AREA
: 54,600 Sq. Km.
ALTITUDE: 110 - 1250 Metres
In the south of Tanzania,
stretching inland from the coast, lies Africa's largest wildlife sanctuary; the
Selous Game Reserve. Bigger than Denmark, it lies south of Mikumi, covers 6% of
Tanzania's total area and is 4 times the size of Serengeti. It contains the greatest
concentration of big game left on earth. Selous Game Reserve is internationally
famous for its animals. It has the world's largest number of big game:- elephant,
buffalo, rhino, sable antelope, hippo, lion. There are over 400 species of birdlife
which include:- fisheagle, secretary bird, kingfisher, sunbird, hornbill, billstork
and hammerkop. The best time to visit is from June - October when the weather
is cool and dry, the vegetation lush and the animals easy to see. Selous
has the finest virgin bush, unspoilt by time. Although it remains one of the least
scientifically researched areas in Africa, some 1700 botanical species have been
identified. In the far south, the vastness of the reserve and its general inaccessibility
has turned the Selous into a magnificent refuge for animals, birds, insects and
reptiles. Vegetation: Woodland dominates, particularly the dry and sparse
deciduous type known as 'miombo' but it is also a land of marshes, green savannah,
grassland, acacia, ebony, baobab and shrubs. As little development has
taken place in Selous, visitors can experience the solitude of this game reserve
in its most pristine form Selous was designated a 'World Heritage Site'
by the United Nations in 1982 due to its unique ecological importance.
Selous
game reserve is only 40 minutes away by air and 6 hours away by road from Dar
Es Salaam. Facilities include boat safaris along the Rufiji River, walking safaris
and game viewing in 4 wheel drive vehicles. The tranquillity one experiences at
the Selous, the wildness of the atmosphere has no parallel anywhere on earth. |
