The spectacular scenery is the most obvious attraction – however the fact that the Ruaha National Park is still relatively unknown and has only recently been developed for tourists makes it extra special. It is the second largest Tanzanian National Park and one of the wildest. It is renown for its elephant herds, and at 8 000 is the largest population of any National Park in East Africa. Unique combinations of mammals co-exist here – both the Greater and Lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope. Ruaha is the only protected area in Africa where the flora and fauna of eastern and southern Africa overlap.

Ruaha National Park lies in central Tanzania west of the Iringa highlands (128 km west of Iringa). The Park derives its name from the Ruaha River, which flows through the eastern section on the lowest level of the Great Rift Valley.

Ruaha National Park covers an area of 10,300 square kilometres. This is Tanzania’s 2nd largest Park and comparatively only slightly smaller than Northern Ireland. 

There are over 8,000 resident elephant in the Park and other species found here include: cheetah, crocodile, eland, giraffe, Grants’ gazelle, hippo, African Hunting dog, impala, leopard, Lesser kudu, lion, hyena, jackal, roan and sable antelope, waterbuck and warthog.

An astonishing 465 species of birds have been recorded in the Park, including the following: African snipe, crested lark, Dickinson’s’ kestrel, Eleanoras’ falcon, greensand piper, pale billed hornbill, Pel’s fishing owl, racquet tailed roller, secretary bird, violet crested Turaco. Due to its geographical location both northern and southern migrant birds visit it.

The escarpment wall along the western valley side is about 50 -100m high in the north-eastern parts, increasing in height towards the southwest.

​