Selous Game Reserve
Nyerere National Park, formerly known as Selous National Park, is one of Africa’s largest protected wilderness regions, encompassing 54,600 square kilometers. The conservation zone is situated in southern Tanzania. The reserve was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 because of its extensive variety and scale. Selous was designated as a wildlife reserve in 1922 by German colonial authorities, rendering it one of Africa’s oldest protected regions. The Reserve is named for Frederick Courteney Selous, a British adventurer, conservationist, and soldier who perished in 1917 during World War I in Tanzania. In 2019, the Tanzanian government named a segment of the Selous Game Reserve as Nyerere National Park to commemorate the nation’s inaugural president, Julius Nyerere. The Game Reserve features a varied assortment of landforms, including intermittent lakes, volcanic springs, and river systems such as the Rufiji River and Ruaha River. The reserve’s environment sustains a diverse array of species, rendering it an optimal place for game viewing and safari experiences.
Vegetation in Selous Game Reserve
Selous Game Reserve is characterized by savanna forested grasslands and Miombo woodlands. Miombo trees have drought resistance and provide a semi-deciduous canopy that loses leaves during the dry season, so permitting sunlight to penetrate to the ground and sustain grasses. Dense thorny shrubs and groundwater forests along the Rufiji River. These regions provide crucial shade, water access, and habitat for fauna, including hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and avian species.
Wildlife in Selous Game Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve accommodates a diverse array of mammalian species, rendering it an optimal location for game drives. The park contains multiple water bodies that serve as prime locations for seeing various animal species during the dry season. The fauna of Selous Game Reserve comprises elands, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, wildebeests, puku antelopes, impalas, larger kudus, sable antelope, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, buffalo, black rhinos, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, elephants, hyenas, lions, African wild dogs, and leopards. The park is home to over 445 bird species, including migratory and aquatic birds. The avian species capable of performing these actions include the mangrove kingfisher, African spoonbill, African skimmer, giant kingfishers, yellow-billed stork, rock pratincole, ibises, fish eagle, white-crowned spur-winged plovers, pink-backed pelican, palm nut vultures, trumpeter hornbill, carmine bee-eater, thick-billed cuckoo, black-winged stilt, white-fronted bee-eater, broad-billed roller, racket-billed roller, purple-crested turaco, malachite kingfishers, green-billed coucal, and long-tailed fiscal.
Activities in Selous Game Reserve
Numerous activities are available to provide a wonderful experience while on safari in Selous Game Reserve, including;
Safari excursions
Game drives in Selous Game Reserve are done in 4×4 open-roof safari vehicles to provide tourists with optimal views of wildlife. They occur in the morning and late evening; however, a full-day game drive is available to cover all regions of the park. Selous is renowned for its elephants, but it also hosts various other species, including elands, bushbucks, waterbucks, larger kudus, impalas, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, wild dogs, and numerous avian species near the Rufiji River.
Bird Watching
The Selous Game Reserve is home to more than 445 bird species, encompassing migratory, woodland, and water birds, among others. The avifauna of Selous includes the African spoonbill, African skimmer, yellow-billed stork, ibises, pink-backed pelican, trumpeter hornbill, mangrove kingfisher, thick-billed cuckoo, black-winged stilt, white-fronted bee-eater, broad-billed roller, racket-billed roller, palm-nut vultures, giant kingfishers, white-crowned spur-winged plovers, fish eagle, purple-crested turaco, carmine kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, green-billed coucal, rock pratincole, long-tailed fiscal, among others. These avian species can be observed during boat excursions and guided walking safaris around sandbanks, the Rufiji River, lagoons, lake channels, and islands.
Boat Cruise
The action occurs on the Rufiji River, Lake Siwadu, Lake Nzelekela, Lake Mzizimia, Lake Manze, and Lake Tagalala. Boat tours at Selous Game Reserve are available in two varieties: short and full-day boat safaris. A brief boat safari is available in two sessions: the morning session from 7 to 9 AM and the evening session from 4 to 6 PM. The full-day boat safari commences at 10 AM and concludes at 6 PM. The activity provides an opportunity to observe hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Walking Safaris
This is an adventurous activity in the park that provides guests the option to explore on foot. The walking safari in Selous Game Reserve commences at 7:00 AM at Mtemere gate and is conducted in groups of six individuals under the supervision of an armed ranger. The ranger will guide you through various routes, including riverine forests, sandbanks, and the Rufiji River. The activity requires 2 to 3 hours. Visitors have the opportunity to observe many creatures at close range. Among the animals that can be observed are wildebeests, giraffes, elephants, and zebras, among others.
Cultural excursion
In addition to various activities in Selous Game Reserve, cultural trips are also available. Cultural tours are conducted in Mwaseni or Mloka Village. The Mloka settlement is situated along the Selous River. During your stay in this community, you will be entertained by local dance and theatrical performances, as well as get the opportunity to tour schools and local markets. Alternatively, you may explore Mwaseni village, which features traditional mud-hut dwellings, artisan stores, and community educational institutions. Cultural tours in this town include hiking, providing an opportunity to observe local residents engaging in daily activities such as farming, traditional grinding, and fishing.
When is the best time to visit
The Selous Game Reserve is accessible year-round. The optimal period to visit the reserve is during the dry season, either from June to October or from December to February. During this month, reduced precipitation results in shorter shrubs and bushes, facilitating optimal visibility for wildlife. Furthermore, the roadways are not slick. The optimal period for avian aficionados to visit the reserve is from mid-December to March, as numerous migrating species inhabit Selous Game Reserve during this time. For enthusiasts of wild dogs, the optimal period is from June to August, as this coincides with their denning season.
How to get to Selous Game Reserve
Multiple modes of transportation are available to access Selous National Park, including road, air, and rail.
Selous Game Reserve is readily accessible by air with local planes connecting from Ruaha and Dar es Salaam. A trip from Dar es Salaam to Selous lasts approximately 45 minutes, whereas a flight from Ruaha takes about 90 minutes. The park is accessible by road via a route from Dar es Salaam that traverses Mikumi National Park, leading to Matambwe Gate for entry. The trek is significantly longer, yet it provides magnificent vistas. The journey by road spans 220 km and requires around 4 to 6 hours of driving. You may choose railway transit via the Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA). The railroad commences in Dar-es-Salaam, traversing the wilderness to Matambwe Gate, subsequently linking to the Selous Park headquarters. The voyage lasts 4 to 5 hours; nevertheless, the train is infamously delayed.
Accommodations within Selous Game Reserve
Selous features several lodges around the park, many of which are sustainable eco-hotels. These facilities encompass affordable, mid-range, luxury, and high-end options. Included among them are Selous Kulinda Camp, Selous Impala Camp, Beho Beho, Kiba Point Safari Lodge, Rufiji River Camp, Mivumo River Lodge, Selous Wilderness Camp, Sable Mountain Lodge, and Amara Selous.