Selous Game Reserve Safari
Named after explorer and author Frederick Courtney Selous, Selous Game Reserve is the largest uninhabited area in Africa as well as an important UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for offering the best bush vibe on a Tanzania tour. The reserve covers an area of 47,655 sq. kms. and its altitude varies from 36 meters to 1,461 meters. This allows Selous to offer a variety of habitats that range from rocky outcrops to grassy plains and woodlands. The Rufiji River which cuts through the park acts as its lifeline and presents a spectacular collection of lakes, channels and lagoons. Volcanic hot springs can also be found in select pockets.
10 Best Selous Game Reserve Tours
Discover our highly acclaimed tours in Selous Game Reserve, based on reviews and times booked.
Discover the untouched marvels of Tanzania’s southern circuit with The Best of Tanzania Southern Circuit Safari tour package. Explore celebrated yet less-frequented national parks—Ruaha, Selous, and Mikumi—where wild Africa meets the Indian Ocean. These parks offer some of the most varied scenery and wildlife in the country, yet attract just a fraction of the visitors seen in more famous reserves.
Guided by local wildlife specialists, you’ll track animals through forests, admire vibrant wildflowers, and follow the mighty Ruaha River in search of elusive species. The journey concludes with blissful relaxation on the beaches of Zanzibar, blending adventure and leisure seamlessly.
For explorers who value both rich biodiversity and peaceful solitude, this trip’s unique selling point is its combination of expert-led wildlife tracking and crowd-free environments, capped with a rejuvenating beach escape.
13 days
Venture into the wild expanse of Tanzania’s Nyerere National Park, one of the world’s largest and most unspoiled protected areas. This budget safari trip is a haven for both young adults and seniors seeking raw, authentic encounters with Africa’s wildlife. Spot elephants, lions, wild dogs, buffalo, zebras, and more as you traverse this UNESCO-listed landscape, renowned for its biodiversity and untouched nature. Once used as a hunting reserve, the park now offers a rare chance to see shy, elusive animals in their natural element. The unique appeal of this tour lies in its focus on the unfiltered beauty of southern Tanzania, perfect for intrepid travelers eager to get close to nature on a true safari adventure.
3 days
This 10-day journey is designed to immerse you in an authentic African safari experience, exploring Tanzania’s most remote and unspoiled wilderness areas.
Unlike the more frequented northern parks, this carefully curated itinerary takes you off the beaten path to discover some of the country’s hidden gems—offering a true sense of adventure, exclusivity, and raw natural beauty.
Your safari begins in Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve), the largest national park in Tanzania and one of Africa’s most untouched ecosystems. Here, you will enjoy a variety of activities, including classic game drives and a scenic boat safari along the Great Rufiji River, home to hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife.
Continue to Mikumi National Park, where the vast Mkata Floodplain offers open horizons and excellent wildlife viewing. Often compared to the Serengeti plains, this area is home to elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and a wide variety of antelope species.
Your adventure then leads to the wild and dramatic landscapes of Ruaha National Park, Tanzania’s second-largest national park. Known for its rugged beauty and the life-giving Great Ruaha River, the park hosts one of East Africa’s largest elephant populations, a high concentration of big cats, and the rare African wild dogs.
Finally, explore the lush forests of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, a unique biodiversity hotspot. Unlike traditional safari parks, Udzungwa offers a rare hiking experience through tropical rainforest, where you can encounter endemic primates, spectacular birdlife, and breathtaking waterfalls. A trek to the famous Sanje Waterfalls rewards you with stunning views and a refreshing swim at the base.
10 days
Discover the wildlife of Tanzania in this six-day safari adventure that will take you to Mukumi and Nyerere national parks. The tour starts from the city of Dar es Salaam from where you will be picked up and transferred to Mikumi Natinoal Park.
