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Safari plan · 4 days · Southern parks · Midrange

Nyerere by Boat and on Foot

A short safari built around the two things Nyerere does best — boat trips on the Rufiji River and its lakes, and walking with an armed ranger — an hour’s flight from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.

Dar es Salaam or ZanzibarNyerereDar es Salaam or Zanzibar
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Length4 days · 3 nights
ParkNyerere
Starts & endsDar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ)
ComfortMidrange tented camp
Best monthsJune–October
OverviewThe routeDay by dayRatesWhere you sleepIncludedAdd-onsWhen to goFlights & extrasFAQEnquire
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IOverview

One river, seen from the water and on foot.

Nyerere National Park was made from the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve, and the Rufiji River runs through it, feeding a chain of lakes and channels. That water is the reason to come. You see it best from a small boat and on foot, not only from a vehicle.

It is a fly-in plan with one camp for all three nights. Activities are with the camp’s own guides and, on walks, an armed park ranger — usually shared with other guests unless you ask for a private vehicle. It is a short trip in one park, so it gives you depth rather than variety; for a second, drier park, see ‘Make it yours’.

Major attractions · 3
  1. 01Nyerere National Park
  2. 02The Rufiji River
  3. 03The Rufiji lakes
Trip detailsPrivate, fly-in
Tour length
4 days · 3 nights
Country
Tanzania
Start / end
Dar es Salaam (DAR) or Zanzibar (ZNZ)
Accommodation
Midrange
Tour type
Fly-in safari, camp-guided
Group size
Maximum per camp vehicle or boat
Meal plan
Full board at the camp
Best period
Jun–Oct
Activity level
Easy to moderate — one walk on foot
Request a free quote →Questions? WhatsApp +255 762 914 714
IIThe route

An hour in the air each way, and three nights in between.

4 days, 3 nights, 1 places to sleep. The solid line is this plan; the dotted lines are the other roads through the region. Point at a day to see its leg.

Route map: Dar es Salaam by light aircraft to Nyerere National Park and back N Nyerere (Rufiji) Dar es Salaam
  1. 01Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar → Nyerere~1 h flight · ~3 h game
  2. 02Around the camp~7 h game
  3. 03Around the camp~7 h game
  4. 04Nyerere → Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar~1 h flight · ~2 h game
Overnight stopPassing throughSchematic, roughly to scale
IIIDay by day

Four days, one at a time.

Each day lands on top of the last as you scroll: honest road time, game time, meals and where you sleep. Times are door to door in a safari vehicle and move with the season and what you stop for.

A light aircraft over the braided channels of the Rufiji River, Nyerere National Park — 1600×1200
NyerereADD IMAGE · A light aircraft over the braided channels of the Rufiji River, Nyerere National Park
01/ 04

About an hour in a light aircraft, then the first boat trip.

07°43′S 38°00′EDay 1 · Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar → Nyerere

Fly in, and onto the river

Travel
~1 h flight
Game viewing
~3 h
Meals
L · D
Sleep
Tented camp on the river or lakes
  1. Morning

    A light aircraft from Dar es Salaam, or from Zanzibar on the routes that call there. Low over the coast and down onto the floodplain.

  2. Midday

    The camp meets you at the airstrip. Lunch, and the heat of the day in the shade.

  3. Afternoon

    Out on the water with a camp guide: hippos, crocodiles, elephants at the edge, and birds everywhere. Back at sundown.

Boat trips and the water

Where a boat can go depends on the season and the level of the river. We choose a camp that runs boat trips when you travel.

Walkers in single file behind an armed ranger on a sandy track, Nyerere National Park — 1600×1200
NyerereADD IMAGE · Walkers in single file behind an armed ranger on a sandy track, Nyerere National Park
02/ 04

A morning walk with an armed ranger, an afternoon game drive.

07°43′S 38°00′EDay 2 · Around the camp

On foot, then by vehicle

Travel
No transfer
Game viewing
~7 h
Meals
B · L · D
Sleep
Same camp, second night
  1. Early

    A walk with an armed park ranger and a camp guide while it is cool. Tracks, dung, birds, trees — the part of the bush a vehicle hides from you.

  2. Midday

    Brunch and rest at camp.

  3. Afternoon

    A game drive through woodland and along the lake shores. Lion, elephant, buffalo and giraffe are all here, and a chance — never a promise — of wild dog.

Walking, honestly

Walks are gentle, at the pace of the slowest walker. Wear neutral colours and closed shoes, and do exactly what the ranger says.

