Nyerere National Park (Selous)

Carved from the northern sector of the historical Selous Game Reserve in 2019, Nyerere National Park is the largest national park on the African continent, spanning 30,893 square kilometers. Located in southern Tanzania, the park is dominated by the broad, meandering Rufiji River system, which forms a complex network of channels, sandbars, deltas, and five interconnected oxbow lakes (including Lake Tagalala). The terrestrial landscape consists primarily of deciduous miombo woodland, forest patches, and seasonally inundated riverine floodplains.Nyerere National Park retains major populations of megafauna, including large herds of African elephants, Cape buffalos, hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, and spotted hyenas. The park is a major sanctuary for the endangered African wild dog, supporting viable breeding packs across its vast wilderness. Unlike northern parks where vehicular game drives predominate, Nyerere’s extensive waterways enable boat safaris and guided wilderness walking safaris, providing multi-dimensional perspectives on riverine ecology.