Kichaka Expeditions

OVERVIEW:

Kichaka Expeditions is an adventurous, off-the-beaten-track safari experience incorporating a secluded, high-end property, a back-to-nature fly camp, and an exhilarating seven-night expedition in Tanzania’s vast, remote, and truly wild Ruaha National Park. Overseen by Andrew ‘Moli’ Molinaro, one of the best safari guides in the business, walking safaris take centre stage here with new routes to uncover every day. The main camp embodies quiet luxury with spacious suites and sensational views, while the fly camping epitomises authentic, back-to-nature safari exploration. With superb guiding, magnificent wildlife, and total seclusion, Kichaka offers a unique and exhilarating Ruaha National Park stay. Rates are full board and include accommodation, all meals, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and wildlife safari activities.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Kichaka Expeditions is located in a remote and unspoilt area on the eastern side of Ruaha National Park, far from any other safari camps or lodges. Access is by light aircraft to Msembe Airstrip (a 1.5-hour flight from Dar es Salaam), followed by a 3-hour game drive to the camp with a picnic lunch along the way.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT KICHAKA EXPEDITIONS:

Perched high up on a ridge in the eastern corner of Ruaha National Park, Kichaka Zubua is Kichaka Expedition’s main camp and its most luxurious. There are three spacious domed tents on raised platforms with rustic thatched roofs, all with magnificent views overlooking the Ruaha River Valley. Design elements include plenty of stone, natural fabrics, wooden furniture, and sisal mats. The bedrooms are completely open during the day, providing welcome respite from the heat, and they are closed at night to keep out insects. Inside, you’ll find a double or twin bed/s, bedside tables with reading lights, a ceiling fan, a writing desk, and luggage racks. Each airy en-suite bathroom features a beautiful stone bathtub with stunning views of Ruaha National Park, an outdoor shower with hot water, and a flush toilet. A small plunge pool on the other side of the bedroom is ideal for cooling off between safari activities. Kichaka Zumbua’s communal area is partitioned into three sections: a comfortable lounge with stunning views, an information centre ideal for relaxing with a book, and a dining room. Lunch is often enjoyed out in the bush while on safari, and the camp also arranges adventurous bush dining under the stars at night. Finally, there’s a central pool with panoramic views and a well-stocked ‘Star Bar’, inviting guests to sit around the fire and admire the vast starlit skies. Please be prepared to disconnect as the camp has no mobile phone or Wi-Fi connection.

Kichaka Kidogo is a back-to-basics, lightweight fly camp designed to complement a stay at Kichaka Zumbua for those on a minimum five-night stay. Set up on the banks of the Ruaha river, there are three simple dome-style tents with cot beds, each with a short-drop loo and a bucket shower. This is a truly authentic, nature-focused expedition camp experience, where meals are cooked outside on the open campfire while guests are encouraged to gather around with a cold beer. Solar-powered charging is available for electronic equipment. Finally, Kichaka Wild is a seven-night exclusively booked expedition with four river or forest locations to choose from on the outer fringes of Ruaha National Park. Led personally by Andrew Molinaro, this is an incredible opportunity to be immersed in one of the world’s last remaining truly wild spaces in the spirit of explorer-style adventure. Kichaka Wild can accommodate up to six guests in three dome tents, each with its own bucket shower and short-drop loo.

ACTIVITIES AT KICHAKA EXPEDITIONS:

Kichaka Expeditions focuses mainly on walking safaris led by Andrew Molinaro or one of the expert guides (all trained by Moli), guaranteeing amazing safaris packed full of encyclopaedic knowledge. Guests explore the remotest parts of Ruaha, encountering incredible biodiversity throughout.

• Game drives

  – Action-packed game drives take in remote, lesser-visited parts of Ruaha National Park, with its incredibly diverse ecosystem and one of the highest elephant concentrations in the world. It’s not uncommon for guests to spend entire days out in the bush with a picnic lunch. Among the highlights are four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. Also, keep an eye open for smaller predators such as cheetah, serval, caracal, wild dog, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and all sorts of antelopes!

• Walking safaris

  – Guided walking safaris are one of the main reasons for staying at Kichaka, with some of the remotest on-foot safaris in Africa in one of its wildest parks. Moli is a superb walking guide with an exhaustive knowledge of the region’s flora and fauna. Far from the beaten track, this is a truly unique opportunity to experience a vast, little-explored wilderness. Taking new routes each day, you’ll explore animal tracks, plants and their medicinal purposes, and the area’s phenomenal birdlife. Different levels and distances are available, depending on the ages of your group. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn bush skills, such as identifying tracks and spoor, fire lighting, and a few survival basics.

• Night drives

  – Game drives often extend into the night, when all the big predators come to life. Every drive is different, frequently presenting something wholly unexpected and always unforgettable – you might spot the likes of civet, genet, porcupine, and the charming pangolin. Please note there is an additional $100 Tanapa fee per person for this activity.

• Birding

  – Keen birders won’t be disappointed as Ruaha National Park has nearly six hundred recorded species. Bring a pair of binoculars and keep an eye open for raptors, bataleur eagles, Tanzanian red-billed hornbills, herons, and black-collared lovebirds, to name a few.

• Stargazing

  – Huge, crystal-clear nights with zero light pollution make Ruaha National Park an amazing place for stargazing. The camp has a powerful telescope that easily displays Saturn’s rings – a truly incredible sight.

• Wildlife photography

  – The guides at Kichaka are passionate photographers who can give you lots of pointers on how to get the perfect wildlife shots. If you’re new to photography or just looking for advice on camera placement, let us know, and we’ll inform your guides.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.