Selous National Park? The short answer
Selous National Park is not an official name. Two areas share the history. The Selous Game Reserve still exists, is managed by the wildlife authority TAWA and covers 18,020 square kilometres. Nyerere National Park was created in 2019 from the northern part of the old Selous, covers 30,893 square kilometres and is managed by the national parks authority TANAPA.
The park is named after Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania. Before 2019 everything was called Selous, which is why travel offers, maps and books still use the name for places that now lie in Nyerere. If you want to see the Rufiji by boat or visit a tourist airstrip, check the programme for the park it names.
What changed in 2019
One reserve became two areas.
Until 2019 the Selous Game Reserve was one large protected area in southern Tanzania. In that year its northern part was removed and declared Nyerere National Park under the notice GN 923. The reserve that remained covers 18,020 square kilometres in the regions of Lindi and Coast, under the notice GN 459 of 2021.
The split changed who manages what, not the name of the whole landscape in daily speech. Visitors still say Selous when they mean the Rufiji area. Our history page shows how the reserve grew, and the Selous safari page shows how this affects a booking.
Our picks: trips to Nyerere National Park
The park was split from the Selous in 2019. These trips visit it by road from Dar es Salaam or by plane from Zanzibar; the week-long trip adds Mikumi and Udzungwa.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Seven-day private safari in southern Tanzania
- All park fees
- Private 4x4 with pop-up roof
- Six nights, all meals
A week through Mikumi, the Udzungwa Mountains with the Sanje waterfall and Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous), with an English-speaking guide. Flights are not included.
Check availability →
Two-day fly-in with a ranger walk
- Flights both ways
- Park entry and taxes
- Water and soft drinks
A flight to the Mtemere airstrip in Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous). Day two adds a ranger-led walk and a Rufiji boat ride of about two hours; one night in mid-range accommodation.
Check availability →Three-day road safari with boat, drive and walk
- Park fees for non-residents
- Two nights, full board
- Airport transfer
By road from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous), with a Rufiji boat ride, a full-day game drive and a walking safari.
Check availability →Safaris around Selous and Nyerere
Day trips, boat safaris and overnight stays in the Rufiji area, with live prices and availability.
Selous vs Nyerere
The two areas side by side.
| Selous Game Reserve | Nyerere National Park | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game reserve | National park |
| Managed by | TAWA | TANAPA |
| Area | 18,020 km² | 30,893 km² |
| Created | Reserve since 1922, legal status 1974 | 2019 |
| Visitor use | Photo tourism, rest house, designated campsites, leased hunting concessions | Game drives, boat trips, guided walking safaris |
| Fees | Set by TAWA | Set by TANAPA |
| World Heritage | The listing is named Selous Game Reserve | Not named separately |
For most visitors planning a boat trip or a fly-in day, the relevant area is Nyerere. If you are interested in the history, the name and the listing, the Selous pages here are the right place. The visitor details of the park are in the Nyerere National Park guide.
What stayed Selous
Three places keep the name.
The game reserve
The remaining reserve still officially carries the name Selous. It is separate from the national park, with its own rules for entry and fees.
The World Heritage listing
UNESCO lists the property as Selous Game Reserve. The listing has been on the list of World Heritage in Danger since 2014, and a 2026 decision keeps it there.
The listing explained →The man behind the name
The reserve is named after Frederick Courteney Selous, a British hunter and explorer who died in 1917.
Frederick Selous →Why the numbers do not add up
Each figure uses its own boundary.
The whole Selous was once described as about 50,000 square kilometres. The World Heritage property covers 5,120,000 hectares. The reserve today is 18,020 square kilometres, and the park is 30,893. Each number refers to a different boundary and a different date. Do not expect them to subtract neatly from one another. When you see a size, ask which area and which year it means.
The same care applies to animal counts. Elephant figures often cover the wider ecosystem, not one of the two areas. The elephants page explains the counts.
What the split means for your trip
Fees, rules and bookings follow the park.
Fees
Nyerere fees are set by TANAPA. Under the 2023/24 tariff, adult non-East African visitors pay $70 in the high season (16 May to 14 March) and $60 in the low season. Selous reserve fees are set by TAWA, with 2024 rates from TZS 50,000 to TZS 250,000 for an adult non-East African visitor, depending on the concession. Check the current amount before you book.
Activities
Boat trips, game drives and walking safaris belong to Nyerere. Walking safaris need advance booking, permits and a ranger. In the reserve, access depends on the concession and on the entry points that TAWA names.
The name on the offer
A tour that says Selous in its title can still run in Nyerere. Look for the park in the programme, and ask the operator when the answer is unclear.
Selous National Park: frequently asked questions
Is there a Selous National Park?
No. The official names are Selous Game Reserve and Nyerere National Park. Travel offers sometimes use Selous as a general name for the Rufiji area.
When was Nyerere National Park created?
In 2019, from the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve. It covers 30,893 square kilometres.
Who manages the Selous today?
TAWA manages the Selous Game Reserve. TANAPA manages Nyerere National Park.
Which one should I visit?
For boat trips on the Rufiji, game drives and walking safaris, the relevant area is Nyerere National Park. Ask your operator which park the trip enters.
Who is Nyerere National Park named after?
After Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania.