Selous Game Reserve is one of the biggest protected regions in Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Selous Game Reserve situated in southern Tanzania. Selous presents guests with an immersive safari experience with its great wilderness, varied ecosystems, and many of animals. We will cover in detail the location, activities, attractions, best time to visit, transportation choices, and lodging options Selous Game Reserve offers.
Geography/ Location of Selous Game Reserve
Covering about 50,000 square kilometers, Selous Game Reserve located in southern Tanzania. Named after eminent adventurer Frederick Selous, the reserve has meandering Rufiji River, wetlands, woods, and grasslands. It is far-off city, which will provide you a real African safari experience.
Activities carried out inside Selous National Park
A variety of activities available at Selous Game Reserve let guests discover its several ecosystems and come across its abundant wildlife. The following is the list of activities available on the reserve:
Game Drives
Wildebeest at Serous National Park
Among the most sought-after activities in Selous Game Reserve are game drives, which let guests explore its large wilderness and see a range of wildlife species under professional guide direction. Through the many habitats of the reserve—open grasslands, acacia woodlands, riverine forests—game drives guides transport guests on safari experiences. Elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, several antelope species, and birds are among the wildlife often observed on game drives.
Boat cruise tour
blessed with Rufiji River, which runs through the canter of Selous Game Reserve offers great chances for boat cruise safaris. Along with seeing animals along the bank, visitors can start guided boat tours down the river visiting its channels, lagoons, and lakes. Aqua life within the river might also be pursued. With chances to see hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds like kingfisher, and other aquatic species, boat safaris provide a unique viewpoint of the reserve’s wildlife and scenery.
Natural walk safaris
Guided walking safaris let guests explore on foot and come across close-by wildlife, therefore providing a more personal and immersive view of Selous Game Reserve’s environment. Armed rangers lead walking safaris under the direction of seasoned guides who offer knowledge of the ecosystem, wildlife behaviour, and conservation initiatives of the reserve. Usually concentrating on places with dense vegetation where vehicles cannot reach, walking safaris offer a unique viewpoint of the reserve’s flora and fauna inaccessible from the car.
Camping Fly-wise
Fly camping gives an exciting overnight experience out in the middle of the woods for the adventurous visitor. Along with expert guides, visitors can start multi-day walking safaris and camp beneath the stars in outlying rural areas. Fly camping lets visitors enjoy the wonder of the African bush personally, surround themselves with nature, listen to the sounds of the wild, and make fire to give them required warmth.
Birdwatching
Kingfisher at Serous game Reserve
Selous Game Reserve is a birdwatcher’s dream come true with over 450 kinds of birds known to exist inside its confines. Guided birdwatching trips let visitors see a range of avian species including raptors, waterfowl, kingfishers, hornbills, and weavers. Year-round birdwatching chances abound in the reserve thanks to its varied habitats— marshes, woods, and riverine forests among other things.
Attractions in the National Park
Many natural and cultural sites in Selous Game Reserve highlight its special beauty and diversity. The reserve boasts some must-see sites like these:
The Rufiji River of Selous Game Reserve
The Rufiji River, the biggest river in Tanzania, is Selous Game Reserve’s lifeline and the center of most animal activity. Boat safaris around the river let guests see hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and a range of birdlife along its shores. For those who enjoy animals, the Rufiji River is also home to a great variety of aquatic life.
The Stiegler’s Gorge
Stiegler’s Gorge, a remarkable geological formation sculpted by the Rufiji River, resides inside Selous Game Reserve. Stiff cliffs and rocky outcrops define the gorge, which the river flows through. Scenic drives around the rim of the gorge allow visitors to stop at points of view to take in the amazing panoramic views of the nearby environment.
Selous’s Grave
The Selous Grave, the last resting place of eminent adventurer and conservationist Frederick Selous, who inspired the reserve’s name, lies close to the park headquarters. Paying their respects at Selous’ tomb, visitors can also discover his contributions to African wildlife protection and exploration. The site also features information about Selous’ life and legacy and interpretative exhibits.
