder to find here than it is at Mwagusi, although this is mostly because players aren’t accustomed to the place yet. There’s some good game in the local region, especially along the major Ruaha River and the sand river. Organized walks with park rangers are available at Jongomero.
TANDALA TENTED CAMP
Location: Tandala Tented Camp is situated outside of Ruaha National Park, some 20 km from the Msembe airstrip, 5 km from the park’s main gate, and less than a 2-hour drive from Iringa town (100 km).
Accommodations: The ten airy, luxurious, and roomy tents at Tandala Tented Camp each have a choice of twin or double bed configurations; additional beds can accommodate children or a third person. The rear of each tent has an attached bathroom with a view of the jungle and is covered by thatch and rockwork. Solar or gas power is used to give hot showers. Each room has a large verandah at the front with cozy seating, ideal for lounging in privacy and keeping an eye out for wildlife along the Mdweka Sand River.
Facilities and services: The lodge chef prepares meals, and Tandala is well-known for its delectable home-style Mediterranean food paired with an array of wines. Dinner is typically served by candlelight in the courtyard by the campfire, beneath the stars.
Activities include walking safaris, cultural tours to villages, game drives with bush breakfasts and picnic lunches, or simply relaxing by the rock swimming pool shaded by a massive baobab tree. In the early mornings, you may take in the range of wildlife, including African hunting dogs and warthogs, giraffes, greater kudus, dikdik, mongooses, reedbucks, and baboons. The largest draw to Tandala is the large number of elephants that frequent the area because of the water holes.
RUAHA RIVER LODGE
Location: Situated on the banks of the Great Ruaha River, Ruaha River Lodge is situated within Ruaha National Park. It is approximately 120km or two hours’ drive from Iringa town, 600km or ten hours’ drive from Dar es Salaam, and 300km or five hours’ drive from Mikumi National Park. The lodge’s thatch and native stone construction let it mix in nicely with the landscape.
Accommodation: The lodge, which has 24 separate stone and thatched rooms with twin beds or a double bed (extra beds can be added), all have en suite bathrooms with showers, toilets, and washbasins with hot water heated by the sun. The rooms face out over the Great Ruaha River. The windows of the rooms are covered with mosquito mesh to keep out insects, and until 11 p.m. every night, a generator powers the lights and recharges the batteries.
Facilities and Services: Fresh organic vegetables from the lodge’s Highland farm are used in a variety of meals served in the restaurant. Drinks are served either high up in the raised bar with breathtaking views over the river or over a campfire on the riverbank. During the dry season (May to November), activities include game drives, fly-camping in dome tents with separate toilets and bucket showers, and walking safaris led by armed rangers.