The open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata Floodplain, the fashionable centrepiece of Mikumi, draw frequent comparisons to the more famous Serengeti plains. The park boasts several wildlife species, including African elephants, wildebeest, zebras and impalas. It is also home to a great many of bird species. More than 400 bird species have been recorded here, such as the lilac-breasted rollers, yellow-throated longclaws, and bateleur eagles.
On the next part of the tour, we will head to Nyerere National Park, formally known as Selous Game Reserve. Founded in 2019, the park covers over 30,000 square kilometres and boasts Tanzania's largest elephant population and many lions, leopards, African hunting dogs, buffaloes, and hippos. Species commonly seen are bushbucks, red and blue duikers, elands, hartebeests, hyenas, giraffes, oryx, reedbucks, impalas, waterbucks, and zebras. The park has the most extensive diversity of safari activities ranging from boat safari along the Great Rufiji River, legendary fly camping trips, jungle walking and game drives in thriving wildlife areas.
See the itinerary section below for more details.
6 days
Curious about Tanzania’s lesser-trodden safari paths? The Tanzania Southern Circuit Budget Safari invites travelers to discover the wild, untamed charm of the south, where Nyerere National Park—Africa’s largest—unfolds its vast savanna, woodlands, and shimmering lakes. Famed for its undisturbed nature and immense biodiversity, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to a stunning array of wildlife, from elephants and crocodiles to vibrant birdlife. One highlight of this trip is a guided boat safari along the Rufiji River, offering close encounters with hippos, waterbirds, and, with luck, even lions or Nile monitors drawn to the water’s edge.
Beyond Nyerere, your tour package leads you to Mikumi National Park, a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Here, open floodplains and Miombo woodlands host migrating herds of wildebeest, impala, buffalo, and elusive antelopes like the greater kudu. Over 400 bird species have been spotted, making this a paradise for birdwatchers. Whether you’re on a brief visit or lingering to soak in the landscape, Mikumi’s tranquil scenery and abundance of animals rarely disappoint.
The journey culminates at Udzungwa Mountains National Park, often called the "Galapagos of Africa" for its remarkable diversity and endemism. Trek through ancient forests and explore massifs that harbor rare plants and animals found nowhere else. The region’s unique geological history, shaped over 200 million years, sets the stage for an adventure packed with both natural wonders and cultural intrigue.
This five-day guided tour is perfect for travelers eager to explore Tanzania beyond the classic northern circuit, offering a blend of game drives, river safaris, and forest walks. The USP here is clear: access to some of the continent’s most pristine, biodiverse, and crowd-free parks. If you seek authentic wilderness and a deeper connection with African nature, this southern Tanzania safari presents an unforgettable alternative.
5 days
Embark on a 3-day safari adventure from Zanzibar to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve), one of Africa’s largest and least-explored wildlife areas. The journey begins with an early ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam (approx. 1.5 hours), followed by a road transfer to Nyerere National Park with a professional safari driver-guide. On the final day, you return to Zanzibar by scenic flight.
This unforgettable safari takes you into Southern Tanzania’s remote safari circuit, far from the crowds. Enjoy classic game drives in a shared 4x4 safari Land Cruiser, an authentic walking safari for a closer connection to nature, and a rare boat safari on the Rufiji River, where wildlife gathers along the water’s edge.
3 days
Embark on a 2-day safari from Zanzibar to Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) with a round-trip flight included. You’ll be picked up early from your Zanzibar hotel and transferred to the airport for a 7:30am flight, returning the following day around 5:00pm.
This short but immersive adventure takes you into Southern Tanzania’s lesser-explored safari circuit. Enjoy classic game drives in a shared 4x4 safari Land Cruiser, encountering a wide variety of wildlife in vast, uncrowded landscapes. On the second day, experience a rare boat safari on the Rufiji River, offering a unique perspective of animals and birdlife along the water.
