Where to Find Rufiji River Camp

Nyerere National Park is a staggering 30 893 km², making it larger than 70 countries around the world. Before it was subdivided to form Nyerere National Park in 2019, the Selous Game Reserve was Tanzania’s oldest and largest protected area, covering some 50 000km2. Today, it holds UNESCO World Heritage Site status for its conservation value and biodiversity.

The Rufiji River shapes the park’s landscape. It carves its way through the national park for 600km before flowing into the Indian Ocean. Its catchment basin stretches over 177 429km2 and collects around a third of Tanzania’s rainfall. During the long rainy season, from November to May, the river level fluctuates and overflows to create seasonal ox-bow lakes. Life in Nyerere National Park revolves around its ebb and flow, and the widening and narrowing of its waterways. The wildlife of this Big Five reserve innately understands this watery timeline.

In the 1980s, Rufiji River Camp was the first lodge to be built in what is today the north-eastern photographic section of Nyerere National Park. The Fox family rebuilt and renovated the camp in 2010 to set it further back inland to protect it from the might of the Rufiji River.