Guest reviews Ruaha River Lodge

by kholton52 Chester, United Kingdom

Amazing

Exactly what we were hoping for - sitting on the terrace overlooking the river watching hippos, elephants, impala etc . The drives were top quality with the driver and guide so knowledgeable. Top marks to the chef for such quality food in such a location!

by klgdvm North Carolina

Incredible views!

We visited Ruaha Park during the second half of our Tanzanian Safari, after 10 days on the northern circuit. We spent 3 nights here toward the end of August. We drove in with our own guide and land cruiser, so I cannot comment on the lodge’s guides or vehicles. But we loved the lodge! Nicely appointed spacious stone chalets with wonderful viewing decks looking out over the Ruaha River with its resident hippos. Gorgeous views! In addition to the resident hippos, we were able to watch elephants, impala, baboons, storks, herons and more from our veranda. The beds were comfortable, and I loved listening to the hippos and other animals at night. One of the hippos passed by my window every morning on his way back to the river. The restaurant and lounge areas were comfortable, also overlooking the river. The bar was well stocked. The food was very good- nice selections for breakfast, served at your table. Dinner was buffet style, after the wonderful soups and bread were served. I’m not a buffet fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed these meals. I thought the box lunches were average, with more than enough food. The lodge uses a generator, setting specific times for availability of electricity. No WiFi, but we survived, and we knew that ahead of time. Charging stations are available in the room. Solar energy is used for hot water, so hot showers were best taken late afternoon/early evening. The bathroom was very large, somewhat dark when no electricity, with an interesting shower. Maasai escort you to and from your rooms, so you need to schedule “pick up” times. I really thought walkie talkies would be helpful here to give a little more flexibility. Laundry service is provided. The staff was wonderful-very helpful and friendly. There were occasional communication issues, but the involved staff person was always quick to get assistance if needed. The manager went out of her way to accommodate every request. Ruaha Park itself has the most striking landscapes, lots of baobab trees and is much less crowded than the northern parks. We saw lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebra, impala, greater kudu, yellow baboons, crocodiles, fish eagles, herons, storks and more. This was the first of three Fox camps we had booked, and while we hated to leave, we were looking forward to the next camp- Vuma Hills at Mikumi.

by lizbtraveller

Fantastic place to visit

We visited Ruaha in September and it was just the most amazing experience. To have wildlife literally on your doorstop without having to go on a game drive was wonderful: one day we just sat on our verandah watching a herd of 30 elephants drinking at the river opposite. The staff were wonderful and nothing was too much trouble. The food was very good, and it is was tempting to each too much! Our banda was a good size with everything needed. We got used to the electricity only being on for a limited time each day and there is no wifi, so we escaped from the real world for a few days. Our driver/guide Ben (and Moses too) was really good and managed to find all the animals we wanted to see, including the elusive leopard which was the animal everyone wanted to see! Ben's knowledge of the animals, plants, and local area was encylopedic and interesting. We didn't see many other vehicles on our game drives except when there was a sighting of lions or leopard so it really felt like it was us and the animals at times. Thank you to all at the lodge for a wonderful stay. Richard & Liz

by Robin2011186338 London, United Kingdom

Been before, remains a fantastic experience!

All the animals you could wish for...in 4 days we saw lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, giraffe, zebra, impala, a python, a monitor lizard, eagles, warthogs, ostrich and crocs galore! Ruaha is a bit of a secret which means it's quiet...on safari you are mainly out on your own with your fantastic guide and driver...hunting with your eyes and camera. Exciting! The lodge is an amazing place in a beautiful location. The staff are excellent, service friendly and genuine, everything is organised efficiently down to the Masai guards for guests safety...lions, hippos and elephants tramp through the camp. Can't recommend this place highly enough.

by Nick123568 Altrincham, United Kingdom

Unforgettable safari experience

Three night stay following three nights at Rufiji Lodge in Selous. Rufiji set amazingly high standards which were easily met by Ruaha. The lodges were stunning with individual terraces and views down the river. We saw hippos, elephants, giraffes etc all from our room. The rooms were clean and well kept with a rustic feel to the bathrooms - hot water at night, cold in the morning. Food was exceptional in the restaurant with great flavour. The packed lunches were not as good but we were never that hungry at lunch time anyway. Animal sightings were exceptional: lots of lions (including a pride with cubs), elephants, hippo, lots of different antelopes and birds, crocodiles, giraffes, zebras and a leopard sighting! The guide was excellent - he escorted us for our entire stay - and was very obliging in terms of getting us the best possible sightings. The park is really quiet - the only time we really saw other cars was when people saw the leopard. We would highly recommend this and Rufiji for a very natural experience. Management were always visible in the dining room checking everyone was OK and there were no issues. Service and staff was 5 star. Would not change a thing and the memories will last a lifetime.