Usangu Expedition Camp
USANGU EXPEDITION CAMP IS LOCATED IN THE REMOTE SOUTHERN CORNER OF RUAHA NATIONAL PARK AND OFFERS A CONSERVATION LED EXPERIENCE.
Usangu Expedition Camp is a seasonal camp located in the Usangu Wetlands in the remote south of Ruaha National Park from June to November. The camp opened in 2022 and is the first to offer access to this part of the park. Guests are actively involved in the ongoing research and conservation activities, which lends a feeling of being part of the exploration of a new wilderness area and its wildlife. The camp is small and intimate and offers a variety of activities from game drives and boat trips to walking and fly-camping.
Rooms
Usangu Expeditions Camp has six guest tents which are simple in style, but spacious and comfortable. Each tent is built on to a slightly raised wooden deck with verandah at the front with a pair of chairs and views on to the wetlands. The bedroom area has gauze fabric front and sides, while the en suite bathroom lies behind with flush toilet, plumbed shower and double vanity. Each room also has its own ‘star cube’ – a netted square sleeping tent positioned a little way in front of each tent, offering a sleep-out experience.
Central Areas
Meals are taken together with camp staff, and dinners are cooked over the open campfire. There is a simple open-sided lounge and dining tent with comfy sofas. Next to the main area is the Douglas Bell Information Centre and guests will be briefed here on arrival regarding the conservation work being done from Usangu.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – No
Habitat & Wildlife
Ruaha National Park was previously part of the huge Rungwa Game Reserve, with which it shares its north-western boundary. In 1964, it was gazetted as the National Park. The terrain within the park is well wooded and undulating. The Great Ruaha River gives the park a permanent supply of water, but there are also numerous sand rivers which become raging torrents during the rains (from December to April). In addition to the Great Ruaha River, there are also numerous waterholes, swamps and seepage areas which provide water throughout the year.
Generally speaking, the park is divided into four different habitats consisting not only of Miombo, but also of undulating hills dominated by baobabs, the albida woodland along the main river courses and areas of open ‘black cotton’ grassland. Mammal viewing is superb particularly in the dry season. Local birdlife is exceptional too as Ruaha lies in the convergence zone of species found both to the north and south of the region. Tsetse fly are present in Ruaha but more in some areas than others.
Although sometimes on offer, we do not countenance extended walks in Ruaha unless you are escorted by a professional guide carrying his own firearm (which Usangu Expedition Camp provides). We do not recommend walking safaris where security is only provided by park rangers, as in our opinion the rangers who take the walks do not have sufficient skills/experience. There is no off-road driving within Ruaha National Park.
The Usangu Wetlands and their function is critically important for not only the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem, but for ecosystems stretching all the way to Nyere National Park. The intricate network of waterways feed into the Ruaha Rivers, and into the Rujiji River system, making this area of wetland a lifeline for wildlife in much of southern Tanzania. The Usangu Wetlands were added to the protection of Ruaha National Park in 2006 and Usangu Expedition Camp is the first tourism venture in this vast area.
The game viewing experience at Usangu is very different from other parts of Ruaha National Park. As the wetlands dry up during the dry season (July to November) a landscape of vast open plains can be explored, which are home to huge herds of reedbuck, topi, eland and zebra. Permanent water channels and pools attract an abundance of birdlife, including pelicans, yellow-billed storks, spoonbills and a variety of herons and smaller waders. Lions are drawn out of the surrounding woodlands to hunt on the plains, and cheetah pass through the area. Hippo and elephant can be found closer to the Greater Ruaha River which flows northwards from the wetlands, whilst the area is also a stronghold for sable and roan antelope. Wild dogs can be found in the miombo woodlands to the north of the wetlands. Night drives can also be very productive, with leopard, serval, African wild cat, porcupine, aardwolf, civet, genet, white-tailed mongoose, bat-eared foxes and even pangolin present in the area.
Activities
Each group has a private vehicle and activities are varied with plenty of opportunity to be involved in the conservation story of the area. Activities include game drives by day and night, guided walking, boat trips (water level dependent), sleep outs and fly camping. Visits to the Douglas Bell Information Centre are included (this is in camp, next to the main area) and interaction with research and conservation work is all part of a stay at Usangu. Guests can participate in activities such as positioning camera traps, image analysis for predator identification and tracking collared lions. More specialist research trips can also be arranged which have a greater focus on conservation.
Seasons
Usangu Expedition Camp is open from June through to November, though game viewing and access to the swamp plains is best from August to October.
Usangu is not a destination for young children with the camp only accepting those above 12 years old and there being no family specific facilities and rooming. However, families with older, active children could enjoy an amazing and exclusive safari and conservation adventure in this remote area of Ruaha.
Staying at any of Asilia properties, owners of Usangu Expedition Camp, sees guests automatically contributing to community and conservation projects through their park fees and the AsiliaGiving Conservation Fee which goes equally to conservation and community projects in the areas in which Asilia operates. In Ruaha they support the Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) to protect elephants and enhance human-elephant coexistence. Guests can prebook a presentation from STEP and spend an evening learning more about their initiatives and future developments.
Every guest at Usangu also pays an additional compulsory donation of $100 per person per night which further supports conservation and research efforts in this area of great ecological importance.
Whilst the Usangu Wetlands were added to the protection of Ruaha National Park in 2006, the area still suffers periods of drought due to demand for water by poorly managed agricultural projects outside the park and small scale local poaching. Asilia is working with local government and engaging with and supporting local communities to develop more robust water management plans and reduce human-wildlife conflict. Building a camp in the wetlands area, alongside a research base, spurred the development of a road network which allows more efficient anti-poaching patrols, as well as opening up areas for photographic safaris.
Several reconnaissance expeditions have been launched to survey the diverse landscape and assess wildlife density and diversity in the Usangu Wetlands. The results showed an astounding variety of wildlife across the region, including apex predators such as leopard, African wild dog, and hyena, as well as smaller carnivores, including civet, caracal, serval and African wildcat. Rare species like aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin were also recorded. In the long term the data collected will be used to influence conservation policy in the broader Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem.
Community development projects have also been implemented, including the sponsoring of schools and educational equipment, to further improve the community’s understanding of the environment and the importance of areas in their own backyard – the Usangu Wetlands.
When the camp first opened, all staff were from neighbouring villages, and for 90% of them it was their first employment opportunity. Asilia invested heavily in training to empower the team to feel confident in welcoming international guests.
Employing locally creates huge opportunities not only for the immediate staff (whose career growth through the company continues) but also with the ripple effect to the wider communities and for furture generations.
Sustainability efforts in Asilia’s camps include banning the use of cling film in their kitchens, using biodegradable lunch packs and providing guests with reusable bottles to reduce plastic water bottle waste. The camp also has game drive vehicles which are powered by green ethanol fuel (made from a by-product of a local sugar plantation).
