Beyond the Crowds
Ruaha · Selous/Nyerere — Fly-In Only
5.0 Stars — 204 Reviews about Yera
Duration: 9 Days
Tier: Signature
Price From
$5,025 per person
Depends on number of people
Overview
Nine days. Two wildernesses. No crowds.
Fly-in transfers put you in Ruaha and Selous/Nyerere without burning days on the road — Africa's largest protected wilderness, with vehicle limits and remote camps that mean you rarely see another vehicle at a sighting.
Three nights in Ruaha, four in Selous/Nyerere, connected only by light aircraft — this is where we send guests who already know what a crowded sighting feels like, and don't want to feel that again.
What to Expect
On safari with Yera
- Ruaha's Largest Lion Prides
- Ancient Baobab Landscapes
- Boat Safari on the Rufiji River
- Walking Safari with an Armed Ranger
- African Wild Dog Territory
- Private Guide Throughout
- Optional Private Fly-Camping
Day by Day
The Itinerary
◆ THE ROUTE
What You'll Do Today
Land in Dar es Salaam and connect directly onto a light aircraft into Ruaha National Park — Tanzania's largest national park, and one of its least visited. Your guide meets you at the airstrip for a welcome briefing, then heads straight into an evening game drive while the light is at its best.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Dinner
Route
Dar es Salaam → Ruaha (Fly-In)
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
Ruaha holds some of the largest lion prides recorded anywhere in Africa, drawn by the Great Ruaha River that anchors the park's ecosystem even in the dry season. Baobabs dominate the landscape here more than almost anywhere else in Tanzania. Morning and evening game drives take advantage of the cooler hours, when wildlife is most active — and with so few other vehicles in the park, sightings are yours alone.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Ruaha National Park — Full Day
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
For those who want it, a guided walking safari offers a different register entirely — tracking, reading signs, and moving through the bush at the pace the land sets, with an armed ranger and your guide. The afternoon returns you to the vehicle for a game drive along the Great Ruaha River, where wildlife concentrates as the day cools.
What to Expect to See
Optional Activities
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Ruaha — Walking Safari
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
A light-aircraft transfer takes you from Ruaha to Selous/Nyerere — at over 50,000 square kilometres, the largest protected wilderness area in Africa, and one that most travelers never set foot in. After landing, an afternoon orientation drive introduces you to a completely different landscape: river channels, floodplains, and miombo woodland in place of Ruaha's dry hills.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Ruaha → Selous/Nyerere (Fly-In)
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
The Rufiji River is the defining feature of this ecosystem, and a boat safari is the only way to properly see it. Hippo pods, basking crocodile, and an exceptional range of birdlife line the banks — fish eagles, herons, and kingfishers among them. It's a different pace and a different sightline from a game drive, and one of the signature experiences of this region.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Selous/Nyerere — Boat Safari
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
Selous/Nyerere is one of the last strongholds of the African wild dog, and this region's low visitor numbers give them room to roam undisturbed. Today blends all three ways of experiencing the wilderness — on foot, by vehicle, and by boat — matched to where the wildlife is and what the day offers.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Selous/Nyerere — Full Immersion
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
With two full days in Selous/Nyerere, there's room to go further into the reserve than a single-day visit allows. For those who want it, a night of fly-camping — a small, private mobile camp set up specifically for you — offers a still deeper level of remoteness, arranged in advance with your camp.
What to Expect to See
Optional Activities
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Selous/Nyerere — Second Full Day
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
A final morning activity — game drive, walk, or boat safari, whichever suits how the previous days have gone — before transferring to the airstrip for your flight back to Dar es Salaam.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Route
Selous/Nyerere → Dar es Salaam (Fly-In)
Amenities confirmed at booking
What You'll Do Today
Your transfer delivers you to the airport in Dar es Salaam in time for your onward flight — or extend south to Zanzibar, or north to combine with a Northern Circuit safari.
What to Expect to See
Tonight's Stay
Meals
Breakfast
Route
Dar es Salaam — Departure
Your Investment
What determines the price
Pricing on this journey starts from $5,025 per person and varies based on three factors.
Group Size
Custom pricing is based on group size — smaller private groups carry a higher per-person rate for guiding and fly-in transfers, while larger groups reduce the per-person cost.
