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National parks · 21 parks

Flag of TanzaniaNational Parks in Tanzania

Tanzania has 21 national parks covering about 91,277 km² in total. The largest is Nyerere National Park (31,044 km²); the oldest, Serengeti National Park, dates from 1940.

National parks in Tanzania at a glance

Tanzania has 21 national parks covering about 91,277 km² — roughly 9.6% of the country's 947,300 km². The 3 largest parks together account for 72% of that area.

Largest national parks

  1. Nyerere National Park — 31,044 km², since 2019
  2. Ruaha National Park — 20,226 km², since 1964
  3. Serengeti National Park — 14,763 km², since 1940
  4. Katavi National Park — 4,471 km², since 1974
  5. Ugalla River National Park — 3,865 km², since 2019

Oldest national parks

Planning a trip? See the best time to visit Tanzania, the Tanzania travel guide and airports in Tanzania.

Frequently asked questions

How many national parks are there in Tanzania?

Tanzania has 21 national parks covering about 91,277 km² in total. The largest is Nyerere National Park (31,044 km²); the oldest, Serengeti National Park, dates from 1940.

What are the largest national parks in Tanzania?

Nyerere National Park (31,044 km²), Ruaha National Park (20,226 km²), Serengeti National Park (14,763 km²), Katavi National Park (4,471 km²) and Ugalla River National Park (3,865 km²).

How much of Tanzania is national park?

About 9.6% of the country — 91,277 km² of national parks out of 947,300 km² in total.

What is the oldest national park in Tanzania?

Serengeti National Park, established in 1940, followed by Mkomazi National Park (1951), Lake Manyara National Park (1960) and Arusha National Park (1960).