Niassa
Niassa Special Reserve
42,000 km² of miombo wilderness on the Lugenda river — one of the largest protected areas in Africa.
Niassa Special Reserve covers roughly 42,000 km², an area larger than Switzerland, and holds one of the most intact miombo woodland ecosystems left anywhere. The Lugenda river winds through it beneath granite inselbergs, and the reserve supports elephant, sable, buffalo, lion, leopard and one of Africa's most important African wild dog populations.
Visitor numbers are tiny. Access is generally by charter flight, and stays are arranged through a small number of camps and concessions. The trade-off for the effort and cost is a scale of wilderness that has become extremely rare.
Things to do
- Lugenda river
- Miombo woodland and inselbergs
- Elephant, sable and wild dog
- Walking safaris
- Night skies with no light pollution
