Serena Mivumo River Lodge
Chalet lodge · Rufiji bank overlooking Stiegler's Gorge · Serena Hotels
Mid-range
Inside the park
Safari company
The only lodge on the Stiegler's Gorge stretch of the Rufiji, with chalets looking down onto the water. It prices per room instead of per person, so two people sharing pay substantially less per head than almost anything else on this list. The hydropower dam is in this western part of the park, which is worth understanding before you pick the gorge over the lakes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Priced per room, so two sharing pay far less each
- Only lodge built on the Stiegler's Gorge stretch of the Rufiji
- Honeymoon extras include a private candle-lit dinner on your deck
- Complimentary wifi and a pool, both confirmed on site
- Night drives offered here, unlike most other camps in the park
Cons
- Displayed rate is room-only; confirm what meals cost extra
- We found no published child policy on the lodge's own site
- Near Stiegler's Gorge, site of a hydropower dam project
- Sources disagree on whether it closes in April and May
What's here
- Swimming pool
- Wi-Fi
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Spa or massage
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Guided walks
- Night drives
- Fishing
Read from Serena Mivumo River Lodge's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Nyerere National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entry$70 plus 18% VAT, charged per 24 hours.
- $82.6per person, per day
- Vehicle$40 plus VAT for a foreign-registered vehicle up to 2,000 kg; above that, where most safari 4x4s sit, it is $150 plus VAT.
- $47.2per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $637.2 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The full fee schedule for Nyerere National ParkRates at Serena Mivumo River Lodge
From $405 per room per night. Priced per room, not per person, so a couple sharing pays far less per head than the camps quoting per person. The three-bedroom Mivumo Villa starts around $1,190. One source lists an April to May closure, which the lodge should confirm.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates gathered in July 2026 from operators' own rate cards, and from the best third-party sources where an operator publishes nothing at all. No published rate means 'on request'. Always confirm with the property. Two things shift the real comparison in this park. First, park fees are extra almost everywhere: a camp inside the boundary carries the $82.60 conservation fee plus a $59.00 to $70.80 concession fee per adult per night, both including VAT, and most in-park camps bundle these into an all-inclusive rate while the camps outside the gate charge entry, boat and walking fees separately on the days you go in. Second, ignore any camp still advertising night game drives: they are not permitted inside the national park since the 2019 regazettement. Names you may still find in older guides but that we do not list: Azura Selous, which appears permanently closed, plus Selous Kulinda, Ol Moran, Jimbiza Lodge, Selous Great Water, Selous Mbuyu, Selous Mapumziko, The Retreat Selous and Amara Selous, none of which we could verify as currently trading.
Questions about Serena Mivumo River Lodge
Is Serena Mivumo River Lodge good for families?
We found no published child policy on the lodge's own site. Rooms are chalets for two or the three-bedroom Mivumo Villa, which would suit a family needing separate bedrooms, but nothing is stated about ages, so ask when you enquire.
Is Serena Mivumo River Lodge good for a honeymoon?
Yes. The lodge's own site lists a run of couples' extras: welcome fruit and flowers, a reserved table for two, a private candle-lit dinner on your deck, honeymoon breakfast in bed with sparkling wine, and a couples' massage in your room. These are genuine honeymoon features, not generic marketing.
What does the rate at Serena Mivumo River Lodge include?
Chalets start at $405 a room per night, priced per room rather than per person, so two people sharing pay less per head than at the per-person camps. The lodge's own site shows this as room-only pricing, with a separate All Inclusive Offer, so confirm whether meals are included before you book.
When is Serena Mivumo River Lodge open?
The park record lists it as open year-round but flags that one source gives an April to May closure, which the lodge should confirm. The lodge's own site does not state seasonal closure dates, so check directly before booking that window.