· Golden Memories Safaris
Nyerere National Park is the northern part of the former Selous Game Reserve, and it is organised around the Rufiji River. It is a different kind of safari from the northern circuit: you spend time on the water as well as in a vehicle, you can walk with an armed guide and you share the park with far fewer visitors. This guide explains what to expect, when to go, how to reach it and how to combine it with the rest of the southern circuit.
What is Nyerere National Park?
Many travellers still know it as the Selous. The area was reorganised, and the northern section that is open to visitors was given national park status as Nyerere National Park. It is one of the largest protected areas in Africa. Its landscape is a mix of woodland, open grassland, lakes and channels, and the Rufiji River runs through it. Because it lies in the south, away from the busiest circuit, it is a good choice for repeat visitors and for anyone who wants a quieter experience.
The park is run by TANAPA. You can find its official information on the TANAPA website. For a short summary on our website, see the Nyerere destination page.
Water is the centre of life in Nyerere.
What you can do in Nyerere
Boat safaris on the Rufiji
The signature activity is a boat safari on the Rufiji River or its lakes, usually lasting a couple of hours. From the water you see hippos, crocodiles, elephants coming to drink and a great variety of birds, including kingfishers and herons. A boat gives you a different angle from a vehicle, and it allows you to get close to the river life without disturbing it. Boat safaris are generally reliable in the dry season, when the water level is lower and the animals concentrate by the river.
Game drives
Game drives are usually in open-sided vehicles, which give you a very different feeling from the closed northern roof-top vehicles. You can expect elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebra and antelopes, and good chances of lion and other predators. The park is known for its wild dogs, which are among the most endangered large predators in Africa. Nyerere is one of the best places in Tanzania to look for them.
Walking safaris
Walking safaris with an armed ranger are possible from selected camps. A walk of two to three hours focuses on tracks, plants, insects and the smaller details of the bush, and it is one of the best reasons to choose the south. Walks follow strict rules and must be done with a qualified ranger.
Fly-camping
Some camps offer fly-camping, where you walk during the day and sleep under canvas in a simple camp in the bush. It is adventurous and not for everyone, and it needs to be booked in advance and usually costs extra.
Lions in trees are a feature of the southern parks.
Wildlife you can expect
- Predators: lion, leopard, hyena and wild dog.
- River life: hippo, crocodile, elephant and buffalo.
- Woodland and lakes: giraffe, eland, sable, kudu, wildebeest, zebra, impala, baboons and monkeys.
- Birds: several hundred species, and the park is rewarding for birdwatchers, especially in the green months.
When to visit Nyerere
June to October
Conditions: Dry season. Wildlife concentrates along the river and lakes, and the roads are in good condition. Good for: Boat safaris, game drives and walking safaris. The most reliable overall period.
November to December
Conditions: Short rains begin. Green and less crowded. Good for: Birdwatching and quiet game drives.
January to February
Conditions: Warm with some rain. Wildlife is more scattered. Good for: Birds. Camp location matters more than in the dry season.
March to May
Conditions: Long rains. Some camps close and roads can be hard. Good for: Lowest prices, for travellers who do not mind the rain.
Dates for camp opening vary, so check them when you plan. For a month-by-month view of the whole country, see our best time to visit Tanzania guide.
Best time to visit Tanzania, month by month
How to get to Nyerere
The easiest way is a short scheduled flight from Dar es Salaam, or from Zanzibar, to an airstrip in the park, where your camp collects you. You can also drive from Dar es Salaam, which takes longer and is less comfortable. Because it is in the south, Nyerere is not on the way to the northern circuit parks. For this reason it is often combined with the beach: a few days in Nyerere, then a flight on to Zanzibar. Our guide to fly-in safaris explains how flights work, including baggage limits.
If you are based in Zanzibar and want a short taste of the south, our Mikumi packages are easier, because Mikumi is a shorter trip: see the 2 day fly-in Zanzibar to Mikumi safari and the Mikumi day trip from Zanzibar. The Mikumi National Park page has details.
Most visitors fly in to an airstrip in the park.
- 2 Day Fly In, Fly Out Zanzibar to Mikumi National Park Safari
- 1 Day Fly In & Fly Out Mikumi National Park Safari from Zanzibar
Combining Nyerere with Ruaha and the rest of the south
The two big southern parks suit one trip. Ruaha is dry and rocky with baobabs and a strong reputation for lions and other predators, and Nyerere is green and watery. A typical southern itinerary is an eight-day trip that flies between them, with the Rufiji at the start and the Great Ruaha River at the end. Read about Ruaha National Park and the comparison of northern and southern safaris, which also explains how long the trips take and what they cost.
