Selous Game Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve covers an area of 21 000 square miles and accounts for 5% of Tanzania’s land mass. The reserve has been named after Sir Frederick Courtney Selous, a big game hunter, explorer, author and early conservationist. His African adventure books were best sellers in Victorian England.
The Selous, which has World Heritage Site status, is a vast, thriving wildlife area of forests, woodlands, lagoons, sandbanks, volcanic springs and lakes of the Rufiji River. The diversity of game and spectacular scenery appeals to professional and amateur photographers. The changing colours of the sun reflecting on the waterways and dusty plains are the ideal backdrop for iconic wildlife shots.
The Selous Game Reserve is home to about one third of the world’s wild dog population. In many other more developed African countries their hunting skills have caused many to be shot by irate farmers but in the Selous these untameable wild dogs have endless woodlands and savannah plains to roam. The elephant population is estimated at 65 000, thought to be the worlds largest. The Reserve is also home to the regions last remaining black rhino.
Like the Ruaha region, the Selous attracts both Eastern and Southern African mammals and birds. The Rufiji River is the largest water catchment location in the region and as such attracts large herds of elephant and is always full of crocodile and hippopotami. Stigglers Gorge, where the Ruaha River meets the Rufiji River is a fine example of the diversity and spectacular scenery to be seen along the Reserves waterways.
Unlike the National Parks, this conservation area allows walking (the ideal way to observe the 2000 indigenous plant species), boating safaris and many of the camps offer overnight fly camping excursions. The standard of accommodation and guiding is extremely high.
The dry season between June and November is the best time for game viewing and whilst the rainy season between January and April is the best time for bird watching, many of the roads are impassable resulting in the closure of camps and lodges in the months of April and May.
Due to its remote location the Selous Game Reserve is only accessible by light aircraft, offering visitors an authentic East African safari experience that is far from the paved roads and curio shops that are found in the more touristy areas.
