AUTHENTIC TANZANIA PRIVATE CAMP IN RUAHA NATIONAL PARK

The essence of all good safaris is to be led by an experienced safari guide who can share his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the local flora and fauna.
Authentic Tanzania director Sven Liebchen is a professional safari guide originally trained to the South African and Kenyan guiding qualifications with the added experience of a Zimbabwe bush skills survival course.
Sven has grown up in Tanzania since early childhood and is fluent in German, English and Kiswahili and operates an in house training programme for the Authentic Tanzania guides.

Theory is one aspect of guiding, experience does not come from a book though, and Sven has spent several years guiding in Selous, setting mobile camps, leading mobile walking safaris, managing safari camps and even experience in the hunting sector on anti poaching patrols.
This experience now extends to Ruaha National Park and all the private mobile camps in Ruaha are guided by Sven and will also usually be accompanied by a trainee guide.
Authentic Tanzania uses a secluded private campsite in Ruaha on the banks of a dry sand river bed often visited by elephant digging for water, and overlooked by a vast rock outcrop.
The private camp has all the comforts of a permanent camp in terms of accommodation and meals but provides the excitement and interaction with the environment that only a night under canvas can offer. The camp is booked on an exclusive basis with a maximum of 4 guests.

The Camp

The camp is fully serviced with a team who set the camp before the guests arrival, clean the tents, organize hot water showers, etc.
Tents are large walk in dome tents size 3m x 3m x 2.15m – high enough for most adults to stand up in.
The tents are equipped with stretcher beds complete with mattress, bed linen, pillows and towels as well as a side table and chairs outside under the shaded porch area.
Showers are set to maximize the view and are traditional bucket showers out in the open air but screened to allow privacy. Since water is a precious resource in most of the areas which we visit we encourage guests to take one hot shower every day in the evenings when returning from safari.
The toilet is also screened but in the open air and is a traditional wooden ‘thunderbox’.
The mess tent is open sided to allow 360 degree views and breakfast and dinner will be taken here usually. Sometimes breakfast will be taken in the bush and lunches will either be taken as a picnic if out on a full day safari or back at the mess tent if guests want to relax at the camp.
Special dietary requirements are catered for.
In the evenings sundowners are taken by the campfire before dinner, and after dinner guests can admire the stars around the fire and learn from Sven’s astronomy knowledge.

Benefits include:

• No restrictions on time/km on game drives. Safari itineraries are discussed every evening by the campfire to guests’ specific requirements and Authentic Tanzania depart/return on safari according to guests wishes.
Most safari lodges offer set safari day to day schedules with restricted morning and afternoon game drives and walks.
• Walking safaris from the camp in privacy and with an experienced guide and armed ranger – not a group of up to 10 guests which will be assembled at most safari lodges
• Professional safari guide with specialist experience of south Tanzania.
Authentic Tanzania only operates in southern Tanzania and Sven Liebchen has a wealth of experience of the region.
• Privacy – the camp is set for the guests who book on an exclusive basis. It is still possible to have a small piece of Africa to yourself without having to share evenings with strangers with whom you may not have anything in common
• Appreciation of the environment – open air showers and an open mess tent allow for an increased awareness of your surroundings

Recommended stay: 4-6 nights

NEW in 2008 - WALKING SAFARI in the RUAHA ECOSYSTEM

Ruaha National Park:
Ruaha National Park, located in central Tanzania is currently the country’s second largest National Park and a unique transition zone at an average altitude of 1000m, where East & Southern African fauna and flora overlap. The proposed expansion of the park to combine with Usangu Game Reserve will lead to the creation of Africa’s largest protected wildlife area.
Ruaha currently attracts approximately 20% of the number of visitors who flock to Serengeti making this huge wilderness one of Tanzania’s best kept secrets.
Ruaha is famous for stunning scenery with the Great Ruaha river dominating a landscape of rolling hills, baobab covered plateaux, riverine and miombo forests and dry sand river beds. There are over 1600 species of plants to be found in the Ruaha ecosystem.

Cheetah photo courtesy John Bonanno

Wildlife:
Commonly seen are Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, African Hunting Dog, Jackal, Warthog, Roan & Sable Antelope, Greater & Lesser Kudu, Hippo and Crocodile,
huge herds of Elephant and Buffalo and large concentrations of Zebra, Giraffe and plains game.
Bird life in Ruaha is extremely diverse with over 450 recorded species, including northern and southern migrants.

Seasons:
June-October are cooler months when the grasses are shorter and the most popular time to visit
November, December and January are usually hot and the time of the short rains, a good time for dramatic photography.
February and -March are still hot months but a good time for bird watching and the park is arguably at its most attractive, lush and verdant and covered in wildflowers which attract a plethora of birds and butterflies.
April and May are the time of the long rains so not the best months to visit as certain areas of the park become inaccessible

Transport:
Coastal Aviation provide daily flights from both Dar es Salaam (via Selous) and Arusha to Ruaha National Park. This makes Ruaha an attractive add on to the standard northern circuit itineraries as well as complementing a natural combination with a Selous safari.
Safari Airlink also offer daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha.
Charter flights available on request
Authentic Tanzania will meet guests at Msembe airstrip in Ruaha N.P.

There is a minimum stay of 3 nights
No children under 12
Max 4 pax per group
Operational Dates: June 1st-March 31st

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