- Dar es Salaam
- Nyerere National park
- A professional driver/ guide.
- All meals will be provided (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Pop-up roof 4x4 vehicle to Transportation from the airport and throughout the safari
- Camping
- All Around of The Years
- Big 5, Elephant, Leopards, Lions, Walking Safari (Seasonal) & More
- All park fees will be paid
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Overview
Nyerere National Park is found in the southern part of Tanzania and is part of the less visited southern circuit Tanzania National Parks. Although it is less visited as compared to the Northern circuit Parks, it has a lot to offer like animals, bird species and the vast landscape waiting to be explored.
This 3 day safari will start in Dar es Salaam and a drive from the city to the Park will take about 6 to 7 hours. This is the perfect safari for tourists who are on a budget and have limited time for a safari because you get to spend fewer days and money but get to explore the Park to the fullest.
Itinerary
We shall pick you up from your hotel room in Dar es Salaam and we shall officially start our safari. We will have a packed lunch with us that we will have while driving to Nyerere. The drive to Nyerere is exciting as you get to see the beautiful landscape, pass through villages and if we are lucky, we shall see a few animals crossing the road before we get to Selous. We arrive at the Park in the afternoon and take a drive past the hippo pool before retiring for the evening for dinner and an overnight stay at the camp.
We will have an early morning breakfast and with our packed lunch drive towards the Northern Part of the Park for a wonderful birding experience. Most birds are best seen during the morning hours and this will be our first stop with some binoculars to watch the different bird species. Towards 10am, we will drive around the Park to get a close view of the animals before they start seeking shelter from the afternoon heat.
All this will be done in the morning hours with a lunch break which we will have at the chosen picnic site. After Lunch, we will drive to the southern part of Selous which is separated into different parts meant for hunting. While here we will be able to see the vast number of animals that live within the park and the ones you should look out for include bushbucks, impalas, elephants, hippos, crocodiles in the River Rufiji, giraffes, wild dogs, baboons, lions, kudus, bushbucks and many more others. We shall spend 10 hours on day 3 exploring the Nyerere National Park.
On day 3, we will wake up at 4:00am to prepare for an early morning hot air balloon ride which will begin at around 5:30am to 7:00am. After the hot air balloon ride, we shall have breakfast at the camp and take a guided walk with a tour guide and an armed ranger through the Park as we get in touch with nature.
It will take us an overall 2 hours to walk through the marked trail before heading back to our camp to pack up our things and drive back to Dar es Salaam. This will be the end of our 3 days safari in Nyerere.
Cancellation policy: you can always cancel your trip to Nyerere but it is better if it’s done a week before the start of your safari.
Morning Game drive
The morning drive normally starts at either 6:30 am or 8:00am depending on your itinerary. This drive enables tourists to see the bird species and the animals that move around the park in the morning.
Afternoon drive
The afternoon drive starts immediately after lunch at around 3:00pm when the heat has reduced. This is normally done along the banks of the River Rufiji where most of the animals can easily be spotted.
Vehicles used on a Game Drive in Selous
The different tour operators in Tanzania use different types of vehicles to take tourists to Nyerere but the two that are commonly use are the 4×4 jeeps and the minibuses which are mainly used for tourists travelling in a large group. The 4×4 open side vehicles are mostly restricted to be driven within the National Park and not on the highway because of the dusty roads that lead to the Park are so dusty and bumpy during the dry season and slippery during the wet season.
4×4 safari Jeeps
The 4×4 safari jeeps are the most commonly used vehicles by tour operators in Tanzania. It normally has a capacity of 5 people however it can do a maximum of 6 people if an extra seat is added to the vehicle. The vehicles are very spacious and can easily give you a great view of the wildlife.
They are considered to be the best way to travel through Nyerere because of the bad roads that are found within the Park. The open roof shield jeeps are can be driven all the way from Dar es Salaam and in most cases they come with the safari cost but in case you are planning on driving yourself then there are several places where you can hire one from Dar es Salaam from trusted vehicle agencies.
Open side safari 4×4 vehicle
The open side safari 4×4 vehicles are only used within the National Park and it is not advisable for them to be used along highways. You will find that most camps have these vehicles and they are used to take you around the National Park for a game drive where you will enjoy clear views of the animals and bird species.
Minibus/ minivans
The Minivans are the best way to travel to Nyerere especially if you are travelling on a budget. These can take up to 9 tourists and are recommended for highway travelling to Nyerere unlike the open jeeps. They are not 4×4 vehicles but they are good for travelling although it is not advisable to use them during the wet season due to the slippery roads. The good thing about using the mini vans is that they are reliable and comfortable, cheap and can easily get you to your destination.
The dry season is the best time for one to go for a game drive in Nyerere is the dry season which starts in June and ends in October. The roads during this time are passable and it is also the best time to spot animals like the Greater Kudu, zebras, elephants, lions, antelopes, baboons, crocodiles, wildebeests, hippos, buffalos, hyenas, leopards, wild dogs, elands, giraffes, impalas and others.
