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Annie's guidebook

The Selous Game Reserve

The Selous: An Introduction

Located in Southern Tanzania, the Selous Game Reserve is Africa's largest game reserve and one of our favourite game viewing areas in Africa. Much quieter than the Northern parks, the rivers and lakes of the Selous are the lifeblood to a park that hosts phenomenal volumes of game including Africa's largest elephant and wild dog populations and probably it's largest buffalo, hippo, crocodile and lion prides. The reality is that this park is so vast it is impossible to count its game and that is exactly what we love about it; Selous is untouched African wilderness and is yet easily accessible from Dar and Zanzibar. Home to some of Africa's best boat safaris, walking and fly camping trips make the Selous the park in Tanzania with the greatest diversity of safari activities. A great place for the safari enthusiast but also a great introduction to unspoilt Africa.

The Selous Game Reserve: An overview of where to stay

The Selous is home to three of the finest camps in Tanzania, a couple of which would stake their claim as the finest in Africa. Beho Behoand Sand Rivers are exceptional lodges that offer all the activities the Selous is famous for, and host some of the best guiding teams in Africa. Selous Safari Camp is an amazing Tented Camp in arguably the best game area of the park at a price that makes it one of the best value camps in Africa. Close-by to Selous Safari Camp is the no frills Lake Manze, a great adventurous little camp which has a reputation for being on an elephant highway. Manze's sister camp Impala is a little further away and offers a higher level of luxury at an affordable price. Other camps in the park include Rufiji River Camp, The Retreat, the two new Serena properties and Amara Selous. Speak to us for more information.

Click here for detailed Selous Lodge Reviews

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On Safari in the Selous: Our View

As you have probably gathered from reading this page, we are real fans of the Selous. Not only is the game viewing superb, especially in the peak season months, but the wilderness on offer is some of the most untouched in Africa and the sheer diversity of activities on offer makes for a superb safari experience. The boating safaris in particular are something that sets this reserve apart from other Tanzanian parks and the fact that the park is so much quieter than the majority of the rest of the country just adds to the attraction of Selous. The lodges are superb value, small and personal with phenomenal food and service and a world apart from the huge 100 room hotels of the Mara

The Selous Game Reserve: When to go

Selous is a classic dry season park, with the game getting progressively better the later in the season you travel. July to October is the best time of year for the greatest concentrations of game but do not estimate this park at any time of year; game viewing is very good in specific areas throughout the year. January to February is a time when you have to choose your camp carefully as the game migrates away to fertile feeding grounds. Birding at this time of year is absolutely world class.

Selous Safaris: What game will you see

The Selous wildlife is all the more interesting as it attracts both East and Southern African wildlife, both resident and migratory, and over 440 known species of birds. Lion are particularly strong here and there are large numbers of leopard. The park is home to over 50% of the endangered African wild dog and also hosts very good buffalo, giraffe, eland, hyena, sable, hippo, crocodile, kudu, baboon, wildebeest, zebra, impala, hartebeest, colobus and vervet monkeys and over 450 species of bird.

The Selous Game Reserve: What activities are on offer

Standard game drives are permitted albeit only in the daytime. The Selous has some of the finest boat safaris in Africa and some of the lodges here have some of the very best walking operations on the continent - Selous Safari Camp, Beho Beho and Sand Rivers Selous in particular. There are a number of operators who also run fly camping trips which involve lengthy walking safaris and a very adventurous mobile camp set up - a fantastic experience for clients who want to spend a night or two under the stars!

The Selous Lodges

We have included all the lodges below ordered by our ranking, and by price. Clicking on any of the links will bring up more information; our detailed view of the lodge, video, photos, key facts etc.

Ranking

- Outstanding

- Very good

- Good

- Average

- Poor

Beho Beho
Quite simply one of the best lodges in Africa. Superlative guiding, stunning accommodation and superb walking areas make Beho Beho Tanzania's No.1 lodge. It is rare that we give a lodge 5 paws, but this lodge has it right in all the right places. Unquestionably worthy of 5 paws?.potentially worthy of a 6 paw grade!

$995pp

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Selous Safari Camp
Is the best luxury tented camp. Having been recently refurbished, and now offering a 9 tented standard camp or if you are looking for a bit more privacy there is a slightly more luxurious 4 tented private camp which is available for exclusive use. With its combination of great location, good food, relaxed atmosphere and excellent guiding, we believe this is the best, all-year-round camp in the park and the best value for money.

$837pp

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Sand Rivers Selous
Sand Rivers is one of the most famous properties in Africa. Set up by Richard Bonham who pioneered walking safaris in the Selous, Sand Rivers has the best river location of any camp in the reserve and subsequently offers the best boating safaris. Probably more famous for its high quality walking operation, Sand Rivers is an adventurous camp that falls down to our 4 paw rating solely due to its price.

$1,065pp

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Lake Manze
We almost want to give Lake Manze a 5 paw rating for quality vs cost; this camp really does have a very unique atmosphere in camp. Set up in the style of a rustic adventurous research camp Manze is certainly not luxurious, but does offer obscenely good game viewing. Elephant are guaranteed to walk around your room, priceless! The guiding, albeit good, is not top class and so we give Manze 4 paws... Unbeatable value.

$445pp

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Selous Impala Camp
Impala is a good value tented camp that has remarkably high guiding standards for its price. Located looking over the Rufiji river, the location is great and the rooms are luxurious, but not over the top. We have always believed that spending the extra and paying for the Selous Safari Camp however is well worth the extra money, so Impala is our second best tented accommodation in the park.

$620pp

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Rufiji River Camp
Rufiji is one of the oldest camps in the park and relies somewhat on old clients and repeat bookings. There is talk of an upgrade soon which may give us reason to upgrade our rating. However for a similar price we recommend Manze, which is a smaller, much more unique camp in the best game viewing area of the park.

$410pp

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Selous Wildlife Lodge
Both the Serena lodges (Selous Wildlife and Mivumo River, below) get 2 paws for now; simply because they are too new for us to assess ongoing quality. On our recent visit we were genuinely impressed with the lodges but felt the game area was poor. Considering the quality of other lodges in the Selous, these two camps are not where we send clients.

$685pp

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Mivumo River Lodge
Both the Serena lodges (Selous Wildlife and Mivumo River, below) get 2 paws for now; simply because they are too new for us to assess ongoing quality. On our recent visit we were genuinely impressed with the lodges but felt the game area was poor. Considering the quality of other lodges in the Selous, these two camps are not where we send clients.

$935pp

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