Our Tanzania Walking Safari


Although walking is possible in a number of areas of Tanzania, it is not a widely encouraged activity in the way that it is in Zambia. However an exciting new walking concept – Kichaka Expeditions – has recently been established in Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park, and which we are pleased to offer as rivalling walking safaris anywhere. As with our Zambia walking safaris, though, we believe that guests will also want to combine walking with some serious game viewing, and therefore we have combined a stay at Kichaka with a few nights at Mwagusi Safari Camp – in our view one of Africa’s finest safari lodges – and which is also situated in Ruaha.

Ruaha itself is our favourite Park in Tanzania, combining as it does some of the best wildlife in Africa with the most dramatic scenery, whilst remaining relatively unfrequented by the tourist trade. The best time to visit Ruaha is June to October or December to March (to avoid the rains).

Your stay begins with three nights at Mwagusi Safari Camp, which is described more fully on our main TanzaniaAway website. Mwagusi’s owner and host, Chris Fox, spares no effort to supply you with some exceptional game viewing, and you can also get your legs moving with some walking in the vicinity of the camp.

You will then be transferred to whatever area of the Ruaha Park that Kichaka are currently operating within – which will be one of the wildest and most remote areas of the park – in its northern region – and you are therefore guaranteed a pure ‘wild Africa’ experience, totally untainted by tourism, a quite rare phenomenon.

    Kichaka Base Camp

                                            Kichaka Base Camp

Kichaka offers two types of accommodation. Its base camp is a genuine bush camp, but one whose location can be varied to suit the season and the availability of the game, together with a more basic fly camp, which is highly mobile, and which provides the ultimate in true African camping. The food is superb, and there is also a limited electricity supply for that vital charging of camera batteries. The camps themselves can accommodate up to six guests, and can be booked by private groups of any size between 2 and 6 people (the actual number determining the price), or there is a general group option where you will share your experiences with a number of unrelated guests, again up to a maximum of 6 people.

The Kichaka base camp itself is always situated in a grove of trees to provide shade in the heat of the day, and comprises three mobile tents which can hold two people comfortably in each. There is a spacious covered veranda in the front with excellent views. Each tent has its own outdoor bathroom facility comprising a wash basin, hot bucket shower (which can be arranged at any time) and a short drop toilet. The large and spacious mess area provides a nice peaceful environment to relax, read a book or chat the evening away with a roaring campfire nearby.

   Kichaka Fly Camp

                                             Kichaka Fly Camp

Based around a converted 4WD military 4 Ton truck, the fly camp is self-sufficient for up to a week on safari away from its base camp, with state of the art solar systems, refrigeration, electrical supplies, water pumps and a mobile kitchen. The accommodation comprises of 3 large pup tents equipped with comfortable twin cots, a fully functional bathroom with short drop loo and hot bucket shower. When the kit is unloaded off the truck, the truck itself becomes the kitchen unit.

The activities on offer range from their 3 night ‘Explorer Itinerary’ with walking taking place from the base camp, through their 5 night ‘Trailblazer Itinerary’, which adds two further nights in the fly camp, to their 7 night ‘Swashbuckler Itinerary’, which adds an extra night at both the base camp and The fly camp.

Walking is the principal activity throughout (although this can be limited by the time of year), together with further game drives, bird watching and learning bush craft skills.

High Season rates at Mwagusi are $595 per person per night. Hence three nights here will total just under $1800 (together with the cost of getting to Ruaha from wherever you will be travelling).

At Kichaka the High Season rate is $699 per person per night for mixed group bookings, as indeed it is for private group bookings of 5 - 6 people. However smaller private groups necessarily cost out at a higher rate: $844 pppn for 3 - 4 people, and $939 pppn for just 2 people.


RuahaRuaha National Park

Mwagusi

Mwagusi Safari Camp

Kichaka

The Ablutions At Kichaka

Kichaka

Company For Breakfast

Kichaka

Out On A Walk

Kichaka

Lunch Break

Kichaka

River Crossing

Kichaka

Hope You Like Pussycats!

Kichaka

Relaxing In The Evening