Nyerere National Park

The Selous Game Reserve, once one of the world's largest protected areas, covered 54,600 km² and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 for its remarkable diversity of flora and fauna. Today, much of this wilderness has been reclassified as Nyerere National Park, now the largest national park in Tanzania.

Wildlife numbers here are among the highest in Africa, with elephants, lions, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles all present. However, due to the vast size of the park, animal densities are often lower than in the northern circuit. The landscapes are beautifully varied, ranging from thick woodlands and sprawling savannahs to wetlands and river systems.

Once home to over 109,000 elephants in 1975, the reserve tragically witnessed a dramatic decline due to poaching, with numbers plummeting to around 13,000 by 2013. This represented a 90% loss of elephants and rhinos, putting its UNESCO status under threat. Thanks to anti-poaching task forces, including the PAMS Foundation, progress has been made in curbing ivory poaching and bringing traffickers to justice, offering hope for the park's recovery.

Today, Nyerere National Park remains wild, remote, and less crowded than other Tanzanian parks, offering a truly off-the-beaten-track safari. For travelers seeking an authentic wilderness adventure, a safari in the Southern Circuit's Nyerere National Park is an unforgettable experience.

Most visitors to Nyerere National Park spend their time along the mighty Rufiji River, the lifeline of the park that eventually flows into the Indian Ocean. This river system creates an incredible landscape of channels, lakes, and swamps, attracting abundant wildlife year-round.

While here, you can enjoy a variety of unique safari activities not always possible in other parks — from guided walking safaris that bring you close to nature, to boat trips along the Rufiji where you can spot hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and a spectacular array of birdlife. These experiences make Nyerere a truly diverse and adventurous destination.

Beho Beho offers a distinctive safari experience, tucked away in the refreshing highlands of Nyerere National Park. For breathtaking river views, Selous River Lodge sits majestically above the expansive Rufiji River.

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