Selous

Selous Game Reserve is probably the world’s largest wildlife reserve, covering an approximate area of 54,600 sq. km. This Tanzanian reserve area, is the utmost quality of African wilderness. It provides shelter for more than half of the country’s elephants as well as a variety of other surrounding inhibitants such as buffalos, wild dog, crocodiles and hippos. There is a large variety of rich, vibrant bird life that surrounds the Reserve as well as some of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhinos.

This reserve has followed a series of past decisions in order for it to be what it is today. In 1905, it originally had parts of the area set aside yet it wasn’t until 1922 that the area was expanded and given its present name. Over the next several decades, the area continued to be expanded until 1975 when the Reserve accumulated its present day boundaries.

Selous contains the huge river Rufiji River, which contains one of East Africa’s largest water catchment areas. Stiegler’s Gorge is situated at the northern end of the reserve where the Great Ruaha River flows into the river Rufiji. The gorge averages 100m deep, and was named after a German explorer, that was killed by an elephant in 1907, here in the Selous Reserve area. The area has been designed so that most of the camps and lodges are situated together in the one area.

The best time to visit Selous Reserve is from June to October, during the cool, dry season, and in January and February when the rains usually break. From late February to May, much of the reserve is inaccessible due to the heavy rains. The tourist camps close for part of this time, usually during the months of April and May.