Selous Game Reserve - Tanzania
Selous is one of the most remote and least visited game park in Africa, but at 15,000 square miles, it is the world’s largest game reserve.
The name derives from hunter-explorer Frederick Courtenay Selous, a keen naturalist and conservationist as well as a hunter. He was killed in the First World War in the Beho Beho region of the reserve. The defining feature of the Selous is the great Rufiji River, which naturally splits the ecosystem into two distinct parts.
The area can be explored by boat, sailing through swamps and lagoons where elephant often come to bathe, or even by foot, as the Selous is one of few Tanzanian reserves to allow walking tours. It has the world’s largest number of big game, more than 120,000 elephants, 160,000 buffaloes and about 2,000 rhinoceros. In addition, the Selous contains Africa’s greatest concentration of hippopotamus, crocodiles and wild dogs.
Getting to Selous Game Reserve:
By Road
Between a 7 hours and 9 hours drive, but only in the dry season. From Morogoro the road through the Uluguru Mountains to Selous passes through spectacular scenery, thick forest and vibrant villages and takes about four hours. The last 50km requires use of a 4WD VEHICLE.
By Flight
By Air, 1 hour 30 minutes flight from Dar es Salaam. Air services are available from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar into several airstrips servicing the camps.
Attractions at Selous Game Reserve
The Selous game reserve is the largest protected wildlife area in Africa. It has the largest population of elephant as well as large numbers of buffalo, hippo and wild dog. Other species commonly seen are lion, bushbuck, impala, giraffe, eland, baboon, zebra and greater kudu.
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Accommodation Options in Selous
Camps and Lodges inside the Selous game reserve
Mivumo River Lodge,
Selous Mbega Safari Camp,
Selous Safari Camp,
Rufiji River Camp,
Impala Camp,
Selous Safari Camp,
Beho Beho Camp
Lake Manze Camp
and Sand Rivers are all located inside the reserve.
Just outside the western boundary is Sable Mountain Lodge and just outside the eastern boundary is Mbega camp.
Best time to visit Selous Game Reserve:
The best time to visit Selous is during the dry season when game is forced from hiding places to the river to drink. June-October and December-March. Short rains are expected in November and the long rains usually last from early April-late May.
Note
Scheduled flights to Selous are usually suspended from end March to early June.
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