Ruaha National Park in August

 

Group of lions with the sun setting in the background.

 

This past month I had some fantastic trips in Ruaha National Park (RNP). Tourism has really picked up and the number of vehicles and lodge occupancy is almost back to pre-covid times. RNP is already one of the lesser visited parks in Tanzania and during covid the numbers plummeted dramatically. I suppose we got a little spoiled having the park nearly empty but obviously it is good for tourists to have returned and pump some money into the national parks. 

The park is already very dry with very little flowing water in the Ruaha River and the Mwagusi only harboring some small pools of water. In most of the area around the Mwagusi River the grasses have been consumed and game-viewing is easier. Although the wildlife density is low relative to other places in Tanzania, the Ruaha "vibe" is in full force.

Two impala with a "Sausage Tree" (Kigelia africana) and palms as a backdrop.

The Mwagusi River, dried.