Established in 1922, Selous Game Reserve is named in honor of Captain Frederick Courtney Selous (1852-1917) who had been a famous elephant hunter. The area covering approximately 55,000 sq.km is the largest reserve devoted to wildlife preservation in Africa. It is one of the remaining untamed areas in Africa with pristine habitat that has just begun to receive international recognition.

The reserve is also one of Africa’s last true untouched wilderness area with a spectacular variety of Flora and Fauna.

It contains some of Africa’s largest and most important population of elephants, buffaloes and hunting dogs.

Other large mammals that are found there include Roosevelt’s sable (rarely seen), rhinos, hippos, giraffes, elands, sable antelopes, white faced wildebeest, waterbucks, warthogs, leopards and lions (which are darker in colour than their coousins in the northern circuits).

The selous male lions also have short, almost punk-like manes, very different from other lions in Africa. Selous Game Reserve is also famous for the Rufiji river system which drains through it and the numerous lakes which offer unique opportunities to take boat safaris.

Accommodation facilities in the reserve are excellent Visitors/tourists to the Selous can be accommodated in any one of the following camps; Rufuji River camp in noth-eastern part, just inside the reserve, Mbuyu, Safari Camp located near the channel connecting lakes Nzerakera and Manze, Selous Safari Camp which is built high up on the Beho Beho ridge and the Sitiegler’s Gorge camp.

Selous Game Reserve is 490 km. south-west of Dar es salaamu and it takes about 40 minutes to fly to the reserve from Dar es Salaamu or 4 hours by TAZARA.