Selous Game Reserve

The Selous Game Reserve is an amazing place, so wild and vast that it will offer you a uniquely adventurous experience. This land is one of the untouched gems of Tanzanian nature. It is the largest National Park in Africa with an area of 54.000 sq km, four times the size of the Serengeti, covering more than 5% of the country.

If your wish is to have an off the beaten track safari experience, Selous is definitely the place to go. Its landscape diversity includes hot volcanic springs, seasonal lakes, channels from the Great Ruaha and Rufiji rivers, Miombo woodlands, Acacia savannas and grasslands, while its concentration of wildlife is equally varied and vast.

Having so many special features and being the unspoilt natural ecosystem that it is, Selous GR was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. It is famous for a large population of elephants – approximately 70% of Tanzania’s elephants are found here. More than 40.000 hippos inhabit the river systems, there are large herds of buffalo and packs of African wild dogs, while 5000 lions reign in the area. Among its other inhabitants are leopards, zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, a variety of antelope and gazelles species, some of the last remaining black rhinos and more than 350 species of birds. Reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and lizards also live in the park.

Selous is the only park in Tanzania and Kenya where game viewing can be done by car, on foot or by boat. There are many available routes to explore its vast wilderness. With our 4X4 vehicles and guides, it is possible to spend 4 or 5 days on a safari and never use the same route. The game drives take place in the northern part of the reserve and they can also be extended to the neighbouring Mikumi NP and Kilombero Game Controlled Area.

If you are looking for a close encounter with wildlife, you should not miss an escorted walking safari in this park. Selous can offer you the very finest walking safari opportunities. Accompanied by local expert guides, you will walk along game trails following the course of the Rufiji River and fly camp on sandbanks and in riverside forests.

Renowned also for its rivers and lakes, you can enjoy a canoe safari to observe nature from another perspective, watching animals coming down to the river banks to drink.

The best time to visit the reserve and enjoy both a walking and boat safari is during the cool dry season from June to October. January and February are also recommended as the rains break and the landscape is green and in bloom.

For your accommodation you can choose from a fine collection of lodges and private camps or more simple and affordable campsites. You can also spend some days in the wild in fly camping tents. Please ask us for more information about accommodation options.

The safari in this park can be combined with Tanzania’s other wildlife areas too. We suggest you visit Gombe Stream or Mahale NP to spot chimpanzees and birds in the forests. If you prefer to enjoy a few days of relaxation after this intense wildlife journey, Mafia or Zanzibar islands will welcome you.

Have a look at our Selous programs, or as there are a great variety of things to do in this park and the surrounding area, contact us to design a customized itinerary with your tastes in mind.