If this is your first safari, we usually recommend the northern circuit first, because the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater are hard to beat, and the south for a second trip. Our Tanzania safari guide explains how the pieces fit together.
Northern vs southern Tanzania safari
What does a Nyerere safari cost?
Southern safaris tend to cost more than comparable northern trips, mainly because most are fly-in and the camps are small and remote. Park fees are published by TANAPA and change each year. We do not list a fixed Nyerere package on our website, but we can plan a southern itinerary and quote it for your dates and your style of camp. In the meantime, see how prices work in our Tanzania safari cost guide.
Is Nyerere right for you?
Choose Nyerere if you want to see wildlife from a boat as well as a vehicle, if you would like to walk with a ranger, or if you have already been to the northern parks and want a quieter safari. Choose the north first if this is your first safari or if your time is short, because the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater are easier to reach and give a wider variety in a few days. Many travellers do both, in two different years or in one longer trip.
Practical tips
- Bring a good hat and insect repellent. The river areas have insects, and tsetse flies can be present in some woodland.
- Take the health advice seriously. The park is in a malaria area. Read our guide to vaccines, malaria and health.
- Travel light. Flights to the park have baggage limits, usually in soft bags.
- Insurance. Make sure you hold suitable travel insurance. See mandatory travel insurance.
Boat safari, game drive or walk: which is right for you?
Boat safari
The easiest and most relaxing way to see the river. You sit while the boat moves slowly past hippos, crocodiles, elephants and birds. Good for families and for anyone who wants a gentle morning.
Game drive
An open-sided vehicle takes you through woodland and around the lakes. You cover more ground and have more chance of seeing predators, and you can stay longer at a sighting.
Guided walk
A walk of two to three hours with an armed ranger focuses on tracks, plants, insects and birds. It needs a reasonable level of fitness and the discipline to follow the ranger. Walks are not suitable for very young children.
Fly-camping
Walking by day and sleeping in a simple camp in the bush at night. It is adventurous and not for everyone, and it needs to be arranged in advance.
Nyerere compared with Ruaha and the northern parks
Nyerere and Ruaha
Nyerere is green and watery, with boats and walking as the main draws. Ruaha is dry and rocky, with baobab-dotted hills and a strong reputation for lions and other predators. Many travellers combine them on a southern itinerary. See Ruaha National Park.
Nyerere and the northern circuit
The northern parks, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, are easier to reach, give more variety in a few days and have the Great Migration. The south is quieter and wilder, and it is a good choice for a second trip. Our Serengeti or Ngorongoro guide helps you plan the north.
Nyerere and Mikumi
Mikumi is closer to Dar es Salaam and easy to reach from Zanzibar for a short trip. Nyerere needs more time but gives a stronger sense of wilderness.
A sample southern itinerary
Our destination page notes that Nyerere pairs naturally with Ruaha on an eight-day southern itinerary. A typical shape is two or three nights at a camp on the Rufiji, with a boat safari, a walk and game drives, then a flight to Ruaha for three or four nights of game drives, and a final night or two on the coast or in Zanzibar. We plan each southern trip individually, so tell us your dates and your style of camp and we will send a route and a price.
Common questions about Nyerere National Park
Is Nyerere the same as the Selous?
Nyerere National Park is the northern part of what used to be the Selous Game Reserve, and many people still use the old name.
What is the best time to visit Nyerere?
June to October is the most reliable period for boat safaris, game drives and walking. November to February is greener and good for birds.
How many days do I need?
Three nights is a good minimum, which allows a boat safari, a walk and a few game drives. Combine it with Ruaha for a longer southern trip.
Is it good for a first safari?
It is good, but we usually suggest the northern circuit first for the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, and the south for a second trip.
Can I combine Nyerere with Zanzibar?
Yes. It is a common combination, with a flight from the park to Zanzibar for beach days. See the 10 day Tanzania and Zanzibar itinerary.
Plan your southern safari with a local team
Tell us when you would like to travel and what you want to see, and we will suggest a plan for the south.
- 2 Day Fly In, Fly Out Zanzibar to Mikumi National Park Safari
- 7 Day Ndutu & Zanzibar Honeymoon Safari 2026–2027
Keep planning your Tanzania trip
These guides cover the next questions most travellers ask.
Northern vs southern Tanzania safari
Best time to visit Tanzania, month by month
Tanzania travel insurance checklist
Tanzania and Zanzibar 10 day itinerary
More guides and pages for this trip
Sources and further reading
Fees, schedules and rules change, so check the official sources below before you book or travel.