Located in a remote area in the southern part of Tanzania, Nyerere National Park is a dream destination for all tourists that love fishing. The Nyerere National Park’s larger part experiences an arid climate, however there are parts of the park that have permanent water bodies with the main one being the River Rufiji which is the largest River in Tanzania. River Rufiji has tributaries and there are several Lakes that are found in the Northern part of the Park where you also go fishing and these are Lake Siwandu, Lake Tagalala, Lake Mzizimia and Lake Manze. The main type of fish that is caught in Nyerere is the cat fish.
The Tiger fish is a little bit hard to get but with patience and guidance from the tour guide, you will be able to catch the most sought after Tiger fish. You can get upton15 Kgs of both the catfish and the Tiger fish but note that the cat fish is mainly found in the Lakes whereas the Tiger fish is found in the River Rufiji.
Fishing can either be done outside or outside the reserve. If you decide to go fishing outside the reserve, then the only expense will be hiring out the boat for as long as you have your fishing rod and other equipment needed for fishing and if you want to go fishing inside the Reserve, you will have to pay the park fees, get a boat and then enjoy an afternoon fishing out some of the best species in the National Park.
Fishing in Nyerere is an exciting experience that you will not want to miss out and before you head down to Nyerere for this great experience, you need to find out what exactly you need for fishing. If you do not have your own fishing equipment, there are those that you can rent at a cheaper cost. You will be given a rod and bait but do not forget to take your camera with you to capture this great experience.
Best time to go fishing in Selous
The best time for you to go for s fishing safari in Nyerere is from June to around mid-October and from December to February.
6 days Nyerere National Park sport fishing
The 6 day fishing safari will be joined with other activities that can be carried out around the Park to create a fun filled safari for you and it will start in Dar es Salaam and still end in Dar es Salaam. Other activities will be carried out after having enough time for the fishing which might take a day and half.
Duration 6 days and 5 nights
Group size 7 people
Activities fishing, game drive, walking safari
Cost $750
The safari will include:
- Accommodation for 5 nights
- Transportation throughout your safari
- Park entrance fees
- All meals and water
- An experienced and English speaking tour guide
- A boat that will be shared
The safari will not include:
- Fishing gear
- Insurance
- Extra days spent after the safari
- Airport transfers
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Dar es Salaam to Selous
We will leave Dar es Salaam very early in the morning with our packed lunch and drive to Selous. We will get there by midday and have our lunch before enjoying an afternoon boat ride along the Rufiji River. With our fishing equipment and a hired boat, we will ride until we get to a designated place where we will do our fishing from. With patience we might get to catch the famous Tiger fish and then get to enjoy the sunset while in the boat. We will then drive to the camp for dinner and an overnight.
Day 2: Walking safari
After breakfast at the camp, we will get to do some morning fishing expedition at the Lakes. We will try to catch some cat fish while enjoying the beautiful scenery that is provided by the numerous bird species and animals especially the buffaloes. After lunch with an armed ranger and experienced tour guide, we will start our walking safari on the marked trails around the National Park and the walk is usually done on a trail that avoids all the dangerous animals mostly the predators. A walking safari will take you to the village where you will meet locals and get to spend the day joining in their day to day activities and it is another way for one to be close to nature. Some of the animals that you will get to see while on a walking safari will include elephants, zebras and kudus.
Day 3: A game drive around Nyerere
We will have breakfast in the morning and then start our game drive immediately. The best time to watch the animals in Nyerere is during the morning hours and late afternoon hours after 2:00pm. This is the time when the animals are up and about before the heat becomes unbearable especially during the dry season which is experienced between June and October.
Day 4&5: boat safari
Day 4 and 5 will be spent exploring the National Park in our boats. There will be two sessions of boat rides on both days and the first one will be in the morning hours where we will ride along the Rufiji and after lunch, we will ride along the Lakes that are found in the Northern part of the National Park. All the boat rides will begin in the morning after breakfast and will end in the late afternoon. We shall then return to the campsite to enjoy a warm dinner prepared by the chef and then retire for the night.
Day 6: Nyerere to Dar es Salaam
We will have breakfast at the camp and with our parked lunch drive back to Dar es Salaam where you will catch your flight back home. Lunch will be served on our way to Dar es Salaam. This will bring our fishing safari to an end.
