Ruaha and Nyerere: Tanzania's wild south

The northern circuit is famous for good reason. The southern parks are the ones guides talk about on their days off.

Ruaha holds around 10% of the world's remaining lions and a genuine sense of scale — you can drive for an hour and see nobody.

Nyerere (formerly Selous) offers boat safaris on the Rufiji, which is a completely different way to watch elephants, and walking safaris with an armed ranger.

Access is by a short flight from Dar es Salaam. Drive-in is possible but eats two days.

Go between June and November. The camps close in the heavy rains for a reason.