The Secret Garden - Ikuka

Set snuggled into the side of the Mwagusi escarpment within the wild and rugged Ruaha National Reserve of Southern Tanzania, is the wonderful Ikuka Safari Camp – pure wild bliss to be perfectly honest. Views stretching as far as the eye can see over the Ruaha valley, Ikuka offers a unique and totally classic wild experience. The camp itself is very small, consisting of six stunningly designed and extremely spacious rooms, each with their own panoramic vista of the Ruaha wilderness. Ikuka camp sums up the stunning dramatic surroundings from the moment you arrive, throughout your stay until you leave.

Ruaha itself is one of the most remote reserves throughout Tanzania, and in fact, throughout all of Africa. We can categorically say you will be unlikely to pass another game vehicle or other people on your stay at Ikuka such is the location and remoteness of this camp. Being exclusively owner run, this definitely ensures a personal and very private safari experience. Combining the sheer beauty of the surrounding landscapes as well as an area extremely rich in wildlife viewing, you can be sure your stay at this unique lodge is one of the best experiences in your life.

Ruaha is very well known for its diverse landscapes of savannah, mighty baobab trees, kopjes, rocky hills, miombo (vast grouping of trees grouped together usually found in tropical or subtropical grasslands and savannahs), as well as the Great Ruaha River. Home to an incredible diversity of wildlife which includes some of the largest population of elephant and lion left anywhere in Africa. What’s more, Ruaha is the ultimate birder’s paradise – there are more than 500 species of birds! Ruaha represents a biodiversity transition zone between southern and eastern Africa, with many species overlapping and crossing over resulting in a unique and truly breath-taking wildlife display.

It really is one of Tanzania’s and Africa’s best kept game viewing secret. Although it is the largest national park in Tanzania (bigger than Switzerland), Ruaha is a little known and extremely untrammelled wilderness. Excellent! To reach the secret garden of Tanzania you can hop on board a charter plane departing from Dar es Salaam and will only take a couple of hours, time to enjoy the ever changing scenery below you. Ruaha works very well within the southern circuit of Tanzania, so if you were looking for an idea of what to combine it with then Selous, Katavi and Mahale are other destinations to consider as well.

Ikuka camp’s wonderfully spacious and luxurious tents have been incorporated as a natural ‘permanent’ feature within the Mwagusi escarpment. The interiors comprise of white quartz from the escarpment itself along with other locally and sustainably sourced materials. Each of the rooms have 24-hour electricity and hot water run by solar panels, as well as a comfortable and large super king bed to fall into at the end of the day. A spacious bathroom and sitting room including a squashy arm chairs that lead out onto your own large private balcony – all working around the stunning views of the reserve stretching out below you.

The communal area of the camp has a well-stocked bar, comfortable sitting area, airy dining space, swimming pool with a large deck along with an upstairs chill-out library area. The light, contemporary, airy communal spaces at Ikuka Safari Camp are all intimately designed to make you feel completely at home and very relaxed.