Selous Game Reserve

The Selous is the largest game reserve in Africa and one of the least known.It is considered by many African travelers as th 'Holy Grail African Wilderness area largely undeveloped and unspoiled,as our travel writer recalls. It is larger than Denmark ,and holds an Elephant population of about 35,000, and it is the home of over 350 recorded bird species and 2,100 species of Flora.
It is in the south of Tanzania,stretching inland from theIndian Ocean Coast and it is one of the Words last great wilderness areas containing a huge concentration of big game.
The Tanzania Government is commited in preserving the natual state of the reserve. Infact,the number of permanent camps is actually being reduced. The Selous(pronounced seloo)is unique in its size,its state of naturalness,and its ecological and genetic resources.

Although much of its low lying, altitudes range from 1000 to 1250 meters. The climate is tropical with two rainy seasons: light rainfall from November to December, and heavy downpours from February to May.

The reserve is therefore crisscrossed by many streams and rivers which become : 'sand rivers in the dry season. Running through its center, and seriously impeding communication flows the mighty Rufiji river.

With its massive tributaries, the Rufiji river basin is East Africa's largest river basin, draining an area of 177,400 square kilometers.

Each year its swirling coffee coloured water pour millions of tones of silt into the Indian Ocean, creating a hand shaped delta of mangrove swamps and sand bars some 65 kilometres wide.