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| Ruaha River |
We took a rare rainy season trip to Ruaha knowing that seeing large carnivores would be difficult but we also knew that it'd be a great time of year for birdwatching. Birds are on the move both to the northern hemisphere and inter-African migrants and we thought it'd be a fun weekend to go out and do some birdwatching.
Most of the lodges close in March so we knew there would be very few other cars in the park. We only saw two other cars over the entire weekend and enjoyed the majority of our time out to ourselves. We weren't sure how the roads would be but there has been enough of a dry spell that most of the Mwagusi was still accessible though the tall grasses made for some careful maneuvering.
We saw around 100 species of birds, which is a great day for Ruaha, and another highlight was a group of three Lesser Kudus. We were surprised to see sightings of plains game in great numbers as well as some fun elephant sightings as well.
The park in the rainy season is a totally different experience but the overcast clouds lend to cooler temperatures and the solitude is a hallmark of the Ruaha experience. Tapering expectations for large animal viewing is important but if you come with the right mindset, Ruaha in February can be amazing!
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| Giraffes enjoying the grass |
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| Stunning kopjes |
