Tungamalenga Lodge & Campsite
Budget lodge + campsite · Tungamalenga village, on the park access road · Local owner-run
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Website offline Budget
Outside the gate
Locally owned
The village option: simple ensuite rooms and a campsite in Tungamalenga, the last settlement before the park. Pair it with a hired game-drive vehicle for the cheapest realistic Ruaha safari.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cheapest bed-with-meals option in the access-road corridor
- Ten ensuite rooms plus a campsite for all budgets
- Cultural village experiences on site
- Overlander-friendly, with space to park and camp
- Locally owned, so your money stays in Tungamalenga village
Cons
- Both the lodge's websites are down or broken
- Opening hours are unconfirmed; the newest proof dates from 2025
- We found no published child policy; ask what applies when you enquire
- Outside the park, on the access road, so you still commute in
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Ruaha National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entry$30 plus 18% VAT, charged per 24 hours.
- $35.4per person, per day
- Vehicle$40 plus VAT for a foreign-registered vehicle up to 2,000 kg; most safari 4x4s sit above that and pay $150 plus VAT. A Tanzanian-registered one is about $9.
- $47.2per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $354 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The full fee schedule for Ruaha National ParkRates at Tungamalenga Lodge & Campsite
From ~$65/night. Rooms with meals to ~$150; camping much cheaper.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative rates gathered from operators and agents, July 2026. Rates change by season and year. Always confirm with the lodge. Park fees (conservation + concession, roughly $75 pp/day combined for in-park camps) are usually excluded.
Questions about Tungamalenga Lodge & Campsite
Is Tungamalenga Lodge still open?
Probably, but this is not fully confirmed. Both its web addresses, the original site and ruahatungacamp.com, fail to load, the second with a broken certificate. Its Instagram account posted as recently as May 2025 and the phone number is still listed as active, so call or message ahead to confirm current opening hours.
How much does Tungamalenga Lodge cost?
Rooms start from about $65 a night and rise to roughly $150 with meals included; camping is much cheaper again. With the lodge's websites currently down, confirm the exact current price and what it includes by phone before you travel.
Is Tungamalenga Lodge good for families?
We found no published child policy, and with both of the lodge's websites currently unreachable, there was no current page to check one on. It has ten ensuite rooms and a campsite, which gives a family a choice of comfort level once you confirm availability by phone.
Is Tungamalenga Lodge good for overlanders?
Yes, that is one of its selling points: a campsite alongside ensuite rooms, on the park access road in Tungamalenga village, with cultural village experiences on offer. It positions itself as the cheapest bed-with-meals option in the corridor.
How do you book Tungamalenga Lodge?
Both of its websites are currently down, so book by phone on +255 712 407 751 or through its Instagram account, @ruahatungacamp, which was still posting as recently as May 2025. Confirm your booking is received, given the lodge has no working website at present.