African fish eagle perched on a dead tree above a lake, Nyerere National Park — 1600×1200
NyerereADD IMAGE · African fish eagle perched on a dead tree above a lake, Nyerere National Park
03/ 04

A second boat trip and a drive, in whichever order the guides suggest.

07°43′S 38°00′EDay 3 · Around the camp

The lakes by boat, the woods by vehicle

Travel
No transfer
Game viewing
~7 h
Meals
B · L · D
Sleep
Same camp, third night
  1. Morning

    A longer boat trip, often further along the lakes or channels than on day one, with birds at their most active.

  2. Midday

    Lunch at camp, or on the bank if the boat trip runs on.

  3. Afternoon

    A last game drive, and a sundowner by the water if the guides know a good place.

Hippos in the Rufiji River at first light, Nyerere National Park — 1600×1200
Dar es SalaamADD IMAGE · Hippos in the Rufiji River at first light, Nyerere National Park
04/ 04

An early activity if the flight allows, then about an hour to Dar or Zanzibar.

06°52′S 39°12′EDay 4 · Nyerere → Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar

Fly out

Travel
~1 h flight
Game viewing
~2 h
Meals
B
Sleep
Homeward
  1. Morning

    A short drive or boat trip before breakfast, depending on the flight time.

  2. Midday

    Light aircraft back to Dar es Salaam or on to Zanzibar. Leave a few hours before an international departure.

Going on to the beach?

Flying straight from Nyerere to Zanzibar is often simpler than going back through Dar es Salaam. Ask us.

IVRates

Priced by group size, because the vehicle is shared.

Park fees, accommodation, vehicle, guide and meals as listed — per person, no booking fees. Rates move with the month and lodge availability; your quote is fixed once you book.

Midrange · price per person, sharing
Group size1 person2 people3 people4 people5 people6 people
From yearraterateraterateraterate
Single supplementamount
Children

Child policy: ages, sharing discount, lodge minimum ages

What moves the price

What changes itHow much

  • The month you travel

    June to October and the Christmas weeks are peak rates. The green season is lower, and many camps close in April and May.

  • The flights

    Light-aircraft seats are priced per person, so on a fly-in plan the flights do not get cheaper as the group grows.

  • Where you sleep

    The same night can cost several times more at one camp than at another on the same river.

  • A private vehicle or boat

    Sharing the camp’s activities is included. Your own vehicle or boat is an extra.

  • Park fees

    Fixed per person per day by the authorities, and the same whoever you book with. We show them as their own line.

Not sure which level suits you? Tell us your dates, group and budget and we will send an itemised quote with named properties.

Request a free quote →
On request
On request
VWhere you sleep

One camp, three nights, no packing.

Each night is described by type first, because the right camp depends on your month. The properties we normally use at each level are listed below; your quote confirms them against availability.

Nights 1–33×

Nyerere

Tented camp on the river or lakes

On the water, so the boat leaves from camp. Three nights in one place means no packing and time for both the walk and two boat trips.

Midrange here means
En-suite tent, hot shower, solar or generator power, no fence.
Step up
A smaller camp in a quieter stretch of the river, with more private activities.

The properties we use

WhereMidrangeLuxury
Nyerere, on the river or lakespropertyproperty

What ‘midrange’ means on this trip

  • En-suite. Your own bathroom, usually with an outdoor or bucket shower.
  • Shared activities. Boats and vehicles are usually shared with other guests; a private vehicle is extra.
  • Power. Solar or generator, sometimes only in the main area. Bring a power bank.
  • Food. Full board. Tell us about diets early.
VIThe fine print

What is in the price, and what isn’t.

✓Included

  • Scheduled light-aircraft flightsDar es Salaam or Zanzibar to Nyerere and back, seats on shared flights
  • The camp’s game activitiesBoat trips, a guided walk and game drives, shared with other guests
  • All park and conservation feesItemised on your quote
  • Three nights’ accommodationAs described above
  • Meals as listed each dayFull board at the camp
  • Airstrip transfersThe camp meets every flight

–Not included

  • International flights
  • Tanzanian visaApply online before you travel
  • Travel insuranceRequired. It must cover medical evacuation
  • Tips for guide and camp staffWe send guidance with your booking
  • Drinks at lodges and campsUnless the property includes them
  • A private vehicle or boatOn request, at extra cost
  • Excess baggageLight aircraft take soft bags only, with a weight limit
VIIAdd-ons & changes

The plan is a starting point, not a package.

The changes people ask for most, each with what it costs you in days or hours. Not in the standard price — arranged on request, and most can be combined.

+3 nightsprice

Add Ruaha

Fly on to Ruaha for three nights of dry baobab country, big lion prides and kudu. The two parks are very different.

