Selous (Nyerere) Safari from Zanzibar: 1 Day by Plane or 2 Days, Prices and Tips
Nyerere National Park, formerly the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve, is the big safari you can reach from Zanzibar: a small plane drops you there in under a day, with no stop in Dar es Salaam. Offers checked in October 2026 range from about 420 to 700 dollars per adult for a day trip with flights, lunch and park fees, and from about 1,500 dollars per person for two days and one night. It is long and expensive, but it is the best way to see elephants, giraffes and hippos during a beach holiday. This page helps you choose between the day trip and the two-day stay, and know what the price covers.
Highlights
The giraffes and big herbivores
The savannah and open woodland of the park are home to giraffes, impalas, buffalo and elephants. Drives are in a 4x4 with a guide who knows the waterholes.
The impalas and gazelles
The grassy plains attract large herds of herbivores, which predators follow. You will see plenty of animals, but lions and leopards are never guaranteed.
The boat safari on the Rufiji
The park is known for boat trips on the Rufiji River and its lakes, where you get close to hippos, crocodiles and water birds. Check whether the boat trip is included in the day trip or reserved for the two-day stays.
Practical info
Tips
- Choose the day trip if you are short of time: the departure is very early (some offers say 4 am) and the day lasts about 10 hours, with the return flight and a picnic lunch. Choose two days and one night if you want a real safari, with sunrise and sunset, the best moments to see animals. Before paying, ask what is included: flights, park entrance fees, lunch, guide, boat trip, hotel transfers (some offers do not include them). Park entrance fees are about 70 to 83 dollars per adult per day according to travel sites checked in 2026, with no confirmed official scale: they are normally included in the package. Bring your passport for the domestic flight, neutral-coloured clothes, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent. The planes are small: the luggage limit is strict, often one soft bag of about 15 kg (confirm with the agency). Talk to your doctor about malaria before you go, see visa, vaccinations and formalities. Also compare with the Mikumi safari from Zanzibar, cheaper and simpler. To fit the day into your stay, see Zanzibar in 7 days and the Zanzibar travel budget.
How to get there
You leave from Zanzibar airport, where the agency meets you: a small plane lands on the park's airstrip, then a vehicle takes over. Many offers pick you up at your hotel (the transfer is sometimes extra, depending on the package), which matters because of the early start. See from Zanzibar airport to your hotel. Book several days ahead, more in high season.
Opening hours
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