Local Sites Parks Selous Game Reserve– Tanzania Wildlife Viewing Safari and Tours
| Selous Game Reserve– Tanzania Wildlife Viewing Safari and Tours |
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 The Selous Game Reserve, in the remote south-east Tanzania is the largest protected wildlife reserve in Africa and covers 5 per cent of Tanzania’s total area.It is no wonder that statistics of mammals habituating here are more than 100 000 buffalo, 40 000 hippos, 150 000 wildebeest, 5 000 zebra and 50 000 impala. There are lots and lots of the ever-towering giraffes hovering above the Selous grounds, that's why some people call Selous the ‘Giraffic Park.’ The sheer size and numbers of game to see in Selous is phenomenal enough to make you pack your vacation bags and head there. The diversity of the park saw it earning the honor of being considered a World Heritage Site in 1988. If adventure be your middle name, Selous will be your first choice of vacation because the restrictions here are close to zero. Due to the fact that it is a Game Reserve as opposed to a national Park, you can engage in tracking lions by foot, rowing a kayak over some fat hippos, driving under the giraffes or flying above their heads. Roaming elephant populations, the reserve's famous wild dogs and some of the remaining Black rhinos share in its rivers, hills and plains. The scenery is simply enchanting, and a wonderful Tanzania wildlife safari destination.What with the variety, super-green grass, ranges of vegetation and river routes characterized by legions of tall Borassus Palms along the banks growing up to 25m tall. The Selous also conserves a surprisingly colorful African landscape, with white Lead wood trunks in stark contrast to the surrounding vibrancy of well-watered greens and a ranging palette of sandy terracotta. The defining feature of the Selous is the great Rufiji River, which naturally splits the ecosystem into two distinct parts. Stiegler's Gorge, 100m deep and 100m wide, is a magnificent natural feature with a rickety, gut-wrenching cable car that ferries safari vehicles across the river - not for the faint of heart. The gorge is a breathtaking example of the diversity and spectacular scenery along the game reserve's waterways. The Rufiji River Delta, connecting the Great Ruaha River with the Rufiji River and not far from the park boundaries empties out into the Indian Ocean along the Tanzanian Coast. Rufiji River is the largest water catchment locations in the region, and as such, is home to a plethora of varied water and bird life. Along its shores, hippos sleep languidly in the mud and sun themselves, mouths wide open, as the river passes by. Crocodiles are also common along the Rufiji’s riverbanks, their armor plated skins the only rough edges in the rivers incessant flow. Important to know is that it’s almost impossible to reach the reserve by car as a result of the horrible roads or lack thereof roads. Most visitors have to fly there, therefore bringing the annual number of visitors to stand at a lowly 2000 and also making it one of the purest, untouched reserves in the world. Only the Northern section of Selous is open to tourists. The Southern part is allocated for private hunting and scientific research. Despite this, the public portion of Selous is marvelously evocative, and magical. As mentioned earlier, the game reserve status reduces restrictions and as such, one can have boat rides as an alternative to game drives and hiking safaris are also a popular alternative. Bird lovers will not feel left out in this reserve since there are about 350 species of birds recorded here. The most sublime way to explore the reserve is by boat, meandering through channels and swamps, and exploring hidden lagoons. This offers you an unusual view of game. There are sandbanks crowded with huge crocodiles; exposed mud banks under red clouds of carmine bee-eaters, and swampy islands visited by wandering elephants. Fishing for tiger fish and the giant catfish which could easily weigh up to 50kg can be an exciting way to pass an evening, keeping a wary eye open for crocodiles, hippos and lions. There are hot springs at Maji Moto (said to be the source of the water used in the Maji Maji Rebellion) in the Beho Beho section of the reserve, and it’s a great place to soak away the dust and bruises of overland safari travel. However, immersing yourself in the waters of nearby Lake Tagalala is not allowed thanks to the massive and hungry crocodiles that live there. Also in the Beho Beho area is the simple grave of Captain Frederick Courteney Selous, the British hunter, soldier, naturalist and great eccentric who gave the reserve its name. Selous, a British explorer and hunter in East Africa, wrote a book about the region and his travels, and was tragically killed in land now named after him during the First World War In 1922. The Selous is an experience that can be combined with Tanzania's other wildlife areas too; pay a visit to Gombe or Mahale National Parks and you can tick off chimpanzees and forest birds as well. The above are the main attractions of the Selous Game Reserve but not the entire so you’ll have to head there to explore the full effect of being in a magical wilderness.
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