Tanzania
Southern Tanzania
Nyerere and Mikumi, reached from Dar es Salaam or direct from Zanzibar. Larger, quieter parks that reward a longer stay.
- Trips published
- 11 trips
- Parks and places
- 4
- Trip length
- 1 to 6 days
- Prices from
- $329
Why Southern Tanzania
The south trades the crater rim and the migration for space. Nyerere is the largest protected area in Tanzania and one of the few places in the country where you can take a boat safari or walk with an armed ranger. Mikumi is the closest park to Dar es Salaam and the easiest to reach on a short trip, by road or on the fast train. Neither sees the vehicle numbers the northern parks do.
The southern parks are a different trip from a different airport. They are bigger, they see far fewer vehicles, and they offer things the north does not: boat safaris on the Rufiji, and walking safaris. They take longer to reach, so they suit a second visit or a longer first one.
Where you travel
Each of these has its own guide: what there is to see, when to come, how long to give it, and the trips that go there.
Trips in Southern Tanzania
11 trips
Full day
Mikumi Day Safari from Zanzibar by Air
- Duration:
- 1 day
- Starts:
- Zanzibar
- Tour type:
- Fly-in safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
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Full day
Nyerere Day Safari from Zanzibar by Air
- Duration:
- 1 day
- Starts:
- Zanzibar
- Tour type:
- Fly-in safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $446 pp
3 days
3-Day Nyerere National Park Boat and Game Drive Safari from Dar es Salaam
- Duration:
- 3 days, 2 nights
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Boat Safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
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2 days
2-Day Udzungwa Mountains Hiking and Waterfall Safari
- Duration:
- 2 days, 1 night
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Family Safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
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3 days
3-Day Mikumi and Udzungwa Safari and Hiking Combination
- Duration:
- 3 days, 2 nights
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Family Safari
- Destination:
- Combination, Southern Circuit
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6 days
6-Day Southern Circuit Safari: Mikumi, Udzungwa and Nyerere
- Duration:
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Boat Safari
- Destination:
- Combination, Southern Circuit
Request a quote
5 days
5-Day Nyerere and Mikumi Safari
- Duration:
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Wildlife safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $1,350 pp
2 days
2-Day Mikumi Safari from Zanzibar
- Duration:
- 2 days, 1 night
- Starts:
- Zanzibar
- Tour type:
- Wildlife safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $640 pp
2 days
2-Day Nyerere Fly-in Safari from Zanzibar
- Duration:
- 2 days, 1 night
- Starts:
- Zanzibar
- Tour type:
- Fly-in safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $699 pp
2 days
2-Day Mikumi Safari by SGR Train
- Duration:
- 2 days, 1 night
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Wildlife safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $540 pp
3 days
3-Day Mikumi Camping Safari
- Duration:
- 3 days, 2 nights
- Starts:
- Dar es Salaam
- Tour type:
- Wildlife safari
- Destination:
- Southern Circuit
From $329 pp
How to get there
Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam is the arrival point. Mikumi is four to five hours by road, or a morning on the SGR train. Nyerere is reached by light aircraft to the park airstrips. Both parks are also reached directly from Zanzibar, by ferry or by flight, which is how most of our southern trips start.
When to go
June to October is the dry season and the strongest game viewing, with animals drawn to the Rufiji and the waterholes. The boat safaris run year round. January and February are hot and green. Parts of Nyerere close during the long rains in April and May.
How long to give it
Two days is enough for Mikumi from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar. Nyerere deserves three or more, because the boat safari and the walking safari are half a day each on top of the game drives.
Deciding between the regions
Northern Tanzania. Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, reached from Arusha and close enough to combine into one trip. Read about Northern Tanzania.
Zanzibar is the third piece most people add, and the full safari list shows every trip we run in one place.
