Trip of the week: on safari in Tanzania’s new national park
Tanzania’s Ugalla River National Park is ‘a good news story’ that has been overlooked in the pandemic

Created in 2019, Tanzania’s Ugalla River National Park is “a good news story that has been almost completely overlooked in the fallout from Covid-19”, says Sophy Roberts in the FT. At 3,865 square kilometres, this little-visited wetland area is more than twice the size of the Masai Mara. It had previously been leased to big-game hunting companies, but now only photographic safaris will be allowed. Some hunting enthusiasts point out that the area’s appeal is only seasonal (it turns into a floodplain for part of each year), and argue that its many tsetse flies will put off tourists, and that the new arrangement will make less money for wildlife authorities. But naturalists say it’s “a definite win for conservation”, strengthening the protection of a little-studied wilderness rich in rare species.
The nearest town is Tabora, a place of busy souks and elegant minarets. Spend a night at its old railway hotel and visit the house where David Livingstone stayed in the 1870s (now a museum) before leaving for Ugalla. As yet, there is no visitor accommodation in the park, so it is best to explore in a four-wheel drive and pitch tents in a different place each night. There’s a “bewitching abundance” of wildlife, and “a deep sense of privilege” in having such a “vast” wilderness to yourself. Even so, photography can be tough – years of hunting has left wildlife “skittish”, and experts say it will take a few years for the animals to relax in the presence of humans again.
In a landscape this empty of people, even common animals such as giraffes and impala take on an “Edenic” air. But chances are you’ll also see creatures that you’d never spot on “the usual east African safari circuit”, such as Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and black sable antelopes, while the park’s swampy areas are home to Cape clawless otters and many rare water birds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Map’s Edge (maps-edge.co.tz) can design six-night fly-camping trips from $1,150 per person per night, including flights.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
6 peaceful homes in farm country
Feature Featuring a two-story solarium in California and a three-season screened porch in Wisconsin
By The Week US
-
5 'slow TV' shows for overstimulated kids
The Week Recommends In an era of fast-paced content and short attention spans, the slow TV movement can be a boon to parents
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
The worst coral bleaching event breaks records
The Explainer Bleaching has now affected 84% of the world's coral reefs
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
6 peaceful homes in farm country
Feature Featuring a two-story solarium in California and a three-season screened porch in Wisconsin
By The Week US
-
Ghosts: a 'scorching' retelling of Ibsen's scandalous tale
The Week Recommends Gary Owen's modern revamp of the classic play is a 'cracker'
By The Week UK
-
Holy Cow: a charming 'micro-budget' film about Comté
The Week Recommends First-time director Louise Courvoisier elicits 'brilliant performances' from her non-professional cast
By The Week UK
-
The Story of Murder: a 'thoughtful' fictional retelling of a true crime story
The Week Recommends Hallie Rubenhold novel delivers belated justice to the victim of a 1910 London murder
By The Week UK
-
Film reviews: Sinners and The King of Kings
Feature Vampires lay siege to a Mississippi juke joint and an animated retelling of Jesus' life
By The Week US
-
Music reviews: Bon Iver, Valerie June, and The Waterboys
Feature "Sable, Fable," "Owls, Omens, and Oracles," "Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper"
By The Week US
-
Susan Page's 6 favorite books about historical figures who stood up to authority
Feature The USA Today's Washington bureau chief recommends works by Catherine Clinton, Alexei Navalny, and more
By The Week US
-
Book reviews: 'The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World's Most Coveted Microchip' and 'Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service'
Feature The tech titan behind Nvidia's success and the secret stories of government workers
By The Week US