2 days
Venture into the wild heart of Tanzania with the Explore Nyerere National Park tour package, where Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary awaits. Spanning an area even greater than Denmark and covering about 6% of Tanzania, Nyerere National Park is four times the size of the Serengeti, making it an unrivaled destination for anyone seeking an authentic safari experience. Renowned for its extraordinary density of wildlife—including an estimated 28,000 elephants, 160,000 buffaloes, and thousands of hippos and sable antelopes—this park is a must for travelers eager to witness the planet’s highest concentration of big game.
What sets this trip apart is the diverse range of safari activities designed to immerse you fully in the park’s untamed landscape. You’ll have the chance to embark on exhilarating 4x4 Jeep safaris across open plains, tread softly through the bush on a guided walking safari with an armed ranger, and drift along the Rufiji River or a tranquil lake on a memorable boat safari. These opportunities ensure spectacular wildlife encounters from every perspective, whether you’re tracking elephants on foot or spotting hippos from the water.
For those in search of a truly unforgettable African journey, Nyerere offers multiple ways to experience its raw beauty and biodiversity, making this tour package an exceptional choice for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. The park’s sheer scale, varied habitats, and unrivaled wildlife populations guarantee you’ll enjoy a safari adventure unlike any other, with the unique selling point of unparalleled big game viewing in one of the continent’s most expansive and pristine environments.
4 days
Venture into one of Africa’s last great wildernesses with the 3-days Escape to Selous Game Reserve Safari. Covering an astounding 50,000 square kilometers, Selous is a haven for elephant, black rhino, cheetah, giraffe, and hippo, as well as countless birds and reptiles. The diverse habitats—from Miombo woodlands to riverine forests—offer a constantly changing backdrop for your safari adventure.
Starting and ending in Dar Es Salaam, your base is the charming Selous River Camp, where you’ll enjoy mudhut accommodations and expert guiding. The standout feature of this safari tour package is the pristine, uncrowded environment—offering travelers intimate wildlife encounters and a real sense of discovery away from the crowds.
3 days
Venture into the wild heart of Africa with the "6 Days/5 Nights - Best of Selous Game Reserve Camping Safari." Encompassing 45,000 square kilometers, Selous Game Reserve is Africa’s largest protected wilderness—twice the size of the Serengeti and larger than Switzerland. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Selous is famed for its abundant elephant, lion, leopard, sable antelope, wild dog, buffalo, and hippo populations, as well as the mighty Rufiji River, which weaves through a landscape of channels, lakes, and swamps.
This camping safari promises close encounters with diverse wildlife, including rare aquatic species like tiger fish and vandu catfish. The reserve’s varied terrain—open woodland, grassy plains, forests, and mountains—offers endless discovery, while nights spent under the stars create an authentic safari ambiance.
The unique selling point of this tour package is its immersive camping experience in one of Africa’s most remote and biodiverse reserves, guided by experts and surrounded by breathtaking, untouched nature. Travelers seeking adventure far from the tourist trail will find Selous an unforgettable wilderness escape.
6 days
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Selous Game Reserve Tour Reviews
Read reviews from travelers who have experienced Selous Game Reserve tours, and find the best tour for your next adventure.
Anonymous | Traveled in July
Need 1 more day in Rome for st Peter's Basilica and the pantheon. Rest was really good.
Darryl T. | Traveled in July
The include guided tours are informative as they are conducted by local guides. The optional experiences were also well chosen by Insight.
Anonymous | Traveled in July
I walked with a cane (awaiting a knee replacement within 2 weeks after the trip. Vivian and the group of travelers were very patient with me. I would suggest this trip for the healthier individuals. Sites were beautiful, but all the walking is a challenge if handicapped. I was very fortunate to be with our special group of 24 and having Vivian as our tour guide! Overall it was a wonderful trip!!!
Jennifer C. | Traveled in July
The most beautiful country I have ever visited. I highly recommend this trip as it captures everything and beyond that Italy has to offer.
Russel K. | Traveled in July
The travel director and driver made it a wonderful trip
Anonymous | Traveled in July
"Travel Matters" excursions are often just glorified shopping trips. Especially frustrating was going to a "oil/scent" shop for 2 hours
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