SELOUS GAME RESERVE

This wild and unspoilt game reserve in southern boasts than 400 species of bird. A real highlight of the Selous is the variety an enticing mix of abundant wildlife and varied terrain. Spanning of safari activities available, making every day entirely different a vast 45,000km, the Selous is larger than Switzerland and is from the next. Choose from traditional game drives in open-sided home to just a handful of small safari camps, ensuring an exclusive vehicles, boat safaris with a spot of fi shing and walking safaris safari experience. Game viewing here is rewarding, with plentiful to take a slower approach to understanding the fl ora and fauna of numbers of wild dog, , leopard, elephant, buffalo and more the reserve.

SNAPSHOT: BEST FOR: • World’s largest populations of wild dog • Getting off the beaten track • Unspoilt wilderness area – UNESCO World Heritage Site • Land and water-based safari activities • Accessible by short light aircraft fl ight • Variety and density of wildlife from Zanzibar and LOCATION:

The Selous is a wild and pristine game reserve in southern corridor with Mozambique’s Niassa reserve to the south. Tanzania, offering an off-the-beaten track safari with rewarding The varied terrain of the Selous ranges from miombo woodland game viewing. Away from the better-trodden path of the northern to rivers swirled with sandbanks, open plains, verdant swamps parks such as the Serengeti, there is much to see here and only a and lowland rainforest. The different ecosystems are home to a handful of other visitors here at any one time. The reserve is easy wide variety of wildlife and in excess of 2,100 plant species have to access from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar by light aircraft and is been recorded. The mighty Rufi ji river meanders through the ideally combined with the nearby . heart of the reserve and its many tributaries, channels and small The Selous was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in lakes provide not only a water source for the wildlife but also a 1986, recognising the reserve as one of Africa’s largest remaining beautiful riverine environment to explore by boat. wilderness areas and the importance of its position as a wildlife WILDLIFE:

The Selous Game Reserve has an abundance of wildlife to discover and the world’s largest population of wild dog, one of Africa’s fi nest on safari, with its varied terrain providing a superb habitat for some of predators. There are high concentrations of hippo in the reserve, the most sought-after species as well as more unusual game. There who provide a constant soundtrack to your safari, as well as large are lion prides aplenty, leopard lounging in the riverine woodland herds of buffalo which roam the miombo woodland and swamps. WILDLIFE cont:

Some of the rarer species found in the Selous include sable antelope, Rhino do inhabit the Selous in small numbers, but sightings are eland, Nyassa wildebeest and Lichtenstein’s . The reserve is extremely rare and should not be expected, and there are no cheetah also home to more than 400 recorded species of bird, ranging from the in the reserve. endemic rufous winged sunbird to the elusive Pel’s fi shing owl. ACTIVITIES:

Every day of your Selous safari can be different, thanks to the variety pods, crocodiles sunning themselves on the sandbanks and bird of activities on offer here. Game drives are the best way to encounter colonies nesting on small islands. In the late afternoon you’ll often the larger game and predators, allowing you to cover more ground. be treated to the sight of , giraffe and herds of elephant We use open-sided vehicles with tiered seating to ensure everyone coming to the water’s edge to drink. Boat safaris can be combined gets a great view, wherever you are sitting. Walking safaris** are a with catch-and-release fi shing for tiger and catfi sh on request. Of real highlight, offering a slower pace and the chance to track wildlife course all activities can be combined with picnics, bush breakfasts from their prints and signs in the bush, as well as taking the time to and sundowners. learn about the wider ecosystem and how it functions. Boat safaris allow an entirely different perspective, getting up close to hippo **(Under 16s are not permitted to walk within the Selous Game Reserve). TRAVEL SEASONS:

The main safari season in the Selous is the long dry season which runs November to March is hot and humid, with intermittent rainfall, from June until October, with the reserve becoming drier and wildlife wildlife viewing is still highly rewarding as the game is still active and more concentrated around waterholes, rivers and lakes as the season there are often less vehicles and boats in the reserve. Birders will also goes on. November brings the short rains and the humidity builds fi nd these months particularly rewarding with the arrival of migrant from then until the start of April which brings the long rains. Whilst species on their journey south for winter.