Tanzania’s Southern Safari Circuit: Where Fly Camping Belongs

Tanzania has two main safari circuits. The northern circuit — Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara — is the famous one, built around the Great Migration. The southern circuit, centred on Nyerere National Park (the former Selous) and Ruaha, is the quieter, wilder one, and it is where fly camping, walking safaris and boat safaris truly belong.

I am Augustin, and I guide on the southern circuit. People often ask me whether the south is “better” than the north. It is not better — it is different, and the difference is the whole reason to come.

What the southern circuit is

The southern circuit runs through Tanzania’s south and south-west. It centres on Nyerere and Ruaha, with smaller additions like Mikumi and Udzungwa, and — much further out — Katavi and Mahale. It sits on the opposite end of the country from the Serengeti, it is heavier on water and walking, and it sees a fraction of the north’s visitor numbers. Nyerere alone is roughly the size of Belgium.

The activities you cannot do in the Serengeti

This is where the south pulls ahead. In Nyerere you can do things that are simply not possible in the northern parks:

• Boat safaris on the Rufiji, floating past pods of hippo and basking crocodiles at eye level — unique in Tanzania at this scale.

• Walking safaris with an armed ranger, on the ground at the same level as the wildlife.

• Fly camping, a night out in a minimal bush camp, often as part of a walking trip.

• Night drives in camps with private concession access, to find nocturnal species.

Combine those with classic morning and afternoon game drives and you have a far more varied safari than a drive-only circuit can offer.

Nyerere vs Ruaha at a glance

The two anchors of the circuit complement each other. Nyerere is better for boat safaris, wild dogs, and as a one-park add-on from Zanzibar. Ruaha is better for lion density, walking, rarer antelope like sable and roan, and sheer solitude. Many itineraries combine both, with three or four nights in each. For a first southern trip focused on water and wildlife variety, Nyerere is the natural choice.

Combining the south with Zanzibar

One of the south’s great advantages is how easily it pairs with the coast. From Nyerere it is a short flight to Zanzibar, which makes a bush-and-beach trip — a few nights of safari followed by a few nights on the Indian Ocean — very straightforward. It is one of the most rewarding ways to structure a first trip to Tanzania.

Where our camp fits

Our camp sits deep inside Nyerere, on the Beho Beho River, with access to the Rufiji system and its lakes. That puts all four signature activities — driving, walking, boating and sleeping out — within reach from one base, in a part of the park where you rarely see another vehicle. If the southern circuit is where fly camping belongs, this is one of its quietest corners. Our camp is open from June through to mid-March, closing only for the long rains.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tanzania’s southern safari circuit? The southern route through Nyerere (Selous) and Ruaha, known for boat and walking safaris, fly camping, and far fewer crowds than the north.

Is the southern circuit good for a first safari? Yes, especially if you value space, water-based activities and wild dogs over the sheer density of the Serengeti — and it combines beautifully with Zanzibar.

When is the best time to visit? July to October is prime in the south. Our camp is open from June to mid-March and closes for the long rains, from mid-March to the end of May.

Can you fly camp on the southern circuit? Yes — it is the home of fly camping in Tanzania, usually combined with a walking safari.