The Nyerere National Park, previously known as Selous Game Reserve, is Africa’s largest stand alone national park, spanning over 30,000 square kilometers in southern Tanzania. The park attracts far less visitors than its northern counterparts. This – accompanied by its pristine and untouched landscapes – has earned Nyerere a reputation as one of Africa’s last remaining wildernesses.
Relatively undisturbed by humans, the park’s diverse vegetation includes patches of savannah, riverine forest, and swamp that impose on the predominant miombo woodland. In turn, this diverse habitat accommodates a wide range of fauna and flora. Off-roading is permitted, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with the areas residents.
A popular pastime at Nyerere is extended treks through the bush with overnight options at fly-camps available along the way. Visitors will wake in the morning to decipher the animal tracks near their tents and speculate about who wandered nearby during the night.
Other more permanent accommodation options are available throughout the park, offering game drives and water safaris along the Rufiji River. Nyerere National Park is the perfect add-on to a Zanzibar trip with flights departing from the island and Dar es Salaam and landing in the park.
THE "Selous" Safari
There is no question that, as a safari destination, Nyerere National Park is brimming with untapped potential, but this is not to say that its pleasures are entirely unknown. Wildlife connoisseurs and Selous enthusiasts have long revelled in the opportunity to visit this forgotten corner of Africa, losing themselves to the sheer vastness of the wilderness. The scenic Rufiji River is always a highlight, but the hills, plains, dry riverbeds, marshes, forests and even the park’s hot spring ensure that every day is filled with variety and excitement.
Unsurprisingly, such a vast area of diverse habitats would support an impressive array of fauna and flora. The park is home to the Big 5 (though sightings of its black rhinos are rare), protecting significant populations of elephant, buffalo and lion, as well as many leopards. Cheetah, spotted hyena, giraffe, zebra, eland, Coke’s hartebeest, waterbuck, and wildebeest are all present in healthy numbers in the park, and hippo and crocodiles are abundant in the permanent waterways. However, the region is most renowned for its substantial African wild dog (painted wolf) population, which may be one of the largest on the continent. Other rarities include large herds of sable antelope, puku and the delicate and shy suni.
Over 440 bird species have been recorded in the park, including a profusion of bee-eaters, a kaleidoscope of kingfishers, and a chatter of hornbills. Specials like the Udzungwa forest partridge, rufous-winged sunbird, Pel’s fishing owl and African skimmer are bound to enthral expert birders, and the plethora of great white pelicans, storks and herons occupying the lakes and rivers add delightful splashes of colour to an already picturesque scene.
Navigating Nyerere National Park
In a place as vast and untamed as Nyerere, any visit should make the most of the opportunity to explore in every possible way. Indeed, game drives are an essential aspect of the experience. Yet one day spent in a vehicle could be followed by a morning’s boat safari and breakfast on a sandbar – surrounded by hippos and without another human being in sight.
The terrain unequivocally lends itself to exploration on foot, in the company of an expert guide to expose and translate the natural marvels of the park. And for those looking for absolute immersion in nature, some lodges offer fly camping, with tents set up in the middle of the wilderness, with just a thin layer of canvas between their occupants and the creatures of the Nyerere night.
Other attractions include the hot springs and the grave of Frederick Courteney Selous, the British explorer, officer, hunter and conservationist for whom the Selous Game Reserve was named. He was killed by a German sniper during World War I near the Beho Beho River.
Explore Nyerere National Park. This haven for wildlife is one of the most magnificent natural spectacles you can experience.
Explore and Stay in Nyerere National Park
No matter the changes wrought over the next few years, it is doubtful that Nyerere will see the same number of tourists that flock to the north of the country every year. Instead, the park will likely retain the old Selous feeling of authentic, low-density, high-quality safaris centred around appreciating the surrounding wilderness.
And while the scenery may be rugged, there is no shortage of luxury and ultra-luxury accommodation options – meaning that adventurous days end in the comfort of traditional East African hospitality. From rustic and simple to lamplit luxury, there are choices to suit most budgets.
The dry season from June until October offers the best wildlife viewing, as the vegetation is less dense, and animals are drawn to the banks of the Rufiji River. Much of the park becomes inaccessible at the height of the rainy season from around March to May. Tanzania’s second dry season, from mid-December until March, is also a good time for visiting birders looking to catch the incoming migrant species (and take advantage of low season rates).
Explore Nyerere National Park. This haven for wildlife is one of the most magnificent natural spectacles you can experience.