Nyerere national park formerly known as the northern part of Selous Game Reserve is now the largest national park in Tanzania and also one of the world’s largest wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the world, the park is at a size of 30,893 square kilometers covering the big part of Liwale District in western Linda Region, South West Pwani Region, North Eastern Ruvuma Region and the big part of South Eastern Morogoro region.

History of Nyerere National Park

Nyerere national park was originally known as Selous Game Reserve whose roots are traced to 1896 when the then German Governor of Tanganyika proclaimed the vast area as a protected wildlife hunting reserve. In 1922, the reserve was named after Frederick Selous, a big hunter turned wildlife conservationist. In 2019, a new park in the names of Nyerere national park was established following a decision reached upon by the government of Tanzania, the newly formed park included the northern part of Selous Game Reserve and it was named in honor of Tanzania’s first president Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

The park was put under the administration of TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks Authority).

Wildlife in Nyerere national park

Nyerere national park is a home to several wildlife species including lions, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses, rhinos, antelopes, hyenas, African wolves, and a large number of crocodiles in the Rufiji River – the largest river in Tanzania. The park is famously known for its prolific population of African Wild dogs.

Birdlife in Nyerere national park

Nyerere national park is a great birding destination with over 40 bird species found in different parts of the park and the most common areas are the lagoons, River Rufiji, islands and channels. Birds found in Nyerere national park include mangrove kingfishers, Boehm’s bee-eater, Livingstone’s  flycatcher, green-caped eremomela, yellow-bellied bulbul, white helmet shrikes, wattle eyed flycatcher, red throated twin spot, grey-hooded kingfisher, black cuckoo-shrike, African skimmer, red-winged warbler, spotted flanked barbet, red-billed helmet shrike, pearl-spotted owl, palm-nut vulture, broad-billed roller, von Decken’s hornbill, red throated twin spot, Layard’s black-headed weavers, grey Penduline, purple banded sunbird, African spoonbill, brown necked parrot, Racket-tailed roller, Thick billed cuckoo, white backed vulture, white headed lapwing, Pel’s fishing owl, Dickinson’s Kestrel, brown headed parrot and the Rock pranticole among others.

Where is Nyerere National park

Nyerere national park has a variety of accommodation facilities found inside and outside of the park, accommodation facilities in the park are categorized as budget, mid-range and luxury. These accommodations includ

 How to get to Nyerere National park

Nyerere national park can be reached using 3 means of transport, that is by road, by air and by railway transport,

By railway – using a train to get to Nyerere national park is the cheapest mode of transport, The Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA) is used and it takes approximately 4 to 5 hours to get there. The railway trips starts in Dar es Salaam and along the way you will have a stopover at Matabwe.

By road – the route starts from Dar es Salaam through Mikumi national park and then to the Matambwe gate which is the main route to the reserve, from Dar es Salaam it is a distance of approximately 7 hours to the park.

By air – is the easiest and most effective way to get to Nyerere national park, there domestic flights from Dar es Salaam or Arusha to several airstrips including Mtemere Airstrip, Matambwe Airstrip, Sumbazi Airstrip, Kiba Airstrip, Beho beho Airstrip, Siwandu Airstrip and Steigler’s Gorge Airstrip.

Best time to visit Nyerere National park 

Nyerere national park can be visited all year round, however the best time to visit the park is during the dry season from June to October, in this period little or no rainfall is received which forces the animals to move from their natural habitats in search for food and water and they can be seen at Rufiji River.