Nyerere (Selous) Safari Tours & Holidays

4.5/5 – 80 Nyerere Safari Reviews

One of the largest protected spaces in Africa, Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) is a fabulous, beautiful world of big cats, big elephants and big herds of wildlife. The landscape here is also something special, with a beguiling mix of the mighty Rufiji River, palm-fringed lakes, deep gorges and wild woodlands. The Selous, as most locals still call it, has a refreshingly wild feel about it, and it’s nicely removed from the crowds that you often get in the parks of Tanzania’s Northern safari circuit. In fact, this is one of few places in East Africa where you can enjoy the region’s famous safari trails in relative peace, and where each wildlife encounter still feels like a real discovery.

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5 Questions About Nyerere (Selous) National Park Tours

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has extensive experience in writing about Tanzania, and he has always had a soft spot for Selous, now known as Nyerere National Park. The final chapter of his book, The Last Lions of Africa, was centered on the Selous, its lions and the communities along the Rufiji riverbank.

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How does a safari in Nyerere National Park compare to a Serengeti safari?

“The ideal scenario is a holiday in which you visit both Nyerere National Park and the Serengeti. That way you could compare these two magnificent parks for yourself. At the highest level, both parks have incredible wildlife and you’ll get to see the animals against a backdrop of beautiful landscapes. Looking a little closer, Nyerere has much more water and subtropical vegetation, as well as denser woodlands. These landscape differences are also reflected in the subtle differences in the wildlife you can see here. Although there are many species that are common to both, such as big cats, elephants, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles and hippos, Nyerere has fewer plains or savannah species and is a crossover zone where you can see bird species from both East and southern Africa.”

What can I expect from a Nyerere National Park safari?

“The simple answer is that you can expect to see lots of wildlife against a backdrop of stunning landscapes when you’re on a safari in Nyerere National Park. More specifically, the most exciting part of your holiday will be the early morning and late afternoon wildlife experiences. Usually this means a before-dawn wake-up call, a hot drink, then a game drive looking for birds and animals. Unless you’re moving on to a different location for the next night, you’ll return to camp mid- to late morning for breakfast and/or lunch. This is often a time to relax, before afternoon tea and another game drive immediately afterwards. While out on the trail, just before sunset, you’ll most likely stop somewhere scenic for a sundowner where you can enjoy the drink of your choice at a simply gorgeous time of day. In Nyerere National Park, there’s one fine variation on this classic safari experience: instead of one or more of the game drives, you might go on a boat tour or safari out on the Rufiji River, from where you’ll get a whole new perspective on the park.”

How much do safari packages to Nyerere National Park cost?

“Prices vary widely when it comes to Nyerere National Park safari packages, starting from $150 per person per day for the cheapest safari, up to more than $1,000 per person per day for the height of luxury. At the cheaper end of the price range, you’ll most likely be sleeping in simple rooms or bungalows, possibly with shared bathrooms, or in camp tents. If you’re on a camping safari, you might be expected to contribute to group chores, such as setting up camp and cooking. For midrange safaris, you can expect rooms, meals and vehicles of a higher standard. If your accommodation is in safari tents, you’ll have en suite bathrooms and a few other furnishings, with space to walk around in. At the luxury end of the scale, accommodation is superb and spacious, with high levels of personal service, excellent meals and less-crowded safari vehicles.”

What animals can I expect to see on a safari in Nyerere National Park?

“Nyerere National Park has the advantage of having incredible scenery and wildlife habitat on both land and the Rufiji River. On a boat safari out on the river, you’ll almost certainly see hippos, crocs, and abundant birdlife, and you never know which land mammals might come down to drink by the river’s edge. On game drives, you’re almost guaranteed to see both lions and elephants: the Selous (as Nyerere National Park is still called by many locals) has some of Tanzania’s largest populations of both species. Other big cats are always a possibility, as are African wild dogs, and the park has large populations of zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest and so many other species. More than 440 bird species have been recorded in the park, making this a top-notch destination for birders.”

How many days is recommended for a trip to Nyerere National Park?

