game drive in Selous Tanzania

The Selous National Park in Tanzania is the largest protected area of it’s kind in Africa. Covering an area the size of Belgium, Selous is a UNESO World Heritage Site. Many of the safari camps of Selous are located along the banks of the Rufiji River. The river, lakes and lagoons are all focal points for safaris in Selous.

Most of the safari camps in and around Selous Game Reserve offer their guests of choices of three types of safari; game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris. Traditional game drives remain popular but boat and walking safaris are both excellent options.

Open safari vehicles are driven by an experienced guide who points out various animals that you almost certainly wouldn’t even notice. The guide is able to identify the array of wildlife and colourful birds that you see as you make your way through Selous. The “Big Five” (leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino) can be found in Selous Game Reserve but remember that this is wild Africa, not a zoo so it is by no means certain that you will see all of the “Big Five”.

Unlike Europe where we have 4 distinct seasons, Selous has a wet and a dry season. Game view is at its best during the dry season which starts in June and lasts until November. The lack of foliage makes spotting game and birdlife is easier as they make for the lakes and lagoons. It is also the best time to see the larger predators.

The wet season covers the rest of the year and although the early part of the wet season between December and February, game viewing can still be good but it can feel very humid. January to May is the best time to visit Selous for birdwatches although many lodges and camps are closed between March and May as the rains can make some roads impassable.

Selous Game Reserve also boast around a third of the African Wild Dog population. The Wild Dog is critically endanged with around 1,300 of them living in Selous. They are very social, hunt in packs and are also known as “Painted Dogs”.

The lakes in Selous attract a wide range of birdlife with the majestic Fish Eagle being the favourite of many people. Its call is as distinctive as is white head and can be seen perched high in the trees close to the lake or soaring high in the sky. The lakes are home to wading birds such as stork and heron as well as more dangerous animals like crocodile and hippos. Hippo can occasionally be seen out of the water during the day but they are usually in the water with just their heads visible above the surface.

Visitors really need a minimum of 3 nights to ensure they have the opportunity to see the magnificent wildlife that the Selous Game Reserve has to offer.