Asilia Africa has announced the launch of Usangu Expedition Camp in the Usangu wetlands of Ruaha National Park in June 2022. The four-tent camp is touted to be the first tourism operation in the area and will offer visitors the chance to be part of a hands-on conservation experience. Working in tandem with local conservation efforts to discourage poaching, uplift local communities and assist in collecting scientific data, the camp will play a vital role in protecting the wetland area.
The Usangu wetlands are an area of critical conservation importance. The wetlands are the source of the Great Ruaha River, the lifeblood of south-eastern Tanzania. The river provides water to Ruaha National Park and then joins the Kilombero River to create the Rufiji Delta, which is at the heart of Nyerere National Park (formerly the Selous Game Reserve). The water is essential to the wilderness and wildlife besides being the source for the communities along its course. Despite its importance, the area was an unprotected hunting reserve for nearly a century until it was incorporated into Ruaha National Park in 2006.
