​Overview – Niassa SR

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Mozambique.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Bradt guidebook to Mozambique.

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Mozambique.

Niassa Special Reserve is the largest conservation area in Mozambique and Africa’s third-largest wildlife sanctuary. It borders Nyerere (Selous) National Park in Tanzania without fences, so animals move freely around this vast combined area. It’s one of the most impressive ecosystems in Africa, yet totally lacking any tourist facilities.

Best Time To Go July to October (Animals are easier to find)
High Season Never (Little-visited reserve)
Size 42,000km² / 16,216mi²
Altitude 146-1,269m / 479-4,163ft

Pros & Cons

  • Pristine, unspoiled wilderness
  • Off the beaten track
  • Reasonable wildlife viewing and superb birding
  • No formal accommodation at present
  • Remote and difficult to get to
  • Animals are skittish and the wildlife density is quite low

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Wildlife

Although wildlife isn’t that easy to spot in Niassa, there is plenty. Four of the Big Five are present (rhinos are locally extinct). There is a healthy elephant population, but buffalo is less common. Predator sightings are hit-and-miss, but you might hear spotted hyenas whooping at night. Common primates include yellow baboon, vervet and blue monkey. The Lugenda River is home to lots of hippos and crocodiles.

Scenery

Miombo forest covers half of the reserve, making this one of the largest tracts of miombo in the world. The remainder is mostly open savannah, with some wetlands and isolated patches of forest. The scenery is dominated by the Lugenda River and immense granite domes rising up from the surrounding plains.

Activities

At present Niassa can only be visited on a tailor-made expedition. You’ll probably stay at the Lugenda River. From there you might do game drives, walking safaris and canoeing trips.

Weather & Climate

Niassa’s climate is hot and tropical. Temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year, but they peak in October and November, just before the rains. The Wet season, from November to April, is very humid and thunderstorms are common in the late afternoon. The coolest months, from June to August, offer comfortable travel conditions.

Best Time To Visit

As is usually the case, the best time for wildlife viewing is from the middle to the end of the Dry season (July to October), when animals gather around drinking water and the bush is thinner. October, the end of the Dry season, sees a rise in temperature and humidity, which can be too extreme for comfort. The reserve might close from December to April.

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Niassa SR Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
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  • User Rating
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  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Ariadne van Zandbergen  –  
South Africa ZA

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.

Striking Scenery in a Vast Isolated Reserve
3/5

I’ll never forget arriving by small aircraft in Niassa National Reserve. The dramatic landscape took my breath away. Massive granite domes rise up hundreds of meters above the canopy with the sluggish Luganda River meandering through....

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