Season
Camp rates vary by season, with peak dry-season months carrying premium pricing and the green season offering savings — confirmed per camp at booking.
Lodge Tier
This is our Signature tier. Bespoke tier — fully private camps and extended fly-camping — is also available on this same route.
Included
Private 4x4 game-drive vehicle within each park, fuel included for all game drives and in-park transfers.
- Fridge / cooler box
- Phone charger (USB & plug)
- Onboard WiFi
- Two-way radio communication with base & other vehicles
A private guide travels with you throughout Ruaha and Selous/Nyerere.
All internal fly-in transfers, Dar es Salaam–Ruaha–Selous/Nyerere–Dar es Salaam.
All park fees and conservation levies for the full 9-day route.
Signature or Bespoke tier remote camps, as listed in the itinerary.
All meals during safari days, as specified day by day.
A boat safari on the Rufiji River, included during your stay in Selous/Nyerere.
Emergency medical evacuation cover through AMREF Flying Doctors.
Excluded
Dining on Safari
Every kitchen, professionally run
Every camp on this journey employs professional kitchen teams experienced in preparing a full range of dietary needs — without compromising on quality or variety. Simply let us know your dietary preferences when booking, and we'll confirm with each property in advance.
Before You Travel
Documents & Preparation
Valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel dates, with two blank visa pages.
Most nationalities can apply for a Tanzania e-Visa online prior to arrival, or on arrival at the airport.
Required only if arriving from, or having transited through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
We recommend comprehensive cover including medical evacuation for all safari travel.
Packing List for Beyond the Crowds
Everything to bring, by season and activity — PDF, 1 page
What Our Clients Say
Told by the travelers who were there
“We'd done the northern parks on a previous trip and wanted something different — this delivered. Three days in Ruaha and we saw maybe two other vehicles total. The lion pride sightings alone were worth the flights.”
Daniel & Priya R. · Canada, September 2025
“The boat safari on the Rufiji was the highlight neither of us expected going in. Hippos, crocodiles, fish eagles overhead — a completely different pace from a game drive. Every transfer between parks was smooth and on time.”
Helena B. · Germany, July 2025
“Genuinely remote in a way we did not expect from a booked safari. Our guide arranged a fly-camping night in Selous that ended up being the best night of the whole trip.”
Robert C. · United States, June 2025
Why Travel With Yera
What sets this journey apart
Local Expertise, 20+ Years
Every route on this itinerary is shaped by two decades guiding across Tanzania, including its most remote southern parks.
Free Itinerary Revision
Change camps or pacing up to 60 days before departure at no charge.
No Hidden Costs
Your quote is your price — fly-in transfers are included from the start, never added later.
Common Questions
Ruaha & Selous/Nyerere
Ruaha and Selous/Nyerere are too far apart, and too remote, for road transfers to make sense within a 9-day trip. Light-aircraft transfers keep every day focused on the wilderness itself rather than travel time.
No — it's optional, offered on Day 3 in Ruaha, and again as a private fly-camping option on Day 7 in Selous/Nyerere. Availability and exact format are confirmed per camp at booking.
No wildlife sighting can be guaranteed. Selous/Nyerere is one of the last strongholds of the African wild dog, and Day 6 is built around the areas where they're most consistently seen, but this remains a wild, unscripted place.
This itinerary is tier-flexible: Signature and Bespoke camp options are both available and selected with you during planning. Pricing shown (from $5,025 pp) reflects the Signature tier.
3 nights Ruaha, 4 nights Selous/Nyerere, with fly-in/fly-out transfers through Dar es Salaam on either end.
Yes — private guide throughout, and remote camp locations mean you rarely share a sighting with another vehicle.
Yes — Katavi or Mahale Mountains chimpanzee trekking, a Zanzibar coastal finish, private fly-camping upgrades, or combining with a Northern Circuit safari for a full south-to-north journey.
Most nationalities require a visa, available on arrival or in advance online (e-visa). We recommend confirming requirements for your specific passport before travel.
Yes, though walking safaris and fly-camping typically have minimum age policies. Let us know ages when enquiring so we can tailor accordingly.