Ruaha is the largest national park in Tanzania and the centre of a much wider ecosystem in the southern highlands. It sees a fraction of the visitors the northern circuit receives, which is precisely its appeal — game drives here regularly run without another vehicle in sight.
The park sits on a transition zone between East and Southern African vegetation, so species from both regions overlap. That produces an unusual antelope list: greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan all occur, alongside the more familiar impala and zebra.
Ruaha holds one of the most important remaining lion populations in Africa, with prides that are often notably large, and the Great Ruaha River concentrates game dramatically as the dry season advances. Wild dog are present and seen more reliably here than in most Tanzanian parks.