Ruaha River Lodge — Hotel in Iringa Region

Foxes Ruaha River Lodge was the last stop of our 2-week safari experience and was the most luxurious of our 3 accommodations. We received a warm welcome from Christiane, our lodge host, along with some great information to make our stay safe and enjoyable. The lodge itself was beautiful with spectacular river views. The same great views were available from the balcony attached to our room. The room itself had stone walls and was set up off the ground for safety. It was spacious and comfortable with a large seating area in addition to the beds. The bathroom was large, and we appreciated the solar shower after a dusty day! While the days were hot, the evenings cooled down nicely for outdoor dining and sleeping. The food was incredible for such a remote location. You could tell a lot of planning went in to everything and the chef did an amazing job! We also appreciated the afternoon iced coffee before going out for an evening game drive. Our guide/driver, Josephate, was probably the most experienced guide we had on our whole safari experience. His keen eye spotted things that we never would have seen otherwise. Special thanks also to our guide in training, Julius! We felt special and safe having Masai with us! We also got to experience a walking safari organized by Christiane with the park rangers. Julius accompanied us along with 2 park rangers. Jorge, our ranger was so enjoyable and so knowledgeable about the smaller things that you miss while being in a vehicle. Truly a one-of-a-kind experience! Thank you to all the wonderful people who make these experiences possible. From the dining room staff, the chef, the Masai, the behind-the-scenes folks doing laundry and cleaning, and our host organizing it all. It would not be possible without each one of you! It was an amazing experience that we will always remember, and we thank you! Asante Sana Nancy and Carl Tiska

**Tipping was very confusing for us since it was our first safari. We would recommend bringing cash with you if you have US dollars, Euro’s or UK pounds. We only had a limited number of US dollars as we intended to get Tanzanian Shillings at an ATM in Dar es Salaam. We did not realize that the ATM would only allow a small transaction and therefore, we couldn’t get as much money as we had intended. Best advice, plan ahead! From other travelers we spoke with and the guidelines we read online, the most common amount for tipping was $10/person per day for guides/drivers, and a tip for the staff working in the camps of about $10/person per day (tip box at reception). We wish we could have given more as the guides, drivers and the people working in the camps really make your stay...

Ruaha River Lodge is a fabulous camp set in amazing surroundings. This was our first safari and it was everything we had dreamed of. A wild and remote park, we loved that we could be on a game drive and not see any other vehicles for hours; even when we came across 5 lionesses stalking a lone buffalo, there were just 4 other jeeps and you could have heard a pin drop. Game viewing was excellent; there aren't the big herds that you'd get in north Tanzania, but smaller groups of animals that sometimes took a while to find - making it all the more exciting and rewarding when we did. Two separate sightings of leopard, lions every day, and a very rare sighting of African wild dogs. Plus lots of elephant, giraffe, impala, kudu, zebra, etc.|We had the most fantastic guide and driver team - Yelelo and Abraham. So knowledgeable and informative. My husband is a keen bird watcher, and Yelelo delighted in helping him to tick off more than 60 varieties in his bird book!|The camp itself is set on the banks of the Ruaha River - completely dry when we were there in September - with "as far as the eye can see" wild scenery. Sitting on the veranda of our lodge, it felt like we were the only people there - truly magical. Movement around the camp was quite restricted, due to the proximity of animals, but the Masai guards were always on hand to escort us and we always felt safe.|The accommodation is comfortable and spacious; with lovely ensuite shower and toilet facilities, and an enormous outdoor seating area. Our travel company rated it as "medium" - we rated it as luxury!|Hearty, home cooked food with a good variety and lots of fresh veg and fruit each day - we loved it.|All the staff were so friendly, helpful and always smiling. |In just 3 nights, Ruaha captured...

Visited Ruaha River Lodge as part of a safari package arranged by Audley Travel. Flight into Ruaha by Safari Air Link. Camp itself exceeded all expectations. Christiana, the manager was very welcoming, friendly and professional and ran a very well ordered camp. The location is stunning, with views across the river with daily visits from elephant, baboons, water buck, impala etc all viewed from our large deck with split level seating. We were lucky enough to be in one of the updated bandas (there is a programme of refurbishment currently under way) which was designed and furnished very tastefully to a high standard, as was the central dining area. Wonderful accommodation. |Our guide, Peredi, was fantastically knowledgeable and went the extra mile for us every game drive. One day we saw four of the big five thanks to his knowledge and expertise in knowing where to go and following tracks. Thank you Peredi!|The food was excellent and beautifully presented, with plenty of choice for non meat-eaters too. Thanks to the chef and team, they do a great job. |Due to the nature of the camp and its layout and location you have to be accompanied by a Masai every time you leave your Banda, even during the day. Some are located about a 10-15 minute walk from the central dining area and walking back at night can be a little scary as hippo, hyena and lion may be nearby. But there is always a Masai available to escort. |All in all a fabulous safari experience and wonderful camp. Would have no hesitation in...