7-Day Dar to Mikumi, Ruaha, Nyerere & Back Zanzibar

Safari Details

7-Day Dar to Mikumi, Ruaha, Nyerere & Back Zanzibar

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This 7-day safari takes you through some of Tanzania’s most exciting southern circuit destinations. You will experience wildlife viewing in Mikumi National Park, explore the wild and remote Ruaha National Park, and enjoy both game drives and a boat safari in Nyerere National Park. The safari starts in Dar es Salaam and ends with a transfer to Zanzibar.

Duration 7 Days
From $1,790 Per Person
Comfort Mid-range
Route Dar Es Salaam ➝ Mikumi NP ➝ Udzungwa ➝ Nyerere NP ➝ Dar Es Salaam

Route At A Glance

A polished route framework, refined around your dates.

Over 7 Days, this route follows Dar Es Salaam ➝ Mikumi NP ➝ Udzungwa ➝ Nyerere NP ➝ Dar Es Salaam, styled as private dar es salaam departure with a deeper expedition pace. The final version can still shift lodge level, flight timing, activity rhythm, and beach or city connections.

Travel Mode Private Dar es Salaam departure
Safari Pace Deeper expedition pace
Stay Style Mid-range

Trip Overview

Best suited to family, honeymooners.

This 7-day safari takes you through some of Tanzania’s most exciting southern circuit destinations. You will experience wildlife viewing in Mikumi National Park, explore the wild and remote Ruaha National Park, and enjoy both game drives and a boat safari in Nyerere National Park. The safari starts in Dar es Salaam and ends with a transfer to Zanzibar. Uwanda can adjust accommodation, activity rhythm, and transfer style around your dates and budget.

Family Honeymooners Game Drive Safaris Animals Spot
Human planning note

This route is best treated as a starting design, not a fixed bus tour. Tell Uwanda your arrival point, travel month, and comfort level so the team can tune the route before quoting.

Included And Excluded

Know what's included on this route before you request a quote.

Included On This Safari

  • Park fees (For non-residents)
  • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
  • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
  • A professional driver/guide
  • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
  • All flights during the tour
  • All Taxes/VAT
  • Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Round Trip Hotel Transfer
  • Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

Usually Excluded

  • International flights (From/to home)
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
  • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
  • Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees

Itinerary Flow

Your safari, one remarkable day at a time.

Explore the daily rhythm, places, meals, and overnight stays. Every detail can still be refined around your dates.

Total Days 7
Travel Style Mid-range
Route Mode Private Dar es Salaam departure
Day 01

Mikumi National Park

Pick Up Dar es Salaam – Transfer to Mikumi National Park

Main Destination
Mikumi National Park
Meals Plan
Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

You will be picked up from your hotel, residence, or airport in Dar es Salaam in the morning. After a short briefing from your driver-guide, you will begin your journey to Mikumi National Park. The drive takes you through local towns, villages, and beautiful countryside landscapes, giving you a good introduction to Tanzania’s southern region. You will arrive in Mikumi in the afternoon, check in at your accommodation, and have a short time to relax. Later in the afternoon, you will enter Mikumi National Park for a sunset game drive. This is a great time to spot wildlife, as many animals become more active when the temperature cools down. Mikumi is home to elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, hippos, antelopes, and several predators such as lions. After the game drive, you will return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Overnight Stay

Camp Bastiani Mikumi

Explore accommodation
Day 02

Mikumi National Park

Early Morning Sunrise Game Drive – Transfer to Ruaha Hilltop

Main Destination
Mikumi National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

You will wake up early for a sunrise game drive inside Mikumi National Park. Early morning is one of the best times for wildlife viewing because the park is quiet, the weather is cool, and animals are often very active. During the game drive, you may see elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, impalas, wildebeests, hippos, and possibly lions before they move into shaded areas for the day. The morning light also offers a beautiful opportunity for photography. After the game drive, you will return to your accommodation for breakfast. After breakfast, you will check out and begin your drive toward Ruaha. The journey takes you through the Iringa region, with scenic views of hills, villages, and rural landscapes along the way. You will arrive at Ruaha Hilltop in the evening, check in, relax, and enjoy dinner.

Overnight Stay

Camp Bastiani Mikumi

Explore accommodation
Day 03

Ruaha National Park

Full-Day Game Drive in Ruaha National Park

Main Destination
Ruaha National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

After breakfast, you will drive to Ruaha National Park for a full-day game drive. Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s largest and most beautiful national parks, known for its wild landscapes, baobab trees, river systems, and large populations of elephants. The park is also famous for excellent predator sightings. With luck, you may see lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and wild dogs. Other animals commonly found in Ruaha include giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, greater and lesser kudus, impalas, warthogs, jackals, hippos, and crocodiles. You will spend the day exploring different areas of the park with your professional safari guide. A packed lunch will be served inside the park at a suitable picnic site. In the afternoon, you will continue with the game drive before returning to your lodge in the evening. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at your accommodation.

