On safari in Selous Game Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve is the largest protected area in Africa. Selous Game Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and covers an area the size of Belgium. Running through Selous is the Rufiji River and it is along its banks that many of the safari camps of Selous are located. The river is fed by lakes and lagoons all of which are focal points for safaris in Selous.
Most of the safari camps in and around Selous Game Reserve offer their guests of choices of three types of safari; game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris. Boat and walking safaris are both excellent options but it is the traditional game drives that are most popular.
Open safari vehicles are driven by an experienced guide who points out various animals that you almost certainly wouldn't even notice. The guide will also give you the names of the colourful birds and other animals that you come across. Selous Game Reserve is home to the "Big Five" but this is wild Africa, not a zoo so there are no guarantees you will see leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino.
Unlike Europe where we have 4 distinct seasons, Selous has a wet and a dry season. The dry season of June to November is the best time to view game. The water holes have dried up so wildlife makes for the lakes and lagoons and there is also less foliage which mean that spotting game and birds is much easier. It is also the best time to see the larger predators.
The wet season covers the rest of the year and although the early part of the wet season between December and February, game viewing can still be good but it can feel very humid. For bird watchers, January to May is the best time to visit the Selous although the rains can make some roads impassable and many lodges and camps are closed between March and May.
Selous Game Reserve also boast around a third of the African Wild Dog population. The Selous is home to around 1,300 of the critically endanged Wild Dog. Also known as "Painted Dogs", they are social animals and hunt as a pack.
The lakes in Selous attract a wide range of birdlife with the majestic Fish Eagle being the favourite of many people. Its distinctive call can often be heard as its sits perched in the lake side trees or soaring in the blue skies. As well as storks, heron and other wading birds, the lakes are also home to crocodiles and Africa's most dangerous animal, the hippo. Occasionally, you will see hippo out of the water during the day but usually they are resting with their heads bobbing on the surface.
Visitors really need a minimum of 3 nights to ensure they have the opportunity to see the magnificent wildlife that the Selous Game Reserve has to offer.
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