Nyerere National Park (Selous)

About Nyerere National Park (Selous)

Nyerere National Park is the photographic-safari portion of the old Selous ecosystem, gazetted in 2019 and managed by TANAPA. It takes in the Rufiji River corridor and the lakes north of it — Tagalala, Manze, Nzerakera and Siwandu — where most of the lodges of the former Selous northern sector stand, so operators still commonly describe it as "the Selous".

The river gives Nyerere a character unlike the northern parks. Boat trips drift past sandbanks packed with crocodiles and pods of hippo, with skimmers, fish eagles and carmine bee-eaters along the banks; guided walks and overnight fly camps are part of the standard programme. Game drives run through miombo woodland, palm-fringed lakeshores and open floodplain, with lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and good chances of African wild dog.

At 30,893 km² the park is enormous and lightly visited outside the lake sector. The dry season from June to October concentrates animals on the water; the long rains from March to May close many camps.

Highlights

• Lake Tagalala and Manze boat safaris
• Crocodiles and hippos on Rufiji sandbanks
• Overnight fly camping
• African wild dog sightings
• Former Selous northern photographic sector
• Camps close in the March–May rains