National Parks Africa » Ruaha National Park

Ruaha is Tanzania’s second largest national park, covering 10,200 square kilometres (3,937 square miles) of undulating plateau with some mountains, rocky hills and two extensive river valleys on the east and western borders. Together with two important game reserves, Rungwa and Kizigio, that buffer Ruaha’s northern boundary, the total protected area of some 25,600 square kilometres (9,886 square miles) makes fora very impressive wildlife area indeed. Ruaha was originally created in 1964 from half of Rungwa.

The park lies on a combination of ancient granite and more recent sediments brought about by the extensive rifting through Tanzania. On average only 600 mm. (24 inches) of rain per year falls on poor soils on the plateau and richer valley soils. In the east, where rainfall is least, this amount just barelysupports a bushland and trees that are adapted to dry conditions, including spiny commiphora and acacia species, and the splendid baobabs.

The mountains in the far west of the park catch more rain and so are covered by an evergreen upland forest that is yet to be fully explored and appreciated. Rainfall increases up to 800 mm (31 inches) towards the west and south, supporting a miombo woodland that covers half of Ruaha.

Miombo is composed predominantly of Brachystegia trees of which there are about 15 different species in Tanzania. Together with many other plants these trees create a rather special woodland. Some trees such as “mninga” (Pterocarpus angolensis) are valuable for timber. Miombo trees are all about 10 metres (33 feet) in height and there is a sparse understory. The woodland has a gentle, rather pretty but monotonous appearance during most the year. But just before the start of the rainy season, after the tall grass catches fire, the forest is transformed into a breathtaking, multihued tapestry of pale green, yellow, russet, purple, red, crimson and copper.

The Ruaha River:
The park is bound by two long rivers but the Ruaha River in the south is the major attraction. Here, water flows over a broad sandy bed, roaring and wide in wet season, a trickle in dry season. The river itself and its fringing vegetation provide water, food and homes for many creatures, including human visitors. Most of the passable tracks and accommodation are along the river banks or in the drier areas. Visitors should persevere and be adventurous enough to explore the more remote and wilder miombo and western mountains. You will be rewarded with some of the country’s most spectacular scenery.

More than 1,600 plant species and approximately 400 bird species have been recorded here. The vegetation, especially the distinctive flowers found in the miombo during the rainy season, attracts many insects and birds. The tsetse fly, with its irritating bite, is so abundant that it has dissuaded both people and livestock from coming into the area.

Some larger mammals are spread over a wide area of the park, but only in very small concentrations. These include both greater and lesser kudu, the reddish Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and sable and roan antelopes. Elephants were once so abundant that there was fear of them destroying the huge Acacia albida trees so characteristic of the river banks. Now, as in most other parks in East Africa, elephant numbers have been drastically reduced by poaching for ivory.

Crocodiles basking on the sandbanks and bathing hippos enliven the river and you might even see a clawless otter catching fish. Reedbuck, waterbuck and buffalo frequent the river edges along with yellow baboons and vervet monkeys.

In grassland and bushland there are giraffes, eland, impala, zebra, warthog, Grant’s gazelle, dikdik, mongoose, ostrich, the elusive ratel civet, wild cat, porcupines and other small creatures. Predators one is likely to see include lion, cheetah, leopard, jackal and the African hunting dog.

From October to November and March to April thousands of birds flock to Ruaha on their annual migration from Europe and Asia. Together with resident hornbills, green wood-hoopoes, kingfishers, plovers, bee-eaters, sunbirds and water birds, skimmers can be seen dragging their specialized lower bills along the water in search of a meal. Nearby, hammerkops can be seen making repairs to their gigantic nests or swooping down on unsuspecting frogs.

Research difficulties:
Scientists have sporadically studied some of the vegetation, baboons and elephants in Ruaha but, although there is scope to study the rarer large animals such as sable, roan, lesser and greater kudu, it is unlikely that extensive wildlife research will occur here. The logistical difficulties, especially the park’s remoteness and seasonal isolation make such work difficult. This means that interested visitors can still contribute substantially to information about Ruaha.

Road access to Ruaha is via the historic highland town of Iringa, which is 112 kilometres (70 miles) from the park. From the park boundary it is a further eight kilometres (five miles) to the Ruaha River. Here you check in at a guard post before driving to a wooden ferry which is pulled by hand across the river. This is an exciting way to enter the park when the river is low but during the rainy season access is difficult or impossible.

Other roads and entry points do exist but they should be carefully checked up on before a visit to determine feasibility. The best time to visit the park is during the dry season, from June to November.

There is an airstrip for light aircraft at park headquarters at Msembe beside the Ruaha River. Flying time from Nairobi is about three and a half hours.