“Spend as much time as you can in Nyerere National Park. I would recommend a minimum of 3 days for a safari to Nyerere National Park. That will give you time to go on a number of game drives, take a Rufiji River boat safari, enjoy more than one river sunset, and get a good overall experience of what the park has to offer. With just 2 days, you could achieve much of the same, but it will be a bit of a rush, and you’ll most likely leave wanting more. Each extra day you have here will bring rewards, allowing you to see more of the park and return to some of your favorite corners of the park. Additional days also mean you can factor in relaxation time to enjoy your accommodation and downtime without feeling as though you’re missing out if you don’t go out and explore.”

Nyerere Safari Reviews

4.5/5 80 Reviews

Expert

Sue Watt –

Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.

True Wilderness – and wild dogs

5/5

If you’re after a true wilderness sensation that goes beyond the confines of a Land Cruiser, then come to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve). A vast chunk of Nyerere, most of the land south of the Rufiji River, is sadly...

Full Review

Expert

Gemma Pitcher –

Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

My top tip for Tanzania

5/5

Nyerere National Park (Selous) is my favourite game area in Tanzania, and possibly the whole of Africa. The landscape, with its emerald-green swamplands, dead trees submerged in water and shaggy-topped palms, is ravishingly beautiful. You...

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Carry –

Reviewed: Sep 4, 2022

5/5

We did not spot the big 5, but Al lot of great animals. When one of the guides spotted lions, it suddenly gets very crowded. The rest of the day you will hardly see any other drivers. We had a beautiful boat safari and two fantastic full...

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Krzysztof Poręba –

Reviewed: Feb 23, 2020

4/5

The Selous Park is beautiful. And so many of our dibrtch memories from Tanzania. Afebxha was waiting for us by changing the number of employees in the contract. It was only after our intervention that she confessed to guilty and we...

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Lyn Arnold –

Reviewed: Aug 7, 2019

Fantastic Reserve: Full of Animals, Not Full of People

5/5

Selous Game Reserve is a real jewel, full of wildlife and birds and intriguing flora with the added bonus of very few visitors. I stayed at Asilia Africa's Roho Ya Selous and it could not have been better. As a solo traveler, I look for...

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Marianne Nabaloum –

Reviewed: Nov 27, 2018

5/5

We booked a three day safari at Selous Game Reerve with Hippocamp adventure rufiji river and we spent one of the best moments in our life. Everything was perfect: the agency, the camp, the wildlife, food, transportation, and specially the...

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Nyerere (Selous) Safari Tours & Holidays

12-Day Luxury Tanzania Family Safari & Beach

3-Day Safari in Nyerere National Park (Selous)

3-Day Nyerere(Selous) Beautiful Safari Extension

5-Day Combined Selous Reserve - Mikumi National Park

4-Day Mikumi and Nyerere National Park

3-Day Experience the Beauty of Camping in Nyerere NP

3-Day Nyerere National Parks Safari

5-Day Wonderful Safari Zanzibar to Nyerere NP by Flight

3-Day 2 Nights Selous Adventure Experience

8-Day The Wild of Selous, Mikumi and Ruaha

8-Day Selous Safari & Zanzibar

4-Day Safari to Nyerere National Park

4-Day Nyerere National Park

3-Day Selous (Nyerere) NP - Walking Tour, Boat Safari

6-Day Southern Circuit- Nature, Culture and Traditions

4-Day Selous Game Reserve & Mikumi National Park Tour

4-Day Nyerere NP and Mikumi Walking, Boat Tour + Maasai-

6-Day Tanzania Southern Safari

3-Day Fly-in from Zanzibar or Dar to Selous Game Reserve

3-Day Nyerere National Park Thrilling Game Drive

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5 Questions About Nyerere (Selous) National Park Tours

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About Nyerere (Selous) National Park Tours

How does a safari in Nyerere National Park compare to a Serengeti safari?

What can I expect from a Nyerere National Park safari?

How much do safari packages to Nyerere National Park cost?

What animals can I expect to see on a safari in Nyerere National Park?

How many days is recommended for a trip to Nyerere National Park?

Nyerere Safari Reviews

True Wilderness – and wild dogs

My top tip for Tanzania

Fantastic Reserve: Full of Animals, Not Full of People