The wild south east

Welcome to: Dar es Salaam

Arrival in Dar es Salaam, the biggest city Tanzania. The historic city centre is truly Swahili; busy, lively, traditional and conservative. Its surrounded by upmarket penninsula's with shopping malls, restaurants, beaches and marina's , where most expatriates live. 

You will stay at the Northern Peninsula, at Slipway Hotel.  

Start: Dar es Salaam
Destination: Mikumi National Park
Drive: 300 km | 5 hours. 

The Tanzam Highway connects Dar es Salaam, on the east coast, with Mbeya, bordering Zambia 900 km further on the west. Your first stop flanking the Tanzam Highway is Mikumi National Park. It is a smooth journey.

Accommodation in Mikumi:
Mid-range: Mikumi Adventure Lodge, Tan-Swis Lodge

Enjoy: Mikumi National Park

Enjoy a day of games drives in Mikumi National Park. Mikumi protects a classic African savannah landscape with large herds of zebra, wildebeest, impala and buffalo, and lion, giraffe, elephant. The centre of action tends to be around the Mkata River floodplain north west of the main road. It can be explored over 5-6 hours by following a 60 m loop of game viewing roads  that start at the main entrance gate towards the Dam in the north. 

Start: Mikumi National Park
Destination: Iringa
Drive: 193 km  | 3 hours

Drive to Iringa, at 1,500 altitude on a steep escarpment. Iringa is an important regional town and also sees quite some volunteers and NGO workers. It is the principal town of the Hehe people, said to provide most resistance to German colonisation of the Tanzanian tribes. The central market is nice to wander around and a good place to buy rugs and baskets.  

Accommodation Iringa:
Budget: Neema Guesthouse

Start: Iringa
Destination: Ruaha NP
Drive: 100 km | 2,5 hours

The park entrance of Ruaha lies 100 km west of Iringa along a fair dirt road. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in the park. 

Accommodation in Ruaha: 
Mid-range: Tandala Tented Camp

Enjoy: Ruaha NP

Enjoy a day of game drives. Ruaha National Park is often cited as Tanzania’s best-kept game viewing secret, as indeed the sheer volume and variety of wildlife on show can be truly spectacular. Ruaha is also famous for its striking topography with rocky outcrops, baobab, mountains and seasonal rivers running through the park.

Its large ecosystem covers about 40,000 km2 and is home to one of Tanzania’s largest elephant and hippo populations, as well as the kudu, a species of antelope not seen in other Tanzanian parks. There are 580 bird species sighted in the park, with large populations of black-collared lovebird and ashy starlings, fish eagle and falcons, and plenty of water birds like herons, storks and the red-billed hornbill.  

Start: Ruaha
Destination: Udzungwa mountains
Drive: 350 km | 5,5 hours. 

We return to the east coast, towards Mikumi, to now explore the other side of the Tanzam Highway, the hiker friendly Udzungwa mountains. It is vastly different from Mikumi National Park. It has a wide elevation variation, rising from 250m to 2500m, and protects an unbroken cover of closed canopy forest from lowland to montane forest. More than 25% of the plant species recorded here are endemic, and many species of reptile and primate are endemic to this area too, under which the Udzungwa red colobus, Sanje crested Mangabey and dwarf galago.

Accomodation in Udzungwa Mountains:
Mid-range: Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp also known as Honda Honda

Destination: Udzungwa mountains

There are several, excellent hiking trails in the park ranging from a few hours to multiple day hikes with camping inside the park. Going with a guide is obligatory. You need to be quite fit, as the hikes are steep and it is very humid and hot. Luckily there are streams and waterfalls along the way for a refreshing swim. 

Start: Udzungwa mountains
Destination: Morogoro
Drive: 2,5 hours | 154 km

Drive to Morogoro town, an orderly town at the base of the Uluguru Mountains. Wander around town or do an afternoon hike up to the little visited Uluguru Mountains. 

Accomodation in Morogoro: 
Budget: Simbamwenni Lodge

Have dinner at the New Acropole Hotel, set in a former sisal estate manager's house built in the 1940s. It has a quirky and very atmospheric restaurant serving good food. 

Start: Morogoro
Destination: Selous Game Reserve
Drive: 5 hours | 140 km

Drive to Selous Game Reserve. Its 140 km on a fair dirt road. Entering from Morogoro, you will focus on the eastern Mtemere Gate and the eastern lakes circuit. So look for lodges and camps in this area. 

Accomodation in Selous:
Mid-range: Selous River Camp. Outside of Mtemere gate, there is a string of riverside lodges catering to the more budget consciousness travelers. 

Enjoy: Selous Game Reserve

The main focal point of game drives for roadtrippers staying at the camps to the east, is a network of rough roads to five lakes fed by the Rifiji river. Frequently seen on any game drive are impala, waterbuck, wildebeest, bushbuck, buffalo and zebra. As well as giraffe, lion - typically darker in colour than anywhere else in Tanzania, and hyena. Not to be missed is a boat trip along the Rufiji River, particularly in the afternoon, when the light is just magical. 

Start: Selous Game Reserve
Destination: Dar es Salaam
Drive: 5 hours | 190 km

We say good-by to the wild interior and make our way back to Dar es Salaam. What a change of scenery. A nice place to end your roadtrip and unwind for a day or two, is at Kipepeo Beach Resort. It has a lovely beach ( see picture) and is a lively hang-out place. If you need to catch your plane in the morning, don't stay here. Better to stay closer to the airport, at Slipway Hotel at the northern peninsula.