The Selous is one of the most mesmerising wildlife areas that we have been to, it is not the sort of place that springs to mind when you first think of safari, lakes surrounded by palm trees gives it a more tropical feeling, but this doesn’t alter that it is one of the most captivating places in Africa.
The diversity of activities on offer in the reserve is a real bonus, with boating along the main river and in the oxbow lakes giving a different perspective on the surrounding wildlife. Add to this the fact that the Selous is only a 50 minute flight from Dar es Salaam making it the most accessible safari area in Africa as well as it being the largest protected area in Africa (the whole area is 45,000sq km).
We can split the reserve’s camps into two by their location, those inside the boundaries and those outside. While the eastern side of the park has the best wildlife density, it also has the highest density of camps located just outside the reserve, for this reason we chose which camps which use carefully. Wherever possible we use camps that are inside the park and we have a number of great options that fit this description, if it becomes necessary to look outside the park we know which are best and which are best avoided….
The Selous is one of the last havens of what we think is one of the continents most incredible carnivores, the African Wild Dog. This animal on the brink seems to divide opinion but having lived among them there is nothing more we like than to talk about why we think they are so great, so for us the Selous is a very special place for this reason alone….
The Selous is best visited from June to October for more traditional game viewing purposes although there is fantastic birding and boating opportunities in the green season. The Selous is, in places, quite densely vegetated and as such the best time for wildlife sightings is as the undergrowth dies back and visibility becomes better.
With a great light aircraft network the Selous is easily accessed from Dar es Salaam by flight of less than an hour, because of this it makes for a fantastic safari and beach trip when combined with the nearby Zanzibar. However, it can also easily be combined with other great safari areas such as Ruaha National Park.
The Selous has led the way in developing multi activity safaris in Tanzania. Not only are the driving safaris great but it is also the home of the walking safari in Tanzania as well as offering some great opportunities for boating safaris when water levels allow.
Top Selous camps
Siwandu
Selous, Tanzania
Perfect for a variety of activities, luxury “tented” camp and incredible attention to detail.
Selous Impala
Selous, Tanzania
Perfect for great value and an authentic safari experience, one of the best priced camps located within the game reserve.
Sand Rivers
Selous, Tanzania
Perfect for a luxury Robinson Crosue experience in the bush, some of the best guiding in Tanzania and a great sleepout activity.
Lake Manze
Selous, Tanzania
Perfect for a a rustic tented camp with a true focus on the wildlife and surrounds, one of the best safari focused properties and great value.