Nyerere National Park
Nyerere National Park, previously the northern section of Selous Game Reserve, pronounced as Seluu, is the largest national park in Tanzania. It encompasses a total area of 30,893 km², rendering it one of the greatest animal sanctuaries and national parks. It encompasses a significant portion of Liwale District, the southwestern area of Pwani Region, the northeastern section of Ruvuma Region, and a substantial part of southeastern Morogoro Region. The national park in Tanzania surpasses the area of 70 countries globally and is considered to be twice the size of Costa Rica, a Central American nation, as well as twice the size of Belgium, a European country.
The park is situated in southeastern Tanzania, flanked by Mikumi National Park to the northwest and Udzungwa Mountains National Park to the west. The park offers a diverse array of game activities, including the exhilarating walking safari experience in Tanzania, which requires accompaniment by an armed ranger.
The park possesses a functioning hydroelectric power system. The Rufiji River, the largest river in Tanzania, is inhabited by numerous crocodiles and hippopotamuses. At its Delta, there exists one of the largest mangrove forests globally. The park was inaugurated in 2019, located near Morogoro city, and is administered by the Tanzania National Parks Authority.
The park is teeming with magnificent wildlife that roams freely, attracting travelers seeking unparalleled safari adventures. The park hosts a variety of wildlife species, and on fortunate occasions, due to its expansive size, one may observe Africa’s Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffaloes. The estimated population of buffaloes in the park ranges from 120,000 to 150,000, exceeding 40,000 hippos and approximately 4,000 lions, representing the greatest such populations on the continent. Other fauna present in Nyerere comprises antelopes, hyenas, African wolves, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, impalas, gazelles, warthogs, and a substantial population of crocodiles in the Rufiji River. The park is renowned for its remarkable population of African Wild Dogs. It is estimated that over 40,000 hippos inhabit the park, along with an even greater population of elephants traversing its terrain. The park has over 450 avian species and is a premier location for birdwatchers, including the world’s largest bird, the ostrich. This is an exceptional realm where Africa’s unspoiled nature has been safeguarded for posterity.
Nyerere National Park is so expansive that tourists in its distant regions are occasionally so sparse that one can traverse the park for nearly an entire day without encountering any other vehicles. Alternative safari tours are available in the park, including walking safaris and river boat safaris. The pathways in the remote areas of this largest park in East Africa remain uncharted.
Notable information regarding Nyerere (Selous)
The park is named after Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the inaugural president of Tanzania. The park, together with the Selous Game Reserve, was amalgamated and rebranded as Nyerere National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This status is attributed to the preservation of nature in its pristine condition and the region’s significant biodiversity, which includes substantial populations of elephants, buffaloes, lions, hippos, and various animal species, including rare antelopes such as Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, roan antelope, and sable antelope. Nyerere Park serves as the final sanctuary for a substantial population of African wild dogs. A visit to the park allows one to experience the authentic essence of safari through wilderness hikes and overnight accommodations in tented camps situated beneath the open African sky, enveloped by nature.
The History of Nyerere National Park
The inception of the park dates back to 1896 when the German ruler, or governor of Tanganyika, designated the Selous Game Reserve as a protected area. In around 1922, the reserve was renamed in honor of Frederick Selous, a prominent poacher who ultimately became a leading conservationist. In 2019, the Tanzanian government resolved to advance and augment tourism in Selous by incorporating the northern section of the reserve to establish a new national park, designated as Nyerere National Park, in tribute to Tanzania’s inaugural president.
How to get to Nyerere National park
This remarkable national park in Tanzania is accessible by road from either Dar es Salaam or Arusha. The driving distance to the National Park ranges from around 184 km to 230 km, contingent upon the selected entry gate. The road conditions are subpar in the final 75 kilometers to the park, characterized by uneven gravel, and the travel duration is around 6 hours to most park entry gates, such as Mtemere and Matembwe.
The majority of tourists visiting Nyerere National Park, previously known as Selous Game Reserve, choose for fly-in packages from Dar es Salaam. Julius Nyerere International Airport, situated near Dar es Salaam, serves as the primary international airport and entrance point for the country.
Flights from Zanzibar to numerous airstrips within Nyerere National Park take less than an hour. Multiple domestic airlines operate on this route, including Regional Air, Coastal Aviation, Safari Air Link, and Auric Air. These airlines are highly dependable and demonstrably safe.
Following the reservation of your flights, it is crucial for travelers to ascertain the airstrip at which they will arrive in Nyerere National Park. The park contains multiple airstrips to prevent lengthy and burdensome transfers, which are also expensive.
The frequently utilized airstrips inside Nyerere National Park comprise Mtemere, Matambwe, Sumbazi, Kiba, Beho Beho, and Siwandu.
