Day trip
Nyerere National Park Day Trip from Zanzibar
Overview
Southern Tanzania’s great wilderness is closer to Zanzibar than most visitors expect. Nyerere National Park, created in 2019 from the northern part of the old Selous Game Reserve, is a short light-aircraft hop from the island, and a single day there gives you a real taste of a wild, lightly visited corner of the country.
The landscape here feels nothing like the open plains of the north. The Rufiji River winds through the park, feeding a chain of lakes and channels fringed with palms and woodland. Elephants, buffalo, giraffes and impala come down to drink, hippos and crocodiles crowd the water, and lions hunt along the shoreline. The area is also one of Africa’s most important strongholds for the endangered African wild dog, so keep your eyes open for a pack.
Your day begins with a flight to Mtemere airstrip on the park’s edge and ends with a flight back in the late afternoon, with game drives and a picnic lunch in between. Tanzania Tourism Safaris takes care of the flights, ground transfers, park fees and your guide, which leaves you free to focus on the wildlife.
Tour highlights
- Light-aircraft flight from Zanzibar to Mtemere
- Game drives by the Rufiji River and its lakes
- Hippos, crocodiles and elephants at the water
- A chance of African wild dogs
- Picnic lunch with a view over the park
- Former Selous wilderness, now a national park
Day by day
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Day 1 Morning: Fly to Mtemere and Explore the River and Lakes Meals Lunch
After an early transfer from your hotel, you board a light aircraft at Zanzibar airport for the flight to the mainland. At Mtemere airstrip your driver-guide greets you and runs through the plan for the day. Game drives follow the river and the lake shores, where elephants, buffalo and hippos gather and lions and wild dogs hunt. Around midday your guide stops for a picnic lunch at a scenic spot, then you continue exploring until you return to the airstrip at about 16:00 for your flight back to Zanzibar.
Prices by season
Per person in US dollars. The price depends on when you travel and how many travelers share the trip.
| Season | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 Mar – 31 May | $608 | $512 | $469 | $455 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $640 | $539 | $494 | $479 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $712 | $599 | $549 | $532 |
Tour price includes
- Ground transfers on Zanzibar and in the park
- Return flights between Zanzibar and Nyerere
- Game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Professional safari guide
- All park fees and service fees
- Picnic lunch, plus hot tea and coffee from a flask
- First-aid kit in the vehicle
- Government VAT (18%)
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
- Souvenirs and personal items
Questions about this trip
Is Nyerere the same place as the Selous?
Partly. In 2019 the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve became Nyerere National Park, named after Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere. Photographic safaris, including this day trip, take place in that northern section. You will still see the old name on many maps and in guidebooks.
Why pick Nyerere over Mikumi for a day trip?
Choose Nyerere if you want water and wilderness: the Rufiji River and its lakes bring hippos, crocodiles and big herds to the shore, and it is one of the best places in Africa to look for wild dogs. Mikumi is more open grassland. Both trips cost the same and are full days.
Am I sure to see wild dogs?
No one can promise them. Wild dog packs cover huge distances and can be anywhere in the park on a given day. Your guide will check the areas where they have been seen recently, but a single day is short, so treat a sighting as a bonus rather than a certainty.
What time will I be back on Zanzibar?
The return flight leaves Mtemere airstrip at around 16:00, so you land back on Zanzibar in the late afternoon and are transferred to your hotel. Keep that evening free of fixed plans in case of small delays.
Before you go
- Best Time To Visit Tanzania
- How Much Does a Tanzania Safari Cost?
- Top Safari Packing List in Tanzania
- The Best Guides on Tanzania Visa Requirement
- Tanzania Travel Insurance
- Tanzania Travel Safety
- Tipping In Tanzania Safari
- Tanzania Safari Faqs
Listed in Day trips
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