Getting to Rufiji River;

Most safaris to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous GR) are fly-in packages from Dar es Salaam. Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) just outside Dar es Salaam is the main international airport and entry to the country. In most cases, safari soles will pick you up and handle all further arrangements.

Nyerere NP is often visited as a safari extension to a beach holiday on Zanzibar Island, or one of the beaches around Dar es Salaam. To accommodate this, there are daily scheduled flights from either departure point to both Nyerere and Ruaha. Flights from Arusha town, the base for the northern safari circuit, are also available.

Another option is to drive to Nyerere NP from Dar es Salaam on a road safari, but the trip is bumpy and uncomfortable and will take a full day. Time permitting, there is the option of a stopover at Mikumi National Park to break up the trip.

Climate and Weather at Rufiji River;

Tanzania is huge and its sheer size means that the climate varies considerably within it. However, generally the main rainy season, or the ‘long rains’, lasts from about March, to April and May. Afternoon tropical downpours are the norm – which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The humidity is high and daily temperatures reach the low-mid 30°s.

The long dry season lasts throughout June, July, August, September, and October when rainfall is unusual, even on the islands. Temperatures vary hugely with altitude and location, but it’s usually a fine, clear sky and sunny weather – it’s a great time to visit the Rufiji River. During November and December, there’s another rainy season: the ‘short rains. These are much lighter than the main rains and less reliable.

If it has rained during the short rains, then it normally dries up for a few months, January and February, which is Tanzania’s ‘short dry season, before starting to rain again in earnest in March.