Explore the Nyerere national park : The ultimate safari travel guide to Tanzania’s largest park and hidden gem, Nyerere National Park: Many know Tanzania, including you, but know it because of Mount Kilimanjaro, the largest mountain in Africa and the best hiking adventure in Africa; the great wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park; the big fives and largest crater in the world in Ngorongoro Conservation Area; and the beautiful white sand beaches of Zanzibar Island. However, this is not the only reason Tanzania should be known and regarded as the best safari destination in Africa. There are more hidden and unexplored gems that are still beautiful and gorgeous that need to be discovered, and one of them is the Nyerere National Park, the largest national park in Tanzania and home to authentic African safari tours.
The largest game reserve in Tanzania, Nyerere National Park, formerly known as Selous Game Reserve, is a protected area that spans around 30,000 km2. Originally a collection of National Parks that were declared a protected area in 1896, Selous was transformed into a hunting reserve in 1905 for anyone who wished to enjoy the sport of hunting. It was given the name Nyerere in honor of the British explorer Frederick Nyerere, who perished in World War I. Following his passing, the British colonists consolidated all the nearby minor wildlife reserves to create the present-day Nyerere National Park.
The Nyerere National Park is one of Tanzania’s least visited destinations, which makes it the ideal location for travelers who want to see the Big Five without a lot of people in their way. It includes a wide variety of plants, including the well-known Miombo woodland, as well as a large number of animals and over 400 different bird species that may all be seen in their native habitats.
One of the few areas in Tanzania where you can go on a wildlife drive and a boat tour is this National Park. The National Park is a very safe area to go on a safari, but you must follow all the rules that the tour leader has established. You can stay there for however many days you like, as long as you have the money, and you can combine your safari to Nyerere with trips to other parts of the nation.
How to get to Nyerere National Park
The National Park is a simple spot to go to, but only if you are traveling from Dar es Salaam, as it is only a few kilometers away. It is a rather long trek, especially if you are driving, to get to the park from Arusha. You can go to Nyerere using three different modes of transportation: plane, rail, and road.
Travel by air: Flying to Nyerere is the most expensive option, but it’s also the best because it makes seeing the park simple. It is possible to fly to Nyerere from Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, and Arusha.
Rail transport: The most affordable method of travel to Nyerere is by rail, which will also likely provide you with beautiful views before arriving in the park. Before arriving at the Matambwe station, you get to journey through a number of rural communities and mountains. Since it is only a short drive from here, Nyerere National Park can be reached by car.
Road transport: The most popular method of transportation to reach Nyerere is this one. You can make stops at the various locations according to your plan during the 4 to 8 hours it will take you to drive to the park. Even if getting there takes some time, it will be worthwhile.
THINGS TO DO WHILE IN NYERERE NATIONAL PARK
The activities that you can do while at the park will depend on the number of animals, birds, and other wildlife that can be seen in Nyerere’s enormous park. You should look forward to doing the following while you are here, among other things:
Game drives
The best time to go on a game drive in Nyerere is during the dry season, which lasts from June to October, when most animals can be spotted at the various waterholes seeking relief from the heat and food. The well-known wild dogs, buffalo, hippos, lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, elands, impalas, elephants, and baboons are just a few of the species you should keep an eye out for when you arrive in Nyerere. Because there aren’t many visitors to the park, the animals tend to hide from visitors, but if you have patience, you can view all of them in their natural habitat.
The best times to go on a game drive in Nyerere are in the early morning before 11:00 a.m. and in the late afternoon around 3:00 p.m. since this is when the animals are not hiding from the heat.
Birding
One of the best places to go birding in Tanzania is Nyerere, and the best time to go is between November and April during the wet season, when migrating birds arrive in the nation. Some of the special bird species to look out for include the yellow-bellied bulbul, mangrove kingfisher, black cuckoo-shrike, palm-nut vulture, red-winged warbler, African skimmer, spotted bordered barbet, and grey hooded kingfisher.
Walking safaris
You won’t see every part of the reserve on a walking safari through Nyerere, but you will visit some of the best locations. An armed ranger is present during a walking safari in Nyerere to ensure that no wild animals harm you. Zebras and elephants are only a couple of the creatures you might witness while on your walk, which is structured on a more mild side without any predatory animals. Make sure you adhere to all the instructions the guide provides you with while you are out walking.
Cultural tours
While on a Selous safari, one activity you may do is take a cultural tour of the Mwaseni. With the aid of a tour guide, you get to spend the entire day interacting with the locals as they go about their daily lives.
Photographic safari
This is one of the top things you should do while visiting the nyerere national park. You may do this during the entire year and acquire pictures of the birds, animals, and landscape that are found in the park, Explore the Nyerere national park
Boat safari
One of the best ways to see the game reserve is on a boat safari. A boat journey along the River Rufiji will allow you to witness aquatic creatures including hippos and crocodiles as well as a sizable flock of birds. A boat ride in the Selous is an adventure you must not pass up.
WHEN TO VISIT THE NYERERE NATIONAL PARK
The dry season and the wet season are the two seasons that Nyerere National Park encounters. The optimum time for you to visit the Selous is largely determined by the activities you can participate in during each season. The best time for a walking safari and wildlife drives is from June to October, while the optimum time for anyone who wants to go birding is from November to April. Make sure to thoroughly study the tour company you intend to employ before packing your bags for a trip to Nyerere in order to avoid being duped. You should also inquire in advance about what to carry and what to avoid before traveling to the southern region of Tanzania.
Conclusion: The main uniqueness of Nyerere National Park is that the park is still virgin, undisturbed, and unspoiled by any tourist activities; hence, it offers an authentic African safari tour. Again, the park is never as crowded with safari vehicles as the other northern Tanzania safari parks of the Serengeti, Arusha, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire national parks, so when you visit it, it’s likely that you will have the park to yourself with no competition for animal watching.
You get to view the abundance of animals that are within the park comfortably without any disturbance from other tourists; in short, we can say the park offers more privacy. Get in touch with us. Focus East Africa Tours today if you want to be one of the few people to explore the beauty of Nyerere National Park. We promise you an unforgettable safari experience full of comfort and privacy.