Warm Springs at Selous Game Reserve
There are several natural hot springs in Selous Game Reserve, thought to offer therapeutic value. Guided tours to the hot springs let visitors enjoy breathtaking scenery across the reserve while learning about its geology and ecology. With chances for swimming and picnics among nature, the hot springs offer a restful and revitalizing experience.
Cultural interactions Selous Game Reserve
Several indigenous groups live in Selous Game Reserve: Maasai, Sukuma, and Matengo people among others. To discover the traditional way of life and cultural legacy of these communities, visitors can take cultural excursions and village visits. Through insights into local cultures, traditions, and crafts, cultural interactions help to promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange.
Ideal Time to Visit Selous Game Reserve
Your interests and tastes will mostly determine when would be the ideal visit for Selous Game Reserve. Still, the dry season—which runs from June to October—is usually regarded as the best time for outdoor pursuits and wildlife observation. Vegetation is few during this period, which makes spotting wildlife simpler; animals gather near water sources, hence offering great chances for game viewing.
How to Reach Selous Game Reserve?
About 350 kilometers southwest of Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, sits Selous Game Reserve. There are numerous ways to get to the reserve: by road and by air.
Fly to Selous Game Reserve
Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam sits closest to Selous Game Reserve. From Dar es Salaam, guests can arrange a scheduled or chartered flight to one of the reserve’s airstrikes—Mtemere, Siwandu, or Matambo. To give easy access to Selous Game Reserve, several domestic airlines run flights there.
By Road
Selous Game Reserve is reachable by road from Dar es Salaam for those joining overland. Depending on traffic and road conditions, the vehicle trip takes six to eight hours. From Dar es Salaam, visitors can travel the A7 highway southwest past Morogoro and Kilombero to the entrance of the reserve. Although the route is mainly paved, especially in the rainy season, travelers should be ready for sporadic rocky areas and river crossings.
via River
Boat safari down the Rufiji River is another unusual approach to access Selous Game Reserve. From surrounding resorts and campers, visitors can schedule guided boat rides to take a leisurely tour of the reserve’s canals and view animals along the banks. Boat safaris provide a picturesque
Accomodation at Selous Game Reserve.
Beho Beho safari lodge
Tucked down on the slopes of the Beho Beho hills, this private safari lodge provides opulent lodging in roomy cottages and suites with private verandas gazing over the reserve. Along the Rufiji River, guests may savor gourmet cuisine, guided wildlife drives, walking safaris, and boat safaris.
Selous Serena Camp
Selous Serena Camp, which lies on the banks of the Rufiji River, presents classy, tented lodging in a peaceful environment. The camp boasts roomy safari tents with en-suite toilets, outside showers, and private decks with river views.
Siwandus
Originally Selous Safari Camp, Siwandu provides luxurious tented accommodation in a remote location on the shores of Lake Nzerakera. The camp boasts large canvas tents with en-suite toilets, outdoor showers, and private verandas with views of the lake.
Camp on the Rufiji River
Tucked down in a palm grove beside the Rufiji River, Rufiji River Camp provides modern conveniences together with pleasant tented accommodation. The camp boasts roomy tents with river views, en suite toilets, and verandas.
Selous Impala camps
Located among Selous Game Reserve’s deep riverine woodlands, Selous Impala Camp provides real tented accommodation in a seclusion. The camp boasts classic safari tents with en-suite bathrooms, outside showers, and verandas facing the nearby forest.
Camp Lake Manze
This primitive bush camp, which lies on the shores of Lake Manze, provides real safari experiences right within Selous Game Reserve. The camp has classic tented housing with common kitchens and facilities.
Mdonya Old River Camp
Mdonya Old River Camp provides basic but cosy tented lodging in a rural location along the banks of the Mdonya River. The camp boasts roomy tents with communal restrooms and outside showers.
Selous’s wilderness camp
Fly camping experiences in isolated areas of Selous Game Reserve allow Selous Wilderness Camp to provide the best wilderness experience. Guests can stay beneath the stars in lightweight tents and start multi-day walking excursions under the direction of experts. Fly camping lets visitors really enjoy the magic of the African bush, listen to the sounds of the wild, and get totally surrounded in nature.