Selous
Game Reserve - Tanzania
Selous
Game Reserve; Selous Game Reserve is one
of the largest fauna reserves of the world, located
in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman
Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and
early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this
territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans
during World War I. Selous Game Reserve covers a total
area of 54,600 km² (21,081 square miles). Enter
Africa's largest protected area uninhabited by man,
where Tanzania's greatest population of elephants
wander in an area bigger than Switzerland! The Selous
(pronounced “Seloo”) is considered important
enough to be World Heritage Site, in which the lucky
few can experience a safari in absolutely wild and
unspoiled bush. Selous Game Reserve is named after
Englishman, Frederick Courtney Selous - conservationist,
hunter, explorer and author, whose adventure books
on Africa became best sellers in Victoria England.
The park varies from rolling grassy woodlands and
plains, to rocky outcrops cut by the Rufiji River
- the lifeblood of the park, whose tributaries form
a network of lakes, lagoons and channels. Volcanic
hot springs even burst forth in places. The Rufiji
offers a superb method of game viewing especially
during the dry season when animals congregate.
Selous
Game Reserve Lodges offer walking safaris, game drives
and boat trips. The Rufiji River provides excellent
opportunities for sailing or rafting to view game.
Fishing is allowed in the rivers of the Kilombero
Game Controlled area to the west of the reserve, where
tiger fish and catfish are plenty. Much of the reserve
is available for hunting.
Stiegler's
Gorge is one of the park's most striking features.
This gaping chasm channels the frothing confluence
of the Great Ruaha and Rufiji Rivers. After this bottle
neck, the Rufiji swells through the park down to the
Indian Ocean forming a series of small lakes that
serve as an important source of water for the multitude
of the plains game. The hinterland around Lake Tagalla
and Beho Beho is some of the most picturesque in area.
Some distance from Lake Tagalla, whose shape and size
is in a constant state of flux, hidden in a ravine
surrounded by lush vegetation, are the Maji Moto hot
springs. In this fascinating area, waterbuck, southern
reed-buck and bushbuck are common. During the dry
season in Selous Game Reserve, rare sable antelope,
lion and greater kudu frequent the Lake. Lined with
Borassus palms, the muddy Rufiji is the Selous Game
Reserve's main artery.
During
the dry season between June and October the river
banks explode in a spectacular flood of the plains
animals quenching their thirst all under the opportunistic
eye of crocodile. The Selous Game Reserve is home
to over 350 species of birdlife. The largest African
reserve covers an area of 55,000 sq km and is crossed
by the Rufiji River full of hippos, crocodiles, and
fish. Its tributaries form a network of lakes ideal
for boat safaris, wildlife observation and bird watching;
over 350 species have been catalogued.
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Selous
Animals & Aquatic Life
Selous
contains about one third of all the wild dogs (often
called painted dogs), in the world. Their need to
roam vast areas and their formidable hunting skills
have caused many to be shot by farmers, but here in
Selous they have boundless woodlands and savannahs
in which to roam. If you are looking for elephants,
Selous Game Reserve is the place to find them: there
is a large population of these giant mammals. The
vast majority of Tanzania's elephant herd live in
one remote stretch of safari wilderness - the Selous
Game Reserve. Other species
commonly seen are lions, wild dogs, buffaloes, bushbucks,
impalas, elands, baboons, zebras and greater kudus.
The Rufiji River system, the greatest in East Africa
flows through the reserve and is home to countless
hippos and crocodiles. Linked to the Rufiji is Lake
Tagalla, where waterbucks, reedbucks, bushbucks and
the rare sable antelope can be seen.
Elephants
in Selous Game Reserve crossing Rufiji River
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Selous
Game Reserve Boat Game Drives
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Rare
and endangered Wild Dog
in Selous Game Reserve
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Migrating Elephant
Along
the Rufiji River, an array of grazing antelopes, crocodiles
and hippos are commonly seen as well as black and
white colobus monkeys in the riverine forests. During
the dry season from June to October, the concentration
of animals along the river is astonishing. Linked
to the Rufiji is Lake Tagalala where waterbuck, reedbuck
and bushbuck gather at the water's edge. Magnificent
sickle-horned sable and curly-horned greater kudu
tend to keep to the longer grass and wooded shrubby
areas.
In
the dry season an ancient migration of elephants takes
place between the Selous and Mozambique's Niassa Game
Reserves. This is one of the largest natural trans-boundary
eco-systems in Africa and at the last consensus it
was estimated that 64,400 elephants roam the two parks,
with 84% on the Tanzanian side. Fierce tiger fish
and smooth slippery vandu catfish are caught in the
rivers. The latter is equipped with primitive lungs
allowing it to cross land for short distance in an
attempt to find water during the dry season.
Selous
Seasons
Dry
Season: The dry season sets in during
June to November and is the best time for game viewing
along the rivers. Elephants come out of the bush at
that time and predators are more commonly seen.
Rainy Season:
January to April is wonderful for bird life
and it's lush and green but many roads become impassable
after heavy rains. December to February is still good
for game viewing but can be rather hot and humid.
The safari lodges are usually closed from March to
May.
Selous
Highlights
•
Thousands of migrating elephants
•
Rare and endangered Wild Dog
• Boat game viewing
• Huge wilderness
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Walking safaris
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Fishing
Buffalo
at Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania
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Elephant
drinking at Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania
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 Lion
at Selous
Game Reserve, Tanzania
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Getting
to Selous Game Reserve
Selous Game Reserve can be reached by Plane, train
or road.
By plane:
Selous
Game Reserve flight services
are normally available from Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar
and Arusha into different airstrip in the reserve
depend on which camp to be visited.
By Road:
The drive to
Selous Game Reserve from Dar
es salaam is via Kibiti village and cross Mtemere
entrance gates takes up to seven hours covering 250
kilometers on where the first 150 kilometers of the
road is well bituminized and the rest is on earth
road. The drive from Morogoro to Selous Game
Reserve takes about 5 hours
passing through beautiful landscapes and scenery.
4x4 Safari vehicles would be highly recommended.
By train:
At a reasonable price, by Tazara Train would be the
other way of reaching Selous Game
Reserve. Tazara has now released
a new schedule on where there will be train to Selous
on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
Selous
Game Reserve Activities
Game Drives:
Selous
Game Reserve visitors can visit
the park through Safari packages with
African Spice Safaris to small and remote camps and
lodges, with little chance of bumping into any sign
of human life. During a game drive or walk one might
be lucky enough to see a pack of African Wild Dog,
disappearing throughout Africa but thriving in the
Selous. These complex and fascinating mammals show
little fear of vehicles, and it’s often possible
to observe their intense social life from close proximity.
In the tourist area the density of dogs is higher
than anywhere else in Africa.
Boat Trip:
Selous visitors are offered trips long the Rufiji
River and the adjoining lakes where hippos, crocodile
and a variety of bird species. Spot fishing facilities
are also available. Other activities include: Walking
safaris, Spot fishing and Bird watching.
Best
time to Visit:
The most pleasant time to visit the Selous Game
Reserve
is during the cool season from the end of June until
October. The rainy season is from November to May.
There is a dryer spell in January and February, and
this is also a beautiful time to visit as the trees
and flowers are blossoming and everywhere from the
end of March to May, the reserve is inaccessible and
the tourist camps are closed.
Selous
Game Reserve - Tanzania
