Nyerere National Park (Selous)

One of Africa's largest protected areas — boat safaris on the Rufiji River, wild dogs and hippo pods, with the TAZARA railway running through this southern-circuit safari destination.

Nyerere National Park, in southeastern Tanzania, was carved out of the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve World Heritage Site in 2019. Covering about 30,000 km², it is one of Africa's largest national parks and is named after Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere. Visitor activity is concentrated in the photographic safari zone north of the Rufiji River, where the river splits into channels and sandbanks and feeds a chain of lakes including Manze, Tagalala and Siwandu. These attract huge numbers of hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffalo and giraffes, and the area is one of the most important strongholds of the endangered African wild dog. Compared with the Serengeti on the northern circuit, it sees few visitors and offers more varied activities: besides game drives, you can take boat safaris, go on walking safaris with an armed guide, and some camps offer fly camping. The best season is the June–October dry season, when animals gather near water and thinner vegetation makes them easier to spot; the short rains of November–December are also fine for a visit; during the long rains of March–May roads turn to mud and most camps close. There are three main ways in: a light aircraft from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar takes about 45–60 minutes to the camp airstrips and saves the most time; self-drive or a hired car via Kibiti takes about 5–7 hours to Mtemere Gate on the eastern side; or take the TAZARA train, which crosses the northern part of the reserve — you may spot animals from the window — with a camp transfer from the station. Allow 3–4 nights. Practicalities: park conservation fees are charged per day, and most camps are priced all-inclusive; take antimalarials and guard against mosquitoes; tsetse flies are present in some areas, so wear light-colored long sleeves; a large hydropower dam has been built at Stiegler's Gorge on the upper Rufiji, altering the river's hydrology.

Top sights

• Rufiji River Boat Safari – Take a small boat on Tanzania's largest river for close-up views of hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants coming to drink and flocks of waterb…
• Lake Manze – One of the most animal-rich lakes in the northern game area, where elephants, giraffes, lions and African wild dogs are often seen near the…
• Lake Tagalala – The largest lake in the northern safari zone, famous for its crocodile and hippo numbers. Dead trees around the shore are crowded with stor…
• Lake Siwandu – A lake beside the Rufiji River, next to Mtemere Gate, with several classic camps on its shores. Visitors can combine game drives with boat…
• Lake Nzerakera – A quiet lake on the south bank of the Rufiji River, where crocodiles, hippos, and wading birds gather. It is a place to avoid traffic and q…
• Lake Mzizima – A small lake near Mtemere Gate, where elephants and giraffes often gather under large trees and across the grassland. It makes a good first…
• Maji Moto Hot Springs – A natural hot-spring stream in the hills south of Lake Tagalala, where visitors can soak their feet and splash about with a guide. It is a…
• Beho Beho Hills & Selous' Grave – Hilly terrain in the western part of the game area, where Frederick Selous, the British explorer for whom the reserve is named, is buried…
• Stiegler's Gorge (Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station) – A narrow gorge where the Rufiji River cuts through the mountains. It now holds the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam, the largest in East Afric…

Itineraries

• Nyerere National Park Safari & Zanzibar – Fly from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park for a river safari, then head to Zanzibar's Stone Town and East Coast.