The Selous game reserve, located in Tanzania’s south-eastern region, is Africa’s largest and oldest protected area. The game reserve was established in 1896 and has a total land area of around 50,000 square kilometers, with plant types such as savannah forested grassland, Miombo woodland, shrubs, groundwater forests, and rocky outcrops serving as homes for many wildlife species. The Selous Reserve was named after Frederic Courtney Selous, a British explorer who was slain and buried within the reserve during World War I. It was recognized a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 owing to its biological richness and unbroken nature.

Selous Game Reserve’s Attractions

Wildlife, including enormous herds of elephants and lions, as well as giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, buffaloes, impalas, spotted hyenas, leopards, wild dogs, sable antelopes, black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, elands, larger kudus, hartebeests, reedbucks, and warthogs, are all found in the Selous The game reserve’s animals may be seen on a game drive, guided nature walk, or a boat safari on the Rufiji River.
Birds, the Selous Reserve is home to approximately 440 bird species, including migratory and aquatic birds, making it a birdwatcher’s dream.

African wattled lapwing, spur-winged lapwing, African spoonbill, white-headed vulture, white-fronted bee-eater, African skimmer, yellow-billed stork, Pels fishing owl, brown-headed parrot, broad-billed roller, palm nut vulture, black-winged stilt, thick-billed cuckoo, white-backed night heron, carmine bee-eater, brown breasted barbet are among the most notable birds
River Rufiji is Tanzania’s biggest river and a major water source in the Selous Reserve. Rufiji is bisected by two tributaries of the Ruaha and Kilombero rivers, which divide the game reserve into two halves, the northern and southern sectors, which include the greatest mangrove forests and enormous elephant herds.

Frederick Selous Grave Courtney Selous was a British explorer and conservationist who was slain in the Selous game reserve during World War II and was buried near the spot where he was killed under a tamarind tree. The Selous Grave is located in Beho Beho, on the northern outskirts of the Selous Wildlife Reserve, and is available to all visitors with the assistance of a park guide every day.

 

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Activities at Selous

Game drives are one of the most popular and exciting activities in the Selous game reserve, and they should not be missed.

Game drives are best done early in the morning to see predators before they return to their hiding locations, and later in the afternoon to see animals returning to their resting spots. During the game drive, you will follow different game tracks throughout the reserve, which will reward you with spectacular views of the big five animals, including elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and black rhinos, as well as other animals such as giraffes, zebras, warthogs, impalas, and elands, as well as colorful bird species, beautiful landscape, scenery, sunrise or sunset, and more. In the Selous Wildlife Reserve, wildlife drives are conducted in a comfortable 4WD pop-up safari vehicle.

Selous Wildlife Reserve is one of Tanzania’s protected regions, and it provides guided nature walks, an activity that allows you to get out of the car and explore the game reserve on foot. Nature hikes are best done early in the morning or late in the evening in the presence of an armed park ranger who is familiar with the reserve’s walking pathways. During the guided nature walk, you will get up close and personal with animals such as giraffes, zebras, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, and impala, as well as enjoy great views of beautiful scenery, listen to sweet birds singing in the trees, enjoy the peaceful and quiet environment, take incredible photos, and inhale fresh air.

Selous game reserve is home to around 440 bird species, including migratory and aquatic bird species, making it one of Tanzania’s greatest birding destinations. There are various bird habitats in Selous Game Reserve, including sandbacks, islands, lagoons, and channels along the Rufiji River, among others, and birders should look out for various bird species such as the yellow-billed stork, African spoonbill, black-winged stilt, African skimmer, broad-billed roller, brown necked parrot, palm nut vulture, rock pratincole, white-headed lapwing, yellow-billed stork, thick- The greatest time to see birds in the Selous wildlife reserve is on a boat safari down the Rufiji River.

Boat safaris are one of the most exciting activities in the Selous Wildlife Reserve, and they take place on the River Rufiji, which divides the reserve into two portions. Spectacular views of beautiful scenery, animals such as hippos and crocodiles in the water, elephants, buffaloes, lions, and warthogs among others drinking water along the riverbanks, and aquatic bird species such as fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, and bee-eaters among others will be available during the riverboat safari.

Sportfishing is available in the Selous Game Reserve, which is one of Tanzania’s protected regions. Sportfishing is done with an expert guide on rivers and lakes.

Various fish species, including the most common tiger fish, catfish, and others, maybe caught during the fun sport fishing activity.

Accommodation options at the  Selous Wildlife Reserve?

In the Selous game reserve, there are a variety of accommodations to choose from, including Beho Beho luxury lodge, Mivumo River lodge, Sable Mountain lodge, Selous Serena camp, Roho Ya Selous camp, Lake Manze camp, Selous Impala camp, Siwandu camp, The Retreat tented lodge, Selous Mbuyu Safari camp, Rufiji River camp, Selous River camp, Selous Ngalawa camp, Africa Safari camp, Selous Wilderness camp etc.

When is the best time to visit Selous?

The best time to visit the Selous game reserve is during the dry season, from June to October, when there is less rainfall, which means that access roads to the game reserve will be passable, vegetation will be short, allowing you to see wildlife clearly, and animals will congregate around water bodies to drink water, giving you the opportunity to see large concentrations of animals.

The game reserve may also be visited during the rainy season, which runs from March to May and November, because it is the ideal period for bird watching, with migrating bird species can be seen.

Getting there

The Selous game reserve is accessible by three modes of transportation: road, air, and train.

When traveling by car, you will drive from Dar es Salaam to Selous Wildlife Reserve. Though the trip is difficult and may take a whole day to complete, you will be rewarded with spectacular views of towering palms, mountainous terrain, beautiful grasslands, and an optional stopover at Mikumi National Park along the way. You may also take a different route through Morogoro to reach the Selous Wildlife Reserve, which offers vistas of Tanzanian rural settlements.

In comparison to road and rail, air travel is one of the quickest ways to get to Selous Wildlife Reserve.

There are regular and charter flights to an airfield in the Selous game reserve from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Zanzibar. Your travel operator may arrange flights to Selous.

The Tanzania Zambia Railway connects the Selous wildlife reserve to the rest of Tanzania and Zambia (TAZARA). The railway journey from Dar es Salaam to Selous wildlife reserve takes roughly four to five hours via jungle paths. You will be able to see wild regions and rural sceneries in Tanzania along the journey, among other things.

For unforgettable adventures, thrilling encounters, and breathtaking nature vistas Because the Selous game reserve is a fantastic place to visit, you may contact us for additional information.