META DESCRIPTION: Discover the Selous Game Reserve, the largest game reserve in Africa. Explore diverse wildlife, stunning landscapes, the great Rufiji River, and more.
SELOUS GAME RESERVE: TANZANIA’S WILDERNESS ADVENTURE
Adventurous safari is what every safari-goer dreams of during a safari. A wildlife safari in Nyerere National Park is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This national park lies in the southern circuit, a less-visited part of Tanzania.
Name and origin
This Park is named after the first president of Tanzania, Julius Kambarage Nyerere. It was formerly called the Selous Game Reserve. Since its establishment in 1922, it was the largest game reserve in Africa. The name ‘Selous’ came from Fredrick Selous, a British explorer whose conservation efforts are notable in southeast Africa.
It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. This is due to its vast, unspoiled nature and wildlife. The Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) promoted Selous to Nyerere National Park.
Size and location
Nyerere National Park covers an area of about 54,600 square kilometers. It is the largest national park in Africa. It is famous for its diverse wildlife, water bodies, and landscapes. It is lies in southern Tanzania.
The best time to visit
Although Nyerere is good all year round, the best time to visit is in the dry season. June to October is usually the best period since it is dry. Nyerere never becomes crowded like the northern circuit destinations.
Getting to Nyerere National Park
The easiest to get to Nyerere is from Dar es Salaam. You can reach by car, rail, or plane. The distance from Dar es Salaam is 230 km and it takes 4 to 5 hours to arrive at Mtemere Gate.
Scheduled flights are available from Dar es Salaam. Matambwe Airstrip is just near Matambwe Gate. Direct flights to the national park are available at this airstrip.
There is an option to travel by train. The TAZARA railway passes near this national park—at Matambwe Gate. You will get to Fuga Railway Station.
Attractions found in Nyerere National Park
Wildlife
Thousands of wild animals call this park home. Large animals, including the Big Five animals like lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalos. The black rhinos are not available in Nyerere. Therefore, you may encounter just four animals that create the Big Five.
There are also other large animals like zebras, wildebeests, hippos, warthogs, and giraffes. You may encounter predators like hyenas, cheetahs, crocodiles, and African wild dogs. Common antelopes in Selous include impalas, brindled gnu, reedbucks, elands, greater kudus, waterbucks, and hartebeests.
The good thing about wildlife viewing in Nyerere National Park is that you will see wildlife quietly. You are also away from the crowd, so the untouched wilderness is before you unfold it. Day game drives expose what is visible in the daylight. Night game drives explore the stunning wild animals only active in the night or simply the nocturnal animals.
Birdlife
There are over 440 species of birds in the Selous. Lush and riverine forests are habitats for such beautiful creatures. Migratory bird species do come to settle there between November and April. If you are interested in bird watching, we advise you to visit the Selous between November and April.
The bird checklist in Nyerere includes broad-billed roller, white-headed vulture, white-fronted bee-eater, palm-nut vulture, African spoonbill, Bohm’s bee-eater, white-backed night heron, and Spur-winged lapwing.
The list continues to include Pel’s fishing owl, white-fronted plover, African skimmer, yellow-billed stork, pearl-spotted owlet, black-winged stilt, brown-necked parrot, white-headed lapwing, African wattled lapwing, and many others.
Vegetation
Nyerere has amazing vegetation. Its forests remain unexplored. Visitors can get a unique touch of wilderness here.
The vegetation is evergreen. Even when a large part of the park turns green, the riverine forests remain green. This gives Nyerere characteristic beauty and that is why photographers call it a paradise.
Amazing photos and wallpapers are shot in this park. Open grasslands, miombo woodlands, rocky outcrops, baobab trees, and kopjes dominate other parts of the park.
Another best way to explore Nyerere’s stunning vegetation is through a hot-air balloon safari. This safari experience is unmatched. You will enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the park. The experience is usually organized in the morning.
As it starts, you may be worried due to several bumps. As the flight goes on, you enjoy the landscape of Africa’s largest national park.
Rufiji River
In the heart of this large national park flows the largest river in Tanzania, the Rufiji River. The Rufiji divides Nyerere into two parts: the Northern and Southern parts. Photographers prefer the northern part due to its picturesque setting.
The southern part has been known for trophy hunting. It has recently turned into a captivating wildlife destination after the upgrade of the Selous to Nyerere National Park.
The Rufiji River and its tributaries, channels, and swamps provide water for many wild animals, especially in the dry season. This makes wildlife viewing much easier. You can just watch animals as they congregate close to these water sources.
The Rufiji is navigable on a canoe or boat. Canoeing and boat safaris along this river are a must-do thing for every safari-goer.
At Bob Geor, it is our pride to help you explore the natural beauty of Tanzania and Africa as a whole. Come and join us on our adventurous safari through other national parks in Tanzania.
