Nyerere National Park

Situated in the heart of southern Tanzania, the Nyerere National Park (previously known as Selous Game Reserve) is Africa’s largest protected area at some 48,000 sq kms - equivalent to the size of Switzerland.

In 2019, the Tanzanian government renamed the northern section of the Selous Game Reserve to Nyerere National Park in honour of Julius Nyerere, the founding father and first president of Tanzania. The change aimed to celebrate his legacy and promote conservation through national pride and tourism development.

This remote wilderness holds the largest elephant, buffalo, crocodile, and hippo populations on the continent, as well as great numbers of lion, giraffe, bushbuck, eland, greater kudu, leopard, and antelope. It is also one of the last strongholds of the African wild dog, the second most endangered carnivore on our planet.

Activities on a tailor-made Nyerere safari include game drives and exciting motorized launch excursions on the giant Rufiji River. The Nyerere National Park area is also ideal for walking safaris and fly camping.

The lifeblood of the national park is the mighty Rufiji River, which cuts through the reserve in a snake-like pattern, leaving large sandy outcrops that make perfect spots for a sundowner drink. The water draws in the wildlife, so most of the camps and lodges are situated on the banks of the Rufiji. Guests can see animal activity from the balcony of their tent, as well as venture out on a motorized boat to see hippos, crocodiles, and many species of birds.

The main benefits of a Nyerere safari are the relatively low visitor numbers, making it a far more exclusive experience than other areas of Tanzania, and game-viewing activities that other safari destinations can’t offer. As well as game drives in open-sided safari vehicles, there are also river or lake safaris, walking safaris with a ranger, and a really exciting overnight fly camping trip in star-gazer tents.