The Selous Game Researve Safari Guide

Selous Game Reserve Tanzania also known as the Nyerere National Park is a 21,081 sq. mile park in southern Tanzania, the largest national park in the country. The park is home to one of the world’s largest wildlife sanctuaries. Which makes a Selous Game reserve safari Unique. Get more insight on rhis amazing reserve including the best time to visit the selous game reserve.

Selous Game Reserve Safari are renowned for their picturesque and pristine setting and the reserve itself was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 as a protected nature reserve.

What is the best time to visit Selous Game Reserve Tanzania?

Safari in Selous Game Reserve

A safari in Selous Game Reserve offers visitors the chance to go on guided walking safaris and see big wildlife on game drives including large numbers of large animals including lions, elephants, birds, giraffes, and crocodiles on guided safaris, walking safari, and river boat safaris.

Selous Game Reserve attracts many visitors due to its vast wilderness with forests, grassy plains, mountains, and open Miombo woodlands and its relative proximity to Dar es Salaam. The reserve was named after the explorer Frederick Selous Courtney.

The rivers and lakes of the Selous are the lifeblood of a park that hosts some fabulous games, including elephants, wild dogs, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, and the fantastic pride of lions.

In the game reserve, visitors can find some of Africa’s best walking, boat safaris, and fly camping trips, Selous has the greatest diversity of safari activities of all the safari parks.

The boating safaris in particular really set this reserve apart from other Tanzanian parks. Accommodation is also excellent with numerous luxury lodges and camping grounds.

Animals

Selous is home to several species of wildlife with the big five present including large numbers of lions, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, hippos, black rhinos, antelopes, hyenas, African wolves, wild dogs, and more.

The numbers of animals in Nyerere National Park are unprecedentedly high, making the park ideal for an adventurous safari and water-based activities on the superb Rufiji river.

The Reserve also has a wide variety of vegetation zones, from forests and dense thickets to open wooded grasslands and riverine swamps attracting animals from far and wide.

The string of lakes along the main circuit is a good place to see unusually large groups of giraffes and waterbuck.

Birds

Over 440 species of birds can be found here, particularly by the Rufiji river waters including African spoonbill, African wattled lapwing, yellow-billed storks, kingfishers, lapwings, colorful bee-eaters, Fish eagles, and palm-nut vultures.

Other activities at Selous Reserve

There are multiple activities and things to do in Tanzania that can be added to your safari including walking safaris. Here are some other activities which visitors can consider during their visit to Selous Game Reserve:

Walking safaris: Explore the wildlife and safari experience with a local guide on foot, an authentic and economical means of exploring the wildlife and exploring the wonderful landscape, rivaling that of the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.

Boat cruise: Choose a luxury boat or speedboat and feel the Rufiji river breeze while savoring views of the surrounding scenery.

Bird tours: With an incredible range of birds to view including the Pel’s fishing owl and white-fronted bee-eater in a tranquil setting.

Cultural Tours to Mloka village: Visitors can meet the locals in Mloka village and be entertained by their unique dance and drama. Excursions can also be made to the Mwaseni Village, which has local mud-hut houses, schools, and shops.

Safari beach combination: Many visitors like to combine their Selous Game Reserve adventure with the magical beaches of Zanzibar, spending quality downtime on pristine beaches after their African safari in Selous Game Reserve.

Useful information

Geography: Located in southern Tanzania, typically accessed by chartered plane.

Weather: Day-time high temperatures range from 26C/78F to 30C/86F with the last of the rain falling in May.

Best time to visit: Wildlife viewing in Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) is best from late June to October. It is the Dry season and wildlife is easier to spot since animals gather at water sources and vegetation is thinner.

Understanding the best time to visit Tanzania is useful as this impacts flight prices and availability.

Health: Visitors should seek medical advice from their doctor and consider antimalarial medication as malaria is present in Selous Game Reserve.