Jabali Ridge
Ruaha National Park
Accommodation
Set high on a rocky kopje overlooking a landscape dotted with spiky palms and bulbous baobabs, Jabali Ridge is a sophisticated base from which to explore Ruaha National Park. Jabali Ridge’s 8 suites are hidden amongst the rocky boulders that cocoon the property. With views over Ruaha from every corner of the room, the guest suites are designed to maximise the stunning landscape beyond. Be it from the bed, the desk or the bathroom, every space is a viewpoint and open to nature. An infinity pool, spa and plenty of places to laze ensure that time off is as memorable as time out in the bush.
About 200 metres from the main camp sits the private
Jabali House. It is booked for families or a group of friends and comes with its own service team and private guide/vehicle.
Location
At 20'220 km², Ruaha National Park is Tanzania's largest national park and still relatively rarely visited by tourists. The park was expanded to include the Usanga Wetlands in 2008 and comprises 40% miombo woodland with open savannahs, spectacular baobab, acacia and palm forests as well as several springs, swamps and seasonal floodplains making up the rest. The park is bordered in the north by the Mzombe River and in the south by the Great Ruaha River. The Usunga Game Reserve and three further game reserves surround the park almost entirely. Most camps are located at a height of approximately 800 to 1000 m above sea level; the park's highest plateau, however, sits at an impressive 1868 m above sea level. A 50 to 100 m high escarpment is testament to the fact that the Ruaha National Park is also part of the Great Rift Valley.
The park is accessed via air from Arusha or Dar Es Salaam and can be seamlessly combined with a visit to Nyerere National Park. The flight to Nyerere National Park takes approx. 1 hr 30 mins; the flight to Dar Es Salaam or Arusha, including all stops en-route, takes approx. 2.5 hrs.
The drive from Msembe Airstrip to camp takes approximately 50 minutes. Jabali Ridge is situated close to Mwagusi River in the eastern part of Ruaha National Park.
Wildlife
Because Ruaha National Park is located in the transitory region between the typical miombo woodlands of the south and the open savannahs of East Africa, it enjoys a rich variety of flora (over 1600 species) and a fascinating variety of birds (571 species!). It is also home to one of the highest concentration of elephant in East Africa.
Lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and giraffe are easy to find; the rare wild dog and shy leopard are somewhat harder to spot. Zebra, eland, kudu and impala are the most common antelopes in the region, but rare roan and sable antelope are also present. Ruaha is the only park in Africa where the greater kudu can be seen. The Ruaha River and some of its tributaries are also home to crocodile and hippo.
Activities
The camp offers game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, night drives and walking safaris.
