The Selous is Tanzania's largest game reserve; in fact it is the largest in Africa and holds UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Covering 4,480,000 hectares, Selous Game Reserve is a massive wilderness area three times the size of the Serengeti. It supports some of the biggest herds left in Africa, with an estimated 30,000 elephants and 200,000 buffalo as well as large herds of all the other game. There are plenty of hippo and crocodiles, wildebeest, hartebeest, kudu, sable antelope, eland, reedbuck, bushbuck, zebras and giraffe. It is also a very good place to African wild dogs (also called hunting dogs) as it has possibly the largest number of any African park. Around 450 species of birds have been recorded in this game reserve.
The Rufiji River runs through the park, pretty much bisecting it into a northern and southern section. The river system fed by the Rufiji, and the associated lakes and swampland, is what makes this reserve so special. The habitat differs from east to west. The eastern part of the park is mainly grasslands and the western sector is predominantly miombo woodland. Over 2,000 plant species have been recorded in the park.
Most people tend to visit the area to the north of the river. Having said that there are nothing like the numbers of visitors here that there are in the northern parks. This is partly its attraction, especially to people returning to Tanzania for a second visit - it's quiet.
Selous Game Reserve is a great place for walking safaris, as well game viewing from a boat and the more conventional landrover safaris. There are several very good camps and exclusive lodges here to choose from.
