Southern Tanzania
Nyerere National Park (Selous)
Africa as it was
Overview
Carved from the legendary Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere is one of the largest protected wilderness areas on Earth — a place of wild rivers, ancient woodland and almost no other vehicles.
The Rufiji River is the park's beating heart: hippos in their hundreds, monster crocodiles, and elephants swimming between palm-lined islands. Boat safaris here offer a perspective on wildlife that no vehicle can match.
This is the safari for travellers who value wilderness over checklists — walking safaris, fly-camping and boat drives in a landscape that dwarfs every other park in Tanzania.
The landscape
A vast mosaic of miombo woodland, borassus palm groves, oxbow lakes and the braided channels of the Rufiji River.
Quick facts
- Size
- 30,893 km²
- Getting there
- 45-min flight from Dar es Salaam
- Famous for
- Boat safaris & wild dog
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage area
Wildlife
Who lives here
- One of Africa's most important wild dog populations
- Huge hippo and crocodile numbers on the Rufiji
- Elephant, lion, buffalo and greater kudu
- Superb dry-season birding along the river
Seasons
When to come
Dry seasonJune – October
Game concentrates on the river; boat safaris at their best.
ShoulderJanuary – February
Hot, green and beautiful, with very few visitors.
Experiences
Boat safaris · Walking safaris · Game drives · Fly-camping · Fishing (catch & release)
In Pictures
Scenes from Nyerere
Journeys Here
Safaris that visit Nyerere National Park
Good to Know
Questions, answered
Fewer visitors, bigger wilderness, and water-based safari. You trade the migration spectacle for boat drives, walking safaris and the feeling of having Africa to yourself.
Southern
Pairs well on the southern circuit
Nyerere National Park is one of 5 destinations on the southern circuit. Most itineraries combine two or three.
