Selous Game Reserve
(Nyerere National Park)
Duration: Minimum 1 Day
Entrance Fee: Yes (Included in the Tour price)
Wheelchair friendly: Yes (Most of the time in Safari vehicles)
Sanitary facilities: Yes (In the Lodges)
Refreshments: Yes
The Selous Game Reserve is a protected wildlife area located in southern Tanzania. It covers a vast area of approximately 50,000 square Km (19,000 square miles), making it one of the largest game reserves in Africa and the world. The reserve was named after Frederick Selous, a British explorer and conservationist, and it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.
The Selous Game Reserve is renowned for its diverse and abundant wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo’s, giraffes, zebras, and numerous bird species. It is particularly known for its large population of African wild dogs, also known as painted dogs or African hunting dogs. These endangered predators thrive in the reserve due to its vast and relatively undisturbed habitat.
The reserve is characterized by various ecosystems, such as woodlands, grasslands, swamps, and rivers. The Rufiji River, which flows through the Selous, is a lifeline for the reserves wildlife. It is home to a significant population of hippos and crocodiles, and it attracts a multitude of other animals that rely on its water source.
Visitors to the Selous Game Reserve can engage in a range of activities, including game drives, boat safaris, walking safaris, and fly camping. Game drives provide an opportunity to explore the diverse landscapes and spot wildlife in their natural habitat. Boat safaris along the Rufiji River offer a chance to observe hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species. Walking safaris provide a more intimate and immersive experience, allowing visitors to discover the reserves flora and fauna on foot. Fly camping involves spending the night in a temporary campsite deep within the reserve, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the African wilderness.
It’s worth noting that the Selous Game Reserve faces some conservation challenges, including poaching and habitat loss due to human activities. Efforts are being made to protect and preserve this remarkable wildlife sanctuary for future generations.
Tours
Excursions
Nyerere National Park
The reserve is located in the southern part of Tanzania along the southern Tanzania safari circuit and offers the best escape from the large tourist crowds in the northern safari destinations like Serengeti while offering you a remarkable wildlife experience. It is considered to be among the hidden gems in the county and offers a wide range of Selous Game Reserve Camps for accommodation. The reserve is located about 219 Km from the busy city of Dar es Salaam and may take about 4 hours drive. Selous Game Reserve has been renamed: NYERERE NATIONAL PARK.
Things To Do In Selous Game Reserve
During your Selous Safari Holiday there are a number of different activities you can engage in that will surely offer you a very memorable experience while in Africa as highlighted below.
Walking Safaris.
A safari in the Selous will not be considered complete unless you engage on one of the guided walking tours conducted here. You will get an opportunity to enjoy an up-close encounter with Mother Nature as you appreciate the beauty and serenity of this remote but beautiful reserve.
Bird watching Tour.
With a bird list of more than 400 bird species holidaymakers interested in bird watching will surely not be disappointed while in the Selous. these guided tours will give you an opportunity to see different species including the giant kingfishers, pink backed pelican, African skimmer, white-fronted bee-eater, fish eagle, carmine, ibises, white-crowned spur-winged plovers, palmnut vultures, purple-crested turaco, yellow-billed stork, trumpeter hornbill and malachite kingfishers among others.
Boat Safari.
Boat safaris in the selous offer holidaymakers and an opportunity to explore the different water channels including lakes, River Rufiji and the smaller channels during which you will see various wildlife including hippos, bird and crocodiles.
Game Drive.
Game drives are conducted early in the morning as well as in the late afternoon and these are normally conducted in open roof safari cars to offer tourists the most rewarding views of the animals. The park ranger guides are very knowledgeable about the best places the animals and they will lead you to those places.
WILDLIFE IN SELOUS GAME RESERVE
There are a number of Wildlife mammals found within this national reserve among which are: approximately 145,000 buffalos, 4,000 Lions, 100,000 wildebeests, large hands of giraffes, 35000 zebras, 40000 hippos, 250,000 impalas, large numbers of Lichtenstein’s hartebeests, waterbucks, elands and bushbucks, in addition to leopards, crocodiles and hyenas. Furthermore this is among the few wildlife sanctuaries on the African continent where you will find the puku antelopes the African wild dogs as well as the sable antelope. Previously the Selous was home to a very large number of elephants but because of excessive poaching these numbers have greatly reduced and all these can be seen during the game drives on the Selous Safari Holidays.
OUR SAFARI PLAN
Selous Game drives are conducted early in the morning around 6am as well as in the late afternoon around 18pm (before the sunset) and these are normally conducted in open roof safari cars to offer tourists the most rewarding views of the animals. The park ranger guides are very knowledgeable about the best places the animals and they will lead you to those places.