About

5.0

#3 of 7 campsites in Ruaha National Park

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Value

Nestled into the bank of the Mwagusi River, this small exclusive tented camp overlooks the beautiful riverbed and all its’ natural visitors. Our camp is built along the lines of a traditional old-style African safari experience. Each tent is designed within a thatched banda with polished clay-red floors. Luxury has not been forgotten with an en-suite bathing area and a shaded veranda with lounging cushions and swinging hammock. Enjoy excellent game-viewing with our knowledgeable guides, on a game drive or a safari walk.

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Property amenities

Free parking

Bar / lounge

Restaurant

Free airport transportation

Airport transportation

Private check-in / check-out

Laundry service

Ironing service

Breakfast available

Complimentary welcome drink

Outdoor dining area

Special diet menus

Room features

Desk

Housekeeping

Private balcony

Safe

Bottled water

Private bathrooms

Walk-in shower

Complimentary toiletries

Wake-up service / alarm clock

Room types

Non-smoking rooms

Family rooms

Good to know

HOTEL CLASS

HOTEL STYLE

Charming

Family

Languages Spoken

English, French, German, Norwegian and 2 more

Location

Chris Fox Mwagusi Safari Camp Ruaha National Park Iringa, Ruaha National Park Tanzania

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240Reviews10Q+A58Room tips

Reviews
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Hingey1 wrote a review Nov 2023

Wokingham, United Kingdom77 contributions46 helpful votes

+1

Mwagusi Camp intimate, authentic, wonderful!

My son and I have just left Mwagusi Camp having stayed three nights. The experience was exceptional. The accommodation consists of Bandas which are basically a tent with a thatched roof above which helps to keep the interior surprisingly cool. The food and beverage offering is also remarkable bearing in mind the camp is in the middle of the bush. The camp is owned and run by Chris Fox who is a gentleman and a consummate host. Chris is also a fascinating raconteur who willingly shares his exciting safari stories with you each evening at supper. This commences with all guests sitting around a camp fire with a drink or two then moving to a beautifully laid table all situated on the dry bed of the river Mwgusi. It's a magical experience with the like of leopard hunting monkeys very nearby. Chris is very ably assisted by Rosie and their endearing young son Freddie! Our guide and driver Jimmy and Johan were extremely friendly and knowledgable. I found the three days to be very enjoyable, also incredibly peaceful and rejuvenating with plenty of free time to relax. I'd thoroughly recommend a visit.…

Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PebblesJD wrote a review Oct 2023

Saint Paul, Minnesota64 contributions46 helpful votes

Hakuna Matata does exist!

This place is magical. I cannot speak highly enough about this place. I would go back in a heartbeat. Worth every nickel. The bandas were superb, beautiful, large, clean, romantic. But truly it is the service that shines through. Our guide was amazing - Baldon, who knew every animal in sight. All of the staff were so attentive to every detail of our stay, and so very kind. Chris himself shared many meals with us. The evening dinners in the riverbed by torchlight was spectacular. If you want the trip of a lifetime, I highly recommend Mwagusi. Just watch out for those monkeys because they seem to know when tea and biscuits are served in the bandas, and they will take your cookies!

Date of stay: October 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled with friends

Room Tip: Keep an eye out for the monkeys, those little rascals will take your milk and cookies!

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Jyveturkie wrote a review Oct 2023

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania29 contributions7 helpful votes

Very comfortable safari camp

We had an excellent stay for two nights at Mwagusi camp. The tents are very comfortable, the food was excellent, and the game drives were better than any we've done before. Ruaha is much less crowded than other parks, and Mwagusi's guides are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. All the staff at Mwagusi are courteous and helpful. We began the day with coffee delivered to the tent, and ended it with dinner and drinks served at tables set up in the riverbed. We did have a few minor issues that keep me from giving five stars (toilet problems, broken tent zipper), but nothing that would make me think twice about staying again.

Date of stay: October 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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GLORIA B wrote a review Oct 2023

Varese, Italy13 contributions17 helpful votes

Simply marvellous!

