From Selous Game Reserve to Nyerere National Park: The Story Behind Tanzania's Largest Park

Most travel sites still call it the Selous Game Reserve. Some call it Nyerere National Park. A few use both names interchangeably. Here is what actually happened, why the name was changed, and what it means for you as a visitor today.

Where the Name "Selous" Came From

Frederick Courteney Selous (1851–1917) was an English explorer, professional hunter and conservationist who spent much of his life in southern Africa. He was the prototype for H. Rider Haggard's Allan Quatermain and famously a friend of Theodore Roosevelt. Selous died in what was then German East Africa, fighting in the British army during the First World War. He is buried near the Beho Beho area, deep inside what would later carry his name.

In 1922, the British colonial administration of Tanganyika created the Selous Game Reserve, named in his memory. Over decades it grew to roughly 50,000 sq km — by some metrics the largest game reserve in Africa. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1982.

Game Reserve vs National Park — Why It Mattered

Under Tanzanian law, a Game Reserve and a National Park are different categories. Game Reserves historically allowed regulated trophy hunting in defined blocks; National Parks do not. The Selous was split into a photographic-tourism northern sector and large hunting blocks in the south. For decades this dual-use model was politically and ecologically controversial.

The 2019 Reorganisation

In 2019, the Tanzanian government formally separated the photographic-tourism northern sector and gazetted it as a national park — named after Julius Nyerere, the country's founding president and a national figure of significant historical weight. The southern hunting blocks remain a separate Game Reserve, retaining the Selous name. The new National Park covers approximately 30,000 sq km, making it the largest national park in Africa.

What Changed for Visitors

• Park fees moved from the old SUMATRA / Selous fee schedule to the standard TANAPA national park fee structure

• Walking safaris remain permitted only with armed TANAPA rangers — same protocol as Serengeti and other parks

• Photographic safari operators were unaffected — same camps, same guides, same wildlife

• Hunting was prohibited in the new National Park boundary; remaining hunting is limited to the southern Selous blocks

• The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project at Stiegler's Gorge sits inside the park and has created a vast new reservoir — a complex addition to the ecosystem

Which Name Should You Use?

Both. The official current name is Nyerere National Park. But "the Selous" is still in everyday use — by guides, by long-time camp owners, by Tanzanian operators, and by old-school safari literature. Most camps in the area, including ours, refer to the wider region as Selous out of habit and because the ecosystem extends well beyond the park boundary. When booking, make sure your operator clarifies which administrative zone your camp is in.

Why It's the Best Park for an Authentic Safari

Despite all the bureaucratic reorganisation, what makes the place special hasn't changed. It is still vastly underpopulated by tourists relative to the northern circuit. It still holds one of Africa's largest wild-dog populations. It still offers boat safaris on the Rufiji that no other Tanzanian park can match. And the Beho Beho area where our camp sits remains one of the quietest, most beautiful corners of the entire ecosystem. See our post on Nyerere National Park as Tanzania's untouched safari destination for the full picture.

Plan a Visit

Porini Camp by Wanyamapori Safari is bookable from June 2026, in the heart of the Beho Beho area of Nyerere National Park. Email info@wanyamapori-safari.com with your dates. Full camp details on the Porini Camp page.