Rufiji River boat safari in Nyerere
The Rufiji is the river that shapes Nyerere National Park. It runs through the park in branching channels, with oxbow lakes and floodplains beside it. A boat safari puts you on the water, at the level of the hippos and crocodiles, and lets you watch the banks from a different angle than a game drive does. Boat safaris on the Rufiji and on its system of lakes and channels are one of the activities of the park.
Boats do not go to the delta. The Rufiji delta is a coastal landscape of mangroves near Mafia Island and lies outside the park. Inside Nyerere you travel on the river and the lakes. Read more on the Rufiji page.
Our picks: boat safaris
All three have a boat safari on the Rufiji. Take the two-day trip if time is short and the three-day trip if you also want a full-day game drive.
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.
3-day boat and wildlife safari from Dar es Salaam
- Park entry, fees, taxes
- Boat and full-day game drive
- Two nights, full board
Two nights in a tented camp with a private bathroom. On the last day you choose between a guided bush walk and a Maasai village.
Check availability →
3-day game drive and boat safari in a private jeep
- Park entry and fees
- Private jeep and guide
- Rufiji boat safari
An open jeep for the game drive in Nyerere National Park, a boat safari on the Rufiji with wine on a sandbank and a Maasai visit. Transfers and all meals are included.
Check availability →2-day game drive and boat safari from Dar es Salaam
- Game drive in Nyerere
- Rufiji boat safari
- One lodge night, meals
A driver takes you from Dar es Salaam via Kisarawe, with dinner, breakfast and a lunch on the way. Ask whether park fees are included before you book.
Check availability →Rufiji boat safaris
Boat trips on the Rufiji and the lakes, alone or combined with a game drive, with live prices and availability.
What you can see from the water
Good chances, no guarantees.
Hippos
Hippos rest in the river and the lakes, often in groups with only their heads above the water. Never try to get closer than the crew allows, and follow their instructions.
Crocodiles
Nile crocodiles lie on the sandbanks and below the wooded riverbank. They are easiest to spot from the boat as it moves along the edge of the water.
Waterbirds
The park has hundreds of bird species, and the river and the lakes draw many of them. Kingfishers sit on branches over the water, and a pair of binoculars helps on every trip.
The riverbanks
The banks and the lake shores hold land animals as well. Giraffes live in the park and can be seen at the water's edge. Sightings depend on the day and on the water level, and no operator can promise any animal.
If you want to know more about the animals of the park, see the wildlife page. Wild dogs are a topic of their own on the wild dog page.
Where boats run and when
The river, the lakes and the season.
Boats run on the Rufiji and on the lakes and channels connected to it, including areas around lakes such as Lake Manze and Lake Tagalala. Which sections are open can change, so ask your operator which stretch your trip uses.
The park asks visitors to check the river level and the road conditions in the rainy season, which runs from mid-March to May. That means a route that works in August may not work in April. The long dry season, roughly June to October, is the easier time. Some camps close for the rains, so check the dates before you book. See weather and best time.
Safety rules on the water
The basics the park sets.
Wear the life jacket
Put it on before you board and keep it on for the whole trip.
Keep arms and legs in the boat
Do not trail a hand or a foot in the water. Hippos and crocodiles live in the river.
Follow the ranger
Follow the instructions of the ranger and the crew. Going ashore to look at animals on foot is only allowed with authorized company.
No swimming
Swimming is not part of a boat safari on the Rufiji or on its lakes. Do not enter the water.
Fees and what to ask
What the park charges and what a trip price adds.
Under the 2023/24 tariff, the boat safari fee is $20 per person for non-East African visitors and residents, and TZS 10,000 for East African visitors. There is no standard length for a trip. That fee is the park's charge for the activity, not a full price for the boat, the crew and the transfer. A tour price adds those, and may or may not include your entry fee for the day. Check the current amount before you book and ask whether 18 percent VAT is included.
Before you book, ask how long the trip lasts, from where it starts, which sections of the river or lake it covers, and what the age limit for children is. Offers still sometimes use the old name Selous for the area, and the Selous guide explains how the two names relate. Boat trips pair well with a game drive, see the safari page, and the park fees page lists the entry rates.
Rufiji boat safari: frequently asked questions
Where does the Rufiji boat safari take place?
On the Rufiji and on the lakes and channels of the river system inside Nyerere National Park. The delta lies on the coast and is not part of the park. Ask your operator which stretch your trip covers.
How long is a boat safari?
There is no standard length, and trips differ by operator. Ask for the planned time on the water, not only the length of the whole outing.
Will I see hippos and crocodiles?
There are good chances, because both live in the river and the lakes. No trip can guarantee a sighting.
What does a boat safari cost in park fees?
Under the 2023/24 tariff the fee is $20 per person for non-East African visitors and residents and TZS 10,000 for East African visitors. The operator's price adds the boat, the crew and the transfer. Check the current amount before you book.
Can I swim or stop on the shore?
No swimming, as the river holds hippos and crocodiles. Going ashore on foot is only possible with authorized company, so follow your ranger.