Our staying at "Mwagusi camp" was exactly what we were looking for : the tent was super, spacious and very well kept , food was excellent, ( very good chef indeed ) Silence and quite completed our stay! Chris and Rosie are 2 perfect hosts . Chatting with them in the evening, during dinner, is an added value : they share their knowledge about the park, wildlife, and also the country - thank you both BUT our major THANKS !! goes to our Guide Jimmy and our Driver Hemed : they were simply marvellous! so much engaged to make us happy and to let us see, discover whatever possible in wildlife, giving us daily surprises and emotions " Their knowledge about wildlife ( and also small slopes ) is un-believable and for sure we will never forget them and their kindness

Date of stay: September 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

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michaeleichberger wrote a review Oct 2023

Munich, Germany2 contributions3 helpful votes

A tue insider tip!! Mwagusi Camp at Ruaha National Park Tanzania

A true insider tip....! Not our first trip to Tanzania but our first safari. We were looking for a unique nature experience far away from mass tourism as you know it from the Serengeti. What did we get: far more than expected! First of all, who is chasing the Big 5 is wrong here. There are no rhinos. What there is: a wonderful bush and river landscape in absolute isolation. Animal encounters very often alone or with a maximum of 3 other jeeps. A very respectful interaction with the wildlife and among the guides. No jockeying for the best spots. From lions to elephants, from hippos to crocodiles, an absolute variety of animals. We saw more than we expected. The camp is located directly on the Mwagusi River. It consists of spacious beautifully appointed bandas nestled in the river landscape and offers a wonderful view to the few waterholes (we were in September, dry season). We had a visit from a herd of elephants right in front of the banda, like in the movies! Chris Fox, his wife and little son had lunch and dinner with us every day and Chris told us about his exciting life. A really extraordinary man who is very committed to the conservation of nature in Africa. Among other things, he runs and supports his own reforestation project in the mountains. The food at the camp is fantastic and varied cooked with love and home grown vegetables. We had chosen exclusive tours (without other guests) for our game drives and did not regret it. Our guide Baldur and our driver were absolutely top. We always felt safe and learned a lot from them. Baldur loves nature and even explained the stars to us at night. In summary, the 4 days in Ruaha National Park were an experience of a lifetime, perhaps the best we have experienced so far while traveling. Thank you Chris Fox with family and to the whole team, good luck and strength for the future, what you do and have created is authentic, valuable and great. Respect!! Christina and Michael (the Oktoberfest refugees from Munich 😉)…

Date of stay: September 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

Room Tip: Book direct with "Wings over the wild". Payment transfer goes to UK and much more flexible than...

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Joyce T wrote a review Sept 2023

1 contribution

+1

We did not want to leave!

The minute my friend Lynn and I were greeted at the local airport and loaded into our safari vehicle, our amazing time spent at Mwagusi Camp was underway! From the get-go our knowledgeable and delightful guide Jimmy and driver Eli gave us a wonderful taste of what was to come. They were so thoughtful and kind; enjoyable to chat with and learn from; and accommodated our interests and goals during each unique safari we went on with them. What a pleasant kickoff to our four days at this beautiful and atmospheric camp, with the gorgeous lands & animals that surround it. We were equally surprised and delighted to be immediately welcomed to camp by co-host Rosie & the other friendly staff who were awaiting our arrival. They ushered us to a delightful lunch with other guests in one of the cool & enchanting open air, communal dining/lodge spaces. It was so helpful to be given Rosie’s thorough orientation at the start of our stay—an introduction to the comfortable flow of the days to come and how to make the most of our visit. Throughout, we were constantly delighted by the attention and courteous care we received from all of the staff at Mwagusi and owner/host Chris, making us feel appreciated and at home. Lynn and I had such fun staying in the well & beautifully designed tent/banda accommodations; with such attention to detail and a feeling of blending perfectly with the landscape. How fun to be outdoors and indoors at the same time! We continually enjoyed the view of the dry riverbed (we chose our early September dates specifically to hit this time) that looked like an outdoor art installation. We were also entertained throughout by the wildlife that visited the riverbed & loved our downtimes relaxing after lunch or sipping early morning coffee before heading out on safari at first light. We were pleased to have Gertruda, an apprentice guide, join Jimmy for our last few outings, bookending our excellent Mwagusi safaris. We were delighted to see her in this role & be able to share her knowledge and experiences with us, too. Well done! Last but not least, the riverbed dinners—fireside and lantern lit; cooking pots full of the evening’s delicious meals and the long family-style dining table—endeared us to the other guests as we chatted about our days’ adventures and enjoy each other’s company. Now home, I pour over my beautiful photos to remember and relive the amazing time we spent with the Mwagusi camp family & new friends. Thank you for your hospitality, Chris, Rosie, and staff! We would be fortunate indeed to be able to come back again. …

Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Jlucu wrote a review Aug 2023

39 contributions

Beautiful and luxurious Safari Camp

Mwagusi Safari camp is beautiful. The staff are super attentive took care of our every need. The location is right in the middle of Ruaha National Park, which is the second largest national park in Tanzania. The dinner at the camp was on the dry riverbed with candlelight. Beautiful. Our baranda (tent suite) was lovely, comfortable beds, a view of the river bed. I could have hung out there all day. The guide (Val) and driver (Eli) were fantastic, knowledgeable, fun and took great care of us. It was not crowded and we saw some amazing sites including a pride of lions eating their recent kill (Cape Buffalo) and Leopard in a tree, tons of interesting birds and giraffes and elephants galore. The sunset was beautiful.

Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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jennifer s wrote a review Aug 2023

1 contribution

Simply amazing

The staff and management were extremely helpful and kind. The rooms were very accommodating and the view spectacular. We want to thank our driver Gaspar and guide Baldon for being so incredible, they were very attentive, amazing to be around and extremely knowledgeable. Can’t wait to return!

Date of stay: July 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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GoPlaces39189580180 wrote a review Aug 2023

2 contributions

Incredible place

We could not be happier with our stay in the camp and park. Staff worked very hard and were super friendly. The rooms were beautiful, incredible view, great location, unreal baranda ,very spacious, comfortable and very clean, the only issue we’ve had was the shower, not really hot water and very little pressure, other than that everything was excellent. The vehicles were amazing, very open, comfortable seats, best vehicles for safari i’ve ever had. And for me and my wife the best thing about the experience, the drives and the guides. We have been very lucky with animal sittings, but there is no doubt that is thanks to our 2 guides. They had incredible knowledge, amazing attitudes, always happy, very funny and a very hard work mentality, great tracking of animals, eye sight and very attentive. 2 of the best guides i’ve ever had. Management of the camp was excellent as well. The conclude, the experience was incredible and impecable. It was our honey moon and the went above and beyond for us (traditional dance and singing from the staff). Highly recommend . …

Date of stay: July 2023

Value

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Trip type: Travelled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Emma D wrote a review Jul 2023

Bristol, United Kingdom7 contributions1 helpful vote

Amazing family safari

It's hard to know where to start when you talk about Ruha. It felt risky initially taking 4 children ( aged between 9 and 16) for their first safari experience somewhere a little off the beaten track. Two of our children are nervous flyers and when they saw the tiny propellor plane we were about to get onto they went a bit quiet. This changed quickly as the plane was full (all 12 of us ) so John had to sit in the copilot seat. Seeing their father at the front actually made them laugh and actually the nerves disappeared completely as we landed en route briefly in Selous and saw a lion next to the runaway (what?). Arriving in Ruha, we were met by our fantastic guide Val and driver Jaspar who were with us for the entire time. So much wildlife spotting even on the way to the camp. Honestly we could not have been more happy when we arrived. Chris, his eldest son Kiasly, wife Rosie and darling Freddie had literally thought of everything . We had three tents in a row which the children loved the independence of. We were here in July so the river was dry but that didn’t stop the wildlife coming down. Stylish bandas with beautiful verandahs, comfy beds, breakfast in the “bush”, delicious food, big skies, thick stars in the sky at night, animal noises as you are dropping off to sleep were all heavenly . The wildlife spotting was fantastic. Val and Jaspar encouraged the children, went all out to spot all sorts of things for us and gave us so much information as we drove around in the truck. One lunchtime back in the lodge there was much excitement when were just about to sit down to eat and Chris announced “ Kaisly is sitting on a leopard with a kill up a tree, do you want to head out? “ Which sent us all racing back to the trucks, food temporarily abandoned but so worth it. Chris and his family and all his staff are wonderful hosts. The children grew up here in the 4 days we stayed for sure, making conversation with strangers at supper as we dined by candlelight on the dried up river bed under the cast African sky and facing an elephant in the dark on their way to bed ( supervised - no one is allowed to wander around on their own after dark). The conversations were so enriching and so many made us “sit up and listen” to what life is like living, running a business and working in Tanzania. We delighted in hearing about Chris’s many adventures as well the experiences the other guests had had. We could not have felt more welcome and it was by the far the highlight (voted by all 6 of us) of our trip to Tanzania. As Ruha gets more recognition, and more tourists come, there will be change for sure. I hope above all hopes that it is managed and Ruha keeps the soul it clearly has. There is definitely something in the land here. I cried as we left and definitely left some of my heart behind but I did take a small pebble with me (sorry, not sorry) so will always have a bit of Ruha to hold in my hands. I can not recommend Mwagusi Camp enough. Do whatever you can to get there. …

Date of stay: July 2023

Value

Location

Service

Trip type: Travelled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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