Nyerere National Park

Tanzania’s Nyerere National Park, formerly known as the Selous Game Reserve, is one of the country’s most exciting safari sites. The reserve is located in southern Tanzania, along the southern Tanzania safari circuit. Selous offers the finest getaway from the massive tourist throngs of the northern safari circuit, such as the Serengeti, while yet delivering outstanding animal experiences. Established in 1982, the reserve has a total surface area of 50,000 km2 (19,000 square miles), making it Africa’s largest game reserve. Nyerere National Park is four times larger than the Serengeti National Park and two and a half times the size of South Africa’s Kruger National Park. The reserve is about 219 kilometres from the bustling city of Dar es Salaam and could take up to four hours to visit.

Nyerere National Park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 because of its diverse species and clean environment. Selous has the biggest numbers of elephants, black rhinoceros, lions, cheetahs, hippos, and crocodiles. Nyerere is also home to a variety of animals, including Nyasaland gnus, sable antelopes, elands, larger kudus, waterbucks, hartebeests, zebras, reedbucks, warthogs, spotted hyenas, leopards, and buffaloes, among others. Selous also holds 12% of Africa’s endangered wild dogs.

The reserve also has a wide variety of habitats, including Miombo woods, open grasslands, riverine forests, and wetlands, making it a valuable laboratory for ongoing ecological and biological processes. Furthermore, these ecosystems serve as a natural cradle for the park’s 440 known bird species, making the reserve a popular stop on Tanzania birding excursions.

The prime game-viewing spots in Nyerere National Park are located along the huge Rufiji River and are specifically designated for picture tourism. The largest area of the reserve is designated for trophy hunting. The Rufiji River, with its interconnecting lakes and doum palm groves, characterises the Tanzania game-viewing safari experience in Nyerere. The river provides both boat and vehicle-based game drives. Nyerere’s abundance of wildlife and breathtaking riverine beauty never ceases to amaze. Another noteworthy fact is that the Nyerere is less visited than the majority of Tanzania’s northern parks.

Getting to Nyerere National Park.

There are several methods to go to the wild Nyerere National Park; however, the most convenient option is to fly from Dar es Salaam, which takes approximately 45 minutes by small plane. You can also fly from Ruaha National Park, which takes approximately 90 minutes. Driving to Nyerere National Park is also an option; it is a 4-hour drive from Dar es Salaam and may take longer, but the scenery along the way is stunning. You will be able to travel into the similarly lovely Mikumi National Park, providing you two adventures for the price of one.

If you want to see more of the countryside, there is a third option: travel to Nyerere National Park by train. The TAZARA railway line, which connects Dar es Salaam and Zambia, may carry you to Nyerere. The trip takes about 4 to 5 hours and offers excellent views while on the train. However, there are often delays with trains.

Attractions of Nyerere National Park

Wildlife

This national reserve is home to a diverse range of wildlife creatures, including around 150,000 buffalos, 4,000 lions, 100,000 wildebeests, big herds of over 35,000 zebras, 40,000 hippos, and 25,000 impalas, among others. The reserve also supports vast herds of Lichtenstein’s hartebeests, waterbucks, elands, and bushbucks, as well as leopards, crocodiles, and hyenas. Furthermore, this is one of the few wildlife sanctuaries on the African continent with a big population of puku antelopes, African wild dogs, and sable antelopes.

Previously, the Nyerere was home to a significant number of elephants, but poaching has greatly reduced their numbers, which may be witnessed on game drives on Nyerere Safari Holidays.

Bird Life

Nyerere National Park, which has over 440 bird species on its checklist, is an ideal destination for a Tanzania birding trip. The lakes and River Rufiji channels are the reserve’s most magnificent bird habitats, providing the best bird-watching opportunities. There are also a considerable number of migratory birds from November to April. On a bird-watching safari in Selous, you can see the Spur-winged lapwing, African wattled lapwing, White-fronted bee-eater, Pel’s fishing owl Rare, African spoonbill, Common White-headed vulture, Pearl-spotted owlet, and White-headed Lapwing.

Other species present in the lakes include pink-backed pelicans, African skimmers, and giant kingfishers. Carmine and white-fronted bee-eater colonies thrive on the sandbanks, while fish eagles, palm nut vultures, ibises, and palm swifts nest in the Borassus palms. Between the riparian trees, you can glimpse trumpeter hornbills and purple-crested turacos. The Malagasy squacco heron, a common winter visitor, is well worth watching for, as is the secretive Pel’s fishing owl, which frequently appears at nightfall to hawk above the water.

Selous Grave

The Selous burial is another popular feature in Nyerere National Park. The reserve is named after Frederick Courteney Selous, a British adventurer and conservationist who was slain in the Selous during World War I and buried in the Selous Game Reserve. Selous was Cecil John Rhodes’ right-hand man in his quest to add modern-day Zimbabwe to the British Empire; he also achieved some celebrity in 1899 for speaking out against England’s war on the South African Boer Republics.

When the First World War broke out, Selous, then 60, was named Captain of the 25th Royal Fusiliers and received the DSO in 1916. Selous, with his intimate knowledge of the jungle, spearheaded the chase of the German guerilla army that governed southern Tanzania.

On January 4, 1917, Selous was killed in the bush fight against German colonial Schutztruppen on the Rufigi riverbanks. He died instantaneously after being shot by a German sniper while attempting to crawl forward in action during a brief engagement. Selous was buried close where he died, in Beho, on the reserve’s northern edge. A small bronze plaque reads: “CAPTAIN F.C. SELOUS D.S.O., 25TH ROYAL FUSILIERS, KILLED IN ACTION 4.1.17” in a plain, flat stone tomb.

