Mwagusi Safari Camp — Hotel in Iringa Region

A trip of a lifetime; we had hoped for an amazing experience, but this was so much more. Thank you Chris, Rosie and Freddie. |Chris has developed a beautiful camp in a glorious location & has built a staff team who are engaging & wonderful even if some don’t grasp western etiquette (adds to the charm of the place Chris!) We expected, with the remoteness of the park, food to be somewhat basic. How wrong we were. Despite few guests we had many delicious options at mealtimes & my special dietary needs were met with varied and tasty things. The chef is skilled and knowledgeable, and Mwagusi camp supplies him with home grown fruits & vegetables. In short the food is excellent. |The bandas are spacious, comfortable and interesting in a Ben Fogle sort of way, with glorious views over the riverbed. We always felt totally safe, and slept soundly on a comfortable bed. |We were at the camp for 5 days in mid January, so off season. We expected this to be somewhat of a compromise weather wise and in terms of animal sightings. Again we were wrong. It was lovely to see Tanzania green & vibrant, but the new growth did not obscure our sightings & plump, healthy looking animals were in abundance (except after the one evening of rain). Our waterproofs remained unworn, but we watched distant lightening in the surrounding hills and later saw the water level in the river rise. |Amongst other animals we saw lions, wild dogs, leopard, hundreds of elephants, giraffe, zebra, impala, dik dik, gazelles, kudu, lesser kudu, eland, baboons, vervet monkeys, hippo, crocs, rock hyrax, bat eared fox, jackal, hyena, wart hogs, water buck…..and the birds! A phenomenal variety of birds, many beautiful & far too many to list. |We saw some animals in camp, but the principal reason we saw so much, and safely got unbelievably close to animals was the skill of our guide, Anton, an excellent teacher willing to share his knowledge about wildlife (& more) and our driver Hamed who not only is perfectly in tune with his vehicle, but has eagle eyes. Just how did he spot an owlet whilst driving? The combination of Anton & Hamed made every day exciting and exhilarating. We travelled through a variety of landscapes during the 5 days, confirming that we had chosen an appropriate length of stay in Ruaha (& Mwagusi). We were ‘spoilt’ by having a guide & driver to ourselves (another advantage of visiting in low season) but the open sided vehicles used by Mwagusi are much better options in hot weather (& to see animals) than the closed vans we saw some other safari guests in. |As we hoped, we rarely saw other vehicles- Ruaha really is quite remote, so “exclusive”, and the only times we were joined by other vehicles was after animal kills (when there were multiple species of animals congregating as well as up to 4 vehicles). Often we travelled for hours without seeing another vehicle or any signs of humans. |Chris himself was the perfect host in camp, entertaining visitors with his knowledge and insights, sharing meals and sundowners to ensure that guests have the perfect stay. |It would be very interesting to return to Mwagusi in high season. We met someone else who had returned for, I believe, a 20th visit, we could...

This review is about our last two experiences in Ruaha. We came with concern in February 2024 because the rains had created muddy roads and limited access to Ruaha and inside Ruaha. What an adventure!!! We spent an hour watching wild dogs playing, fighting, and hunting not 100 feet from our vehicle. Have never seen that before! We had seen wild dogs but never like this. In all of almost 75 trips to national parks in East Africa, never had we shared an afternoon with a leopard hunting. Yes, the lions, the elephants, giraffes, and all the animals. We were shocked given the "rains" Plus we had the beauty of the River flowing by the camp. The birds were alive with sound. The sunrise and sunset were beautiful over all the green and flowers. We realized that Ruaha and Mwagusi has so much to offer regardless of the season. ||The second adventure was just a month ago in November 2024. There had been a slight rain a few days earlier. The Baobab trees were in bloom. Unlike February, the River was dry except a small pool here or there. We watched the Elephants dig for water--get their fill--and then watched as the other animals took advantage of the Elephant wells. Our sightings of hippos and crocs were incredible. Hippos enjoying the sun out the water and challenging one another in the water. Again, leopard, lions, all the animals. Two male kudus, who are two of the most majestic animals, put on a display for us in full view in the dry river bed. What is amazing is the colors of the sky and how it changes during the seasons. The brilliant sunrise and sunset as creation gives a panorama of color. Nothing compares to resting in your banda and seeing Ruaha come alive in the morning or hear the night life of Ruaha--so restful and unbelievable relaxation. ||My wife and I usually bring with us groups of 4 to 14 to experience an incredible and unparalleled experience each time with our friend, Chris Fox, family, and staff at Mwagusi. Actually, Chris, Rosie, Freddie, and the staff are more like family after coming multiple times per year for almost 20 years. Being with Chris and the staff always adds to our understanding in real terms of our role as a part of this beautiful creation. Of all the parks and camps, Mwagusi is without equal with it's openness, friendliness, and passion for sharing the beauty and responsibility for that beauty. The trip and time is always an incredible, inspiring, and relaxing adventure. ||A special part of going to Mwagusi and Ruaha National Park is it's remoteness. Every trip has it's own unique offering no matter how many...

We have been travelling to the African Continent for almost 40 years photographing the African scenery and wildlife, but over the past ten years or so we have been drawn to returning to Chris Fox's Mwagusi Camp in Tanzania's Ruaha National Park where we have found our paradise, and which is partly why we return year after year.||We are often asked why we travel so extensively and especially why we spend so much time in Africa, well sleeping under canvas in a land of lions and other big cats, surrounded by the framework of vivid colours, smells and sounds reaching far out from the plains and bush, certainly has something to do with it.||Then there is the feeling of space and wilderness, miles from anywhere, something now sadly lost in the largely overcrowded Europe. Travelling along the dusty pot holed roads, passing twisted thorn bushes and sun dried grasses to catch a glimpse of the wildlife that abounds there. ||Then add the staff, Chris, Rosie his wife and son Freddy and all those who work in the camp who can not do enough for you, along with the like minded travellers who you can share your experiences with each evening around the camp fire set out on the dry river bed. All of whom embrace your company with their words and presence making you feel that you easily fit in and be part of the everyday life there. Unfortunately words just cannot do it justice, so we plan for...