What Should You Know About Nyerere National Park? Known as the “Wild Heart of Africa,” Nyerere National Park was formerly known as Selous Game Reserve. Nyerere National Park was granted national park status in November 2019 and is located within the vast Selous Game Reserve, which is reserved for photographic safaris. The late Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, has a park named in his honour. Nyerere was a strong supporter of conservation and wildlife protection in Tanzania. One of the most beautiful and animal-rich areas of the Selous Game Reserve is Nyerere National Park, which is located in the Rufiji River valley in southeast Tanzania.

At about 30,893 square kilometres, Nyerere National Park is the largest national park in Africa. It is arguably one of the most pristine wildernesses in Africa today, with a variety of wildlife habitats, including open grasslands, Miombo woodlands, marshes, and riverine forests in the numerous tributaries of the powerful Rufiji River that flows through the National Park to the Indian Ocean. Nyerere National Park is in southeast Tanzania; Mikumi National Park borders it to the northwest, and Udzungwa Mountains National Park borders it to the west.
There are some of the most abundant mammals and reptiles in Africa, including buffalo, elephants, hippos, and crocodiles, among other amazing species. The remaining parts of Selous Game Reserve and Nyerere National Park are believed to be the last strongholds for African wild dogs. Riverine woods are home to a variety of wildlife, including spotted hyenas, cheetahs, baboons, vervet and blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, eland, greater kudu, and sable antelopes. 440 distinct bird species, both migratory and resident, have been observed in the national park.
Why Is It Special?
A vast and expanding population of wildlife coexists with forests and woodlands that encircle lakes, sandbanks, and lagoons in this unusual wilderness safari setting. Established in 1896, Selous is the oldest protected area in Tanzania; it is presently known as Nyerere National Park. The reserve bears the name of Captain Fredrick Courtney Selous, a British conservationist, hunter, and explorer who was killed in Beho-Beho during World War I.
Most visitors to the park pay their respects at the Selous burial site in Beho-Beho. Situated in the southern part of Tanzania, the reserve is the most populous game reserve on the continent. It is approximately 50,000 km2 in total. Because of its exceptional natural richness and unspoiled state, Selous Game Reserve was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982, and it continues to hold this esteemed designation to this day. Nyerere National Park is home to 2000 distinct plant species, over 350 different species of birds and reptiles, and a wide range of wildlife.
Wildlife.
More elephants than any other place on the continent can be found in the Selous Game Reserve. The estimated 30,000–50,000 decline in numbers is known to have been brought on by the “Ivory Wars” of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The herds suffered greatly as a result of these wars, which ultimately led to a reduction in herd size. The Nyerere-Selous ecosystem is well known for supporting a variety of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, hippopotamuses, wildebeest, buffalo, sable antelope, eland, greater kudu, waterbuck, hartebeest, zebras, giraffes, reedbuck, warthogs, and hunting dogs. It also boasts the largest populations of buffalo in Africa.
Life Around The River Rufiji.
Because of the hot volcanic springs, intermittent lakes, and channels from nearby rivers like the Great Ruaha and Rufiji rivers, which are also a part of the Nyerere National Park, the topography of the Selous Game Reserve is so diverse. It is the River Rufiji that draws large herds of Tanzanian elephants to the reserve. Africa’s, if not the world’s, most famous and superb big game hunting area is the Selous-Nyerere ecosystem. The area is split up into 47 blocks, out of which 42 are allocated for trophy hunting and 5 are located in the North Sector Matambwe and are meant for photographic tourism. There is a system of lagoons and channels in the northern region that come from the Rufiji River.

Tourist activities/ Things to do in the Nyerere national park.
The most picturesque wildlife safari destination is the breathtakingly beautiful Nyerere National Park. The reserve’s natural beauty is embedded in the calibre of experiences provided by:
Trophy and sport hunting, Boating safari, Game Drive, Fishing, Canoeing, Game watching, Commercial photography, filming, and cinematography.
Perfect Time To Visit.
There is no doubt that the best time to visit Nyerere National Park is during the dry season, which runs from June to March. This is actually a very rewarding time for game drives, as large mammals gather around the five lakes. Selous averages thirty thousand visitors a year. Travellers can have a unique safari experience from it because of its great distance. Other than Nyerere National Park, there are “arguably” no other locations on Earth where one can see lions, buffalo, and elephants in greater abundance throughout the year.
Are you trying to find a personalized travel itinerary for your honeymoon, solar trip, or family vacation? The best place to visit is Nyerere National Park, and we can help you arrange and plan your safari tour so that you can have an amazing safari experience.