The Rufigi River

The Rufigi River is Tanzania’s largest river and a must-see during a Tanzania safari to the reserve. The river in the reserve’s heart creates a network of tributaries, lakes, and marshes, resulting in one of East Africa’s most remarkable ecological systems. River Rufigi separates the reserve into two sections: The northern Selous takes up just around 5% of the entire area of the reserve. This region is reserved exclusively for photographic safaris. The southern section, south of the Rufiji, is separated into various ‘hunting areas,’ each of which covers about 1,000 square km.

The Rufiji River attracts vast herds of Tanzanian elephants, as well as other animals. The most popular Tanzania tours include boat trips along the Rufiji River. The Kilombero and Luwegu rivers met and formed the river. It is approximately 600 kilometres (370 miles) long, with its headwaters in southwestern Tanzania and its mouth in the Indian Ocean in Mafia Channel between Mafia Island. The Great Ruaha River is the ocean’s major tributary. It is navigable for around 100 kilometres.

However, the River is more than just a magnet for animals; it has also played an important role in the fortunes of humanity over the years. The navigable Rufiji Delta contains the world’s largest mangrove trees, which enabled the German super battleship, the ‘Konigsberg,’ to remain hidden while wreaking havoc on British ships in the Indian Ocean during WWI. The Germans were eventually beaten, thanks to the intervention of a great hunter named Pretorius. Pretorius was an expert hunter, and he utilised his knowledge of the Rufiji Delta to track down the ship before calling in British soldiers to destroy it.

Activities at Nyerere National Park

A safari in Tanzania’s Nyerere is a truly authentic and uncommercialized experience. The safari activities available to travellers during their vacation in Tanzania are listed below. All activities are completed after paying the park entrance fee of $76.70 for adults (18 and older) and $53.10 for children (5 to 17 years old). The most popular activities are game drives, birding, boat safaris, and fishing trips. Visitors can also take a Tanzania cultural tour to Mloka Village during their Tanzania vacations to Selous. Most campgrounds and resorts in the reserve provide these safari activities.

Game Drives

The Nyerere game drives are the highlight of Tanzania wildlife trips to Nyerere National Park. These safaris are permitted in open 4WD safari vehicles, with self-drive options also available. The Rufiji River, which flows through the centre and generates five lakes, is a popular game drive destination. Nyerere National Park offers a variety of game drives, including morning, afternoon/evening, night, and full-day options. Full-day game drives often begin after breakfast and continue about 8 to 9 hours. Game drives are the classic Tanzania adventure safaris, allowing you to observe a diverse range of wildlife from the comfort of a 4WD safari vehicle. The Nyerere National Park provides superb wildlife viewing possibilities, with big populations of giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and elephants, as well as the world’s largest population of endangered African wild dogs. Driving through the enormous wildness of the Selous with dedicated, skilled safari guides, you’ll discover the exceptional abundance of species and the splendour of the African bush.

The dry season, which runs from June to October, is the greatest time to see the game in Nyerere National Park. The wild animals are easier to spot during this season since the vegetation is less dense and the animals have congregated around well-known water sources. The roads are often inaccessible immediately after severe rains have stopped, and the most of the campgrounds are closed from November to April. The greatest time to watch the rare wild dogs is during their denning season, which runs from June to August.

Birdwatching Tours

Travellers who enjoy bird watching will be pleased with the Nyerere National Park’s bird list, which includes over 400 species. These guided trips will allow you to witness a variety of species, including kingfishers, pelicans, African skimmers, bee-eaters, fish eagles, carmine, ibises, plovers, palm nut vultures, turacos, storks, hornbills, and lapwings, to name a few.

Cultural Encounters

Cultural tours in Nyerere National Park take place in Mloka, a local community. Mloka hamlet is merely a short drive downstream from Selous River Camp. A Tanzania culture tour is a very personal experience that focusses on meeting locals, learning about their everyday life, and visiting areas like the primary school, market, and police station.

The tour can be as long or as short as you wish, and it can take place at any time of day (though it is best in the cooler morning and late afternoon). You can drive or walk around the village. Local painters, tailors, and shopkeepers are always glad to see visitors, and the youngsters are always eager to greet them. Selous River Camp organises cultural village tours for a cost of $20 per person.

Boat Tours

Nyerere National Park is home to several bodies of water, including the Rufigi River and lakes such as Lake Tagalala, Siwandu, Mzizimia, Manze, and Nzelekela. A boat tour in the reserve is an exciting activity that will take you on a thrilling experience while also showing you around the reserve’s numerous water sources. Selous Game Reserve offers boat tours in two sessions: short boat safaris from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and full-day boat safaris from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Accommodation at Nyerere National Park

Nyerere National Park, one of Tanzania’s most popular and exciting tourist sites, is home to some of the world’s finest and most fashionable camps, which provide housing for visitors to the reserve. The reserve’s housing options are organised into three categories: luxury, midrange, and economy safari camps and lodges.

Luxury safari lodges in Nyerere National Park include Beho Beho, Siwandu Camp, Mivumo River Luxury Camp, Selous Serena Camp, Roho ya Selous, The Retreat Tented Lodge, and Selous Mbuyu Safari Camp.

Rufiji River Camp, Selous Impala Camp, Selous River Camp, Selous Ngalawa Camp, African Safari Camp, Selous Wilderness Camp, Selous Mbega Camp, Selous Kulinda Camp, Jimbiza Lodge, and Sand Rivers Selous Lodge are some of the mid-range and budget options.