Selous Day Trip Safari From Zanzibar

From $475/Person

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Lions drinking at a waterhole in Selous (Nyerere National Park)
Herd of giraffes beside a waterhole in Selous (Nyerere National Park)
Lions resting in the shade of a tree in Selous Game Reserve
Boat safari on the Rufiji River with a giraffe on the bank
Safari vehicle driving between acacia trees in Mikumi National Park
Mosum Tours & Safaris Selous Day Trip Safari From Zanzibar

Selous (Nyerere) Day Safari from Zanzibar: Fly-In Game Drive Beside the Rufiji River

Nyerere National Park, the northern part of the former Selous Game Reserve, is one of Africa’s largest wild areas. With a fly-in, you can see it between breakfast and dinner without leaving Zanzibar for the night.

Duration

Full day

Tour Type

Fly-In Safari

Departs From

Zanzibar

Game Drive

6–7 Hours

Meals

Bush Lunch

Pickup

Hotel & Airport

Overview

A charter flight takes you from Zanzibar to an airstrip in the park, where your guide meets you with an open 4×4. The Rufiji River anchors the landscape, with hippos, crocodiles and elephants along the banks, and the area is known for African wild dogs.

The day is a full programme: a morning drive, lunch beside the river, an afternoon drive and a flight home at the end of the afternoon. Timings are set by the flight schedule.

Picture of Hosted by the Mosum Tours & Safaris team
Hosted by the Mosum Tours & Safaris team

Mosum Tours & Safaris is a Zanzibar-based operator with more than ten years of experience in ground handling. Our guides and drivers live on the island, know it well and are on WhatsApp from 8 AM to 9 PM every day.

Highlights

African wild dogs

One of the park’s specialities

Lions and elephants

Regular sightings

Full-day game drive

About seven hours in the park

440+ bird species

Rich bird life

Huge wilderness

One of Africa’s largest reserves

Open 4x4

Pop-up roof for photos

Fly-in convenience

No long road journey

Rufiji riverbanks

Hippos and crocodiles

Itinerary

6:00 AM — Hotel pickup in Zanzibar

Your driver collects you from your hotel and takes you to Zanzibar airport.

7:30 AM — Charter flight to Selous

Fly over the coast and into the interior, about an hour and a half.

9:00 AM — Landing and morning game drive

Meet your guide and start the safari straight from the airstrip.

12:30 PM — Bush lunch by the Rufiji

Eat lunch by the river, with views of hippos and birds.

2:00 PM — Afternoon game drive

Continue the drive through different habitats.

4:00 PM — Return to the airstrip

Drive back to the airstrip, stopping for sightings on the way.

5:00 PM — Return flight to Zanzibar

Fly back to the island and transfer to your hotel.

Price

Includes

  • Roundtrip flight from Zanzibar to Selous (Nyerere National Park)
  • 4×4 safari vehicle
  • All park fees and service fees
  • Professional driver/guide
  • Bush lunch
  • Medical kit and thermos of hot tea or coffee
  • All ground transportation and activities
  • All taxes and VAT

Best Time to Visit Selous

The dry season from June to October is the best time for game viewing in Selous. Animals gather along the Rufiji River and the vegetation is thinner. The wet months from March to May are lush but flights and tracks can be affected.

Jan

Good

Feb

Good

Mar

Moderate

Apr

Moderate

May

Moderate

Jun

Excellent

Jul

Excellent

Aug

Excellent

Sep

Excellent

Oct

Excellent

Nov

Good

Dec

Good

Excellent — dry season, best game viewing
Good — green & quieter, superb birdlife
Moderate — long rains, lush but flights may shift

Seats on the light-aircraft flights are limited and fill quickly in peak season (June–October), so booking a few weeks ahead is the best way to lock in your preferred date.

What Guests Say

The best tourist guide in Zanzibar!!
Vitor SilvaGoogle review · June 2022
Very nice visit to Stone Town with Mohamed. Good explanation and Mohamed is very knowledgeable about Zanzibar's history. Recommended.
Tom SegersGoogle review · May 2022
We were attended by Mohamed who provided us with impeccable service. Great driver, super polite and helpful! In addition to knowing Zanzibar very well and being a great guide!!!
Bruna Leal GonçalvesGoogle review · April 2022
Erg goede gids, wist veel te vertellen van Stonetown. Goed gezelschap!
Albert DGoogle review · May 2022
Read all our reviews on Google →

Frequently Asked Questions

It's a single-day fly-in, fly-out wildlife safari to Nyerere National Park (the former Selous Game Reserve). You leave Zanzibar at first light on a short charter flight, spend the day on guided game drives through the reserve, and fly back to the island the same evening. Round-trip flights, park fees, a guide, a 4x4, and a bush lunch are all included.
By a scenic charter flight of roughly one hour each way, over the Indian Ocean coastline and the miombo woodland, landing at a bush airstrip inside the park where your guide and vehicle are waiting. It's one of the closest mainland parks to fly to from Zanzibar, which is exactly what makes a same-day visit possible.
The day trip is game drives only — a single day doesn't leave time for a boat cruise alongside the flights and drives. You'll still follow the Rufiji riverbanks on the drive, where hippos and crocodiles gather at the water's edge. If a boat safari on the Rufiji is a must, ask Mosum about the 2-day Selous safari, where it's part of the programme.
Nyerere holds four of the Big Five — lion, elephant, buffalo and the elusive leopard — but no rhino for viewing. It's also one of Africa's strongholds for the endangered African wild dog, and you can expect giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, plus large numbers of hippo and crocodile along the Rufiji. As with all wild animals, sightings are never guaranteed.
Both refer to the same wilderness. The northern, wildlife-rich section of the old Selous Game Reserve became Nyerere National Park in 2019, and that's the area this safari visits. Many travellers and operators still call it "Selous," so you'll see the two names used side by side.
It's a full day, starting with an early-morning pickup and ending back in Zanzibar in the late afternoon or early evening. Once on the ground you'll have several hours in the park on morning and afternoon game drives, with a bush lunch in between near the Rufiji River.
No. Zanzibar and the mainland are both part of Tanzania, so if you're already on the island you do not need a separate visa to visit Nyerere. International travellers should just make sure their existing Tanzania visa is valid for the dates of the trip.
These are light safari aircraft with small cabins and low-level flying that gives lovely views of the coast and river country. Baggage is limited — typically around 15 kg of soft-sided luggage — and exact allowances are confirmed at booking, so travel light for the day.
It suits families with children roughly aged six and up. The early start and full day can tire very young children, while older kids usually love the flight, the open 4x4 and the hippos. Contact Mosum in advance for family arrangements and any dietary needs.
  • Light, breathable clothing in neutral tones (khaki, beige, olive)
  • A light jacket for the cool early-morning flight
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for the open 4x4
  • Camera with a zoom lens, plus binoculars
  • Any personal medications and a valid photo ID
Guest safety comes first. If severe weather affects the domestic flights — most likely during the long rains — Mosum will let you know as early as possible and work to rebook your safari for another date. Confirm the current cancellation and rebooking terms at the time of booking.
Nyerere is a year-round destination, but June to October (dry season) gives the best game viewing, with wildlife concentrated along the Rufiji. November to February is green, quiet and wonderful for birdlife, while the long rains of March–May are lush but most likely to affect the light-aircraft flights.

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