Safari in Selous

Selous

is an enormous and

uniquely languid reserve

fabulous motorboat safari on the river

Selous Game Reserve is an extremely large and important conservation area located in southern Tanzania.

Selous is the only major safari reserve to be located on the coast. As a result it has a very languid atmosphere and an unusually humid climate that some people may find oppressive.

In 2020 a large sector north of the main river was separated from the Selous Game Reserve and renamed Nyerere National Park. This move substantially upgraded the level of protection provided to the landscapes and wildlife, as well as providing greater surety of tenure for the various lodge operators.

The Selous area is particularly well known for its motorboat safari out on the Great Rufiji River, with walking safari also being widely offered.
As well as the usual range of savanna animals, Selous is a particular stronghold for African wild-dogs.

Selous most commonly features as a short safari extension in more beach-focused trips to Zanzibar. It can also be combined with Ruaha to create longer and more varied safaris.

At over 45,000 square kilometres, Selous is the largest wildlife reserve in Tanzania and is actually larger than Switzerland.

Nyerere National Park is the northerly part of the reserve where all of the photographic safari camps are located.

The reserve is centred on the broad Rufiji River which lazily winds through a network of open lagoons.

The palm tree forests around these lakes are particularly atmospheric and attractive.

These fertile areas attract large concentrations of wildlife, especially during the long Jun-Oct dry season.

The riverine areas are surrounded by vast arid hinterlands and woodlands with much lower wildlife densities.

There is a wide range of herbivores including elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and many species of antelope.

Predators include decent populations of lions, leopards and spotted hyenas.

Elusive African wild dogs are regularly sighted around the central lake network.

Vehicle safari is the main activity, often punctuated by picnics and sundowners.

Some camps also offer modest walking safaris, but these rarely include deliberate approaches to lions and elephants.

Motorboat safari is a real highlight in Selous and tends to produce some really strong sightings.

Largely due to time spent out on the river, the birding here can be very strong and varied.

Some camps are also able to offer bivouac camping in remote locations.

Selous contains several good small lodges which focus on offering quality safari experiences.

Although the focus is very much on authenticity, the camps are not without their comforts.

Access is usually by light aircraft from Arusha, Serengeti, Ruaha, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.

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The Selous tends to feature in relatively few trips to Tanzania, mainly because it is obliged to compete for nights with the fabulous safari areas of the Serengeti region and the nearby Ruaha. It tends to be used most at the extremes, as a short first-time safari extension to a beach vacation or as part of a longer safari for more experienced safari travellers.

The usual stay duration is 3-4 nights in one camp. Multiple camp combinations here are relatively rare.

Seasonality

The best time of year for safari in Selous is generally considered to be the Jul-Oct dry season, when the wildlife is concentrated along the river, although this is also the period when visitor numbers and prices both reach their peaks.

Getting there

Selous is most commonly accessed by light aircraft, which fly directly into dirt airstrips in the bush. In this case your safari vehicle and guide is provided by the camps in which you are staying.

Selous can also be visited by means of an overland safari, usually out of Dar es Salaam, in which case you would usually undertake your vehicle safari with your private vehicle and guide, whilst the lodge provides your motorboat safari and walking safari options.

Where to stay

Selous has a decent collection of around a dozen authentic lodges, whose combined bed capacity amounts to little more than 300 visitors.

Because of the sticky climate and lower quality guiding we generally tend to keep stays here down to 3 to 4 nights in a single camp, preferring to deploy more time in other locations.

The best lodges are generally those around the string of lakes north of the Rufiji River, with the simple Lake Manze Camp marking the epicentre for wildlife viewing.

Outside the eastern Mtemere Gate there is a cluster of simple properties which serve the budget overland and self-drive market, unfortunately spilling significant traffic into the park, disadvantaging the lodges on this side.

The further west you go the better for traffic avoidance, with the upmarket Beho Beho Camp and Sand Rivers Camp both being in really peaceful areas, but still within reach of the best wildlife areas.

Further west and south the lodges become more remote, but the quality of wildlife viewing drops away sharply. They also become more affected by the construction of the new dam (described in the Geography section above).