Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve): Nyerere National Park is the northeastern part of the huge Selous Game Reserve set aside for photographic safaris, which was upgraded to the national park status in November 2019. The park was named after the first president of Tanzania, Mr Julius Nyerere (late), in recognition for championing conservation and protection of wildlife in the country. Nyerere National Park, is one of the most beautiful and game-rich areas in the ecosystem of Selous Game Reserve, spanning the Rufiji River basin in southeastern Tanzania.
With an area of about 30,893 sq km, Nyerere National Park is the largest national park in Africa. It is perhaps one of the most pristine wildernesses still remaining in Africa, with a wide variety of wildlife habitats, including open grasslands, Miombo woodlands, swamps, and riverine forests in the many tributaries of the mighty Rufiji River, which flows through the National Park to the Indian Ocean.
Its wildlife is spectacular, with some of the largest populations of mammals and reptiles in Africa, including buffaloes, elephants, hippos, and crocodiles, which can be seen here. Nyerere National Park, together with the remaining part of Selous Game Reserve, is considered to be the last stronghold of the African wild dog. Other common wildlife include the wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, eland, the greater kudu, sable antelopes, black rhino, waterbuck, impala, lion, leopard, the spotted hyena, cheetah, baboon, vervet and blue monkey, and the black and white colobus monkey, which can be viewed in riverine forests. About 440 species of birds, both resident and migratory, have been observed in the national park.
The park offers a wide variety of game viewing opportunities, including the thrilling experience of a walking safari in the company of an armed ranger. The many waterways in the park provide an excellent natural setting for boat safaris, both for big game viewing and bird watching. This is in addition to the game drives in specially designed safari vehicles, which, combined with boat and walking safaris, offer an exciting and rich game viewing itinerary unique to Nyerere National Park. The best time to visit is from June to October. During the long rains between March and May, some parts of the park are temporarily closed for game drives due to poor accessibility.
The vast majority of Tanzania’s elephant herds live in one remote stretch of safari wilderness—the Selous Game Reserve. A feature of this safari is the opportunity to participate in classic-style game drives as well as boat and walking safaris. Transportation from Dar es Salaam to Selous Game Reserve and back is by airplane. Thus, there is less travel time than on some of the other safaris.
Overview
Mikumi National Park: Mikumi National Park (3,230 sq m) is about three to four hours drive from Dar es Salaam, lying astride the highway to Zambia, en route to Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains National Parks in southern Tanzania. The park is dominated by flood plains and grasslands and rich in wildlife including buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, hippos, baboons, impala, lions, leopard, warthog, eland, and the rare wild dogs. More than 400 bird species have been recorded, including a host of European migrants during the rainy season.
Ruaha National Park: Ruaha National Park takes its name from the Ruaha River, which flows along its southeastern border. The river provides permanent water in the park, and during the dry season there is a large concentration of wildlife along its banks. Covering an area of 20,226 square kilometres, Ruaha is the largest National Park in Tanzania. The park is rich in flora and fauna with a great variety of wildlife including the rare the Kudu (both Greater and Lesser Kudu), Roan & Sable Antelopes and some endangered species like wild dogs. Ruaha is famous for its large herds of elephants said to have the highest concentration in East Africa. Other animals in the park include buffaloes, lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes, zebras, elands, impala, bat eared foxes, Jackals, and the hippos and crocodiles which inhabit the river. The park is rich in bird life with more than 571species including migrants from within Africa, Europe, Asia, Australian rim and Madagascar.
Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game reserve): Nyerere National Park is the northeastern part of the huge Selous Game Reserve set aside for photographic safaris, which was upgraded to the national park status in November 2019. The park was named after the first president of Tanzania, Mr Julius Nyerere (late), in recognition for championing conservation and protection of wildlife in the country. Nyerere National Park, is one of the most beautiful and game-rich areas in the ecosystem of Selous Game Reserve, spanning the Rufiji River basin in southeastern Tanzania.
With an area of about 30,893sqkm, Nyerere National Park is the largest national park in Africa. It is perhaps one of the most pristine wildernesses still remaining in Africa, with a wide variety of wildlife habitats, including open grasslands, Miombo woodlands, swamps and riverine forests in the many tributaries of the mighty Rufiji River which flows through the National Park to the Indian Ocean.
Its wildlife is spectacular, with some of the largest population of mammals and reptiles in Africa, including buffaloes, elephants, hippos and crocodiles which can be seen here. Nyerere National Park, together with the remaining part of Selous Game Reserve, is considered to be the last stronghold of the African wild dog. Other common wildlife include the wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, eland, the greater kudu, sable antelopes, black rhino, waterbuck, impala, lion, leopard, the spotted hyena, cheetah, baboon, vervet and blue monkey, and the black and white colobus monkey which can be viewed in riverine forests. About 440 species of birds both resident and migratory have been observed in the national park.
The park offers a wide variety of game viewing opportunities including the thrilling experience of a walking safari in the company of an armed ranger. The many waterways in the park provide an excellent natural setting for boat safaris, both for big game viewing and bird watching. This is in addition to the game drives in specially designed safari vehicles which, combined with boat and walking safaris, offer an exciting and rich game viewing itinerary unique to Nyerere National Park. The best time to visit is from June to October. During the long rains, between March and May, some parts of the park are temporarily closed for game drives due to poor accessibility.
- Safari in the Southern Parks of Tanzania