A boat ride in Nyerere National Park is majorly carried out along the River Rufiji which is found in the Northern part of the National Park. River Rufiji is both 100 meters wide and deep and it flows into the Indian Ocean. It has quite a number of tributaries that act as water holes for the animals during the dry season. Other water bodies that can be used for boat rides include Lake Nzelekela, Lake Tagalala, Lake Mzizimia and Lake Siwandu.
A boat safari in Selous will take you about two hours and during this time you will be able to see numerous animals like hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, zebras, antelopes, lions hunting down their prey, elephants, wildebeests, kudus and others. You will also be able to see quite a large number of bird species while enjoying your boat ride along the River Rufiji.
A full day boat safari
The full day safari will give you a chance to explore the National Park on a boat to the fullest with a lunch break in between. Unlike the short boat safari, you get to see a variety of animals throughout the day like those at the River banks and the aqua animals, especially the hippos bobbing their heads in the water. Your safari guide will make a quick stop at the River bank for lunch before continuing with the ride. Get your cameras ready as this is considered to be the best way for one to explore Nyerere National Park.
Half day boat safari
The half day boat safaris are divided into two that is one in the morning and another one in the afternoon. The afternoon ride is perfect for game viewing and enjoying the sunset while the morning ride is best for birding and catching a few animals and the sunrise. The morning boat ride will give you a chance to see the various bird species like the Goliath Heron, Boehm’s Bee-eater, African Fish Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher and the African skimmer among others and the afternoon ride will be the best time to get a close of the crocodiles in the water due to the rise in temperature. Boat rides are usually carried twice in a day that is in the morning and in the afternoon depending on the itinerary. Note that the morning ride can only be cancelled if the weather is a bit cloudy or if there is rain.
Cost of a boat ride in Nyerere
The cost depends on the number of people who will be sharing the boat but a rough estimation of what will be spent is from $25 to $30. The boats will be found lined up along the sandbank although some camps have their own boats that you can use.
Nyerere National Park can be visited all throughout the year. The best time for a safari to Nyerere depends on the activities that you decide to carry out while there. The different seasons that Nyerere experiences have different activities that are carried out within them and have been listed below:
The dry season
The dry season is considered to be the best time for one to enjoy a safari within Nyerere especially if you love game drives. Some of the activities that you can engage in while in Nyerere in the dry season include game drives, walking safaris, fishing along River Rufiji, photo safaris and many more others.
The wet season
The wet season is considered to be the best time for a safari for those that love birding. During the wet season, migratory birds fly from the different parts of the world and converge in the game Reserve joining the rest of the indigenous birds in the Park. You will also be able to see some animals during the wet season although it is a little bit hard.
Nyerere National Park is the largest National Park in the country. As a home to over 400 bird species and animals, the National Park is worth visiting for a photo safari by tourists who love exploring the world using a camera to keep the memories. While on a photo safari to Nyerere, you will get the chance to take photos of animals like giraffes, zebras, hartebeests, buffalos, wildebeests, lions, impalas, elephants and kudus among others and the bird species will include the African spoonbill, spur-winged lapwings, the fish skimmer and the white headed vultures among others.
. A photo safari is best carried out in the Northern part of the Park. A photo safari can be carried out all throughout the year with the birds coming in during the wet season and the game viewing for the dry season. You will need a few things to take you through the photo safari and some of these include:
- A mirrorless camera
- Lens cleaning cloth
- A camera bag to keep everything safe
- Binoculars to help with easy spotting of the wildlife
- Good hike boots or shoes
- A hat to protect yourself from the sun.
The clothes to take on the photo safari will depend on whether you are planning on visiting during the dry or wet season. As you start your safari, make sure that you listen to all that the tour guide advises you to do so as to minimize accidents.
Nyerere National Park Animals
The Nyerere National Park formerly known as Selous Game Reserve is located in the southern part of Tanzania and is one of the Southern circuit National Parks. There are thousands of animals that the Park hosts and from the time that it was opened, there has been an increase in the wildlife.
Below is a tentative list of the animals that you should definitely look out for while on a safari in Nyerere National Park.
- The Puku antelope
- Spotted hyenas
- Hartebeest
- Sable antelopes
- Topi antelopes
- Water bucks
- Crocodiles
- Great kudu
- Colobus monkey
- Wildebeest (there are about 1000 wildebeests in Selous)
- Impalas (2,500)
- Giraffes
- Zebras (35,000)
- African wild dogs
- Hippos
- The black rhino, this is an endangered species that is found in Selous although it will be hard to see one and you will need to have enough patience.
- Lions, the Nyerere National Park is believed to have about 1000 lions and these can be seen during the dry season stalking their prey along the banks of the Rufiji River.
- Buffalos, the National Park has quite a large number of buffaloes that are best seen during the dry season.
- Elephants
- Leopards.
The safari will include:
- An experienced tour guide (will communicate in English)
- All meals will be provided (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Transportation from the airport and throughout the safari
- 4×4 vehicles for transport in the Park
- Accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- All park fees will be paid
- water
The safari won’t include:
- Extra costs like tips, personal shopping and extra days spent after the safari
- Children below 8 years are not allowed on this safari
- No alcoholic beverages will be provided
no wheelchairs are allowed at the moment because Nyerere has no wheelchair trail but it’s been put into consideration.
