Nyerere National Park at a glance
Nyerere National Park covers 30,893 km² in southern Tanzania. It was created in 2019 from the northern part of the former Selous Game Reserve, and it is the largest national park in Tanzania. The landscape is miombo woodland, floodplains, open plains and the side channels and lakes of the Rufiji. Water is what sets the park apart. You can take a boat safari as well as a game drive, and rangers lead walking safaris.
This guide covers the park itself: safari, boat safari and walking safari, tours from Dar es Salaam and from Zanzibar, park fees, wild dogs and other animals, the Rufiji and its lakes, the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station at Stiegler's Gorge, weather, camps, getting there and history. Many flight schedules and offers still use the name Selous, so you will see both names when you book.
Our picks: Nyerere National Park tours
A fly-in day trip from Zanzibar, a three-day overland safari with boat and walk, and a week through southern Tanzania.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
7-day southern Tanzania safari in a private 4x4
- All park fees
- Private pop-up roof 4x4
- Six nights, safari meals
Mikumi, the Udzungwa Mountains and Nyerere National Park in one trip, with game drives and guided walks. Flights are extra.
Check availability →
3-day game drive, boat and walking safari from Dar es Salaam
- Park fees included
- Boat, game drive and walk
- Two nights full board
Overland from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous): a Rufiji boat ride on day 1, a game drive on day 2 and a walking safari of about two and a half hours on day 3.
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Fly-in day safari from Zanzibar
- Return flights from Zanzibar
- Park and landing fees
- Bush lunch
A shared 4x4 safari in Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous) with a guide. The two-day option adds a lodge night, a Rufiji boat ride and a walking safari.
Check availability →Nyerere safaris and tours
Game drives, boat safaris and fly-in trips from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, with live prices and availability.
Tanzania safari: where Nyerere fits
The south, not the northern circuit.
Most people picture a Tanzania safari around Arusha, with the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Nyerere lies on the other side of the country. You reach it by a short flight from Dar es Salaam or by a long drive, and the park is far larger than most of the northern ones. The northern parks have their own guides, for example the Serengeti.
A boat safari on the Rufiji is the activity that most sets Nyerere apart. You pass hippos and crocodiles from the water and see waterbirds along the banks, and the same trip can be combined with a game drive and a walk with a ranger. Nothing here is guaranteed, and sightings depend on the day. Elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, giraffes and many antelope species live in the park, along with African wild dogs.
If you start in Zanzibar, a safari here is a long day or a short stay away. The beaches, Stone Town and the ferry are covered by our Zanzibar guide; the flight to the park is explained on safari from Zanzibar.
Plan your visit
Pick the page that matches your next question.
Safari and game drives
What a safari in Nyerere involves, what the price covers and the rules in the park.
Tours from Dar es Salaam
Fly-in trips and road routes, with times and what to ask before you book.
Safari from Zanzibar
The flight via Dar es Salaam, times and an example fare.
Boat safaris on the Rufiji
Where boats run, what you can see and the safety rules.
Park fees and payment
Conservation fees, vehicle fees and how to pay.
African wild dogs
Packs, research and what is known about the animals here.
Animals in the park
Elephants, lions, hippos and the other species that live here.
The Rufiji and its lakes
Channels, lakes and where the delta really is.
Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station
The dam at Stiegler's Gorge, its output and the questions around it.
Walking safari
Rangers, permits, rules and the age limits.
Weather and best time
Dry season, rains and what changes for camps and tracks.
Camps and lodges
Where accommodation sits along the river and the lakes.
Getting to Nyerere
Flights, roads and the railway from Dar es Salaam.
History of the park
The 2019 split from the Selous and the man the park is named after.
A few things to know before you go
Six points that shape how you plan.
Nyerere and the Selous
Nyerere became a national park in 2019 when the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve was separated. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is still called Selous Game Reserve, and many offers use that name. For the Selous itself and its history, see the Selous guide.
Fees on this site
Park fees shown here follow the 2023/24 tariff. Check the current amount before you book, and ask whether a safari price already includes park fees and 18 percent VAT. The park fees page has the full list.
The delta is on the coast
The Rufiji delta is a coastal landscape of mangroves near Mafia Island. It is not part of the park. Inside Nyerere you find the river, its side channels and the lakes. Read about the Rufiji.
The dam is in operation
The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station at Stiegler's Gorge has nine units of 235 MW each, which makes 2,115 MW installed capacity. All nine turbines have been active since April 2025. More on the dam.
Wild dog numbers
Camera traps identified 222 individual wild dogs between 2020 and 2022 in survey areas of Selous and Nyerere. That is not a count of the whole park. Wild dog page.
Travel insurance
Since October 2026 the mandatory Tanzanian travel insurance also applies to entry on the mainland. It currently costs $44 for up to 92 days. Holders of Tanzanian residence permits are exempt. If you visit both the mainland and Zanzibar, one policy is enough.
More independent guides to Tanzania
Separate guides from the same team.
Ngorongoro
The crater, fees, crater tours and the highlands.
Serengeti
Safaris, the Great Migration, park fees and the best season.
Kilimanjaro
Climbing routes, day hikes, park fees and trips from Moshi.
Tarangire
Elephants, baobabs, day trips from Arusha and park fees.
Lake Manyara
Tree-climbing lions, flamingos, Mto wa Mbu and park fees.
Arusha
Arusha National Park, Mount Meru, the city and its airports.
Lake Natron
Flamingos, Ol Doinyo Lengai and the Engare Sero waterfall.
Ruaha
Lions, walking safaris and the southern circuit.
Selous
The Selous name, Frederick Selous, the World Heritage Site and Selous safaris.
Mikumi
Safaris from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, the SGR train and the Udzungwa Mountains.
Stone Town
Walking tours, Prison Island, spice tours and the ferry from Dar es Salaam.
Zanzibar
Beaches, Mnemba snorkeling, Jozani Forest, the best time to visit and entry rules.
Nyerere National Park: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Nyerere National Park?
Under the 2023/24 tariff, the conservation fee is $70 per adult per day in the main season (16 May to 14 March) and $60 in the low season (15 March to 15 May) for non-East African visitors. Children aged 5 to 15 pay $20, and younger children enter free. Check the current amount before you book. More on the park fees page.
When is the best time to visit?
June to October is mostly dry, with short rains in November and December and the long rains from mid-March to May. Some camps close from mid-March to May. See weather and best time for the details.
How do I get to Nyerere from Dar es Salaam?
By light aircraft or by road. In the April 2026 timetable, flights leave Dar es Salaam at 08:30, 10:30 and 16:30, and the first arrives at 09:15. By road it is about 240 km to Mtemere Gate via Kibiti, or about 350 km via Morogoro and Kisaki to Matambwe Gate, and a 4x4 is recommended, especially in rain. See getting to Nyerere and tours from Dar es Salaam.
Can I do Nyerere as a day trip?
It depends on the flights. The timetable has a morning arrival at 09:15 and a return departure at 12:50, which leaves about three and a half hours between landing and take-off, and the transfer from the airstrip comes out of that time. Ask any operator how many hours in the park a one-day trip really includes.
Do I need a visa for Tanzania?
The ordinary eVisa costs $50 and allows up to 90 days; US passport holders on a tourist trip need the multiple-entry visa at $100. Not every nationality needs the same category, so check the rules for your passport before you book.
Is this the official website of the park?
No. This is an independent guide with no connection to TANAPA, the park administration, any camp or any tour operator. Fees and schedules here are meant to help you plan, so confirm the details with the people you book with.