Eight suites among granite boulders above a baobab forest in Ruaha, with a private guide and vehicle for every booking.
Ruaha is the answer for people who have done the northern circuit and want space. Jabali Ridge sits on a rocky kopje above a forest of old baobabs, near the seasonal Mwagusi River where elephant, buffalo and big lion prides gather in the dry months. Leopard, cheetah and wild dog are all found here too.
The thing that sets it apart is the way you spend the day. Every booking has its own vehicle and guide, night drives are included, and walking safaris with an armed ranger run from June to mid-February. August and September are the months for walking, when the bush is thin and the animals are tied to the last water.
The suites are large, with a sunken outdoor lounge, a hammock on the veranda and views over the trees, and there is an infinity pool and a spa for the hot middle of the day. The honest caveats: it closes from mid-March to the end of May, October is the hot, dry peak, and Ruaha is a separate flight from the northern parks, so it rewards a stay of three or four nights rather than two.
Eight suites among the granite boulders, each with a king-size bed, living area, en suite bathroom and a private veranda with a sunken lounge and hammock.
A separate house near the lodge with two master suites and a twin room for children, a private chef, guide, vehicle and plunge pool.
Stays are full board with house drinks included, premium wines and champagne excepted. Lunches are light and fresh, with salads that suit the heat, and dinner is served in the open-air main area by lantern light and a fire.
An infinity pool looks over the baobabs, and the Asilia spa offers treatments at an extra charge, a good use of the hottest part of the day.
Children aged five and over are welcome. The minimum age for walking safaris is 12.
| Suites | 8 suites |
|---|---|
| Nearest airstrip | Msembe, a 50-minute drive |
| Open | June to mid-March |
| Guiding | Private vehicle and guide included |
| Activities | Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, fishing |
| Walking season | 1 June to 15 February, minimum age 12 |
| Children | Aged 5 and over |
Mwagusi area, Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
A few of the things we plan for guests in Tanzania.
From about January to March the herds gather on the short-grass plains around Ndutu, on the border with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and give birth in their hundreds of thousands. Lions, cheetahs and hyenas follow. Mobile camps move with the herds, and the plains are green and bright between showers.
From July to October the herds reach the far north around Kogatende and cross the Mara River back and forth. It is quieter than the Kenyan side, with fewer vehicles at each crossing. Stay at least four nights and bring patience: herds can gather for hours before a single animal commits.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcano whose floor holds lions, hyenas, flamingos on the soda lake and one of the few places in Tanzania to see black rhino. Descend at dawn with a picnic breakfast to beat the vehicles. Rim lodges look straight into the caldera and are cold at night.
A northern Tanzania safari paced for families with children aged eight and over: baobabs and elephants near Tarangire, a crater rim lodge above Ngorongoro, a mobile camp in the Serengeti, then four nights on a Zanzibar beach.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