Makes senseA first trip to the south
Ruaha & Nyerere →
+3–5 nightsprice

Before or after Zanzibar

Fly straight between the island and Nyerere. A simple way to put bush and beach together.

Makes senseEveryone, most of the year
Zanzibar →
+1 nightprice

A fourth night

Time for a full day on the water, or a longer walk where the camp offers it.

Makes senseBirders and photographers
Boat safaris →
Same lengthprice

More walking

Swap the second boat trip for a longer walk. Some camps also offer a night out on foot; ask us which do.

Makes senseAnyone fit who wants to be on foot
Walking safaris →
Cheaper, slowerprice

By road from Dar es Salaam

Drive instead of flying, with your own guide and vehicle. It saves the flights but costs most of a day each way, much of it on unsealed road.

Makes senseWhen budget matters more than time
Nyerere →
VIIIWhen to go

Rated for this route, not for the country.

June to October is the best time: dry, with animals drawn to the river and lakes, and cooler at night early in the season. October is hot. In April and May the long rains close many camps. In the green months boat trips often run well, but the grass is long and some walks may not go.

Jan
Hot, green, quiet
Feb
Hot, some rain
Mar
Rains building
Apr
Long rains, many camps shut
May
Camps reopening
Jun
Dry season begins
Jul
Dry, cool nights
Aug
Dry, animals at water
Sep
Dry, hot
Oct
Hottest, best game
Nov
Short rains
Dec
Green, quiet
Three bars — the route at its bestTwo — good, with trade-offsOne — possible, and quiet
IXFlights & extras

Getting there.

Arrive

Julius Nyerere International, Dar es Salaam (DAR)

The gateway for the southern parks. Light aircraft to Nyerere and Ruaha leave from the domestic side, usually in the morning, so a late arrival means a night in Dar first.

Depart

Julius Nyerere International (DAR)

The return light aircraft lands in Dar around the middle of the day. Leave a few hours before an international departure; the schedules are not guaranteed to the minute.

Via Zanzibar

Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ)

Several scheduled light-aircraft routes to the southern parks also touch Zanzibar, which makes beach-then-bush easy.

What else to budget.

Not part of the safari price, in order of how much they matter.

  • Tanzanian visaApply online before travel
    Current fee
  • Travel insuranceMust cover medical evacuation
    Typical cost
  • TipsGuide and camp staff, per day
    Guideline
  • DrinksAt lodges and camps
    Typical range
  • Personal spendingLaundry, crafts, extras
    Varies
  • Private vehicleAt the camp, if you want one
    Rate per day
XWhy book with us

Only what we can prove.

01

Arusha, since 2010

A Tanzanian company, locally owned, running safaris and climbs from Arusha for more than fifteen years.

02

Licensed and registered

TALA-licensed through the Tanzania Tourist Board and registered with BRELA. Ask us for the numbers; we will send them.

03

Guided by people who live there

On a fly-in trip your drives, walks and boat trips are with the camp’s own guides and the park’s rangers, who know their stretch of river better than any visitor. A private vehicle can be requested at extra cost (Rate per day).

04

Every fee on its own line

Park, conservation and concession fees are shown separately on your quote, so you can see exactly what goes to the authorities.

XIQuestions

The ones we are asked most.

Nyerere National Park was created from the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve. Many people and older guidebooks still call the area the Selous.

For one park and its two main activities, yes. It is a short trip; a fourth night, or three more in Ruaha, gives it more room.

Walks are led by an armed park ranger with a camp guide, on rules they follow every day. They are gentle, and the aim is the detail of the bush, not close encounters.

On the boat and drives, usually. Walks have a minimum age that the park and camps set; ask us for the current rule.

Soft bags only, with a weight limit per person on the light aircraft. Ask us for the current limit.

Yes. Several scheduled light-aircraft routes to Nyerere touch Zanzibar, so you can fly in from the island and back to it.

Begin here

Send us your dates. We will send you the real version.

Named camps, the right direction of travel for your month, every fee on its own line — and a straight answer if another plan would suit you better.

Rather talk it through?WhatsApp us+255 762 914 714
Safari request Nyerere by Boat and on Foot 4 days · 3 nights · private, fly-in
01When, and what for?
How fixed are the dates?
What do you want from it? Pick any
02Who’s coming?
Travelling as
03How you like it
Style of camp

Not a commitment. It lets us send something realistic instead of something you have to reject.

04Where to reach you
We need a name to write back to.
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4 days · Southern parksMikumi & Udzungwa by RoadRead the plan →
7 days · Northern circuitThe Great Midrange JourneyRead the plan →
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