Iringa · Tanzania
Ruaha National Park
Tanzania's largest park - remote, dry and holding around ten percent of the world's lions.
Overview
Ruaha covers roughly 20,000 square kilometres of the southern highlands' rain shadow, and it is the largest national park in Tanzania and one of the largest in Africa. It sits on a transition zone where eastern and southern African species overlap, which is why you can see greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope alongside the more familiar plains game - a combination available nowhere else. The Great Ruaha river is the spine of the park and the dry-season focus of everything that lives there. Ruaha's lion population is exceptional: prides of twenty or more are common and researchers estimate the wider ecosystem holds around a tenth of all remaining wild lions. It is also one of the strongest places in East Africa for African wild dog and for leopard. Baobab-covered hills, sand rivers and open miombo give it a very different feel from the northern parks, and the visitor numbers are a fraction of theirs.
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Operators serving Ruaha National Park
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PERA IMPERIAL HOTEL IRINGA
Where these are, around Ruaha National Park
60 listings with a mapped location.
Map of 60 listings
- Listed
- Placed from the town
What Ruaha National Park costs
All-in on the ground, per person per day, excluding international flights. Ranges rather than a single figure, because accommodation and group size move the total more than anything else.
| Style | Per person, per day |
|---|---|
| Camping or budget lodge, shared vehicle | $200 – $280 |
| Mid-range lodge | $280 – $500 |
| Luxury camp, private vehicle | $700 – $1,400 |
Of that, $80 – $140 a day is government fees set by TANAPA. Every operator pays the same, so a quote below this floor is not a better deal — it is a different trip.
Add this to a whole-trip estimate
Indicative figures checked for 2026. Park fees are revised annually and some are quoted before VAT — confirm current rates with your operator or the park authority before you book.
When to visit Ruaha National Park
Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.
October
Dry season — good roads, thinner bush, animals gathering at water.
- Wildlife
- Wildlife: 5 / 5
- Weather
- Weather: 4 / 5
- Crowds
- Crowds: 3 / 5
- Rainfall
- 25 mm
- Temperature
- 18–33 °C
Show all twelve monthsHide the full table
| Best time to visit | Wildlife | Weather | Crowds | Rainfall | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | Wildlife: 2 / 5 | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 140 mm | 17–31 °C |
| FebruaryWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | Wildlife: 2 / 5 | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 130 mm | 17–31 °C |
| MarchLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | Wildlife: 2 / 5 | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 160 mm | 17–30 °C |
| AprilWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | Wildlife: 2 / 5 | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 130 mm | 17–30 °C |
| MayDry season — good roads, thinner bush, animals gathering at water. | Wildlife: 3 / 5 | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 40 mm | 16–30 °C |
| JunePeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | Wildlife: 4 / 5 | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 10 mm | 14–29 °C |
| JulyPeak seasonPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | Wildlife: 5 / 5 | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 5 mm | 13–29 °C |
| AugustPeak seasonPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | Wildlife: 5 / 5 | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 5 mm | 14–30 °C |
| SeptemberPeak seasonBig prides on the Great Ruaha — one of Africa’s densest lion areas. | Wildlife: 5 / 5 | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 5 mm | 16–32 °C |
| OctoberDry season — good roads, thinner bush, animals gathering at water. | Wildlife: 5 / 5 | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 25 mm | 18–33 °C |
| NovemberShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | Wildlife: 3 / 5 | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 90 mm | 18–32 °C |
| DecemberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | Wildlife: 2 / 5 | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 160 mm | 17–31 °C |