Nyerere (Selous) National Park

Pros & Cons

• Top wildlife viewing in the Dry season
• Guided walks and boat safaris available
• Lion are easily found at the lake shores
• Excellent mid-range and luxury lodges and no large-scale accommodations
• Hunting concessions make some animals skittish
• The wildlife-viewing circuit is relatively small
• Animals are scattered during the Wet season
• Most lodges are closed from March to May

Wildlife

The Rufiji River is teeming with hippo and crocodile, and the birdlife is fantastic. Lion sightings are very common as the opportunistic creatures tend to laze around the lakes waiting for animals coming to drink. One of the attractions of the park is the chance to encounter wild dog.

• More about Nyerere NP's wildlife

Scenery

The main wildlife-viewing circuit follows a string of five connected lakes fed by the Rufiji River. The Rufiji is one of Africa's great rivers, with palm fringed channels and swampy islets.

Weather & Climate

Nyerere NP experiences uniform temperatures throughout the year because of its equatorial location. The main variation is a slight dip in the heart of the Dry season (June to October), when the environment is slightly cooler. Either side of this, the weather is hot and humid in keeping with the local Wet season (November to May).

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time to Visit

The Dry season (June to October) is when you should travel to Nyerere, even though you'll be joining the crowds attracted by this period's clear blue skies. It's at this time animals converge on rivers and waterholes, and the dry bush is sparse enough for views of wildlife to be unobscured. If you do visit in the wetter months, be aware that numerous lodges close their doors from March to May.

• More about the best time to visit

Want to Visit Nyerere NP?

• Nyerere safaris and tours
• Tour operators for Nyerere