Overnight Stay

Ruaha Hilltop Lodge

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Day 04

Mikumi National Park

Isimila Stone Age Visit + Transfer To Morogoro

Main Destination
Mikumi National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

After breakfast, you will check out of your accommodation in Ruaha and begin your journey toward Iringa. On the way, you will visit the Isimila Stone Age Site, one of Tanzania’s most important historical and archaeological sites. At Isimila, you will explore the ancient stone tools, impressive sandstone pillars, and eroded natural formations that make the area unique. The site gives a fascinating insight into early human history and is a great cultural stop before continuing your safari journey. After the visit, you will continue driving toward Morogoro. The journey takes you through beautiful landscapes, villages, and scenic views of the southern highlands. You may stop along the way for lunch and refreshments. You will arrive in Morogoro in the evening, check in at your accommodation, relax, and enjoy dinner.

Overnight Stay

Soweto Village Hotel

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Day 05

Nyerere National Park

Transfer Morogoro to Nyerere National Park + Late afternoon Game Drive

Main Destination
Nyerere National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

After breakfast, you will check out and begin your transfer from Mikumi to Nyerere National Park, formerly part of the Selous Game Reserve. This is another exciting day as you travel toward one of Africa’s largest protected wildlife areas. Upon arrival in the Nyerere area, you will enter the park for a game drive. Nyerere is well known for its diverse landscapes, including open plains, woodlands, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. The park is home to elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, lions, leopards, hyenas, and many bird species. After the game drive, you will proceed to your accommodation inside the park area. You will check in, relax, and enjoy dinner.

Overnight Stay

TANAPA Cottages Inside The Park

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Day 06

Nyerere National Park

Game Drive in Nyerere National Park + Boat Safari

Main Destination
Nyerere National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bottled Water

Today's Experience

After breakfast, you will depart for a full-day game drive in Nyerere National Park. This park offers a true wilderness safari experience with fewer crowds and excellent chances of seeing a wide variety of animals. Your guide will take you through different wildlife areas in search of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, antelopes, lions, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, and many bird species. You will enjoy a packed lunch inside the park during the game drive. In the late afternoon or evening, you will go for a boat safari outside the main park area, usually along the Rufiji River or nearby waterways, depending on the arrangement. The boat safari gives you a different safari experience, with chances to see hippos, crocodiles, water birds, and animals coming to drink along the riverbanks. After the boat trip, you will return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Overnight Stay

Selous Safari Lodge Outside The Park

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Day 07

Nyerere National Park

Early Morning Transfer to Zanzibar (Optional Back Dar es Salaam)

Main Destination
Nyerere National Park
Meals Plan
Breakfast, Lunch And Drinking Water

Today's Experience

After an early breakfast, you will check out and begin your transfer to Nyerere National Park at Mtemere Airstrip for fly to Zanzibar around 7:00 AM. This marks the end of your 7-day Tanzania southern circuit safari. NB: It can be arranged back to Dar es Salaam by car instead of Zanzibar.

Prices

Starting price guide before your custom quote.

Travelers Adult pp Child pp
1 $1,790 N/A
2 $1,790 $1,271
3 $1,790 $1,271
4 $1,790 $1,271
5 $1,790 $1,271
6+ $1,790 $1,271

Children are priced using this safari age policy: 5-13 years. Younger infants can be confirmed by Uwanda during final quoting.

  • Rates shown on this website are starting points and may change by season, lodge availability, routing, and flight cost.
  • Final quotes should confirm accommodation names, room type, inclusions, park fees, transfers, and payment timing.
  • Luxury, honeymoon, family, and private fly-in versions can be priced separately on request.

Your Ride

Transport on this route.

A private vehicle for your group — no sharing with strangers, and your driver-guide sets the pace around what you want to see.

Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof

Private vehicle with professional English-speaking driver-guide, game-drive ready.

Booking Confidence

What to confirm before you secure the safari.

Before You Book

Uwanda can confirm the best travel sequence, realistic transfer time, and whether road or flight routing suits your dates better.

Upgrade Possibilities

Ask about luxury lodges, private fly-in links, honeymoon touches, photography pacing, or extra nights in Zanzibar or Arusha.

Quote Clarity

Share your budget direction early so the team can recommend the right accommodation level instead of overselling the route.

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