Abundant wildlife and picturesque scenery
One of Africa‘s wildest parks, Nyerere National Park (previously known at Selous Game Reserve) is vast. Measuring a staggering almost 31,000 square kilometres, it has claimed the title of Africa’s largest stand-alone national park and is, in fact, one of the largest in the world.
The wildlife here is not only abundant and diverse, but the concentrations are high, and thanks to the park being relatively new (formed in 2019) and not as popular as other areas yet, the animals have been less expose to humans, making for a far wilder safari experience. Game drives here often reward you with unforgettable sightings of lions, cheetahs and leopards, as well as elephants, giraffes, buffalos, wildebeest, zebras and plenty more.
The mighty Rufiji River winds through the park, helping sustain huge numbers of elephants (half of all of Tanzania‘s) and stunning sickle horned sables, kudus and a variety of other antelopes. The picturesque river is also home to one of the largest hippo and crocodile populations in Africa. Elusive African wild dog are regularly seen here, a truly memorable sighting. Make sure you have your camera at the ready, and your binoculars on hand.
Nyerere National Park is the ideal destination for an off-the-beaten-track safari experience, giving you a genuine look at Africa at her wildest. In addition to game drives, there are also boat safaris and the opportunity to visit nearby Maasai villages to spend time with the people who call this breathtaking area home.
Highlights
Go on exhilarating bush walks, seeing nature close-up with an experienced guide
Head out on fascinating morning and afternoon game drives getting to know the park
Enjoy a leisurely river safari spotting wildlife on the banks and in the waters
Amie Larsen
Travel Designer
From its large concentrations of mammals and birds, this stunning park is a wildlife spotter's dream. And even better, it's fairly new, so you won't have to share it with the crowds you may find elsewhere in Tanzania.
Amie Larsen
Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in Nyerere National Park
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
Whatever you want from your Nyerere National Park tour, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Discover more of Tanzania
Arusha
Arguably the Safari Capital of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country.
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For safari experts, the isolated Katavi National Park comes highly recommended. With a combination of grassland plains, marshland, rugged hills, woodland, lakes and rivers, this multifaceted region of Tanzania is home to a dense and varied wildlife quotient - including predators.
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The mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, or ‘The Roof of Africa’, is the continent’s highest mountain. To reach this dormant volcano’s snow-capped peak, hikers have to embark on a challenging yet epic journey. As you ascend the mountain you will camp from point to point, enjoying staggering sights along the way.
Discover moreLake Manyara
Lake Manyara has an abundance of animal species ranging from baboons, blue monkeys and bushbuck in its evergreen forests, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra on its flood plains. Its acacia woodland is popular amongst its leopards and tree-climbing lions. One of the main draws to the park is its variation of birdlife.
Discover moreMahale Mountains
Sitting right by the longest freshwater lake in the world, Mahale Mountains is the best place to visit for spotting chimpanzees in Tanzania. The region also offers plenty of opportunities to spot birds and aquatic life of all kinds.
Discover moreMwiba Wildlife Reserve
Marking the southernmost point of the wildebeest’s migration loop, Mwiba Wildlife Reserve is where the herds spread out across the wider region to calve between January and March. There is only one permanent camp option so you’re guaranteed unbeatable privacy and exclusivity. There is also the possibility of setting off on night drives.
Discover moreNgorongoro Crater
A great introduction to Tanzania, this nature wonderland offers you incredible sightings of the famous big five as well as a whole host of excellent plains game.
Discover moreNorth Serengeti
The North Serengeti forms the border with the equally famous Maasai Mara of Kenya. This is the region where the herds are at their most concentrated during the migration, and it’s where you’ll see the infamous river crossings.
Discover moreRuaha National Park
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The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s most famous national parks. It is host to Africa’s Great Migration where huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope travel around before making their way into Kenya’s iconic Maasai Mara.
Discover moreSingita Grumeti
Singita Grumeti is Tanzania’s largest private reserve. The reserve is exclusive to Singita properties, which means privacy is a given. The region offers unrivalled game viewing experiences, and especially during the Great Wildebeest Migration between the months of June and July.
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Tarangire National Park is home to huge herds of elephants. There are also over 550 bird species including the Yellow-collared Lovebirds and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see the migratory wildebeest.
Discover moreZanzibar
White sand beaches and a laid back atmosphere are the perfect combination to any adventurous safari. Beachfront hotels, nestled in spice gardens and shrouded in palms are the backdrop to your island activities.
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
When to visit
June to November is the dry season and peak time for seeing excellent game. January to April is green and wonderful for birdlife but difficult terrain for game drives.
Best game viewing
July–October
Lush scenery
December–February
World-class birding
February
Plan your trip to Nyerere National Park
Whatever you want from your adventure in Nyerere National Park, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
All the coordination from the time we entered the country being toured until we left was handled in a seamless and professional manner. Every accommodation was first class, and all employed staff members in the overnight venues were truly professional. The only exception was the airline chosen for internal flights. Their performance was very uneven and disjointed.
We booked our travel to Tanzania and Kenya for our 25th wedding anniversary. Jacada travels This one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken. They were always with us throughout the trip without being overbearing and constantly in communication as we were traveling with younger kids. The places that jacads suggested Were top-notch and we felt like we were…
Jacada were amazing all the way from designing our trip to guiding us throughout the journey. Our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We had knowledgeable, passionate guides on safari and stayed in beautiful accommodations throughout.
Our Tanzania Safari was the second trip through Jacada. Jacada continued to live up to our expectations of personalized experience and attention to detail. Our travel designer (Jamey) and travel concierge (Betty) worked tirelessly to ensure that we had the travel experience we wanted. They took our feedback and made adjustments to the trip. During the trip, we had great…
Jacada was helpful and responsive every step of the process. Jamey Lowis designed our amazing trip to Tanzania. He spent time figuring out what my family was interested in and created the best itinerary. Our Serengeti safari was fabulous. We stayed at the Olakira migration camp, where everyone was wonderful. Our guide, Daniel, was top notch and went out of…
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