Most visitors to Tanzania head north, to the Serengeti and the crater country everyone has heard of. This safari goes south instead, to Nyerere National Park, the reserve long known as Selous, and still Africa’s largest protected wilderness by a considerable margin.
You arrive by road from Dar es Salaam, and by your first afternoon you are already on the water, gliding along the Rufiji River in search of hippo and crocodile, with close to 350 recorded bird species moving through the surrounding swampland. The following day belongs entirely to game driving, morning and afternoon, across a landscape famous for its elephant populations and rich with lion, wild dog, buffalo and greater kudu. Your final morning offers something few northern circuit safaris can, a walking safari at dawn with an armed ranger, on foot in the heart of the park before the drive back to the coast.
A shorter safari, but a genuinely different one, water, wilderness and a walking safari that puts you properly in the landscape rather than simply looking at it from a vehicle.
This itinerary suits travellers who want a genuinely different safari experience from the northern circuit, closer to Dar es Salaam, quieter, and built around water as much as game drives. The boat safari and walking safari make it especially appealing to repeat visitors to Tanzania looking for something beyond the standard game drive format, while the shorter length works well as a coastal add-on before or after time in Zanzibar.
Nyerere National Park is at its best during the dry season, June to October, when game viewing is at its clearest and the boat safari along the Rufiji is particularly rewarding. Many camps in the region, including likely this one, close for the long rains in April and into early May, so travel should be avoided or double-checked directly with the lodge during that window. The short rains around November are generally workable and considerably quieter.
Your guide collects you in Dar es Salaam for the road journey to Nyerere National Park, formerly known as Selous, a drive of around five to six hours. By late afternoon, you’re out on the water for a boat safari along the mighty Rufiji River, discovering the river at its own pace and encountering hippo and crocodile in considerable numbers. Close to 350 bird species have been recorded in this reserve, and much of that birdlife is sustained by the Rufiji’s surrounding swampland, so keep your binoculars close. Return to camp for a hot bath and dinner at Africa Safari Selous Lodge.
A full day of game driving begins after breakfast, timed to catch the morning’s activity as animals move out in search of food. The drive continues with a packed lunch through to sunset, giving you the full breadth of the park’s authenticity and beauty. Nyerere is Africa’s largest game reserve, covering some 54,600 square kilometres, and it is especially well known for its elephant populations, alongside lion, wild dog, buffalo, bushbuck, impala, eland, baboon, zebra and greater kudu. Travelling by 4×4 gives you strong photographic access and the chance to explore several different sections of the park in a single day. Lunch is taken at a spot your guide chooses specifically for its shade, its water views and its birdsong, a clear vantage point to watch the wildlife come to drink. Dinner and overnight follow at Africa Safari Selous.
Wake around 6am for an early morning walking safari with an armed ranger, packed breakfast in hand, moving through the heart of Nyerere National Park at the pace only walking allows. Return to your lodge afterward for a proper breakfast overlooking the Rufiji, the longest river in Tanzania, before checking out and beginning the drive back to Dar es Salaam, where you’ll be dropped at your selected hotel or lodge to close out the safari.
Pricing
Rates for this safari are provided on enquiry and tailored to travel dates, lodge selection and group size. Speak with our team for a bespoke quotation.
Why travel with us
We keep group sizes intentionally small so every guest gets the attention, flexibility, and authenticity a safari deserves.
Our guides are born from the landscapes they lead. Decades of knowledge, sharp eyes, and a genuine passion for East African wildlife.
From comprehensive pre-trip briefings to 24-hour in-country support, your safety and comfort are always our first consideration.
Every safari we operate contributes to wildlife conservation and local community projects across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
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