It is now the largest National Park in Africa, Nyerere National Park formerly Matambwe, is a newly established Park that is bordering on what is known as the great Selous Game Reserve. The park's name is given in honor of the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the nation's founder. The park was established in the year 2019.
Why visit Nyerere National Park;
- A wildlife paradise;
Nyerere national park is characterized by its woodlands and the meandering great Rufiji River forming a number of streams and channels. No open savannahs here as the area is dominated by Miombo woodland but you will love traveling across the narrow, marshy, and bumpy tracks that lead you to pods of hippos, a hundred flowering trees, and concentrations of crocodiles, elephants, antelopes, wild dogs, and lions.
Nyerere national park hosts over 400 species of multi-colored birds and mammals and insects as you move through tall dense bushes, palms, and furtive paths.
- The mighty Rufiji River;
This is the longest and largest river in Tanzania. Formed by the union of the Kilombero and the Luwegu rivers, it flows for about 175 mi northeast and east to enter the Indian Ocean opposite Mafia island. River Rufiji is famous for hosting a large population of hippos and large crocodiles in Africa.
Best Time to Visit Nyerere National Park;
The best time to visit Nyerere National Park is June to October which also ranks as the high season. Wildlife is much easier to watch during the dry season when the animals gather at water points as well as the presence of thinner vegetation.
Also, from June to October most of Tanzania’s visitors are aiming for the Northern safari circuit and this makes the Southern circuit to be less crowded. Visiting Nyerere national park at this time will give you the best African experience ever.
Things to Do at Nyerere National Parks;
- Walking Safari;
Walking Safari will give you a close feel for the African wilderness areas. It normally starts early in the morning, with the guidance of a professional and armed ranger. The activity will take 2 hours before you meet the driver at the reserve gate. Walking safari offers a good chance of experiencing African wild animals such as giraffes, zebra, and elephants and good birding even close.
- Game Drive;
Nyerere national park is famous for hosting large groups of mammals and birds. Mammal species commonly seen in the area are lions, wild dogs, buffaloes, bush-bucks, impalas, elands, baboons, zebras, and greater kudus. This makes it the best spot for the game drive.
- Boat Safari;
This is one of the best activities to explore Nyerere National park in a unique way. It is performed on the Almighty Rufiji River which connects to the Indian Ocean. The boat safari will bring you close to the hippos and crocodiles which are in good numbers in Nyerere. Also, over 350 bird species have been recorded in the area and this will give you a good bird-watching experience.
- Cultural Tour;
The cultural tour is performed in the village where your camp will be located. The tour will start from the camp, into the village. The guide will show you the mud huts and request one of the villagers to permit you to view the hut from inside.
Weather and Climate at Nyerere National Park;
The climate of Nyerere NP (formerly Selous GR) can be described as warm to hot and humid. Being so close to the equator, temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the year. The period of October through March consists of warmer months, while June to August is cooler. The Wet season occurs from November to May. It rarely rains all day long.
- Dry season–June to October;
June, July, August, September & October – Most days are full of sunshine and have a clear sky. Afternoon temperatures are usually around 28°C/82°F. Night temperatures drop to about 19°C/66°F.
- Wet season–November to May;
In the Wet season, high temperatures are common, along with great humidity. Afternoons are usually around 29°C/84°F and nights drop to 22°C/72°F.
November & December – November is the beginning of the Wet season, although the very start is hard to predict. Rainfall tends to be occasional and short (mostly in the afternoon) and probably won't hinder your safari.
January & February – It is further along in the rainy season, and there will be several days with short intervals of rain, usually in the afternoons. Daytime temperatures range close to 30°C/86°F, while night and early mornings average 22°C/72°F.
March, April & May – March and April are the rainiest months. Most days are wet, although it hardly ever rains for the entire day. The average maximum temp is usually 28°C/82°F and the minimum 21°C/69°F.
Getting to Nyerere National Park;
Most safaris to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous GR) are fly-in packages from Dar es Salaam. Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) just outside Dar es Salaam is the main international airport and entry to the country. We will pick you up and handle all further arrangements.
Nyerere NP is often visited as a safari extension to a beach holiday on Zanzibar Island, or one of the beaches around Dar es Salaam. To accommodate this, there are daily scheduled flights from either departure point to Nyerere and Ruaha. Flights from Arusha town, the base for the northern safari circuit, are also available.
Another option is to drive to Nyerere NP from Dar es Salaam on a road safari, but the trip is bumpy and uncomfortable and will take a full day. Time permitting, there is the option of a stopover at Mikumi National Park to break up the trip.
Where to Stay at Nyerere National Park;
As one plan for a safari to Selous, one of the first things that they will think about is the accommodation that they will use while on the safari. There are a lot of accommodation facilities that you can use and these can range between the tented lodges and the camps. Some of these are found inside the National park whereas others are outside the National Park.
Each accommodation facility has its own pricing which changes due to different factors but the main one being the seasons. During the peak season (June to October), most accommodation facilities hike their prices due to the high number of tourists that are found in the Park, and during the wet season (November to April), some close down due to floods while others reduce the prices.
